Main Street, north side of the square:

dirt street

from Merna Combs

Oakland in the early 1900's:

here is another photo of the early days of Oakland during the horse and colt show events...

I didn't have this view before...

Rebecca Coon emailed it to me this morning...from a previous email they received from Max Miller some time ago...

Thank you Rebecca and Max for the photo!

South side of the square:

I just bought this real photo post card. It dates to same time of the Horse Shows with the street light. I have never seen a photo of this angle before.

Edgar Ashmore's grandfather Zarley:

The Oakland Ledger:

Walnut Street is Paved:

Farmers bringing their corn to market on unpaved Main Street on the square. c- early 1900's
The brick clatter will no longer be heard on Walnut Street in Oakland. Through traffic of heavy semis and other vehicles were hard on the brick pavers. At the time the bricks were set in place, they could not have foreseen the use they would have to take through the years. It is sad to see something so common place go, but it was time. The Oakland founding fathers would have agreed. They probably would have replaced them long ago, for they served their purpose for many years. At the time, Oakland streets were full of horses and buggies, and the pavers were set in place to reduce mud, dirt and ruts. This town was founded by men and women who improved on the conditions surrounding them to make the town a better place to live in. Sooner or later all the brick streets here will be paved over. Nothing lasts forever, so take the time to enjoy the ones left now.

The Oakland House- Hotel:

Do you know where this was?

Lysbeth Anne Sanderson- early Oakland business woman:

Cora Turner- 1941

Gladys Gilbert Rutherford- 1941

She took a lot of photos of area residents, their children and the town. If you have a family that has been in Oakland a long time, I'm sure you have a Sanderson photo.

Hayes Mill

unknown date- bottom right intersection is the highway and Hazel Street

OLD OAKLAND POST OFFICE POST CARD POSTMARKED 1910:

DO NOT KNOW WHERE THIS WAS- BUT IF ANYONE DOES- LET ME KNOW...

A ROMANCE GONE SOUR???

WT GWINN AND SONS EXCELSIOR ROLLER MILLS CA 1910:

THIS WAS LOCATED ON OAK STREET ONE BLOCK SOUTH OF MAIN STREET AND DUE TO THE RAILROAD- HAVING A WAY TO SHIP THE FINISHED PRODUCT- IT COULD GRIND, BAG AND SHIP FLOUR, MEAL AND FEED.
IT HAD THREE STORIES- WHICH IT ADVERTISED IN THE OAKLAND PAPER- AND LISTED THE FOLLOWING:
1ST FLOOR- 60 HORSE POWER STEAM ENGINE RUNNING 6 SETS OF DOUBLE ROLLERS WITH A TOP SPEED OF 450 RPM'S, 3 SCALES AND A WHEAT DRYER.
2ND FLOOR- 2 PURIFIERS AND BRAN DUSTER
3RD FLOOR- 9 REELERS, 2 WHEAT SCALPERS, 2 SMUTTERS

IT WAS IN OPERATION FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS BEFORE BEING ABANDONED, AND AFTER SITTING EMPTY FOR A TIME- IT WAS DONE AWAY WITH IN 1968.

THE RAILWAYS COMING INTO OAKLAND BUILT THIS TOWN- FOR WITHOUT A MORE SECURE, ECONOMICAL AND TIMELY WAY TO SHIP, EARLY SETTLERS WOULD HAVE MOVED ON TO PLACES THAT HAD EASIER EXCESS TO GOODS AND SUPPLIES.

Oakland Movie House:

ca 1950- the movie theater is where Donna Hale's office is now at the Citizen's Bank. Does anyone remember the price of tickets and a bucket of popcorn? Humphry Bogart in Chain Lightning was playing at the time the photo was taken.

L W DALLAS FARM IMPLEMENTS OAKLAND, IL:

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THIS BUSINESS WAS LOCATED OR ANYONE IN THE PHOTO?

1910 EARLY IMAGES OF OAKLAND:

I DO NOT KNOW WHO THIS IS OR WHEN IT WAS TAKEN:
THE LADIES FRIENDSHIP CLUB- I WONDER IF THEY ALL STAYED DRY?

EARLY STREET SCENE:

MAIN STREET IN FRONT OF WHERE BIRKEYS IS NOW LOOKING WEST-CA 1940'S?

OAKLAND NATIONAL BANK

OAKLAND HERALD BANK AD-THIS IS THE BEST IMAGE I COULD GET OFF OF THE PAPER-

THE OLD BANK BUILDING- NOW A RESALE SHOP

JOHN RUTHERFORD WAS THE CASHIER- ALL THE WAY ON THE RIGHT...

THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE IMAGE OF EARLY OAKLAND THAT I HAVE TO DATE. THE "NEW' SCHOOL WAS NORTH OF THE GROCERY STORE. THE STREET TO THE RIGHT IS WALNUT- WE'RE PRETTY SURE- UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE HAS ANY IDEAS...NOTE WHAT I THINK ARE THE OUTHOUSES FOR THE SCHOOL ON THE RIGHT SIDE PROPERTY LINE...ONE FOR GIRLS AND ONE FOR BOYS- WONDER HOW MANY SEATS WERE IN EACH ONE???

This is a real photo post card of Oakland telephone operators. Would like to know who they were and what building was used.

The Oakland Telephone Plant was owned by WS Ashmore, OK Burton, and FP Moffet- 1897
By the early 1900's they had almost 400 phones in their system.

Oakland Horse and Colt Show:

This is of the early horse and colt shows they used to have on the square in Oakland at the turn of the century.