Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

J.D. Crawford was photographed outside Villa Grove High School.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Tim Crawford

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Mike Weatherford

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Tim Crawford was changing the text on the sign in front of the Villa Grove schools.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Mary Tewell, left, and Virginia Statzer-Hinkle were in the U.S. Post Office on Main Street.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Emily Oberg stopped in at the post office.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Jeff Holmes is publisher of the Villa Grove News.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

John Hoffman had dropped by at Miller-Voight Insurance and Real Estate on Main Street.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Tom Voight of Miller-Voight Insurance and Real Estate sits at this desk. Behind him on the wall are pictures of the softball teams he has coached.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Roger Miller sits at his desk at Miller-Voight Insurance & Real Estate.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Eric Sigler.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Robin Cowman is a florist at Petals & Plants Florist on Main Street.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

From left are Cheryl Marlatt, Madonna Eisenmenger and Karen Reifsteck of the Vill Grove State bank.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Clockwise from front are Villa Grove State Bank tellers Marsha Hillard, Amy McGaughey, Debbie Albin and Jacki Burchett.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Standing in front of the Villa Grove State Bank are Don Cler, president; Michele Spencer, assistant cashier; and Don Finke, senior vice president.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Nelson Panke was outside working on Main Street.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Janis Helm was entering the town's library.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Karen SIgler stopped by the library.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Ethel Schreiber looks up a book for a library patron.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Jane Galbreath is the town's librarian.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Kristi Bennett was using the library's computer for Internet access.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Jeff Coleman came to Villa Grove to fix up a house and never left.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Bob Hancock stands in one of the areas of the town library.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Mary Jo Renfro was working the desk at the Total Image Salon on Main Street.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Chet Keller sits at his desk in his office on Main Street.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Tammy Uptmor works the cash register at Casey's.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Jessica Chandler works the customer service counter at the Villa Grove IGA.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Jill Johnson works the cash register at the Villa Grove IGA.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Loretta Sanderson stops in at the Villa Grove IGA.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Therese Shanks was out walking toward downtown on the day before Thanksgiving.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

An Air Force jet is the focal point of Memorial Park in Villa Grove.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Flags wave above the granite memorial to the town's veterans at Memorial Park.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Patti Miller stands in her front yard.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Lacy Millsap stands near the back door of her house in Villa Grove.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Philip Bade was born just west of Villa Grove and now lives in the house in town that once belonged to his grandparents, Harry and Frances Harlow.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Eleven-year-old Dane Chandler stands by his car at Casey's.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Agnes Huber gets ready to climb into her car after giving it a bath at the town's car wash.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Walking home from school were, from left, 9-year-old Dylan Patton, 9, eighth-graders Lacey Buckner and Chrissy Ford, 6-year-old Mikayla Ford, ninth-grader Cady Grice and 9-year-old Joseph Frye.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

John and Connie Gilles are owners of Gilles True Value on Route 130 in Villa Grove. The store also sells floor coverings.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

David Frost gets ready to mix paint at Gilles True Value.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Charles Strode is owner of Bud's Barber Shop.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Skateboarders Dustin Thomason, left, a freshman at Villa Grove High School, and Justin Ahlo, a sophomore, were taking advantage of nice weather before Thanksgiving to get some practice in.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Braden Hughes, 4, and his cousin Travis Roberts were out for a bicycle ride around the block, according to Braden.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

From left, Beth, Ben and Ross Elston stand next to their front porch. Ross is the fire chief of the town's volunteer fire department, while Ben is also a volunteer.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

From left, Marissa Shelby, Ariel Aimone, Tristan Aimone and Steve Aimone burn autumn leaves in front of the Aimone home.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Ariel Aimone holds her 7-month-old sibling Jocelyn.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Dennis Gire, left, is the Villa Grove police chief, while Travis Brown is a patrol officer.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

From left are Jesse Shrum, Cody Deppe, John Turner and Jordan Burns. Shrum, a former resident, was visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

In the front row are, from left, Parker Volmer, Emanuel Crafton and Austin Hopkins. In the back are twins Derek and Drake Green. The boys were playing football at Harrison Park.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

At Harrison Park, In front from left, are Gilbert Nieto III, Dustin White and Tyler Burwell, while in the back are Mike Simmons, Gabe Palmer and Aaron Cress.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

Gilbert Nieto II was playing football with boys at Harrison Park.

Photographer: News-Gazette Online Staff

A pair of spectators at the informal football game at Harrison Park.

Photographer: Vanda Bidwell

Dr. William Jones, a dentist in downtown Villa Grove, stands with a 1939 aerial of the town.

Photographer: Vanda Bidwell

Bob Hancock and Dr. John Leon stand together in downtown Villa Grove. They are longtime residents.

Photographer: Tim Mitchell

Don Skinner.

Photographer: Tim Mitchell

Penny Kleibocker.

Photographer: Tim Mitchell

Brad Stabler.

Photographer: Tim Mitchell

Pam Long.

Photographer: Tim Mitchell

Barbara Maulding.

Photographer: Tim Mitchell

Sharon Skinner.

Photographer: Tim Mitchell

Villa Grove historian Chuck Knox stands at the Veteran's Memorial Park in Villa Grove with the book he wrote on Douglas County veterans.