Rameen: Coming up on City Spotlight, we are talking Mattoon.

We'll talk with the Mayor of Mattoon, Tim Gover, about the latest economic development in Mattoon, and Public Works projects going on this summer in Mattoon.

Then we'll talk with Steve Thompson and Carolyn Cloyd of the Coles County Historic Preservation Advisory Council about historic landmarks in Mattoon that are going on the National Registry.

We're talking Mattoon, next on City Spotlight.

[music plays] City Spotlight is supported by Consolidated Communications.

CCI is honored to salute the cities and their leaders in the area, as well as providing TV, Internet, and phone service for the local homes and businesses.

We live where we work, and are proud to support the communities we serve.

More information available at consolidated.com.

Rameen: Thank you to all of you for joining us for another edition of City Spotlight.

We're talking Mattoon today and we are pleased to welcome back to the program the Mayor of Mattoon, Tim Gover.

Tim.

Tim: Thank you, Rameen.

Very nice to be here.

Rameen: Pleasure.

I've done this a few times before.

Tim: We have.

Rameen: Last time we saw you was around this time last year.

We look forward to catching up with you at the mid-way point of 2018.

Last time we had Mattoon on, we Ed Dowd from the Chamber in the fall.

He caught us up to speed on the latest economic development.

As we know, in Mattoon, it's ever-changing.

I think I want to get your comments on the Cross County Mall because at the time we talked with Ed, some things were happening there, and Rural King was getting involved with the mall.

Can you talk about that dynamic of Rural King coming into play with the mall?

Tim: Well, we are very pleased to know that Rural King has purchased the mall, and they have some plans.

The City of Mattoon, Kyle Gill, our City Administrator, working with Rural King to try to get more tenants into the mall.

We hope, eventually, that every space in the mall will be filled.

Rameen: Rural King, as we know, is moving into one portion of the mall there, so they'll have one portion there in the mall, and they'll keep their existing location there on the northern, north ... Is it northwestern part of Mattoon?

Tim: Northwestern part of town- Rameen: Very good, it's a very good ... Tim: Near Wood Avenue, west of Wood Avenue, or Illinois 121.

Rameen: You have almost kind of like a win-win situation.

The mall is continuing to go in Mattoon, and Rural King is expanding.

Talk about that dynamic of Rural King.

How is that going to benefit Mattoon in the long-run?

Tim: Well, I think it will benefit Mattoon tremendously, and especially if we can get more tenants in the mall, because we're looking at sales tax revenue.

We have a budget problem, budget deficit, as most communities are this year.

State of Illinois took more money away from us.

In fact, City of Mattoon lost $120,000, so that has hurt.

If we can get more tenants in the mall, get more sales there in the mall, it's win-win.

Rameen: Absolutely.

Before we started talking, taping this interview, Tim, you mentioned Rural King is one of three large, major employers there in Mattoon.

Talk about their very important role to Mattoon.

Tim: Well we have, as you mentioned, three major employers in Mattoon that are headquartered in Mattoon.

We have Rural King, we have Consolidated Communications and then First Mid-Illinois Bank.

They employ a large number of people that are in the community and are headquartered there, and that's very important.

Rameen: Okay, very good.

Now talk about the continued development there between Walmart and the Interstate there.

Noticed not too long ago, I was on my Facebook and there's Ed Dowd broadcasting live from Facebook, the new Mattoon Chiropractic.

Talk about that area there.

That's over there by the Sarah Bush Clinic.

Tim: That's right.

It's just south of Sarah Bush Clinic on Dettro Drive, to the east of Walmart, and that is open.

There are still a few spaces in there vacant that are going to be occupied eventually.

We hope there will be, anticipate some development there between Mattoon Chiropractic and the Copper Cottage Memory Care Center.

That whole area out there, I can see developing in the not too distant future.

Rameen: That's a large plot of land there- Tim: It is.

Rameen: ... between Copper Creek, which we've talked about.

Then, obviously, the Mattoon Chiropractic and Sarah Bush- Tim: Even east of that, sort of behind Home Depot.

Rameen: Right, absolutely.

Tim: Then the other thing is there, as you're aware, west of Cracker Barrel ... Rameen: Yes.

Tim: That strip shopping area has opened as well, including Starbucks and AT&T Telephone, and a couple of other businesses are in there as well.

Rameen: I know that my wife and children went over to the Great Clips.

Tim: Yes.

Rameen: They had a grand opening sale there, so ... Tim: Yeah.

