Welcome to Calhoun County

Welcome to the Calhoun County Tram and Visitors service. We will begin our tour of Calhoun County in just a moment. First there are two things I need to point out right here. The 3 mile long 4 lane road you came into Calhoun County is the Senator JP Pettibone Memorial Freeway. You will note there are also two off ramps that went nowhere. Senator Pettibone is the Senator from Calhoun County. On fine day he woke up and felt it would be nice to have a freeway in his honor so he appropriated about 8 million from state tax funds and gave the contract to his nephew, Artis.

There were some questions asked about how it just so happened that JP's nephew won the contract but for some reason they were hushed up. After 6 years of work we had the JP Pettibone Memorial freeway with two off ramps that lead nowhere. Sure does cost a lot for two mile of freeway, two off ramps, and a "bush run" rest area.

We are sitting in the parking lot of the Calhoun County Hair, Tanning, Nail and Short Stop, owned by the Ragel sisters. They have been in business at this location for 8 years and in celebration of their eighth anniversary they have 20 Oz cokes on sale today for just $.45. That's right just a low $.45. You can take advantage of their generous offer as soon as you return, as no food or drinks are allowed in the tram.

Now if you will all make sure your arms and legs are inside the tram and you’re not smoking we will begin out tour.

The railway bed we are now crossing that extends as far as you can see in either direction once held the tracks Of the Bailer and Pits railways. It was started during WWI to bring the Ammo that was made at the Calhoun County B&P Ammo works. They made everything from 200 Lb bombs to ammo for the various rifles and machineguns. After the Vietnam War Senators Bailer and Pits closed down the ammo works. Because we no longer had the B&P Ammo factory there was no longer a need for the B&P railways so they shut that down too. Bailer and Pits were going to sell the rails for scrap but before they could, the rails disappeared and Senators Bailer and Pitts had to settle for the insurance money.

On your left is the Calhoun County Scrap yard, JJ Pits Prop, where all of those in Calhoun County bring their scrap iron and empty soda cans to recycle.

We just got a question from this fine gentleman sitting in the front as to why it appears as though there are lots of railroad tracks. One would be a little suspicious of that had they not lived here in Calhoun County for many years. It seems that they just showed up one dark and stormy night and the Calhoun County Scrap Yard was investigated by the insurance company and it was decided by the insurance investigator, RD Pits, that as long as there were no serial numbers on the rails it was hard to determine if they had or had not come from the B&P rail bed.

Moving right along on your right side just before we get to Main Street is the Calhoun County Park with its shiny purple bandstand. It was supposed to be white but the county fathers didn't have enough funds on hand to buy the paint so they took the paint that was donated by the Calhoun County Grocery, Ambulance Service, Grain and Feed, Furniture, Clothing and Funeral Parlor, Elwena and Henry Morgan Prop. “We serve you from cradle to grave” is their motto. You will see the place of business on the right of Main Street, as we get closer to town. Anyway when the County fathers asked for donations Henry offered a can of paint or two that he had been asked to mix up special for someone that had never come back for them. Unfortunately the labels had been long lost and the County wound up with a bright Purple bandstand.

On the left of Main Street you will see the Bank, Restaurant, and Fine Foods, George and Elmer Watson Prop. The Watsons took over the bank after it was closed during the savings and loan scandal. A few questions were asked as to why the Bank had never been insured under the federal insurance guidelines and some others about just who really had owned the Bank as it never was connected with any other bank.  It was also a bit suspicious to the Calhoun County people when  they woke up one morning to find a sign in the window of the Bank that said "Gone out of business of due to having enough money." It is a good place to eat but you may take the Perkins's family advice and not asked for a table in "The vault". It seems that when Mr. Perkins and his darling family of six went to eat they had asked for a table in the vault and were accidentally shut in it for three hours when Mrs. Perkins complained about a breeze and the waitress closed the door.

Right down the street is the Calhoun County Drug Store, Fred and Martha Johnson Prop and you’re just in time for the third annual going out of business sale. You see awhile back Fred got into an argument with a DEA agent and now the only prescription pills that they are able to dispense are birth control pills.

There are other people and places in Calhoun County but you just paid for the $298 tour since they are excluded. However we do give you a nice brochure that tells you about the other places and people.

That concludes our tour of Calhoun County. If you have any questions feel free to ask me as I have all of the dirt on Calhoun County. Please keep your arms and legs inside the tram and remain seated until we come to a full stop and thank you for traveling with the Calhoun County Tram and Visitors service. We can provide tram service for any number of parties.

GB

Tina ©

Awarded in Recognition of the Calhoun County Series

20 May 2007

The Calhoun County Series is available from:

Hatshepsut Press 

304 E. Washington

De Soto, IL 62924