As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at five front pages from January 29, from the rough-and-tumble era of prohibition-era crime to the modern excitement of a Super Bowl run.
1906: Joliet Evening Herald
The turn of the century brought intense political drama to Joliet. On January 29, 1906, the Joliet Evening Herald blared a warning: “ROBBERY OF PEOPLE PLANNED!” The article attacked “Snapp’s Vicious Measure,” a deep waterway scheme that critics claimed would strip Joliet of its water-power rights for private gain. The front page even included a “cut out” coupon for readers to mail to their Aldermen in protest, showing the paper’s role in active local advocacy.
1925: Dixon Evening Telegraph
By 1925, the rise of the automobile was changing the landscape of Lee County. The Dixon Evening Telegraph led with the news that a “MOTOR PATROL FOR LEE CO. ROADS WILL BE URGED,” a plan to patrol 255 miles of highway. This issue also captured the heavy toll of the era’s violence, featuring a somber headline about the “Herrin Battle Ground” trial, where a widow pleaded for peace following a bloody labor feud.
1930: The Daily Chronicle (DeKalb)
The 1930s opened with a focus on law and order. The Daily Chronicle featured a bold headline: “GANGSTERS IN CHICAGO DEFY POLICE WITH BOMBS.” While the city dealt with organized crime, locally, the paper covered more immediate dangers, such as a “Train Hits Stalled Car” at the Hillcrest crossing.
2007: Northwest Herald (McHenry County)
Fast forward to 2007, and the mood in McHenry County was electric. The Northwest Herald celebrated the Chicago Bears’ arrival in Florida with “Touchdown in Miami,” as the team prepared for Super Bowl XLI. Beyond the gridiron, the paper kept residents informed on environmental threats, specifically the “Towns bracing for bug” story regarding the invasive emerald ash borer, and provided an explainer on the complexities of “TIFs.”
2007: The Times (Ottawa)
On the same day in 2007, The Times in Ottawa also caught “Football Frenzy,” documenting local fans preparing for their trip to Miami to see the Bears. The cover balanced local spirit – highlighting a “Super Bowl Scramble” for tickets – with nature reporting on the annual Bald Eagle Watch Weekend at Starved Rock, under the headline “Where Eagles Fly.”
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