As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from April 10. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from the gritty era of political machines and Prohibition-era violence to the fall of international regimes and the resilience of our communities in the face of natural disasters.
1912: Morris Daily Herald
On April 10, 1912, the Morris Daily Herald dedicated its entire front page to a scathing indictment of local politics with the headline: “The Most Corrupt Nominating Primary in Years.” The paper alleged that a “slush fund” and “corrupt officials” had interfered with the democratic process. Beyond the political firestorm, the edition carried smaller, curious dispatches from the era, including a report on a Navy experiment testing how “Radio Waves” affected the growth of vegetation.
1928: Streator Daily Times-Press
By 1928, the headlines turned even darker as the Streator Daily Times-Press reported on the infamous “Pineapple Primary” in Chicago. Under the banner “Bloodshed, Rioting Mark Chicago Election,” the paper described a city paralyzed by “gangster rule,” where polling places were bombed and officials were kidnapped. In contrast to the urban chaos, the local Streator news focused on a “spirited” voter turnout across LaSalle County and a tragic fatal mishap near Morris.
2003: Northwest Herald (McHenry County)
The April 10, 2003, edition of the Northwest Herald captured a definitive moment in world history with the massive headline “Baghdad falls to coalition.” The front page featured the iconic image of a U.S. Marine placing an American flag over the face of a Saddam Hussein statue before it was toppled. Locally, the paper remained grounded in community transitions, reporting on a former Arthur Andersen employee starting her own business after the company’s high-profile collapse.
2015: Daily Chronicle (DeKalb County)
In 2015, the Daily Chronicle documented the harrowing aftermath of the Fairdale tornado with the headline “Path of Destruction.” The front page featured a striking photo of a business ripped apart by a tornado that claimed at least one life and injured several others. Below the fold, the paper transitioned to the evolving legislative landscape of Illinois, detailing the Sycamore Planning Commission’s first steps in weighing requests for medical marijuana dispensaries.
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