Rameen: Tim, we've been taping City Spotlight since the start of 2015, and not to get too reminiscent here, but in three and a half years, does it astound you, just continue ... You already had a lot going on between Walmart and the Interstate, but you've had a few subtractions but many, many additions.

Does it just wow you, the continued growth in that area?

Tim: We have been truly blessed because it's not only been in that area but in the downtown area, where a number of businesses have moved into that area.

More development down there, more things are happening.

We are, have been truly blessed community.

Rameen: All right, very good.

Growth all around in Mattoon, very good.

Can't not talk about Public Works, because it's the warm time of the year, and a lot going on there.

For the last couple of years, we've talked about the continued resurfacing, repaving, the beautification of Marshall Avenue, and phase two is ... Well, it'll have been underway once people are seeing this episode.

Tim: That's right.

The second phase will be from 9th Street to 14th Street and that will be a reconstruction of Marshall Avenue, which desperately is needed.

While we're doing that, we will install new water mains and new sewers.

Then the third phase will be next year, which will be from 14th Street to 17th Street, and that will complete that.

We're also in the process of completing the parking lot between, well between 19th and 21st Street on Broadway, behind Debuhr's, Villa Pizza and that area.

There'll be about 60 parking places when that is completed.

Rameen: That parking lot there in the downtown area, as you just mentioned, they're already starting to work on that and- Tim: Yes, they are.

Rameen: I think I read somewhere that roughly 60 parking spaces will be available when it's all complete.

Tim: That's correct.

Rameen: Absolutely.

New Public Works building is finally complete, as you told me.

When did that finally open?

Tim: Completed and occupied.

We moved in there about the first of April, and during April they completed moving from the old building at 12th and Richmond.

That building will be demolished.

I'm not sure exactly when, but probably sometime this fall.

Rameen: Okay, very good.

Speaking of demolitions, any other demolitions with the warm time of months?

Are there any places, continued community projects you've told me about, any other demolitions in Mattoon?

Tim: There are a number of others that will be undertaken the rest of this year.

Of course, one thing that I might mention with that, community pride.

The trying to clean up the community and, of course, now we're getting into the time when there's a lot of grass mowing and that type of thing, weeds and other types of things, so we're picking up on that now as well.

Rameen: All right, very good.

In our next segment here on City Spotlight, we're going to talk about some historic places in Mattoon that are going to be honored on the National Registry, one of them the Burgess-Osborne Auditorium.

Tim: Yes.

Rameen: Been a part of Mattoon since the early '50s there, and the Lumpkin Heights in Elm Ridge, historic district.

Two places that will be honored.

What a prestigious honor for those two places, beautiful places in their own right in Mattoon.

Tim: Oh yes.

As I mentioned to you before we came on the air, I live in Lumpkin Heights area, so very familiar with that area.

Lived there for, well, almost 49 years, so ... Rameen: A few years.

Tim: A few years.

Rameen: The Burgess has housed numerous things over the year.

Steve Thompson will talk about the history of that, and the bands, and the future of the Burgess.

What role does a place like the Burgess, that can host so many things possibly?

Tim: It hosts a lot of things.

In fact, we have done a lot of remodeling of that facility, and it's quite nice.

There are wedding receptions there, there are birthday parties, there are business meetings.

I mean, just about anything that you can think about, and almost every weekend that is booked.

Rameen: The location is kind of right in the center of Mattoon- Tim: It is.

Rameen: Across from the police station there.

Tim: Yes.

Rameen: Tim, that's kind of all I have on the list here.

We're taping this the second week of May, the midpoint of the year.

What are you excited about moving forward here in the next couple of months here in Mattoon?

Tim: Well, I think there'll be more development in Mattoon.

We have a number of, what I would call entrepreneurs, people that are very interested in developing Mattoon.

We have a lot to offer.

We're on the Interstate.

We have a good City Council, good city government.

Very proactive, welcoming new businesses to the community.

Doing anything we can to try to bring business into the City of Mattoon.

Rameen: All right.

We look forward to hearing continued progress in Mattoon as 2018 continues on.

Yourself, Kyle Gill, Ed Dowd, I'm sure will find a way to come and join us in the next few months here on City Spotlight.

The Mayor of Mattoon, Tim Gover.

It's a pleasure as always, Tim.

Tim: Thank you so much.

I enjoyed being here, as always.

Rameen: Thank you very much.

Coming up next here on City Spotlight, we're going to talk about some historic places in Mattoon with Steve Thompson and Carolyn Cloyd.

They're with the Coles County Preservation Advisory Council, but first, let's take a look at some of the upcoming activities going on in Mattoon.

