Late summer is a traditional time to schedule outdoor construction and building improvement projects. Cooler temperatures accompanied by Daylight Saving Time sunlight, make labor hours efficient. Following are three September 17-18, 2024, displays of such efforts in Morrison, IL, within four blocks of each other. Maintenance, new construction, and demolition are evidence of progress in the City of Morrison, IL.
Ebenezer Reformed Church, 309 E. Park Street Pastor, J. T. Bean
New Roof
TCS (Total Construction Services) of Sterling, IL, sent a crew of one dozen men and women to reroof the church.
Emmanuel Church, 202 E. Morris Street Pastor, Luke Schouten
Construction of a Shelter
A new structure is in process for outdoor activities. Fencing will restrict young children from road traffic yet maintain access to church members.
Drolema Storage Building, 103 N. Orange Street Owner, Arnold Drolema
Demolition of the Historic Stable
S. L. Tracy Livery, Feed, and Sale Stable newspaper article: “After a long and honorable record as Morrison’s oldest liveryman, owning and operating for years one of the most successful livery barns in Northern Illinois. S. L. Tracy, the veteran horseman, has decided to retire from business and place on the market this valuable property. Mr. Tracy’s livery contains 5000 feet of floor space, including the carriage and washroom and stalls for the accommodation of 50 head of horses. In connections with the livery is a small feed shed. A view of the livery barn, here shown, gives a splendid idea of the plant, and would make a paying property for anyone wishing to enter the livery business in a live city.”
Temple Produce replaced horses with delivery of fresh produce. Visible are five men with a variety of trucks. The photo shows the north portion of the building and a private residence, still in use.
Yarbrough Appliance, across Orange Street at 227 W. Main Street, has owned the former S. L. Tracy building for decades.It stored a variety of vehicles and items. The Drolema family shared a generational love of Halloween. The former stable served as a haunted house venue!
By Wednesday, September 18, the structure had been razed. By Friday, September 27, a contractor had removed all the debris.
