Joliet once was a lush prairie bordered with scenic bluffs along the Des Plaines River. In the late 19th century; settlers and a large influx of Eastern European immigrants arrived; transforming the area into a bustling industrial community of steel; limestone; manufacturing; and transportation. In the 20th century; Joliet transformed itself from an industrial hub to a destination of entertainment and tourism. Tourism thrives as people visit the National Hot Rod Association drag strip; NASCAR track; two casinos; the JackHammers minor-league baseball team and baseball stadium; a water park; the historical museum; and library. Joliet depicts the rich cultural heritage impressed on the city and shows how the people lived and worked together; earning Joliet the title of All-American City in 1955 by the National Municipal League and Look magazine.
#1104902 in eBooks 2005-04-20 2005-04-20File Name: B009A3AH7Y
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good overview of Berwyn historyBy D. NovakIt is hard for any book about a city to cover everything. and this little paperback does a very nice job of hitting all of the high points. The photos are great and the historical background is rich and complete. It takes the reader from the earliest days of settlement by the Czechs and moves us up to the present time when we find Berwyn is largely Hispanic. The reasons why are briefly explained. The book is well-organized and easy to read. I loved seeing all the photos of my old town. but wish the author would have put more focus on pictures of the area around the west side of Berwyn. around Cermak and Oak Park Avenue. I wanted to see photos of Tumas and Presto and Andes Candies and Buds card shop and the old Chinese restaurant. Maybe even Seneca Restaurant. Also missing are photos of Arts Toys and Two Sisters dress shop and Imperial Camera. There was a great old park with a fountain and pond at Oak Park Avenue and Riverside Drive that might have been included also. But again it is just not possible to include everything and no claim is made that this little book is a complete encyclopedia. It does a good job of bringing back memories and it is fun to see old streetcars and such. I would recommend the book and simply hope that other people wishing to again see these old places I mentioned earlier have vivid images that linger in their memories. For they are all long gone now...0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. New Berwyn resident hereBy Chris BI recently moved to Berwyn because of their huge stock of Chicago Bungalows. i bought this because I thought it would be a really nice coffee table book. Even though I am a brand-new resident. I have a lot of "Berwyn Pride." This book took me through a visual history of the town and I made my way from cover to cover in no time because it was so interesting. I caught myself looking up the addresses of the houses in the book because I wanted to see what they looked like now. It is one of 5 books on my table and everyone who comes into my house picks this one up first!3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Very EnjoyableBy P.A.Since my husband and I grew up in Berwyn as well as my father before us. we have found this book to be a wistful stroll down memory lane and we learned some surprising facts about the community. Berwyn is a unique city with a very rich. very American story. It was and still is a wonderful place to live! Many thanks to the author Douglas Deucher and the other folks responsible for compiling this tome. Also a huge kudos to Arcadia publishing for their many other historical titles that our family has enjoyed.
