CITY BEAT: YOU HAD TO EXPERIENCE CHAP’S TO KNOW WHY IT WAS SUCH A ‘BIG DEAL’

    “Chap’s Amusement Park”, the subject of this week’s “Scrapbook” on pages 4 and 5 of the print and online editions,, was located at 2901 North Main Street, and although it was very small, compared to the gigantic theme parks of today, it was an entertainment paradise for post-World War II Decatur area residents.
     I know that, when I was a kid, a trip to Chap’s was a trip to a lot of fun with the rides and hearing the “laughing lady”, who made most people laugh and sometimes scared the daylights out of small children!
     Of course, what was exciting to ride and watch at Chap’s couldn’t compare with what is available today at Splash Cove, the Devon and other Decatur area entertainment.
     However, in its day, starting in 1945, going to Chap’s was a highly anticipated experience, at least for a kid — this kid.
     Some of our younger readers who check out the photos on pages 4 and 5 will probably wonder why Chap’s was such a big deal.
     For those of us who experienced it and enjoyed the amusement park in our youth — we know why it was such a “big deal” for that time in our lives and in the history of Decatur.
     I don’t know who the girl is in the photo at left, which was shot at Chap’s in 1951, but she is obviously enjoying the Merry-Go-Round.
     As you read this week’s “Scrapbook”, if you listen very carefully, you can almost hear the sound of the “laughing lady”.

     • HMMMM. One of the longtime supporters of this newspaper sent me an email the other day with the following message: “So I’m wondering whether any of these ring a bell to you. Should’ve emailed them to you a little earlier, I guess.”
     Apparently, there were some photos attached to the message that would be of interest to me.
     What was even more interesting to me than the message was how someone who passed away several years ago is still sending e-mails?
     Obviously, it was a scam by someone who had hacked into the late Tribune reader’s account.
     I have received many of these scam emails wanting me to click on the photos and see what they are about.
     I never do, because once I click on them, I will become a scammer’s victim.
     I’ve received other “check these photos” emails from people whose names are familiar to me and there is no doubt they have been hacked and their email name is being used to scam someone.
     I think last week was the first time that a person who passed away several years ago has contacted me about some photos.
     Be careful when answering emails or opening attachments with emails.
     One sure indication that the email is from a scammer is if the “person” sending it passed away years ago!

     • I RECEIVED a big response from readers after my “Scrapbook” article on Roosevelt Junior High School in he May 21st edition and my column on Miss Svendsen, who was my math teacher when I attended Roosevelt, in the May 28th edition.
     As I mentioned on this week’s back page, Dan Weber sent me a big photo which was shot of students standing in front of Roosevelt in the mid-1950s and asked if I was in the photo.

     Although I didn’t see myself in the photo Dan sent, I started searched and found the yearbook photo at right.
Wow! That was a long time ago!
     I looked different back then. It’s probably because I’m not wearing a necktie when the photo was shot.
     Sometimes, when I look at photos of me when I was a kid or young man, it almost seems like that is somebody else in the photo and not me.
     Do you ever have that feeling?

     • SURPRISE! I was very surprised, and felt very honored, when Natalie Beck of the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation notified me last week that I am one of the recipients of the 2025 Do Something Great awards.
(The 2025 recipients are listed in a news story from the Foundation on page 6 of the print and onine editions.)
     I have always felt blessed to be part of Decatur and Central Illinois and never think about being honored for my efforts when there are so many others also working in the best interests of the community.
     Obviously, I’ve been involved in this community for a very long time and, honestly, I never think about being honored for it and I’m always surprised and humbled when it happens.
     Thanks so much to the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation.
     I feel very honored to one of this year’s awardees.

     • I ENJOYED speaking and answering questions at the Macon County Area Seniors Monthly Lunch at the Salvation Army in Downtown Decatur last Friday.
     The audience had a lot of good questions to ask after I spoke and I enjoyed the fellowship with a great crowd of some really great people.
     I have cut back on public speaking somewhat the past few years due to the pressing demands of the Tribune — but, when I do accept an invitation, I always enjoy the people I meet for the first time and those I reconnect with.
     The people of Macon County and Central Illinois are the best — and I am blessed to live here and publish the Decatur Tribune.

     • PLASTIC BAG? I’ve had several people ask if I found out who left the plastic bag on the newspaper office’s front door knob with the Trib’s 25th Anniversary edition inside, that I wrote about last week. As I’m writing this week’s column, no one has yet called to claim doing so.
     I’ll let you know who left it when I find out, providing they want their name used.

     • THE FARMER’S Market began its Saturday morning summer run in downtown’s Central Park last week.
It is nice to walk the block from my office and pick up my week’s supply of my favorite vegetable — tomatoes.
     I know it is ten days before summer officially arrives, but when the Farmer’s Market opens in Central Park, summer is here — regardless of the date on the calender.
     Peter Vercellino has been my official weekly tomato “supplier” for years and he always has a bag of them waiting for me when I go to the park on Saturday mornings.

       • I JOIN Brian Byers on Byers & Co. every Thursday morning at 7:00 for the “City Hall Insider”.
I always enjoy our conversation about Decatur’s past, present and future.
* * * *

FOR MORE stories and more “City Beat” and editorial comments, SUBSCRIBE to the print or online editions of the Decatur Tribune by using the “Subscribe” prompt at the top of this page.  You will find many stories and columns about Decatur and Central Illinois each week. The print edition is $50 for 52 issues (one year) and the online edition is $30 for one year.  The combo rate (both print and online editions) is $65 per year.  You can also subscribe to the print edition via USPS by sending $50 to: Decatur Tribune, P. O. Box 1490, Decatur, Illinois 62525-1490.