USA > Illinois > Champaign County > Gifford > The Centennial book, Gifford, Illinois : 1875-1975 > Part 5
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The district was held at Flatville where Gifford beat Sidell in the first game, 56 to 38, and Penfield in the championship game. 42 to 34.
Gifford then hosted the sectional and played Catlin. They defeated them 54 to 47 and earned the right to advance to the Little Sweet Sixteen for the second year in a row.
The state tournament was held at Normal Com- munity High School and Gifford's first opponent was the defending State champion, Morton. After a hard-fought battle, they lost to Morton 37 to 35.
Finishing with a sparkling record of 19 and 2 the Gifford Eagles had once again made the com- munity very proud of them.
GIFFORD
GIFFORD 54
GIFFORD 50
GIFFORD 45
GIF FORO 5
GIFFORD 3
1 10
SIFFORD
GIFFORD 4
NNFFORD 30
GIFFORD 14
CARLO
5
BASKETBALL - 1975 Front row: John Miles, Mike Flanigan, Alex Richey, Rodney Olson, Charles Head, John Dietz
Second row: Mr. Veihman, coach; Jeff Hedge, Mark Porter. Ronnie Hoveln, Tom Johnson, Jim Babb, Pat Herbert, Mr. Wolken, coach
Courtesy of Birkey's Farm Store, Inc. Authorized Sales and Service Rantoul and Paxton, Illinois
61
GIFFORD 43
GIFFORD
62
Businesses
It may not ever be possible to recapture the whole story of the businesses in Gifford. Mention is found here and there of five businesses which seem to have been more than retail stores or direct serv- ice shops-a tile factory, a tank heater factory, a planing mill, an incubator factory, and a wagon shop. What we have found on the first two appears in the accounts of the men most concerned with them - Ezra Dickerson and Hanford Reynolds- under "A few of our Pioneer Families." Nothing has been found regarding the planing mill or the incu- bator factory, and the only mention of a wagon shop appears in the next paragraph.
In 1878 the History of Champaign County, Illinois, listed the businesses in Gifford as follows:
General Stores
Flesner and Bohlen West Brothers Selena Smith
Shoe Shop
George Rupp
Hardware Store
William McLain
Wagon Shop
C. Nelson
Dry Goods
Ezra Harrison
Meat Market
Erdwin Brothers
Hotels-two
Proprietors not named
Drug Store
J. M. Morse
Hardware
J. H. Hennessey Gallagher Brothers
Blacksmith Shops
Cummings and Hall
Restaurants
William Fordon
J. W. Heffington
Elevator
Charles H. Willard
Harness Shop
J. W. McHenry
Hotel
J. M. Gray
Henry G. Flesner was postmaster; D. R. McKin- ney and William Van Camp were doctors; and Absa- lom Bainbridge Vallandingham "when occasion requires, acts as attorney."
The account of the fire in 1894 mentions the following businesses, though there may have been others:
Drug Store
J. K. Ice
Blacksmith Shop Hoch and Cummings George Harrison
Groceries
General Stores (prob- H. W. Beacham ably including groceries) Perring Brothers
Barber Shop and Bil- H. E. Elmore liard Hall
Barber Shop
Hiram Steward
Lumber Yard
C. W. Ellis
Grain Dealers
Perring and Wood
Harrington, Hannah and Co. Watson and Reynolds
Furniture Stores J. W. McHenry G. L. Galvond
Shoe Shop
Joseph Sheuring, Sr.
George Rupp
Corn Shelling
Heije Busboom
Bank
E. J. Morse and Son
Coal
W. T. Pierce (this may have been only in connection with the elevator which he ran
Grain Dealers
Tomlinson and Hicks
John Penfield
Millinery
Miss Kittie Early
Mckinney and Johnson are mentioned as a partner- ship, but there is no indication of what business.
The account mentions that after the fire some- one "moved into the old Reynolds Tank Shop."
Courtesy of The Country Health Nursing Care Center Gifford, Illinois
63
W. A. Wooldridge
Steiner & Harweger For What You Eat and Wear
A MESSAGE FROM ... Gifford, Illinois ...
