Montrose

Montrose. Drummers, Drays and Railroad Days. In 1870, the St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute rail line replaced the National Road as the fastest, most reliable route across Illinois. Drummers, or traveling salesmen, rode the rails from one town to the next., At the depot, the drummers' trunks, samples and suitcases were loaded onto low, sturdy, horse-drawn carts called drays. A driver, or drayman, transported the cargo to a hotel, where he unloaded the freight. , In Montrose, a drummer unpacked his bags at the Brazil House, James House, or Steger Hotel. Once settled, he hired a horse and buggy from a livery stable owned by Faber Bros. or Louis Fearington and Son, then peddled his products to merchants on Main Street, and in neighboring towns and hamlets., Commerce Comes Calling, In 1845, Abraham Marble established a stagecoach stop on the National Road east of present-day Montrose. But the area wouldn't wake to commercial development until 1870, when land owner J.B. Johnson platted Montrose on the St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute rail line., By 1873, the village was home to Nelson Shull's Brazil House hotel, storehouses built by Browning, Schooley, and Van Sandt, and Phillip Wiwi's general store, granary, and livestock market. , The village prospered during the final decade of the 1800s. At the turn of the 20th century, Montrose supported implement and blacksmith shops, a hotel, bank, and six general stores., Motoring Into Montrose, In 1926, the National Road became US 40, a cross-country highway carrying traffic from Atlantic City, N.J., to San Francisco, Calif. Montrose offered motorists their choice of four filling stations during the '20s, including a Linco service station to the west, and Shell and Phillips 66 stations at the east end of town. , (photo captions:), Crews Bank opened during the town's prosperous years at the turn of the 20th century. The bank operated from 1902 to 1949. , This street view of the Steger Hotel in 1907 hints at challenges faced by smartly dressed salesmen. Depending on the season, roads were made of mud or dust. The National Road was paved through Montrose in 1920. , Built in 1937, Fletcher's Garage operated on the National Road until 2003. Owner RJ Fletcher (pictured) frequently towed stranded motorists from muddy, rural roads. In addition to cash, Fletcher accepted produce, goods, and services as payment. , Meislahn's store opened in 1907 during the Golden Age of rail travel., (aside:), A Road of Dirt, Rock, And Dreams, In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation to provide federal funding for a National Road. Surveyed from Cumberland, Md., to the Mississippi River, the National Road was a highway for pioneers eager to settle the West., Today, as US 40, the National Road in Illinois spans 164 miles. From Indiana to East St. Louis, you can still see how the ambitions and accomplishments of early Illinois immigrants shaped our communities. You'll find their influence in our art and architecture, our industry and agriculture, and in our way of life. Enjoy your time on the Road.