Articles - Decatur Magazine

Here & There – St. Louis, MO

St. Louis, Missouri – Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, the “Gateway to the West” is known for its eclectic neighborhoods, unique architecture, family-friendly environment…and its independent nature. Seceding from St. Louis County in 1877, the City of St. Louis became an independent city, limiting political boundaries, and the ability to grow beyond […]

By French Maclean – “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” — Humphrey Bogart, playing Rick Blaine, proprietor of upscale Rick’s Café Americain, in Casablanca. Restaurants are born all the time, and those themed from the era of the 1920s and ’30s have dotted […]

By Jan Mathew – Hands stroke its soft coat and fingers touch the smooth, satin lining — lingering on the embroidered initials, “WHF.” Eyes study the rich brown striping, the intricately stitched seams, and the familiar local label, “Singer and Lucas, Quality Furs, Decatur, Illinois.” Each channels the sum of clues offered by the “mystery […]

By Zach Shields – Decatur resident Joyce Sternaman Howe attended the University of Illinois in the 1940s. Even then people frequently introduced her as “Joe Sternaman’s daughter,” readily recalling her Dad’s playing days two decades earlier. Joe’s name still carried weight — a link to football’s early Golden Age. That public stature grew further following his memorable […]

By Meredith Jackson – When Jeff and McKenzie Sloan bought their lakefront home on Southmoreland Place in Decatur four years ago, they appreciated both its great view and great potential. But while the spectacular view could not be improved upon, the steeply sloping backyard needed to be totally redesigned with the Sloan’s two young daughters […]

By Rena A. Koontz – Archer Daniels Midland’s new intermodal container facility, a multi-million dollar endeavor that elevates Decatur to a national ranking among global distribution centers, started out small. But then the ADM team thought outside the box — the shipping container box, that is.

By Jan Mathew As a young mother, Laura Harrison remembers moving to Decatur “kicking and screaming” when her husband was transferred here from the Chicago suburb of Barrington. Twenty-two years later, when Harrison’s husband, Michael, a senior vice president of new product development for Tate & Lyle, was transferred back to the Chicago area, she […]

By Heather Stoa – A supplement to “Color Splash” in the April/May 2010 issue of Decatur Magazine. Each year, independent judges throughout the country grow and test new garden varieties of flowers and vegetables for home gardens. The judges release their favorites as All-America Selections (AAS) the following spring. The 2010 award winners include: Endurio […]

By Kelly Wingard – Hot Springs Arkansas Travel Information A supplement to Destination: Hot Springs, Arkansas that appeared in the June/July 07 issue of Decatur Magazine. Catering to those who want an active vacation as well as to those who just want to relax, the Hot Springs area offers abundant sources of natural and man-made attractions. In […]