Presented To You By Its Leading Business Men 1916
THE MORSE STATE BANK OF GIFFORD ESTABLISHED 1885 INCORPORATED 1912 -3% Interest Poid In Snwings Department-
J. W. McHENRY DEALER IN Furniture and Andertaking
LICENSED EMBALMER LICENSE NUMBER 3355
CHURCHES
METHODIST-
Ren. E J. Williams, Postor
BAPTIST-
Ren. R M Wood, Pastor
GERMAN LUTHERAN-
Ret S Muschmann, Postor
CHRISTIAN-
Pastor
LODGES
1. 0.0 F.
M. W. A.
Court of Honor
Railroad Time Table
FAST
WEST
Passenger. 9:04 &. In. | Passenger 2:25 p in. Local. . 9:40 s. m I Local 4:55 | M1
W. A. WOOLDRIDGE
Drugs, Medicines, Perfumes. Toilet Articles, Sonps, Brushes, Combs and n Full Line of Druggist. Sundries Paints, Oils, Varmishes, Brushes, Fte School Supplies
JACOB JOHNSON DEALER IN HARDWARE AND COAL
Railroad Distance From Gifford
TO
MILES
Rantoul.
Champaign
20
Danville ..
53
Paxton
18
Gilman
39
Le Roy
42
Bloomington
5:)
Decatur
67
Springfield
106
St Louis.
20
Kankakee
Chicago
119
Peoria .
Streator
116
Ottawa
129
Joliet
Milwaukee, Wis
201
Madison, Wis ..
St. Paul, Minn
510
ALVERSON & SON Restaurant and Lunch Room Ice Cream, Candies, Soft Drinkx Cigars and Tobarco
Boots nnd Shoes Cigars and Tobacco
FRED BUSBOOM GENERAL MERCHANDISE STAPLE GROCERIES FANCY
Auto Distance From Gifford
TO
MILES
Pornmac
. 13%
Rantoul
7%
Champaign.
25
Danville ...
35
Rankin
18
Paxton
15
Rosaville
2H
Hoopestun ..
Fisher
20
Bloonunngton
45
Gibson City
30
Farmer City
35
Homer
Ciasna Park
Mahomet
Urbana
2.3
Lotus
Alvin
Gifford Elevator Co. Grain and Coal
The publication shown on these two pages reflects the Gifford of 1916.
Courtesy of LUX MEMORIAL CHAPEL Rantoul, Illinois
64
Danville Creamery Co. JEAN A MCCOY, LOCAL MANAGER CASH FOR YOUR CREAM
Honest Test Bp Weights and Quick Service Orders-Large or Small-Solicited
A Good Story-
A good striry bears repeating-Whether it's the story that relates the coming of Christ- Inns-the story of our childhood days-or the story of whatever may he of interest to us-we like to hear It agoin and again.
We Therefore-
Present tu you n truthful story of a good town. in onler that it mny nid you more conclusively in memurizing and apprecio- ting the true values of its commercial and social existance
Gifford Illinois --
Is the town -- A good business center of about 500 people: in champaign County. on the Winms Central Railway, 111 miles south of Chicago and 7 miles east of Rantomul.
And when in need of anpthing in the line of Men's and Baps' Furnishings nad Tailored To Your Order Clothes
SEE BERT J. BOHLEN
Gifford-
Has o splendid system of schonls, fine churches and severol good Joriges. The town is located in the heart of the nichest farming country in the state: its farmers are prosperous and up to the times in their farming methods and they rank high in prominent citizenship.
The Business Houses-
Are In majority, np-to date in their line nf wores ond In their form of operating their business ond ore therefore fully prepared to mert the demands of the most particular, ond they deserve the petronogr of all who are conveniently locatedl.
Food For Thought
What Buying At Home Means To The Buyer -
In a publication nf the middle-northwest re- cently appeared on article which ninde ref- erence to a town of 1,000 people where more than seven eighths of all the buying public withın o radius of six nules of its center purchased from its local business people more than seven-eighths of all their tieces- saries and luxuries of life; nnd the article went on to state thet in no part iff the white iniddle-northwest could be found more prosperity and better dressed prople than within that six-mile marius.
Then It Is True-
Of every dollar ne spend with nur local hasiness people; a part of that dollar in re- flected to us.
What Gifford Has-
Gifford has one strong bank established since 1885-a drug store established in 1875 -3 general stores-1 hardware store-2 ini- plement houses-2 gernin clevotors of great enpocity-1 lumber company-1 hotel-2 restaurants-1 meat market-1 millinery shop-1 harness shop-i shoe repair stop- 1 furniture store-1 cream station-1 L'orage -1 livery ond feed harn-2 barber shops- 2 blacksmith shops-2 doctors-1 real es- tate office-1 exclusive clothing store-2 contractors ard builders-a motion picture show on Tuesdny and Saturday nights; gond productions.
