By Ricky Rieckert
This week, we’re starting off with our history of Aurora at East New York Street, west of Farnsworth Avenue.
Many year’s ago on the south corner was Kilborns Gas Station and Automotive.
On the north corner was Harpers Used Cars, now KFC.
Heading west to Kendall Street:
On the southeast corner was Harrimgton’s Appliances.
On the north side was Metzger’s Gas Station and Motel.
In the next block, on the south side was Metzger’s Car Wash.
Just west of there to the south, was Burger Chef, owned and operated by Roy Foreman.
Down the street on the north side was a Tasty Freeze, owned by Roy Mitchell from Waterman, Ill..
Life-long friend, Jim Reiland, worked there at age 14 at $1. per hour.
He would work most days, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the exception he could have off for American Legion League baseball games.
This later turned into a White Fence Farm and I think it’s a church now.
Moving west, east of Ohio Street on the south side was Dale’s Motor Sales, in which promoting selling quality cars.
Church’s Chicken was on the southeast side of Ohio Street and East New York Street.
An original Jewel Food Store was a half-block from Ohio Street on the north side.
Moving west to State Street, on the southeast side was a City government of Aurora crossing guard patrol hut.
My brother, one year younger than I, got to know the grossing guard, Vi Burgess, real well.
She lived next door to our great-aunt on Parker Avenue.
On cold days, Vi Burgess would let me and my brother come inside to warm up, because it was heated, before we made the final trek to school.
One day I got out of school prior to my brother and walked home.
At 6:30 p.m. a member of the Aurora Police Department was knocking on the front door.
Seems that when by brother ventured home, he decided to put the padlock on the outside of the crossing-guard hut and locked poor Vi inside, until a City employee noticed her at 6:30 p.m. and cut the lock off.
Oh my gosh, my dad went bananas and grounded my younger brother indefinitely. The nuns got him the next day.
I asked him, how could you?
He didn’t have an answer.
Have a wonderful week!