Normal Uptown Thanksgiving

Hhhmmm, maybe a song says it best...


Said the Pantagraph to the local folk,
Do you see what I see?
In the town of Normal, local folk,
Do you see what I see?
Uptown, Uptown, not to be outdone,
With a Circle that’s ranked Number 1.
With a Circle that’s ranked Number 1.


Said the local folk to the nearby towns,
Do you hear what I hear?
Every day, listen nearby towns,
Do you hear what I hear?
A boom, some clangs, coming down like rain
With a noise as loud as a train.
With a noise as loud as a train.


Said the nearby towns to the Governor,
Do you know what I know?
In your Springfield home, Governor,
Do you know what I know?
Uptown, Uptown, rising like the sun
Come and visit, join in the fun!
Come and visit, join in the fun!


Said the Governor in a press release,
“Listen to what I say!
Come to Normal, people, if you please.
Listen to what I say!
Uptown, Uptown, it’s becoming great
It will bring new life to this state!
It will bring new life to this state!”

Let us give thanks for our community.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Normal: Repurposing Old Buildings

Here's a nice idea for repurposing old buildings: turning old elementary schools into apartments. What a nice alternative to tearing them down or closing and abandoning them! How many local unused buildings are there? Maybe developers need to be more creative in coming up with ideas for using for old buildings in new ways.

Normal Masonic Lodge

As the Normal Masonic Lodge is torn down, it would be interesting to know more about its history. One site describes a box (time capsule) located under the cornerstone. It was placed there when the building was built in 1925 but was opened in 1971, added to, and then replaced. Lodge members hope to find a new home for the box. Seeing old buildings demolished and replaced by new buildings makes me feel like an old-timer, even though I didn't grow up in Normal. Some day, I'll tell people about how I used to park in front of that Lodge when I needed to stop at the Post Office, which used to have a very nice old church next to it. Speaking of old churches, there used to be another one in that area . . .