THE. GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCHI-located 5K miles southwest of Gifford. is worthy of mention os it is undatibtedly The finest structure seen onvwhere In the country : crected at a cost cf $50.000 00.
GIFFARD-prides itself as being one big family. They always hormonize in any project that will improve their town Nothing is under- løken unth it is unvalmotta in sentunent. It is Indeed a lown worthy of preise and de. serves the attention of those looking for a good hume lown.
WRIGHT GARAGE GENERAL REPAIR WORK I Moke Ynur Car Work Like New
What Would Thrive In Gifford- A Weekly Newspaper - A Creamery - A Cunning Factory.
G. B. PARK THE CASH STORE ..... DEALER IN GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Let those come who never came h+ fure And those thot hove come let them all the nınre
Faith and Confidence
We Believe In Gifford-
W. have faith and confidence In Its people -that live and trade within its commerein! boundary. We have faith and confidence in Gifford as a biliness center-both froin the business men's stand point and from Ils patrons'. It is through these sources that progress is possible We further believe in all that Gifforl lias- Its commercial center - Its educational freedom -Its religious and social activities.
Have Faith and Confidence --- In whet yon do nnd say and you are sure of success ond happiness
J. S. BARNES
REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE NOTARY PUBLIC SURETY BONDS SECURED
Corn farms o specialty. I have for sale Min- nesnto's Gront Red River Valley Farms
Notice the 31 business listed of which 13 have taken ads.
Courtesy of THE BUSBOOM GRAIN CO. Collison and Royal, Illinois
65
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---
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..
GIFFORD BUSINESS MEN MEET
The Gifford Business Men's Association held a dinner meeting Tuesday night at the Redwood Inn in Rantoul. Among those present, sitting. left to right. are: Theo- dore Siddens (Sundries). James Herbert (Elevator Man- ager). Arthur F. Busboom (Busboom's Store). Rev. W. J. Ferne (Lutheran Pastor). Rev. Hubert Lytle (Methodist Pastor). Dr. Walter Rhode. Dale Goodwine (Bank Presi- dent), Barney Bartell (Tavern), Werner Roessler (Locker
In more modern times-1955- we see the Gifford Business Men's Association enjoying itself at a luncheon in Rantoul.
It is in those intervening years-1878 to 1894 and 1894 to 1916-that we have nothing to go on but memory. and even our collective memories fade fast beyond about 1930. So we'll tackle the problem from this end. naming our businesses and business locations as they exist today and tracing them back as best we can. Starting at the north end. east side of Main Street:
The BUSBOOM WAREHOUSE & Oil Tanks - 1975
Plant), Standing: Joe Johnson (Restaurant), Altje Saat- hoff (Farm Machine Repair), Ernest Busboom (Ford Garage), D. W. Pratt (Veterinary). Walter Baker (F/S Oil Truck). Raymond Busboom (Dairy). Martin Hagen (Stan- dard Oil Truck), John Huls (Tavern), Wayne Stone- street, J. A. Mckeown (Grocery Store), Bill Johnson (Hardware), Harry Hoch (Garage). --- , Lloyd Filkin, and C. H. Myers (Veterinary). "News Gazette" Nov. 16, 1955
The Busboom Oil Tanks and Warehouse-Heye Bus- boom and his son Robert have run this business since 1921. This was the site of our first hotel, built and run by the Vallandinghams. There was a livery
T.IT
GIFFORD'S FIRST HOTEL, with Mr. and Mrs. Val- landingham and eight-year-old John Leslie Armstrong.
stable in the same area, perhaps right next to the hotel. The livery stable was the "parking lot" and the "Hertz Car Rental" of that era, and you'd ex- pect a hotel to have a parking lot, wouldn't you? The building now used by the Busbooms as a ware- house was the McCoy and Falkner Ford Garage in the early 1900's.
