Canton Area Communities Magazine

03/08/2022

Tel you friends! Share if you can! Part One of my over TEN YEAR PROJECT is DONE!

12/14/2021

As many of you may know, Lori and I have been attempting to help preserve our Canton history over the last couple of decades with both pictures and words. This has been through both our Canton Magazine and the numerous hardcover books we have published.
Over this time we have acquired countless photographs, slides and negatives. So many, in fact, that I literally couldn’t tell you how many thousands of images there really are. We have been scanning slides and negatives for, literally, years. Some are incredibly interesting, but it takes scanning many to “find the neat ones” as it is virtually impossible to accurately see what is actually on a negative without scanning it first. Yes, there are viewers, but you can still miss details. So......we scan. We scan and scan and scan.
After a number are completed I then clean up, adjust and repair the images when necessary. Some images, admittedly, are more important than others and tend to get a little more attention that others. Some may need minimal attention and require only five or ten minutes work, others may take hours. There are thousands that, to date, have yet to be scanned and corrected.
However, after realizing that this task could potentially outlive me, we’ve determined that it might make sense to somehow make these available to the public in “batches”.
We plan to release our archives on thumb drives. When we do make these available these thumb drives can be used on computers, of course, but can also be plugged in to a smart t.v. Most smart televisions allow these to be shown as a slideshow, or can be searched through by hand utilizing the remote. One can also print off photos if desired.
Hopefully we will be able to offer at least one of these thumb drives within the next few months. No decision has yet been made regarding content to be featured on the first drive, nor have we explored the cost of reproducing the drives, but we will keep you posted!

05/25/2016

SOME NEW OLDIES...

Fun at the shop today!

05/06/2016

TOTTEN PRAIRIE MERCANTILE

A peek inside our new store, South Side Square, Canton!

09/14/2015

Timeline photos

Looks what's new!

10/16/2014

THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF FULTON COUNTY is officially in! They arrived late yesterday but are now ready for pickup! I will be at the FULTON DEMOCRAT OFFICE today and tomorrow. Will begin calling the list A.S.A.P. but if you see this and have ordered a book,....come on in! Books to be shipped will be leaving over the next couple of days too! These books are HUGE! Also,.....I still have a small quantity of THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF CANTON left if you've missed that one!

05/28/2014

ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF FULTON COUNTY order form! Just "click" for the large version! Feel free to share on your own timeline so that everyone who wants one will get one!

05/27/2014

BOOK UPDATES! FIRST, we are now accepting orders for our upcoming new book "The Illustrated Book of Fulton County." If you need details or an order form, please E-MAIL ME at [email protected] or come visit and pic one up at the Fulton Democrat between the hours of 1 and 5. I will also post a form shortly.

SECOND...we are now accepting orders for the second printing of "The Illustrated Book of Canton," so if you missed it the first time around,...or you would like one for gift giving, NOW is the time to contact us!

THIRD,......we have a very very few copies of "Paper Ghosts" left. If you want one you MUST come visit me between the hours of 1 and 5 to get one. Out of town folks can, of course, e-mail me!

FOURTH,....once my "right arm" Lori gets done with her assignment out of town the magazine will be back on REGULAR SCHEDULE! (Who am I kidding, she's the right and left arm. Possibly all of the brains of the outfit too.) Thank you all so much for your very gracious patience during the last few months but, unfortunately,...when work calls......well, you know how it goes!

FIFTH,.....I wasn't available yesterday, but Lori and I would like to offer our sincerest gratitude to all of the Veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, both past and present, for protecting the freedoms this great country offers. God bless you all.

05/18/2014

ATTENTION FULTON COUNTY RESIDENTS! Hi folks! Lori and I are writing a sequel to "The Illustrated Book of Canton" and "Paper Ghosts" called "The Illustrated Book of Fulton County." In order to ensure that ALL of Fulton County is represented well in this hardcover book we need more photographs of many areas. The more photos, the more pages allotted each location. There are many areas that we need more images of. If you have old photos of stores, taverns, post offices, the square, special events, etc. of ANYWHERE in Fulton County that you would be willing to share, PLEASE either message me, e-mail [email protected] or just call me directly at 309-219-5148. We want this to be a wonderful representation of our communities, so please help. Thank you in advance,...and PLEASE spread the word. Once our history is lost it is very difficult to recover. Help us preserve our local history!

03/04/2014

Okay folks! We've been trying very hard to get everyone called/delivered/shipped in regards to the new book, but we must admit....getting ahold of 700 people is rough! If you haven't been called/delivered, please hang tight! We're working on it just as fast as we can!!! IF YOU WANT TO SPEED UP the process, you can come visit me AFTER 1 O'CLOCK at the Fulton Democrat office. (31 South Main, right next to where Conner Shoe Store used to be) I've got a list and the books up there if you'd like to pick it up. : ) P.S. New magazine should be hitting the printer soon!