[music plays] Rameen: We're back here on City Spotlight.

This episode on Mattoon, we're going to change gears and talk about a little historic preservation.

Joining us in the studio is Steve Thompson and Carolyn Cloyd.

They're both with the Coles County Historic Preservation Advisory Council.

Welcome.

Carolyn: Thank you.

Steve: Glad to be here.

Rameen: Excellent.

Steve and Carolyn are familiar to our WEIU viewers.

They've been on a couple of Our Story programs, but you're first time guests here on City Spotlight.

Can you guys tell us a little bit about yourselves?

We'll go with Steve first.

Steve: Sure.

I grew up in Mattoon.

I spent a long time in the military, and ended up back here after my university studies.

Rameen: Okay, very good.

Carolyn?

Carolyn: I work for United Way.

I'm the Executive Director of Coles County United Way.

I live in Mattoon.

I was actually raised, after my dad retired from the military, I was raised in Arcola, so I have connections to the communities.

Rameen: All right, very good.

First question's for both of you.

If you guys can tell us what it is, why you do what you do, which is preserving history, why do you do that?

Why is it important?

We'll start with Steve.

Steve: Well, I think a study of history is really important to society because we can't know who exactly we are until we know where we came from.

History's one way to, one mechanism, the study of it, to get to that point.

Even though we look at historic context, which is the story, the historical stories and stuff, the results of that history is on the hardscape out there with buildings, bridges, water towers, landscapes, whatever.

Steve: All those mean something to a community, to a state, to a nation.

When we find something that's historically significant, has definite context, whether it be architecture or just social history, we take a look at those buildings, bridges, battlefields, whatever, and try to encourage everyone to preserve those types of cultural resources.

Rameen: Okay, Carolyn.

Carolyn: Well, to add to that, I think history is important, all history is important but locally, I think it's very important.

I think that when you're growing up in a community like this, it's a small town, it's rural.

I think, particularly children forget that great things happen in their community, and when you're preserving local history, you can remind them that there were things that happened here, there were people that happened here that shaped history, national history and world history.

You can teach them that home is where history happens.

Rameen: All right, very good.

Before we talk about the Advisory Council, I want to ask you, Carolyn, about the Jefferson Award that you were a recipient of for public service.

Can you tell us what the award is and what does it mean to you?

Carolyn: It is an award for volunteerism, and I would like to add that Mr. Thompson is a Jefferson Award recipient as well, so ... Rameen: Awesome.

Steve: Not to step on, but that was before it was so stringent of qualification criteria.

Rameen: Okay.

Carolyn: I mean, nobody volunteers to get awards, so it's a great honor.

It's an honor to me, it's an honor to everyone that receives it.

I guess it just, it's important to me because it means that if I'm volunteering that maybe I'm touching somebody's lives.

Rameen: All right, very good.

You both are a part of the Coles County Historic Preservation Advisory Council.

Steve, can you tell us what the mission or the purpose of this Council is?

Steve: Sure.

I'd like to cite first that Coles County is one of probably only a half a dozen county governments that has any kind of Historic Preservation Commission, Council element within the County government.

Our organization has, I think, eight actual Council members.

Everybody does everything pro bono, it's all for free.

Steve: The Council started, I think, back in about 1980.

Their main objectives early on were to advise the County about rehabs to the courthouse and some historic bridges that it owns.

That's morphed into something much bigger.

Now we try to look at projects and initiatives that will encourage keeping the historic character of Coles County.

Rameen: Four days prior to this taping on May 17th, there was an award ceremony held the Burgess-Osborne, and quite a gathering, a lot of dignitaries.

It was awarding not just places in Mattoon, but in Coles County.

Either of you, could you give us a summary of what transpired on May 17th?

Steve: Sure.

I'll sort of take this one, and Carolyn can roll in with one of the big properties.

Rameen: Sure, okay.

Steve: We covered a lot of ground in the past 18 months.

We always look for local landmarks, whether it be architecture or social history, and nature primarily is what we're looking for.

We try to recognize those properties and get them on the Coles County Register of Significant Places.

We did have four properties that were ... Mattoon City Hall, the Tri-County airstrip, remote control airstrip, and the United Presbyterian Church in Ashmore, and a house on Seventh Street here in Charleston.

Rameen: Okay.

Steve: We do also recognize the people that are involved doing rehabs on historic properties, and a lot of the folks that were recognized last week helped us out on the projects and stuff.

We couldn't do what we do unless we had the support of people out there, just the average Joe and Jane out there that will help us get to our objectives.

