The featured speaker for this month’s Oregon Depot Museum “Those Were The Days” program on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 10 a.m. will be Jim Owens of Pecatonica.

Since retirement in 2001, Owens has become quite a historian on the Chicago Union stockyards. Owens has a large collection of memorabilia, souvenirs, advertisements, charts, posters and bullet pens from the commission companies that he will be bringing for his presentation.

Owens knows the extensive history of the local haulers and has some stories to tell as well as stories about the commission companies, the agents who sold the livestock for the owners after they were unloaded at the stockyard. He’s hoping to hear stories from his audience from those who used to haul livestock or about the people they knew that hauled livestock.

The Chicago Union Stock Yards were a pivotal part of the meatpacking industry in the United States. Established in 1865, it became one of the largest livestock markets in the world, playing a crucial role in the processing and distribution of meat. By the early 1900s, the yards handled over 1 million animals annually, including cattle, hogs, and sheep. The stockyards included extensive facilities for receiving, housing, and processing livestock.

They featured rail connections, allowing for efficient transportation of animals and meat products. The stockyards were known for innovations in meat processing, including the assembly line method, which increased efficiency and reduced costs.

The rise of refrigerated trucks and changes in consumer preferences led to a decline in the stockyards’ operations. By the mid-20th century, many meatpacking companies began to relocate to areas with lower labor costs. The stockyards officially closed in 1971, but their legacy continues in Chicago’s culture and history.

The stockyards remain a significant chapter in the story of American industrialization and urban development, reflecting the complexities of the meatpacking industry and its impact on society.