As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from February 17. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from early 20th-century labor strikes to modern infrastructure challenges.
1911: Joliet Evening Herald
On February 17, 1911, the Joliet Evening Herald was dominated by local unrest and legal drama. The lead story, “Street Hack Strikes,” detailed a violent clash between carriage drivers and police in the downtown district. Elsewhere on the page, the paper reported on a “Gigantic Eagle” measuring seven feet across that was shot by local farmers, and provided a detailed account of the “Alleged Bandit, A Poor Witness,” focusing on a trial where a defendant’s memory failed him under cross-examination.
1923: The DeKalb Daily Chronicle
By 1923, the DeKalb Daily Chronicle took on a true-crime tone with the massive headline “Arrest Three Men as Murder Suspects Here.” The story chronicled the discovery of a body in a shallow grave and the “torture killing” mystery that had gripped the community. In a lighter vein, the front page also celebrated a “Giant Ring Uncovered,” involving the recovery of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen jewelry, and tracked the arrival of the controversial film “Birth of a Nation” at a local theater.
1936: Woodstock Daily Sentinel
The February 17, 1936, edition of the Woodstock Daily Sentinel reflects a community battling a harsh winter. The bold headline “Dynamite Snowdrifts” explained the drastic measures used by highway workers to clear roads for motorists, including bringing in dynamite. Political season was also in full swing, with the paper listing “24 Candidates File for Jobs as Committeemen,” and a featured society column announced that “Elaine Rasmussen Becomes Bride of Harold Schryver” in a formal Saturday ceremony.
2006: The Times (Ottawa)
Fast forward to 2006, and The Times focused on a major environmental and infrastructure investigation titled “Down the Pipe.” The cover story explored the “unconventional” and illegal sewage dumping practices in South Streator into abandoned coal mines. The modern layout also featured high-school sports achievements, noting the “Lady Falcons” basketball sectional championship win, and a health report questioning the efficacy of “Soap and water beat antibacterial agents.”
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