By Ricky Rieckert
Dear readers,
As we start a new week, I want to add some information from a subscriber friend, Tom, about Jackson Street at North Avenue and to the north.
He texted me that on the southeast corner of Jackson Street and the jog for North Avenue, was Konrad’s Restaurant. Mr. Konrad was a commissioner for Aurora, in the 1960s.
Across the street, on the southwest side, was Aurora Shoe Clinic, owned by Mr. George Ackley, who was in a wheelchair. He would put on new heels or soles on shoes and boots.
Back to the northeast corner of Jackson Street at Second Avenue, was the Old St. Paul’s Lutheran School, with the Second Avenue entrance to the basement of St. Paul’s Bowling Lanes, which Tom said was run by “Ducky” Giese, then by Jim Raab, and lastly Jim’s brother, who took over and runs it today.
Moving north on Jackson Street at the southwest corner, before Wm. F. Meyer’s Plumbing Warehouse, was Economart Grocery Store, and then Walt’s Supermarket, which then later resided on Ashland Avenue and S. Union, on the southwest corner. Today it is La Chiquita Supermarket.
Lastly, just north of Kramer’s Station, (which was at the northwest corner of Jackson Street and Benton Street) was the Fruit Juice House, with the entrance on Jackson Street.
Now back to North Avenue, west of Broadway. When I said I was in several of the houses in my previous submission, I was talking about the long block of Rosewood Avenue going to the south.
The houses on the west side of Rosewood, I believe, started out as Summer cottages, some with basements. The backyards ran down a hill to the west, to the east branch of the Fox River, on the east side of Hurd’s Island.
One house that really surprised me, is the house on the West Side, the last one south, at Bluff Street.
Years ago, I was there doing a job, when the gentleman living showed me and told me about the history of the house.
I recall he got the house from his uncle, who worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad.
Back years ago, the railroad loading hubs, were Aurora, Eola yard, and Cicero.
The Railroad wanted dependable men that could catch a train on short notice, close to a hub and begin working, on short notice.
His uncle was one of those men. He lived a ways out in the country. So the Railroad built him a house, out of two boxcars, for his new home in Aurora.
I toured the house, inside and out. I was amazed. You had to look closely, mostly inside, to see that they were in fact, railroad cars.
There is another house made from a railroad car on the West Side, on Terry Avenue, on the west side of the street, between Prairie Street and Jericho Road, closer to Jericho.
I also believe the West Side houses were built first, with the East Side houses built later. Some of them are apartment buildings, starting from the Octagon Building on the East Side going south.
Back to North Avenue, from Rosewood Avenue, on the north side. I mentioned in my previous article about the one block of Rosewood with an automotive garage.
Just west of there, on the north side, was Builders Supply, owned by the Solfisburg Family, with a rich history in Aurora.
That’s all for this week, see you next week for the conclusion of North Avenue.