66
Courtesy of THE BUSBOOM OIL COMPANY Gifford, Illinois
THE LIVERY STABLE
The Rademacher Brothers Lumber Company - Charles Wesley Ellis built our first lumber yard on this site in the 1870's. It burned in 1894 and was rebuilt. It was managed from 1901 to 1939 by Frank D. Hamilton. Hollie G. Wise worked for the lumber yard from the early 1920's on and took over management of it when Mr. Hamilton retired. (Edit- or's Note: 1 happen to recall that at one time Mr. Wise was paid $30 a month in winter when the lumber yard was idle and $60 a month in summer when it was busy. On that kind of magnificent
salary he got married. built a house. and started his family.) The lumber yard was rebuilt under Mr. Wise's management and was again up-to-date for its time. The Rademacher Brothers bought out the
INTERIOR OF RADEMACHERS'
Ellises in 1961 and Mr. Wise died in 1963. The Rademachers rebuilt just a few years ago. adding 2 hardware. appliance. building supply and gift store to create an unbelievably fine set-up for a town the size of Gifford.
DE
-.
RADEMACHER BROTHERS LUMBER COMPANY
Courtesy of Rademacher True-Value Lumber and Hardware Main Street, Gifford, Illinois
67
RAIL
ESING
RO - ROAD
CF
--
THE GIFFORD ELEVATOR COMPANY - 1975
The Gifford Elevator Company-The first elevator was built by Charles H. Willard in 1876 just as the railroad became available to haul the grain. A second elevator was built in those same early days by John and Ed Wood. Their elevator stood where the Sohigro Fertilizer plant is now, and their scale house and office was located where our post office is today. Both elevators burned in 1894 and both were rebuilt, this one by the Chicago grain firm of Harrington, Hannah & Company. It was managed for a time by, and then sold to H. W. Hamilton and W. T. (Billie) Pierce. Further along the way it was purchased by an association of local farmers and has
since been run as a cooperative. The Wood Brothers elevator came to be managed by-and I believe owned by-Jacob Johnson. But hard times came. Mr. Johnson had his full share of troubles and finally that elevator was taken over by this one and later torn down. The office building for the present elevator was a two-story building on the present site. It burned in 1949 and was rebuilt in its present form.
(Editor's Note: That old upstairs was head- quarters for the Boy Scout Troop under R. J. Wal- ston in my day. Then for a time it was home-living quarters-for old Mr. Pat Rowlen.)
68
Courtesy of THE GIFFORD ELEVATOR CO. Gifford, Illinois
The next six buildings south of the elevator are be- lieved to be the "block of buildings" constructed by Harvey Bullock north of the railroad and later moved to the south side of the tracks. New fronts have been built on them, so the six buildings now appear to be only three. In recent years they have often been vacant and have fallen into disrepair, but in their day they housed thriving businesses-barber shops, clothing store, the post office, doctor's office, butcher shop, general store, furniture and under- taking parlor, garage, and hardware store at least, as the decades passed. The first two units south of the elevator were a two-story structure and that up- stairs housed, at various times, the Odd Fellows Lodge, the Modern Woodmen lodge, the Court of Honor lodge, a pool hall, and dance hall, and half the Gifford Grade School while a new school house was being built. The first floor rooms were occupied by A. S. Chambers Furniture and Undertaking Par- lor and by George Parks' General Store. George Johnson and his sons Ralph and Bill ran a hardware store in the two center units from 1917 to about 1965, and in 1929 when they built that new brick front with eight huge plate glass windows, it was surely the sharpest thing in town at the time. The
two south units housed, among others, Doctor Mckinney, the E. M. Hoch Garage in the 1920's, a meat market, T. O. Waespe's Trucking Company in the 1930's, and the F. C. Auto and Leon Purdy Body Shops in the late 1960's and early 70's. These units have lately been used for the storage of school buses and other equipment. (Editor's Note: Between these buildings and the Johnson Elevator office which was then on the corner, there was a vacant lot with a big cottonwood tree under which men of the village used to pitch horseshoes by the hour.)
A view of the east side of Main Street about 1910. "A. S. Chambers" was a furniture dealer and undertaker. The present Post Office site is occupied by the Wood Brothers Elevator office.
GIFFORD
-
THE "BULLOCK BLOCK" south of the Elevator - 1975. From left to right they will De referred to as the George Parks Building, the Johnson Hardware Building, and the E. M. Hoch Garage Building
Courtesy of The Art Busboom Insurance Agency Gifford, Illinois
69
The east side of Main Street a few years later. The first awning reads "J. Bohlen- Men's Furnishings." The second one reads "G. B. Parks Store" and "A. S. Chambers" has been replaced by "J. W. McHenry"- another furniture dealer and undertaker. The present Schenck's Hardware building has a new sign reading-"Perring and Ack- erman Cash Store-a complete line of dry goods, groceries, shoes And LOOK at that car!
