100 years and growing

On Friday, October 19, 2001, the 102 year-old Illinois State Historical Society honored 37 Centennial businesses at its 17nd annual Centennial Awards Banquet, held at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. Businesses and not-for-profit organizations operating continuously in the state for 100 years or more were honored at the banquet and presented with a plaque signed by Governor George Ryan and ISHS President Rand Burnette. In coming months, Illinois Heritage will profile each of the 2001 Centennial winners. For more information about the Centennial Awards Program, please visit our web-site at www.historyillinois.org. or call the Society office at 217-525-2781 .

In the early 1890s, Arthur F. Ahlgrim established his first Undertaking Parlor at the corner of 14th Street and Blue Island Avenue in Chicago. Fifty-two years later he sold the business to his son, Walter, who expanded services and supervised the growth of the family enterprise into outlying communities. Today Arthur's grandsons help manage Ahlgrim & Sons, Ltd., which serves the communities of Palatine, Lake Zurich, Schaumburg, and Streamwood.

The Allendale Association of Lake Villa is a private not-for-profit organization dedicated to excellence and innovation in the care, education, treatment, and advocacy for troubled youths and their families. Incorporated on May 21, 1897, as a child welfare agency, Allendale has been a haven and home for thousands of children over the years, and its alumni family is spread out across several states.

Legendary Theodore "Double Duty" Radcliffe, the oldest surviving member of the Negro Baseball League, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illinois State Historical Society at the annual Centennial Awards banquet. Radcliffe, who turns 100 this summer, holds several all-time records, including the one that earned him his nickname for pitching and catching two back-to-back no hitters.

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"Scoopin' Fun Since 1901," Colonial Ice Cream, Inc. and its affiliate cafes have served goodness and smiles to western Chicago suburbs for three generations. Founded by Simon Anderson, who ran milk routes and a processing dairy in St. Charles, Colonial today operates seven full-service restaurants with old-fashioned soda fountains in Crystal Lake, Naperville, St. Charles, West Aurora, and Elgin.

Congress Park Elementary School of Brookfield opened its doors in 1900. East School, as it was originally known, was the easternmost school in Lyons Township and the first to have indoor plumbing. The first class included two teachers and 72 pupils. Enrollment grew steadily and building additions followed in 1915, 1927, 1950, and 1954, with added improvements in the 1970s. "Built of boulders of native limestones gathered from the prairie," Congress Park today remains a visible, viable landmark, and a strong home for young minds.

Central Camera Company began in 1899 when Hungarian-born Albert Flesch opened a photoshop on East Adams Street in Chicago. As early as 1900, Central offered its customers commercial film processing and a mail-order service. Business grew and in 1929, Central moved to 230 West Wabash, where it remains to this day. Flesch's sons, Harold and Stanley, took over the business in the 1930s, and today the shop is owned and operated by the founder's grandson, Albert "Don" Flesch.

The Commercial-News of Danville represents the best in Vermilion County newspapers of the past 135 years. Founded by John C. Short in 1866, the original Danville Commercial merged with The Danville News in 1903. In 1934, the Commercial News was purchased by the Gannett Newspaper Group, whose only mandate was to give its community "a clean, fair, independent newspaper... fit to enter the home and be read by every member of the family." With that mandate and a strong commitment to journalism excellence, the Commerical-News, continues to dominate and lead its market.

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