Buddy Ebsen's Swimming School in Belleville, Illinois.

Buddy Ebsen (born Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr.), in 1908 in Belleville, Illinois. He grew up at 805 Lebanon Avenue in Belleville, Illinois. Before there was a 'cee-ment' pond behind the family home, there was a real pond. 

Note the misspelling of the name.

Buddy's father, Christian Ludolf Ebsen Sr., taught swimming lessons in the Ebsen’s Pond behind their house, later the property was transformed into the Belleville Municipal Swimming Pool, which was then demolished in 2015. Christian managed a natatorium for the local school district. 

Everybody ought to learn how to swim.

His father also taught dance lessons, and young Buddy took lessons in town, and after the family moved to Florida.

The Ebsens left Belleville when Buddy was 10 years old and moved to Florida for his mother’s health. Buddy continued dance lessons after the family moved to Florida.

Ebsen became embroiled in a contract dispute with MGM that left him idle for long periods. He took up sailing and became so proficient in seamanship that he taught the subject to naval officer candidates during World War II.

Buddy Ebsen famously played "Jed Clampett" in the TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962–1971).

Ebsen was also in the Belleville area in 1977, when he went sailing at Carlyle Lake. Besides strolling downtown and touring his family home, Ebsen visited the News-Democrat offices. Newsroom staffers remember the visit, particularly because Ebsen did a little soft-shoe routine across the newsroom.

Buddy again came to visit Belleville in 1992. He then surprised a group of preschool teachers when he took a walk downtown.

"Hi! I'm Buddy Ebsen. I grew up here in Belleville," Ebsen said to a small child in a News-Democrat article from 1992. One of the children's teachers recognized him instantly as the sometimes cantankerous Jed Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies.

Ebsen died of respiratory failure in 2003 at age 95. His ashes were sprinkled into the Pacific Ocean.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Energy, Illinois' Calaboose History.

On Route 148, right in the middle of Energy, Illinois, there was a squat, concrete, empty Calaboose (prison).

The Old Calaboose.

The heavy metal door was on rusty hinges, and the two small cells were bare. There were no signs of the colorful history of prisoners or escapes - only a few scrawlings were found on the walls, including a faded 'J.R. loves' [somebody], written in lipstick.

There is a history. It goes way back before the little jail was built. There was an older jail, one made of two-by-fours.

The history of jails is the history of Energy, a quiet town - the residents called it the quietest and friendliest town in Southern Illinois. The concrete jail had only been used three times in 37 years.

But there was a time when Energy and its jail were a total of rowdy, drinking and cursing men. Back then, the Energy calaboose, less than 200 feet from the nearest saloon, was the center of town activity every night from 6 PM until 10 PM. It was back in the early 1900s.

At 5 PM, the miners from Carterville, Herrin and Marion would begin to pile into the four noisy saloons that lined the streetcar line that brought them to Energy. They would be in a hurry because they had only four hours to drink, argue, fight, and cuss before taking the last streetcar out at 10 PM. They had to drink their fill-in Energy because it was dry back home in Carterville and Marion.

At about 8 PM, Charley Perrin, Henry Range or other policemen would begin filling the Energy jail. And just about 10 PM, the prisoners would break out of this first frail jail so that Ben Walker and some other streetcar operators could get them back home on the 10 PM run.

The first Energy jail was built by Marion Kood for $1 a day to the city. The jail later turned into a coal shed, remembered for the tales about those who escaped.

Two area rowdies were more familiar with the inside of the Energy Calaboose than anyone else. One was a roamer who lived in Happy Hollow. He was taller than most people and skinnier, too. After drinking in one of the saloons, he would get in trouble, and they would toss him in jail. He was so thin he'd squeeze out through the chimney flue.

There was another little man from Carterville. He weighed just a little over 100 pounds. It was said he was a mean little guy, and no sooner would they throw him in jail than he would pry loose a floorboard, escape, and beat up the arresting officer. They finally left him alone.

In fact, the only person ever locked in the old Calaboose they knew of who didn't get out one way or another was "an old fightin' woman." She would get wild - kicking and screaming, and they'd throw her in jail.

The city saw the need for a better jail. In 1908, Price Watson built the concrete jail in the center of Energy. He threw in the construction of the jail and all the city sidewalks for $1,000. He did a good job, too. No one ever escaped.

The 2nd Calaboose is built from concrete.

After the new jail was built, they put the old one up for public auction.