BELOW: An unflattering view of the Johnson Hardware Store of about 1918 and a gasoline pump used to refuel those early cars. The young man is Ted Siddens.
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SARAG
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THE E. M HOCH GARAGE in the late 1920's Above center: Interior of Johnson's Hardware. Ehme Ackerman at left, Mr. Johnson on right
Courtesy of DeKalb Seed Corn - Carl Mennenga and Stanley Home Products - Frieda Mennenga Gifford, Illinois
70
POST OFFICE
The Wood Brothers (Jake Johnson) Elevator office which stood on the site of the present Post Office. Howard Varner, shown here has used it as his barber shop since about 1940.
Howard Varner's Barber Shop-This building was the scale house and office for the Wood Brothers (Jake Johnson) Elevator and used to stand on the corner where the Post Office is. Mr. Varner occu- pied it for several years in that location. and then moved it to make way for the new Post Office.
The Post Office-This building was constructed in 1959 for use as a Post Office. The Gifford Post Office was established in 1876 with Henry G. Fles- ner as the first postmaster. The job has since been held by Mrs. Hattie Wooldridge, James S. Barnes, Roy S. Barnes, Ed Breithaupt, George Buenting, Paul Schenck, Bud Mckeown, and since 1952 by Mrs. Grace Stover. The post office function has been
housed in several places through the years-the building just south of the elevator on the east side, the site of the John Deere building, the present Cabin, the old Wooldridge Drug Store where the bank is now, a little building on the now vacant lot across from Hoch's garage, and, of course, at the present spot. Rural Free Delivery was established in 1903 with two routes out of Gifford. At first Frank Wooldridge carried on the north route and Bill Hen- nessey on the south. Later Roy S. Barnes carried the mail north and Loren Wilson carried it south. As the roads and transportation improved the routes were combined and Mr. Barnes carried the mail alone until his retirement when Jack Kaler took over.
m
BARBER
SHOP
SEE
THE GIFFORD POST OFFICE - an inside view with Roy Barnes sorting mail, about 1919 when the Post Office was in the George Parks building on the east side of the street.
Courtesy of Leland F. Albers, Builder Gifford, Illinois
71
STAB
Peck·s
SCHENCK'S HARDWARE and PECK'S STAR MARKET
Schenck's Hardware-This site, and this building, have been the scene of retail businesses perhaps for as long as any spot in town. A Mr. Mallot, a Mr. Bert Bohlen and a partnership of Perring & Acker- man had stores here before 1913. Fred Busboom ran a general store there from 1913 to 1962. Paul and Irene Schenck had a grocery store there, too, until they completely remodelled the old Busboom Ford Garage next door and made it into an up-to- date food store. The second floor housed the tele- phone switchboard at one time, with Lottie Siddens, Lillie Alcorn and Ora Stewart serving as operators. At another point Dr. Mckinney had his office up there, and classes met up there for half the Gifford Grade School after the schoolhouse burned. Paul
4
STALS
OUTSIDE OF THE BUSBOOM STORE in the early 1930's
and Irene Schenck have been in one business or another in Gifford since 1937 when Paul came into town to run the Standard Oil agency. Since then they have run grocery stores, a wholesale meat busi- ness, a refrigeration and store equipment business, the Post Office, and a hardware store-at various times. They have also raised five fine daughters- Mary, Paulette, Brenda, Drusilla and Eveleen.
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INTERIOR OF THE FRED BUSBOOM STORE in the late teens. Mr. Busboom on the left and Clyde Heffington right. Later, Glen Walston spent most of his working life as a clerk in this store and Mabel (Lytle) Steward worked there for a long time.
72
Courtesy of SCHENCK'S HARDWARE Gifford, Illinois
Peek.s
Peck's Star Market-The present building was con- structed by John and Grace Busboom in 1918 and run by them and their son Ernest as the Busboom Ford Garage until 1963. It was taken over, com- pletely remodelled and run as a food store by Paul and Irene Schenck until 1974 when Mr. Peck bought them out. The site was occupied by other buildings and other businesses before the Busbooms. Hi Stew- ard had his barber shop in a previous building there for a time, and Cad Crane had a carpentry/wood- working shop there.
