Powers Hall, Decatur, IL

William, who never actually lived in Decatur, was the first Powers to start building commercially. After purchasing farmland in rural Macon and McClean counties, in 1856 he turned his attention to the city, constructing a group of buildings in what became known as Powers Block — the south side of 100 block of East Main. Among those buildings was Powers Hall, which housed Decatur’s first auditorium.

Brown's Hall, Rockford, IL

In 1863 the Rockford post office was located on S. Main Street what was then the Holland Block. At that time there was no mail delivery and people living on the east side of the river were forced to walk to retrieve their mail. So great was the agitation that several prominent citizens talked of building the post office on West State Street. Finally Horace Brown came forward and said that if he could be assured of the post office he would build a structure to house it. This assurance was given and the construction was begun. When the building was completed Mrs.

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