The new concrete jail was not used for long. New city and federal laws put the saloons out of business, and when the saloons were gone, the need for a city jail was gone, and Energy became a quiet little town.

One oldtimer said, "We traded four saloons and a calaboose for two fine churches, a good school, and peace of mind."

The concrete jail was torn down in 1964 to make way for a new 874-square-foot post office on the corner of Ward Street and Route 148.

The town of Energy got its name from Herb Taylor Sr., who called the coal mined at Taylor 1 & Taylor 2 mines "Energy Coal."

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

White City (Amusement) Park, Herrin, Illinois. (1924-1957)

White City Park, a $300,000 amusement park ($4,466,000 today), was located at 621 North 17th Street at East Polk Street, in Herrin. 

Grand Opening 1/4 page Newspaper Advertisement for May 30, 1924.

It opened on Memorial Day of 1924 with over 5,000 electric lights. Over 10,000 people attended the opening day. Their tag-line or slogan was: "The Whitest Spot in Egypt." (Southern Illinois is also known as "Little Egypt.")

Main Entrance

The purchased property was cleared of residences and built substantially, artistically, and conveniently for recreational and fun purposes.

Location

Mr. John D. Marlow had been in the amusement and hotel business all his life. He was President of the Marlow Parks Corp., which operated White City Park amusement center in Herrin for 32 years with partners, George Marlow, James Marlow, and Paul Colombo. Marlow Parks Corp. owned White City Park, the Ly-Mar Hotel in Herrin, and several theaters. The park was open from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

An average of 12,000 people attended on weekends. The park's main feature was the 100x200 foot saltwater swimming pool, one of the largest in the country. Marlow purchased more than $4,000 ($60,000 today) worth of bathing suits and over 1,000 lockers.

Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool Slide

Swimming Pool Steel Diving Tower

The pool was equipped with two children's slides, two large slides, a 10 and 20-foot steel diving towers with diving boards. A spectator's balcony was provided for those who do not wish to swim. The water in the swimming pool was changed daily by pumping water from six deep artesian saltwater wells, thus ensuring a freshwater supply. The pool was also equipped with a chlorinating apparatus that constantly purifies the water with a solution of liquid chlorine gas, thereby destroying all bacterial growth and all water insects. 

A change came for the 1927 season. The entire park was only open on Saturdays (at 6:00 pm), Sundays, and Holidays (at 2:00 pm), although the saltwater swimming pool was open daily.

Ballroom

Ballroom

Attractions also included a roller skating rink, a bowling alley, a penny arcade, a funhouse, the African Dip, skeeball, a large shooting gallery, a puzzle bungalow, strike-'em-out, and a few mechanical carnival-type rides too; the Caterpillar, the Whip, a Merry-Go-Round, Teeter Coaster, the Mixup, and others. Lots of free acts like tumblers and high-wire acts were common on weekends along with spectacular fireworks shows.

Merry-Go-Round

The Caterpillar

The Caterpillar

The Whip, offseason

For those who enjoyed stage attractions and movies, they found a large, 2,500 seat, cool open-air theater, protected in case of rain by an arched steel-constructed roof, with sides arranged so that they can be lowered in case of rain. The shelter held 15,000 people.

Teeter Coaster

Teeter Coaster

There were numerous concession stands, confectionery, and a restaurant. The park was equipped to handle all kinds of food and beverages. A complete electrical refrigerating plant for keeping meat, bottled drinks, and ice cream had been installed. There were a number of electric and gas cooking devices of different kinds, including a novelty Hot Dog roaster, a Tater-Flakes (potato chips) machine, roasted popcorn, and a machine to make sugar wafers.

After the Great Depression began in 1929, the concessions and rides were sold. The theater disappeared, but the ballroom remained open.

The ballroom was originally on the 2nd floor but later was moved to the first floor. It seated 1680 people with standing room for another 600. The dance floor would hold 500 couples at once. The ballroom alone drew 50,000 to 60,000 persons a year during its peak period.

Ballroom Ticket

Many of the nation's top dance bands and big-name musicians played at the White City Park ballroom; Vaughn Monroe, Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Wayne King, Stan Kenton, Guy Lombardo, Lawrence Welk, Paul Whiteman, and Count Basie among many, many others, including popular local talent. The ballroom continued operation until 1957 when the building was sold and became a grocery warehouse market. The landmark building became a fire hazard and was torn down in 1978.

Summarizing his reasons for closing White City in 1957, Marlow said, "The days of the big bands in the big ballrooms are gone."

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale. Ph.D.