I had a nice conversation with a Morton resident who has some ideas that could add some historical value to this newspaper.
Matt Nance of Morton, a self-proclaimed history enthusiast, called me a couple of weeks ago interested in encouraging the Morton Times-News to launch a series of historical pieces relating to the village. His ideas were simple, but also interesting.
“What if you took a look at how Morton’s past affected where we are today?” Nance asked me.
I think it is a solid proposal, one that left me excited, but also a bit worried. Not originally from Morton, I told him this would be something with which I will need assistance.
This is why I am reaching out to our readers for their thoughts and suggestions. When we begin the series, we are planning to run a historical piece once a month. For each article, the focus will be on the then-and-now aspect. However, we also want some stories that will reflect lifetime Mortonites’ memories of the village. So, on top of suggestions, I am asking those interested to offer some brief thoughts on some of their most vivid memories of Morton.
Historical features on buildings, such as Jefferson School or the recently closed Morton Nautilus, will offer readers some insight into some of the village’s long-standing structures and businesses.
This series will not just be limited to buildings, however. We can delve into the political arena — how did Morton become a conservative town? Who were Morton’s more influential leaders? How did Caterpillar end up in this town? What made Nestlé/Libby’s choose Morton as its pumpkin-processing headquarters. Answers to questions like these are beyond me, but undoubtedly there are a number of residents who remember many of these events and subjects.
So, I am seeking input from our readers, both young and old. Many of you no longer live in Morton but still have the paper mailed to you. You do not have to be in Morton to share your experiences about Morton.
I urge readers to seek this information to assist us in making this a worthwhile and continuously running series of articles.
In the meantime, I am going to tap into some of Morton’s more reliable history sources. People like Burdell Hall at Morton Public Library and former mayor Don Roth will be some of the first phone calls I make. Anyone else interested in being a source can call me anytime at 686-3068, or e-mail me at ndomenighini@timestoday.com.
I look forward to hearing from residents about what they remember most about this town.
