Rome, Illinois

This is the little village of Rome, Illinois. I grew up here, but these pictures are quite a while before my time and would have been taken when my parents were young. My mother's family had a cottage just down this road and my father worked on a farm up the street from the house and little store, E. A. Lawson's General Merchandise. They, of course, met when mom's family stayed at their cottage. Pictures of that come later.This would be the "hard road" that went all the way to Peoria - probably 20 to 25 miles which was quite a little trip in those days. Note the planks across the ditch from the homes. There were no sidewalks ever in Rome - except for one in front of the school - so none of us ever learned how to rollerskate! The Rock Island Railroad went through town and you were either a "river rat" or "lived on the wrong side of the tracks". We were river rats. Just a little humor!

A post card showing the same area, plus another house and a car heading south. I will label this one for Nan and Charlie's Family - my mom and dad because this would have probably been about the time they met. They didn't marry until November of 1921 when they were about 27 years old, and I, the firstborn, came along seven years later which was rare for that day and age.(Click to enlarge)