The two principle properties that we looked at, because they were put on the National Register of Historic Places, which is the federal government recognizing these properties, is the Burgess-Osborne Memorial Auditorium in Mattoon and ... Carolyn: Lumpkin Heights in Elm Ridge Subdivision.

Rameen: Right.

Both of you spoke about those.

Those were the last two things that were presented.

Before we talk a little bit about those two places, what is the significance of local places being put on the National Registry?

It's quite an honor.

Steve: Well, it is.

It's a lot of work that goes into doing it, but to get this, basically the State of Illinois, in this case, and the federal government to recognize the properties, these properties have to have some kind of link to national historic context, and they do.

Both the properties that we dealt with have architecture elements, and both of them have social history elements.

Both the State of Illinois Review Board, which is made up of disciplines like architects, historians, urban planners, look at these in Springfield before they're sent off to D.C. for validation there also.

All these folks that review this are looking at things for, "How does this feed into the national context?"

Rameen: Okay.

Let's learn a little bit about those two places that were honored.

Carolyn, talk about Lumpkin Heights and the Elm Ridge Subdivision, please.

Carolyn: So hard to talk about that in a few brief minutes, it's such a huge project but ... Rameen: Yeah, well please, please do.

Carolyn: There were the two neighborhoods, Lumpkin Heights and Elm Ridge.

Lumpkin Heights, of course, was created by the Lumpkins, which they have a long history here in this community and here at EIU.

It was one of the first planned residential neighborhoods in Mattoon.

They created it and then in 1938, Horace Checkley, who was also a mover and shaker in Coles County, he created the Elm Ridge Subdivision.

There's a whole lot of history there, social context, as Steve mentioned, and architecture.

There's 160 contributing properties, two planned parks or spaces that are parks, and the Wabash Avenue brick street, which in a nutshell, that's that project.

Rameen: Love the communities in Central Illinois that have the brick and that area, it certainly does.

Carolyn: Yes, yes, yes.

Rameen: We've been showing some of the visuals, some of the slides that you guys have for the respective places.

Steve, you presented the Burgess-Osborne, which is the location of where this awards ceremony was.

Tell us about the Burgess, please.

Steve: The Burgess was essentially a gift from Miss Emily Burgess-Osborne.

In 1944, she created an endowment, $150,000 then, to build a community center because there wasn't one in Mattoon at that time.

Things like banquets, political rallies were held in the hotels.

She felt that the youth needed a place.

This is before big youth centers were really prevalent, and that's what took place.

It was built and constructed in 1953.

It's mid-century, modern architecture's the defining architectural features on it.

It ended up being a big social gathering place for everything from ballroom dancing classes for teens to people watching their first color TV broadcast in there.

Ronald Reagan spoke there- Rameen: Wow.

Steve: ... when he was running for President.

The context I focused on was the pop scene during the '50s and '60s that took off, and the bands that were playing there on Friday and Saturday nights.

For us teenagers, that was great entertainment.

A lot of those folks are still playing and still around, and they attended the other night.

Rameen: Right.

Steve: They probably boosted ...

This was the largest attendance we've ever had for an award ceremony.

There was well over 100 people at this function.

Here, the Burgess-Osborne is fulfilling its purpose last Thursday night.

It's a community meeting center, and it's still being used.

Rameen: I've been in there for some of my son's Tai Kwan Do activities, so it is literally a wealth of things held at the Burgess over the years.

When was the last year that bands performed there at ... Steve: In 1970, and they essentially went from 1953 to 1970.

It was shifted out to the Robert G. DeMars newly built Youth Center at that time in Peterson Park.

Rameen: Okay, very good.

I want to ask one followup question on the Burgess, and I'll ask Carolyn one final question as we wrap up here.

What's next for the Burgess?

It's a facility there, located across from the Mattoon Police Department, kind of in the heart of Mattoon.

It's a 65-year-old structure or so if my math is right.

What's next for the Burgess?

Steve: Well, a lot of us would like to see ...

They haven't done the things that it was ...

Happened there to begin with.

The bands I mentioned, the Mattoon Community Theater put on plays in there.

We'd like to see more performing arts and highlight the cultural activities in Mattoon.

We need to do some acoustical work in there, and the stage needs to be brought up to state-of-the-art type, or let's say 21st century type facilities, backstage and stuff.

I think there's some movement, if we can get it done, to try and promote more cultural activities in there entertainment-wise.

Rameen: In our last few minutes here, after we're done talking here, we're going to have some sights and sounds from the award ceremony.

Carolyn, what did you gauge from that night there?

A couple hours, lots of people there.