PECK'S STAR MARKET - 1975
LIT
1
An
Mr. Peck and Mrs. Lawrence O'Rourke talk to their customer, Robert Glazik - 1975
Courtesy of PECK'S STAR MARKET Gifford, Illinois
73
JOHN W. HOCH (with hammer) and his son Harry. About 1905
Space between Peck's Market and Hoch's Garage- This spot was occupied in the early 1920's as a "Cream Station"-that is to say, by a man who bought cream, eggs, butter and poultry from the farmers and shipped them off to plants where they were prepared for sale in the cities. Some of the produce was brought into town and delivered by the farmers, but it was a feature of the times that the Creamery Man would run a spring wagon or Model-T pickup out through the countryside, buy- ing chickens right out of the hen house and bargain- ing for the cream in the milk house-on the spot. Perry Stewart ran the Cream Station in the 1920's and was followed by John Yakel up into the 1930's.
Hoch's Garage-Dan Cummings established a black- smith shop here in 1890, and here he hammered out rings, pins, bands, hooks, and horseshoes from a malleable iron which he heated red hot in his forge and then beat into shape on his anvil. The business is listed as "Hoch and Cummings" in the story of the fire in 1894 because John Hoch had joined him by then. John Hoch was followed by his son, Harry. Harry Hoch was followed by his son, Eugene. Eugene Hoch is being followed by his son, Danny- for the only four-generation business in town. But the shop has changed. The "hay-burner" gave way to the "gas-burner." The forge and anvil were re- placed by the gasoline pump and the torque wrench, and the blacksmith shop became an auto garage. Gene says the forge was finally dismantled and thrown out in 1960.
(HOCHS GARAGE
HOCH GARAGE - 1975
Inside of the Hoch Garage - 1975. Gene Hoch is in center; son, Danny, is at the left.
74
Courtesy of HOCH'S GARAGE Gifford, Illinois
The Laundromat and Beauty Shop-This building, just back of Peck's and Hoch's, was built by Grace and Raymond Busboom in 1962
Nojd's Die Shop-The metal building just east of Schenck's doesn't look all that impressive, but it, too, has long been the scene of business activity. Hickman and Boggs had a blacksmith shop there in the 'teens. It was a storage building for Fred Bus- boom's Store while he was in business, and it housed a radio and TV repair shop for Jack Rouse and Ballard Spears in the 1960's. Since 1967 Gordon Nojd has had a Steel Rule Die Shop there. (Editor's Note: A steel rule die is a cutting instrument, espe- cially made to cut paper products into a desired shape, ya dummy! Example: If you want to cut out a hundred heart shapes for valentines, Mr. Nojd can make you a steel rule die, shaped just right, which you press down on the paper, like a cookie cutter, to cut them out.)
Whew! This story is getting to be a kind of endurance contest. But if you are still with us, let's go back up north of the railroad and work our way down the west side of the street.
The "Old Hotel"-The fine house now occupied by the Ernest Emord family just across from the Bus- boom Oil Tanks, replaces Gifford's second hotel. The house was built by T. O. Waespe in the 1930's. The "old hotel" was a big, frame structure with perhaps a dozen rooms upstairs, and a big parlor, dining room and kitchen downstairs. It was no "Holiday Inn" even in its day, but it served the needs of a lot of people when it was not practical to come out from Champaign, put in a day's activity, and go back the same day. Traveling salesmen ("drummers," they were called then) would come in on the train one day, work the town and go out on the train the next day. When the hotel trade dried up, families occupied the building as a private home for several years-and there was a dentist's office in there once, until Mr. Waespe tore it down to make way for, and to provide a lot of materials for the present house.
The Depot-The railroad and the depot deserve special emphasis. Though they were not "Gifford businesses" they did do business in Gifford. If it had not been for the Havanna, Rantoul and Eastern Railroad, Gifford might never have existed at all. Or it would have occupied some other location. In its day, the depot was to Gifford what a modern airport is to a city. People arrived in town at the depot-people left town at the depot. There were tearful farewells and joyful reunions at the depot. Many of our ancestors arrived in the area at the depot, some of them carrying everything they owned in a bundle. Merchants looked to the depot for their new merchandise. If you'd ordered a corset or a cream separator from Sears Roebuck, you
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