boulder was removed from the channel on Mrs. Ella North's farm about two miles northeast of El Paso. It has created a good deal of interest among geology students.
KAPPA – James Young opened Custom Crafted Cabinets, a wood-working shop, on the south side of Kappa in July, 1968. He specializes in handcrafted kitchen cabinets, hutches, desks, vanities, etc.
The dining room at Charlie's Place, a tavern owned by Charles Carr, was gutted by fire December 27, 1972. Faulty wiring in an electric sign was the apparent cause. The dining room was rebuilt in early 1973.
The Maples, another tavern and dining room, has been remodeled recently, also. It is owned and operated by Chuck and Grace Eskridge. The RoJo, which was a popular dining place, is now closed and listed for sale.
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Warcup provide a made-to-order drapery business from their home on the north side of Kappa. The service includes installation when requested.
SECOR – The elevator in Secor burned March 14, 1967. The job of rebuilding began in June, 1967. The new structure has a capacity of 250,000 bushels and cost approximately $400,000. Gilbert Yordy is the manager.
RURAL CHANGES – As towns changed, the rural community also changed. Few farmers keep a cow for the family's milk supply or raise hogs or calves to provide their own meat. Chickens are raised on very few farms. Specialization has become the order of the day, with farming methods changing rapidly.
In the past 20 years, the use of commercial fertilizer has increased dramatically in the El Paso area. Hand harvesting of corn is so unusual, it is sure to attract a crowd if any one does it. In more recent years, corn pickers have even become obsolete with most corn now being shelled in the field. When Eugene Cleary added a corn drier to his harvesting equipment in 1959 there were only 30 other units in Woodford County. Crop driers are now quite common, especially with large farm operators.
Like everything else, the price of farm land has risen sharply over the years, with good land often selling for around $1,500 per acre. Who can say what changes the next 20 or 30 years will bring? Certainly the years to come will bring challenges not unlike the challenges faced more than a century ago by a few pioneer families as they carved out a rugged existence on the Central Illinois prairies, developing a land that would become a garden spot for future generations.
Acknowledgement: Although a number of people contributed material for this section of the book, special credit goes to Mrs. Ethel Eft who prepared much of this chapter for publication. It took countless hours of researching and writing on her part, and the Kiwanis Club of El Paso greatly appreciates all that she did to make this section complete. Special credit should also be given to Jerry Dodson who furnished many of the old pictures that were used in the first 18 chapters of this book.
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