Rotarians Learn of Local History Through Photos

(FROM LEFT, ROTARY WEEKLY PROGRAM CHAIRMAN JIM RUTLEDGE, ROTARY WEEKLY STUDENT GUEST ETHAN ROZENE AND GUEST SPEAKER PHIL LEWIS)

Effingham Noon Rotarians got a history lesson Wednesday; a local history lesson via photographs.

Local historian Phil Lewis, a retired teacher at Teutopolis but a resident of Effingham, shared a series of photos of early Effingham. Rotarians viewed several looks at Jefferson Avenue downtown from the period between 1890 and 1930, as well as photos of the former College of Photography on what was then the southern edge of Effingham. Lewis also shared a photo of the only public hanging in the city's history, as well as a look at government buildings, then and now.

Jim Rutledge served as Rotary weekly program chairman.

The Noon Rotary weekly student guest was Ethan Rozene, son of Tal and Tina Rozene and a senior at St. Anthony High School.