A Stop Light To Remember

  During a meeting of the Village board of Catlin in 1949, motions were made by the members to buy and put up a stop-light at the corner of Sandusky and Vermilion Streets. This was discussed at meetings on August 1, August 8 and October 8 of 1949. The decision was made, the light was ordered at a cost of $125.56 and was subsequently installed. It soon gained the notice of the State of Illinois with adverse results.

  "As the story goes" the State of Illinois notified the Village Board that it was against the law for Catlin to have a stoplight at the intersection of Sandusky and Vermilion. At that point, Howard Schmink, a Village employee, took the stop-light down, placed it in his garage and covered it with a tarp to preserve it. A flashing red light took the stoplight's place, but the State still objected - thus ending one of Catlin's brief moments of fame. Recently, the Schmink family found the stoplight and gave it to the Catlin Historical Society. It resides in the north end of the Cabin Complex where Neal Brogan has restored it to operating condition.

  Stop by and see this little known part of Catlin's history.

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