Day in history for February 7, 2003

1853 -- 150 years ago

The dwelling house of Samuel M. Fletcher, Preemption, was consumed by fire on Thursday. The furniture in the upper rooms was entirely destroyed. Nearly everything in the lower rooms was taken out. The loss is about $1,500.

1878 -- 125 years ago

Up-to-date, W.P. Butler of Milan had shipped 180 carloads of ice to St. Louis.

1903 -- 100 years ago

A plan of paving 14th Avenue, Rock Island, was approved at a meeting of the Bluff Improvement Association.

1928 -- 75 years ago

Mill Creek early this morning went on a rampage and flooded the west end of Milan. Fire sirens warned the populace at 4:30 a.m. that an ice gorge in the channel was causing waters to back up into streets and basements.

1953 -- 50 years ago

The East Central Business Men's Association, a new group centering on 23rd Street and 5th Avenue, Moline, was organized at a meeting in the East End Club hall. About 48 men, representing business enterprises in the area, attended the meeting. Named to the board are William Furgie Jr., Norman Thorpe, Philip Croft, Floyd Siebke, Al Gustafson, Charles Craig and Willard Johnson.

1978 -- 25 years ago

The J.C. Penney Co. unveiled plans for a new SouthPark Mall store four times larger than its present downtown Moline facility. The new 158,300 square-foot store is expected to open in the fall of 1979.

Back: Available days in February 2003