As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from April 12. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from the height of Prohibition and the final push of World War II to the modern challenges of a global pandemic.
1922: Dixon Evening Telegraph
On April 12, 1922, the Dixon Evening Telegraph focused on the fallout of local elections and the strict enforcement of Prohibition. The bold headline “Allen, Byers, Tourtillott Apparent Winners” dominated the page, but the most striking local story involved a “Youthful Moonshiner” who was slapped with a $1,000 fine, a massive sum at the time, for a raid conducted by the Sheriff. Even a “Cold Rain” couldn’t stop the community from turning out to cast their ballots.
1945: Morris Daily Herald
By April 12, 1945, the world was on the brink of monumental change. The Morris Daily Herald blared the historic news: “Yanks Cross Elbe; Nearing Berlin.” As local readers followed the “Violent Fighting” on the approach to the German capital, the paper also balanced somber local news, including a “Million Dollar Fire” that razed a local lumber yard and the sudden passing of a well-known local businessman, John Jachimowicz.
2011: Kane County Chronicle
Fast forward to April 12, 2011, and the tone of the Kane County Chronicle reflected the optimism of spring. The front page featured a massive, heartwarming photo of Ozzie T. Cougar leaning over the dugout to connect with a young fan. While the headline “Playing Ozzie Ball” celebrated the Cougars’ home opener, the news remained grounded in local reality with reports on a “D-303 Suit” heading to federal court and a showcase of local artistic skills at the Kaneland Fine Arts Festival.
2020: The Times (Ottawa)
The April 11–12, 2020, weekend edition of The Times captured a community in the early, uncertain grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lead story, “A Spirited Effort,” highlighted the Star Union Distillery’s pivot to producing hand sanitizer for the “war effort.” Sidebars tracked the sobering rise of local cases, while a priest and bishop took to the sky to rain blessings upon the Peoria diocese, illustrating the unique ways the community sought hope during a lockdown.
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