walk and talk

I had my final walking tour tonight

     I have enjoyed doing these this summer.  We have had large crowds, and small crowds.  Tonight's crowd was large and informative.
     In case you don't know, I do a history walk through Rochelle's downtown.  It takes about an hour and covers about a mile.  It can go longer if I talk too much. I did the walk monthly, starting in May.
     I learn more from the people than I share, sometimes.
     I learned Unger's is the longest continuing business under one family's ownership in town. It started in 1857, if I remember correctly.  The funeral home was located in several spots in the downtown before locating in its current building.
     I also found out that most teenagers in Rochelle tasted their first illegal beer in Tahiti Pete's.  The pizza place/bar was in the now razed Collier Hotel and was quite the popular spot, maybe due to their good pizza and liberal carding procedures.
     And I learned the theater I had been calling the Venetian may have been the Princess. 
     History is usually cut and dried, but when you get people talking about their past and the community's past, it becomes alive.
     I weave a lot of stories into the history part of the walk.  I tell people the facts are  mostly true, but the stories are suspect, so pick and choose what you want to believe.
     I do have one more walk.  Jackie never got to go, so I promised her one NICE day I will take her on her own personal tour.  If you are interested in joining us, let me know and I'll tell you when.
     Tonight's walk had 28 people.  And they all said it was a fun time.
     I rest my case.  And my mouth.