02/19/2014

Alrighty! The Illustrated Book of Canton arrived yesterday! (Yayyyy!) Today we begin the deliveries, "call for pickup" calls and shipping. There are almost 700 so THIS WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS. In other words, please be patient. : ) IF YOU CAN'T be patient, you can come visit me at the office of the Fulton Democrat (31 South Main, Canton......next to where Conner Shoe Repair was) in the afternoons BETWEEN 1 AND 5 ONLY! The morning folks CANNOT give out the books. COME VISIT! : ) Oh,...and pass it along!

12/11/2013

Home

Share this! If you would like to see a handful of sample pictures from the new hardcover, The Illustrated Book Of Canton, visit www.PaperGhostBooks.com and "click" the small samples to see larger versions!

12/03/2013

The new hardback. Click to enlarge! Share with your friends!

12/03/2013

Not long now,....and I even broke down and drew the cover!

11/19/2013

Jimi and I have played so many Thanksgiving Eve's in Canton that I feel like we're like a Holiday tradition. I'm ham,....he's turkey. ; )

Alrighty then! ALTER EGO is hosting the big THANKSGIVING EVE PARTY (it's a Turkey Wing-ding!) at Josies Tap! Come on out and get yer' boogie on!

11/13/2013

Lori and I are currently working on another special project and we're looking for high quality scans of Fulton County buildings, businesses, municipalities, events, etc., from days gone by. We have an extensive collection from Canton, but are rather slim for other communities. If you have high-quality pictures from Cuba, Farmington, Lewistown, St. David, etc., or if you think you might have something unusual, or an unusually high quality image from early Canton and Fulton County, and would be interested in sharing the images, please e-mail me at [email protected] Any help would be greatly appreciated.

11/13/2013

GOOD NEWS! After a most invigorating and eventful summer, we're FINALLY back on track again, and will be back with a new issue of Canton Area Communities Magazine very soon!

07/26/2013

Okay, folks....we could use a hand in locating someone. We don't even know who it is, but we'll know when we meet them. We're looking for an experienced advertising representative for a special project. This particular project has nothing whatsoever to do with the magazine, nor does it have anything to do with a newspaper or a shopper. It's a special project that, if handled by the right person, would most likely be completed within a month. If you know of anyone, AND THIS PART IS IMPORTANT, please have them E-MAIL a resume or letter of qualifications to: [email protected]
If any questions regarding this subject they, too, MUST be e-mailed to that address. It's entirely too difficult to continually scan facebook for someone's enquiry. Thanks!

07/22/2013

Okay, I'm stumped. Anyone ever heard of this? Is it even from Canton?

07/22/2013

Jones Park. My favorite winter picture.

07/22/2013

Palace Bakery. Anyone know where this was located?

07/22/2013

Jones Park. Sure wish it still looked like this!

07/22/2013

Gustine's Market. Big sale today!

07/22/2013

Early Canton Streetcar. Don't know if it's name was "Desire" or not.

07/22/2013

...and what was the dog's name?

07/22/2013

Canton Tire Center around 1940

07/17/2013

FOR THOSE WHO have been asking about the bridge featured on the cover of Paper Ghosts,....I finally found my information! That, my friends, is the White's Ferry Bridge that spans Spoon River at township road 209, Blyton, Fulton County, Illinois.

07/16/2013

IT'S OFFICIAL! There will be a SECOND PRINTING for those who missed the first printing and have called about getting copies of PAPER GHOSTS! Download the order form!

07/08/2013

Okay,...for those of you who've received the books......what do you think?

07/05/2013

LOOKS VERY MUCH like a second printing of Paper Ghosts is going to be necessary. If you have anyone who wishes they would have ordered, or perhaps you need one yourself,...or you want another for a gift,...PLEASE have them (or yourselves) e-mail us at [email protected]. As long as we can hit the minimum necessary again in pre3-orders we'll go ahead and do it!

07/05/2013

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE RECEIVED YOUR BOOKS.....we hope you enjoy reading it half as much as we enjoyed putting it together! FOR THOSE PATIENLY WAITING,.....hang in there! Everything should be delivered/shipped within the next couple of days. Amazing how hard it is to catch people at home!

07/03/2013

The books are being delivered as we speak, and will be over the next few days. If you would like to expedite getting your pre-ordered copy and you happen to be in town, I will be at the office of the Fulton Democrat this afternoon until 5,....and I have books on hand. Just sayin..... ; )

06/28/2013

CANTON TRINKETS ~ W.O. Dean Cigar Medalion

06/28/2013

CANTON TRINKETS ~ L.O.O.M. 784 Trade Token

06/28/2013

CANTON TRINKETS ~ Sesquicentennial Necklace

06/28/2013

CANTON TRINKETS ~ Rice Lake Duck Call

06/28/2013

CANTON TRINKETS ~ P&O Plow Watch Fob