Then and Now
January 16, 2013 9:08PM
Then photo
Updated: February 19, 2013 11:54AM
On the southeast corner of Osceola and St. Mary’s streets, just west of the Minooka Public Library, the C.E. Davis house still stands. Noteworthy for its use of acetylene, the Davis home contained a gas tank in the attic that powered the lights in the house. In the early 20th century, acetylene was widely used for illumination, including street lighting, railways, mines, marine buoys and some residential homes. Some small towns even used acetylene lamps as their major source of town lighting. In some acetylene lamps, water was mixed with calcium carbide at a controlled rate and when ignited produced a brilliant white light.
The Then photograph is from David Belden and the Local History Project digital collections. The Now photograph was taken by Christine O’Brien. Belden is publishing local postcard books with Arcadia Publishing in his Local History classes and is looking for Joliet and Lincoln Highway photos or postcards. Email dbelden@mchs.net or call 815-467-2140 Ext. 260.
