In 1926, Sterling and Rock Falls were full of ambition – some of it still thriving today, some of it long gone. A barber chair, a bold Coliseum dream, a vanished golf course, a future NFL player – a century later, the stories still linger in local memory.

Walk through the doors of a Lena business and you might walk into your childhood. With antiques, sweets and even lunch, its antique-loving owners have created a place where shoppers rediscover memories, sometimes in the most unexpected objects.

Nostalgia overload: Wind through the hills of northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin, from Scales Mound to Lead Mine, and there are scenic views and a time warp back to life – in the form of old-time stores and taverns – from many decades ago.

A downtown Sterling tavern caters to customers who enjoy coming to its place built on a brick foundation of hospitality, hometown pride and homestyle food.

What some call junk, Melissa Hull calls possibility. Inside her downtown Morrison studio, discarded items become art, and the creative itch in others is inspired.

From sandwich sales to scholarships, Morrison High School’s Key Club is showing how student volunteers are shaping leadership, community and opportunity.

A wrapper or cigarette butt might seem small, but multiplied across blocks of sidewalks, it reshapes how a downtown feels. Once a month from March to October, volunteers step up to change that in Sterling, cleaning it up and building friendships in the process.

Nicole Olinger didn’t plan to build a photography business, but she held on to moments. The Prophetstown photographer found purpose in preserving senior years, sports milestones and memories families don’t want to forget.

Spray tan business owner Caitlin O'Connor has studios in Dixon and Polo, and has become part of wedding mornings – helping brides feel comfortable, natural and camera-ready for their big day before they ever step into their dresses.