"You had to die to make it here." Bloom Archivist Don Croarkin may have smiled when he said them, but the words carried an overwhelming weight. Inside Bloom High School's Dr. James D. Steckel Library, along the south wall near the Weber Costello Globe, there are several photos and newspaper clippings, mostly from the Chicago Heights Star (now enveloped into the Southtown Star).  The clippings are behind pieces of glass under a large title in all caps, "HONOR & GLORY TO OUR HEROES," followed by "They Gave Their Lives Serving Our Country." There are four categories separating the clippings: …

While last week's installment turned out to be a worldly experience in the archives, this week's trip to Bloom High School ended up being a lesson in art history. Anyone who has ever ventured through the main entrance of the school is probably familiar with the six mammoth murals positioned asymmetrically to the left and right of the staircases. For me, they were eye-catching, to the say the least. Once again Don Croarkin, the man in charge of the Bloom Archives, helped provide a full history on the puzzling paintings.  They are often referred to as the Edgar Britton Frescoes, affectionately …

Last week, I spoke of my ambitious intention to delve into the history of the Heights, starting with the city's nationally recognized historic place, Bloom High School. In visiting Bloom, I bumped into a surprisingly helpful tour guide, District 206 Supt. Glen Giannetti. Eager to reveal the illustrious and overwhelming Archives room, Giannetti led me through the entrance, up a short set of stairs, past the shiny, sacred (and untouchable) Trojan head and down the hall to a room full of history. The man in charge of the archives, Don Croarkin, fits into Bloom's history in his own right. He was …

As a newcomer to Chicago Heights in August 2010, there was little I could say I knew about the city. Sure, I was aware of the nickname, “Crossroads of a Nation,” but I knew little else. Taking the proverbial helm of a self-proclaimed new online hub for news and events, I knew I would have to learn more about the city’s illustrious history before I could presume to be a credible source of Heights information. While I’m still learning, I have discovered at least one indisputable point of consensus. Bloom High School holds a poignant and perpetually growing legacy in the city. An area pioneer in…

In 1988, when Chicago Heights annexed the Ford Motor plant, then-Mayor Charles Panici called the move "a bonanza" and the equivalent of "winning the Super Bowl." To this day, the city's share of tax revenue from the factory is about $1 million a year. At about the time the United States was first entering World War II, a wealthy landowner carved out his property about 40 miles south of Chicago and called it the Bartlett Subdivision. At the time, that land bordered on Chicago Heights. Much has changed since then. Bartlett changed its name to Olympia Gardens. Meanwhile, Chicago Heights has …

When you walk into The CarmelCorn Shop, you see rainbow-colored popcorn balls on display next to a manual scale and large apothecary jars filled with pumpkin seeds, jelly fruit slices, gummy bears and licorice whips. A large Dixie Dairy clock, gifted from a long gone vendor, hangs on the wall behind the ice cream freezer. The popcorn and caramel corn is behind the counter in airtight containers. The shop at 1712 Chicago Road has been on that same block since 1931. The name has changed, as it started out as part of the Karmelkorn Shoppe franchise, but became The CarmelCorn Shop in the mid-…

On Jan. 3, Chicago Heights Patch told the tragic story of former professional wrestler Juan Hernandez and the abrupt death of his four-year-old granddaughter Alicia Renee Diaz. This is the conclusion to that story. The tragedy hit Juan and Stella hard, and because of Alicia's giving nature, they decided to give back to the community in her honor. "After Stella and I prayed about it, we decided to keep her work going forward" Juan said, "That's how we started Alicia's House." So in August of 2001, just seven months after Alicia's death, a new not-for-profit food pantry was born. Unfortunately…

A small-town boy named Juan Hernandez lifted up his arms in victory to accept the belt in the 1990 International Wrestling World Championship. This young man from Beecher was a master on the wrestling mat.  "I started out as a young man, only 12 years old, traveling around the country in karate events, by the time I was 16 years old, I became the National Karate Champion," Juan remembered. "I won over 700 events around the country." Juan continued to talk about the early years of his success in a world of closed-door parties and free indulgence. "In 1986, I retired from karate and went to pro…

Ever wonder how Hap Bruno Field got its name? The baseball field is named after Mario "Hap" Bruno, a Chicago Heights legend known for his baseball accomplishments as both a manager and a player, and for his community involvement. In this video, Christine Herlin, Bruno's granddaughter and a second-grade teacher at Greenbriar School, reflects on her grandfather. According to Italian-American scholar Dominic Candeloro's Mostly Melted/Still Connected: The Marchegiani in Chicago Heights 1893-1997, Bruno came to the United States from Le Marche, Italy, in 1904. He had to overcome many obstacles …