Steve mentioned a couple of, some of the old band members were there.

What did you find to be enjoyable?

The culmination of all the hard work that's been done preserving history.

Carolyn: Well, just having all the people there.

Obviously, they supported it and I know Steve got a lot of feedback from people that said it was just a great night.

People were so excited, I think, about both of the National Register properties.

It really is an honor for the community.

I just felt like it was a support for the historic projects that we work on, and for those of us that love history, we love that people love history, so ... Rameen: Congratulations on all the work done over the last 18 months or so.

Steve Thompson and Carolyn Cloyd of the Coles County Historic Preservation Advisory Council.

We appreciate your time here on City Spotlight.

Carolyn: Thank you.

Steve: Glad to be here.

Rameen: Thank you so much.

Coming up next here on City Spotlight, we'll take a look at some of the sights and sounds from the award ceremony held by the Coles County Historic Preservation Advisory Council on May 17th at the Burgess-Osborne Auditorium.

Thanks for watching City Spotlight.

Speaker 5: This house is in the Sixth and Seventh Streets historic district in Charleston.

There you see the house as it looks right now.

Speaker 6: As many of you know from personal experience, working on an historic home is a labor of love.

We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to rehabilitate and revive our home.

Speaker 5: ...

Restore the drinking fountain at the Charleston Carnegie Public Library.

We know it's at least pre-1920.

Speaker 7: ... Everyone in the City of Charleston that made this job possible.

Thank you to the Council for the award.

Speaker 5: This was designed by Danville architect Leonard F.W.

[Stubey 00:23:10] and it was built in 1917, so last year they celebrated 100 years or the Centennial of this building.

Speaker 5: 1002 Seventh Street in Charleston.

This house is also in the Sixth and Seventh Streets historic district.

This is circa 1900 Queen Anne house that was designed by two very important architect contractors in Charleston's last 19th and early 20th century history, Charles D. Mitchell and stone mason, Alexander Briggs.

Speaker 8: The building is architecturally significant because of the art deco style, which was common at that time.

The Champagne architectural firm of Berger and Kelley designed the building.

Speaker 9: The Tri-County, a remote control airstrip, it was known originally as the Townley Farms Airport.

It was an emergency landing strip, 1950, post-Korean War for light aircraft, and it all revolved around the Townley family.

Speaker 10: I have a lifelong love of history, so writing about history, particularly local history, has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of my job over the years.

Again, thank you very much.

Speaker 11: These are places that matter here, but they matter to the people of Illinois too.

It's a pleasure to do the work that I do and to support you all.

Because you're the ones doing the heavy lifting and showing everyone that preservation is progress.

Speaker 12: I had no idea what was involved in this until they gave me Steve's name, and I called him and he was kind of like, "I'm on it."

Without Steve and Carolyn, it would have never happened.

Speaker 8: Coles County is very privileged to have all of you people here who are interested in helping to preserve the historic landmarks and areas that we have been seeing tonight.

We couldn't do it without people like you.

Otherwise, Coles County would lose so much if we didn't have you here to help us preserve it for our posterity.

Speaker 13: ... That Emily Burgess-Osborne was truly a visionary, and I'm happy to say that the Burgess rents out about three times a week, so her vision of having a place for the youth and stuff is still living on, and I'm glad to be part of it.

Jim: Jim Easter and the Artistics.

Phil: Phil Hazenfield and The Casuals, and then The Real Blues.

Jim: I think it's great.

It brought out several memories of the old bands and who actually started.

Like Phil and I say Preston Jackson and the Rhythm Aces were our idols.

I came after that, and then Phil couple of years later came after it.

This night brought out all the memories.

It's great to see some of the fans, and it's a good tribute.

Phil: I got involved with this with Steve Thompson when he said, "I need to find out something about these bands we don't have any information on."

I've got a lot of pictures.

Excuse me.

It just, it's one of those things that when we got into it, we started, all these memories come flooding back.

Jim: That's it.

Phil: I've known this guy, I actually saw him the first time in 1962.

Our band won Best Band in the State in 1964, and the next year, they won Best Band in the State.

Jim: Back in the days, when you were booked at the Burgess, I mean kids would come in and pack the place and we knew we were going to have a great crowd, and they were so appreciative that ...

It was the best place to play around here for years.

Rameen: City Spotlight is supported by Consolidated Communications.

CCI is honored to salute the cities and their leaders in the area, as well as providing TV, Internet, and phone service for the local homes and businesses.

We live where we work, and are proud to support the communities we serve.

More information available at consolidated.com.

[music plays]