The 1900s brought about many changes to the Burwell Building. The first being a remodel of the Opera House. The Paxton Record reported in July of 1902 that the Burwell Opera House has recently been remodeled, except for the stage, which will be completed when more funds are secured. The article mentions that the hall will be devoted to athletic sports and that complete tubs and showers have been installed.
Other changes were in store for the Burwell Building besides a remodel of the second floor. On March 10, 1908, Moses T Burwell, Sr died at the age of 64. Burwell had moved from Illinois to Kansas in 1892, and the last seven years of his life were spent at Colorado City, Colorado, where he was interested in a number of financial enterprises. His body was returned to Gibson City on Saturday, March 14th. The remains arrived Saturday, accompanied by his second wife, Emma Isham Burwell, his two sons, Guy of Kansas City, Mo., and Thomas of Colorado City, and his daughter, Mrs. Mary Burns and husband of Topeka, Kansas. The services were conducted by Rev. F. A. McCarty. The body was laid to rest in the Gibson cemetery by the grave of his first wife, Isabella Goodfellow Burwell.
The Burwell heirs would continue to own the Burwell Building for several years after Moses's death. In fact, in 1909, the Opera House went through yet another change! Motion pictures were brought to the Opera House! The Courier reports on the Grand (re) Opening of the Opera Hall with "high class motion pictures". According to the PBS website called American Experience, "While the first films were of commonplace occurrences — trains approaching, people dancing, and animals playing — filmmakers soon started to incorporate story lines and music into their works. Between the years of 1890 and 1927, thousands of silent films were produced, with an ever increasing sophistication of story line and technical craftsmanship". I couldn't find any advertisements that mentioned what movies were shown, but I'm sure the citizens of Gibson City were so excited to see these modern motion pictures come to their town!
In March of 1911, B. H. Newcomb bought the Burwell Building from the Burwell heirs, ending the ownership of the building by the Burwell family. The building sold for $8,000, noted to be less that it is worth. Mr. Newcomb is reported to desire to greatly improve the property, particularly, the upper floor, and give the city an up-to-date Opera Hall. The Opera Hall is renamed to the “Newcomb Opera Hall”. There were many more commencements, plays, circuses and entertainers at the Opera Hall from the reporting of the Courier.
In April of 1914, change came once again to the Burwell/Newcomb Building. The last show to be performed at the Newcomb Opera House, and possibly the last performance on the original opera house stage, was the senior class play called “The Dream That Came True”.
It was described as "an excellent cast with a dozen characters". The proceeds from the show were divided between the class and the D.T.H.S. Athletic and Oratorical Association.
The Masonic Lodge takes over the Newcomb Opera Hall in April of 1914. It was during the remodel of the second floor by the Masonics that fire strikes once again! The promptness and quick work of the fire department saved the building. No serious damage was done.
The first floor of the Burwell Building also went thru it's own changes. After the death of WS Lamb I on March 1, 1917, his son – W. S. Lamb II (know as Shumway) becomes the successor to the family furniture, undertaking and funeral business. In 1926, W.S. Lamb II converted space at the rear of the building into a funeral chapel. W. S. Lamb III (known as Wally) receives his embalming license becoming the third generation to work for WS Lamb and Co as embalmers. It was W.S. Lamb III who started the construction of a new funeral home in town. In Nov 13, 1937, Lamb Funeral Home was completed and all funeral and
embalming activities moved there from the Burwell Building.
A new chapter for the Burwell Building began when Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wachs (pronounced Wax) of Galesburg bought the building from the Newcomb’s. They moved Wach's Ben Franklin here in 1942 and lived above the store. Mrs. Wachs was a sister to the famous poet, Carl Sandburg. Carl Sandburg often came to visit his sister, as he often spoke at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana.
It is highly probably that Carl Sandburg stayed with his sister in the Burwell Building during one of these visits.
If there is one constant in life, that is change! And, the Burwell/Newcomb/Wach building has been no exception!
Comments