Gibson City's claims to fame

Curtiss "La Q" Day, a pioneer aviator known as "Satan Day" for his daredevil flying, returned to his hometown in July 1915 to put on a bi-plane exhibition over the fairgrounds. Day learned to fly at the Wright School in Dayton, Ohio.

Dwight "Dike" Eddleman lived in Gibson City for most of his 18 years as personnel manager for Central Soya. Eddleman is often said to have been the greatest athlete ever at the University of Illinois, earning 11 varsity letters. He was in the 1948 Olympics in London and played professional basketball for four years. He died in 2001 at age 78.

Dennis Graff, nicknamed "The Golden Gunner," set an Illinois High School Association boys' basketball scoring record during the 1972 Elite Eight. He lettered in 1974 as a member of UI basketball team. He is an attorney living in California.

Russell Johnson created the cartoon character "Mr. Oswald" for a long-running series in the national trade publication Hardware Retailer beginning in 1927. Johnson continued the cartoons until age 95. He died in 1995 at age 101.

In 1923, D.K. Roth, Gibson City landowner and farmer, founded Corn Belt Hatcheries, which became a multimillion-dollar business in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Roth is also credited as the driving force in establishing Gibson Community Hospital.

Farmer Ronald Warfield served as Illinois Farm Bureau president from 1993 to 2003. He remains active in national agricultural policy and is a recognized speaker on agricultural issues.

Esther Wachs was often visited by her brother, the famous Illinois poet Carl Sandburg. She and husband Arthur operated Wax's 5-and 10-cent Store in downtown Gibson City in the 1940s.

Dale W. McMillen was founder of Central Soya and McMillen Feed Mills. He established the town's youth baseball program and was a major benefactor in establishing Gibson Community Hospital.

Kevin Weaver is known as the "Flatland Flash." The champion dirt late model racer has driven his No. B12 car to more than 230 career feature wins, including the 1992 United Midwest Promoters National Championship and the 2004 UMP Challenge of Champions Series victory.

The Illinois Lions Club State Convention was held in Gibson City in 1925. The Gibson City Lions Club was chartered in 1922 and known as the "Baby Lions Club of America" because no town as small had ever before formed a club.