As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from February 9, including a bandit being killed near Chadwick in 1926.
1926: The Daily Gazette (Sterling-Rock Falls)
On February 9, 1926, The Daily Gazette led with a gripping account of a high-stakes confrontation: “KILL ONE DESPERADO, WOUND TWO MORE.” The story detailed a pitched battle between home guards and bandits near Chadwick. Beyond the crime news, the page offered a window into the era’s social shifts, noting a “New Social Code for Women” moving to higher courts and a report on “Dry Law Splits the Churchmen,” reflecting the intense national debate over Prohibition.
1938: Dixon Evening Telegraph
By 1938, the region was grappling with both economic and natural forces. The Dixon Evening Telegraph front page was dominated by the headline “GAS DEPENDENT ON RECESSION OF FLOOD,” as the community dealt with the aftermath of rising waters. The edition also captured the political tensions of the late Depression era, reporting on “Expelling of C.I.O. Unions” and a congressional clash over naval expansion, while also noting a “Service Cut Off in Seven I.N.U. Cities.”
1996: Northwest Herald (McHenry County)
The February 9, 1996, edition of the Northwest Herald focused on major regional infrastructure and political accountability. The lead story, “Edgar unveils stadium plan,” detailed a $380 million proposal for a multipurpose domed facility for the Chicago Bears. Meanwhile, local controversy centered on Lake in the Hills, where a headline blared “Thornrose must repay insurance,” involving a dispute over health benefits for the village president.
2010: The Daily Chronicle (DeKalb County)
In 2010, The Daily Chronicle highlighted the administrative side of local growth with “Debt policies widely supported,” as the DeKalb City Council tackled long-term financial planning. The front page also celebrated a milestone for a national institution with “100 Years of Scouting,” featuring a heartwarming photo of local scouts saluting. Politically, the paper tracked the fallout of a resignation in the race for Illinois Lieutenant Governor.
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