STOCKTON — Stockton Heritage Museum will host a talk by Warren Dixon detailing the businesses along Illinois 20 through the northern edge of Stockton from 1891 to 2023.
The presentation, “Stockton Highway 20 — Our Second Main Street,” will take place on Sunday, Nov. 12 at the Stockton Heritage Museum, 107 West Front Street, Stockton. The Stockton Heritage Museum’s Annual Meeting will take place the same day, beginning at 2 p.m., and the presentation will follow immediately after.
In 1891, Ladies Union Cemetery was organized and located along the south side of Ill. 20, and the eastern edge of Stockton. As the village grew and prospered, many businesses established roots along both sides of Ill. 20 through town. Ladies Union Cemetery has been the one constant throughout the 132-year time period. Join us at the museum, as Warren takes the audience through the timeline of which businesses were located where and for how long.
A native of northwest Illinois and a graduate of Stockton High School Class of 1964, Warren graduated from Northern Illinois University and obtained a CPA certificate in 1970. He retired after working as an accountant in the agriculture field. Warren and his wife, Dianne, also a Stockton native, are now living in Stockton after residing in various Midwest locations for 30 years.
Warren is a veteran having served in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany from 1970 to 1972. Warren was assigned to the accounting headquarters of MATCOM (Material Command-Europe) where he utilized his accounting and computer background.
Warren is the Secretary and Historian for the Stockton Veterans Memorial committee. He was instrumental in coordinating the collection, organization and ongoing maintenance of database information recorded for over 1,700 Veterans from the Greater Stockton Area. All of these names appear on the Stockton Veterans Memorial located along Ill. 20 in Stockton.
Warren has been a member of the Stockton Heritage Museum board since 2014 and currently serves on the executive board. Warren played a significant role in making the Stockton Veterans Memorial database available on the Stockton Heritage Museum website and therefore available to everyone. Under Warren’s guidance, the Stockton Heritage Museum continues to research and expand the Veterans database. The project goal is to develop a broad history of Stockton area Veterans; creating a limited biography on many of them that covers their background, military experience, and personal life. This information will provide a glimpse into the lives of the local men and women who have served our country. Go to https://www.stocktonheritagemuseum.org/veterans/veterans-memorial-directory/ for more.
During the past nine years, Warren has spent many hours conducting research on local Stockton businesses and building history.
He has developed and presented six programs on these topics to museum audiences, with the seventh schedule for Nov. 12 at 2 p.m.:
● 2016 Downtown Stockton Building History
● 2017 Stockton Grocery Stores
● 2018 Stockton Timeline of Today’s Businesses
● 2019 Stockton School History
● 2020 None — due to Covid closures
● 2021 The Wheel Stockton Stories (Automobiles & Gasoline Stations)
● 2022 Stock-Town Agriculture & Railroads (Elevators, Feed Stores, Hardware & Farm Implements)
“Stockton Highway 20 — Our Second Main Street,” will take place on Sunday, Nov. 12 at the Stockton Heritage Museum, 107 West Front Street, Stockton, Ill., following a Stockton Heritage Museum Annual Meeting which begins at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to all audiences. For more information, visit www.
stocktonheritagemuseum.org, visit us on Facebook: Stockton-Heritage-Museum-309324911534, email info@stocktonheritagemuseum.org, or leave a message at 815-947-2220.
Stockton Heritage Museum is a not-for-profit entity dedicated to the preservation and teaching of Stockton area history. Visit the museum May through October, on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment. Email us at: info@stocktonheritagemuseum.org.