Author: Illinois. Office of Economic Opportunity. Information CenterPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Kankakee County (Ill.)
Languages : en
Pages : 47
Book Description
Community Profile: Kankakee County, Illinois
Author: Illinois. Office of Economic Opportunity. Information CenterPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Kankakee County (Ill.)
Languages : en
Pages : 47
Book Description
Portrait and Biographical Record of Kankakee County, Illinois
Author: Portrait and Biographical Record of Kankakee County, Illinois
Author: Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Kankakee County (Ill.)
Languages : en
Pages : 766
Book Description
Portrait and Biographical Record of Kankakee County, Illinois
Author: Community Profile
Author: Pembroke
Author: Dave BaronPublisher: SIU Press
ISBN: 0809335034
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 249
Book Description
Winner, ISHS Annual Award for a Scholarly Publication, 2017 With a population of about two thousand, Pembroke Township, one of the largest rural, black communities north of the Mason-Dixon Line, sits in an isolated corner of Kankakee County, Illinois, sixty-five miles south of Chicago. It is also one of the poorest places in the nation. Many black farmers from the South came to this area during the Great Migration; finding Chicago to be overcrowded and inhospitable, they were able to buy land in the township at low prices. The poor soil made it nearly impossible to establish profitable farms, however, and economic prosperity has eluded the region ever since. Pembroke: A Rural, Black Community on the Illinois Dunes chronicles the history of this inimitable township and shows the author’s personal transformation through his experiences with Pembroke and its people. A native of nearby Kankakee, author Dave Baron first traveled to Pembroke on a church service trip at age fifteen and saw real poverty firsthand, but he also discovered a community possessing grace and purpose. Baron begins each chapter with a personal narrative from his initial trip to Pembroke. He covers the early history of the area, explaining how the unique black oak savanna ecosystem was created and describing early residents, including Potawatomi tribes and white fur traders. He introduces readers to Pap and Mary Tetter, Pembroke’s first black residents, who—according to local lore—assisted fugitives on the Underground Railroad; details the town’s wild years, when taverns offered liquor, drugs, and prostitution; discusses the many churches of Pembroke and the nearby high school where, in spite of sometimes strained relations, Pembroke’s black students have learned alongside white students of a neighboring community since well before Brown v. Board of Education; outlines efforts by conservation groups to preserve Pembroke’s rare black oak savannas; and analyzes obstacles to and failed attempts at economic development in Pembroke, as well as recent efforts, including organic farms and a sustainable living movement, which may yet bring some prosperity. Based on research, interviews with residents, and the author’s own experiences during many return trips to Pembroke, this book—part social, cultural, legal, environmental, and political history and part memoir—profiles a number of the colorful, longtime residents and considers what has enabled Pembroke to survive despite a lack of economic opportunities. Although Pembroke has a reputation for violence and vice, Baron reveals a township with a rich and varied history and a vibrant culture.
Kankakee
Author: Norman S. StevensPublisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1439615128
Category : Photography
Languages : en
Pages : 132
Book Description
Kankakee became the county seat when Kankakee County was established in 1853. The largest city in the county, Kankakee embraced the railroad from its 19th-century beginning, becoming an important railroad hub in Illinois. The Kankakee County Historical Society has long worked to preserve the citys history and it celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2006, making it one of Illinois oldest historical societies. The images in this book come from the societys large collection and they represent many slices of Kankakee life from 1853 to 1910.
Illinois Community Profile
Author: ACCRA Community Profiles
Author: Western Kankakee County
Author: Jim RidingsPublisher: Arcadia Pub (Sc)
ISBN: 9781540248947
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 162
Book Description
Kankakee County, named after the Kankakee River, was created in 1853 by an act of the Illinois Legislature. The western portion of the county is an extensive geographic area even though it has only a handful of small towns. Nestled in swaths of farmland, which serve as the foundation of the area, the villages of Herscher, Irwin, Bonfield, Buckingham, Limestone, Cabery, Reddick, Essex, and Union Hill make up Western Kankakee County. In addition to farming, all of these towns owe their existence to the coming of the railroads beginning in 1878. Wherever a railroad decided to build a station, a settlement became a town. Settlements that were bypassed by the railroads vanished. Today, the region's agricultural heritage is on proud display as farming remains the biggest economic factor, along with the Herscher School District and the gas pipeline storage area. The communities of Western Kankakee County continue to be great places to work and play.