Pioneer History by Richard C. Schmal

DID YOU KNOW THAT:

For many decades the annual Lowell Labor Day Celebration took place in Oakland Park on Oakley Avenue?

A semi-pro team, the "Lowell Stars," played baseball at Oakland Park, while fans watched from a big grandstand which was built and owned by Legion Post 101?

The southwest part of what is now called Redwing Lake was called "Lafler's Lake" in earlier times? Named after a nearby pioneer, that part of the swamp was known to be very deep. (It is north of the present Lowell High School.)

Until the centennial year of 1952, the Lowell Labor Day Parade assembled on West Commercial Avenue near Liberty Street, marched east to Burnham Avenue, north to Main Street, then west to Mill Street, south back to Commercial Avenue, and then on to Oakland Park? That plan was abandoned because as the parade began to get larger, it ran into itself!

A plank road once crossed the swamp from the village of Creston to Paisley Station at the south end of Cedar Lake?

In 1897 there was only one graduate from Lowell High School (William Davis)? That was the year that the school was changed from three to four years. Other years averaged about six grads in that era.

In 1851, in company with six other men, Melvin Halsted, founder of Lowell was returning from one of his California trips when his group was forced to skirmish with the Indians near Carson Valley?

In 1902 Oakland Park was owned by the Lowell Gun Club, who sponsored many shooting matches there?

Electric lights were turned on for the first time in the Town of Lowell on June 20, 1897?

The same year, 1897, a fine fire bell was purchased by the Town of Lowell? Now it is proudly displayed in front of the fire station.

Six banks were located in Lake County in 1896? Two were in Crown Point, one in Lowell, one in East Chicago and one in Whiting.

The Town of Shelby was platted in 1886 and recorded in 1887? The Post Office was in service there even earlier, in 1882.

The Kankakee River was called "Thea-Ki-Ki" (home of the wolf) by the Indians?

Lumber for the Ahlgrim house on the river at Shelby was shipped up the river from Illinois on a steamboat?

One trapper claimed that he and his partner caught over 40,000 muskrats in the season of 1912-13 in the Shelby area?

The Lowell Vol. Fire Dept. is celebrating its centennial this October?

A town ordinance in 1871 gave Lowell's town marshall 17 cents for each head of cattle impounded?

The first bridge over West Creek was built by Nehemiah Hayden for the sum of $400?

The J.M. Kenney general store and post office once stood at the corner of Ind. 2 and Ind. 55, near Orchard Grove Cemetery?

There is a memorial stone marking the homestead site of 1837 pioneer Nehemiah Hayden on Ind. 2, near the Illinois line?

"Holtz Corners" near the present high school was called "Sanger's Corners" in earlier days?

In the October 1983 column the Old Timer suggested that folks in the community start an old-fashioned brass band? It did not happen.

For several years, in the early 1900's, oil wells were being drilled in the Shelby and Thayer area, where oil was hoped to be discovered? No good wells were found.

Cedar Valley Butter was once made in what is now the west part of the Lowell Legion building?

During a Labor Day celebration in the 1920's, a World War I airplane was dropping bombs when one of them blew up in the plane, killing a crewman? The pilot of the "War Jennie" landed safely in a field west of Lowell.

The old grade school on Main Street originally had three steeples?

Lowell's first pumping station (on Liberty Street) was built in 1898 and demolished in 1973?

The large veterans' memorial on our old town square was erected for $3,000 in 1905?

The four important items for the early pioneers were: good farm land, pure water, game animals and trees?

One early egg merchant of Lowell gave prizes to the persons who brought in the most eggs to his store (now the Methodist Church Resale Shop) on Commercial Avenue?

The village of Brunswick was founded when Zachary Taylor was president?

There was no bridge over Cedar Creek on Mill Street until the 1920's? All north traffic went up Clark Street to Cedar Lake and points north.

The first part of September 1897 was very hot, with temperatures in the 90's: everything was very dry, 98 degrees on the 14th, hot nights, some rain on the 16th, with frost on the low places on the 18th?

The Sears and Roebuck catalog of 1902 featured a farm buggy for the price of $34.95?

Major General William Haan, of Spanish-American War and World War One fame, was born at Cedar Lake?

The "Lowell Truck" was made here for a short time?

The first daily mail service was established in Lowell in 1864?

A tornado hit Lowell in 1974, causing over a million and a half dollars in damage and destroying 6 homes, damaging 50 more as well as 10 business places?

A museum opened in the basement of the Lowell Public Library in 1933 and closed in December of 1944?

Lowell's first fire truck was purchased in 1916?

The 1903 Lowell National Bank building is now a pet store in downtown Lowell? [Note from year 2002: Now there is a gifts and antique store there.]