A view looking east on W. Main St. From Orange St. in downtown Havana during the pandemic of 2020. The streets of the city were mostly empty. It was lunch time when I took this shot and many of the cars down the block were parked waiting for pickup orders from local eateries.
Havana is the seat of Mason County. The city's estimated population in 2018 was 3,040.
Tags: Havana Mason County Illinois IL Downtown Business District Main Street Street View Covid-19 Pandemic Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
A view of the Lawford Theater and former Havana National Bank (now City Hall) buildings on W. Main St. in downtown Havana.
The 500-seat Lawford opened in 1914. From 1946 to its closure in 1982, the theater was operated by the Kerasotes chain. Since 1982, the theater has undergone multiple ownership changes, and has opened and closed its doors several times. Most recently the theater has operated as a country music venue.
Next door to the theater is Havana's City Hall, which is located in the former Havana National Bank building. The Havana National Bank was established in 1875, and is the only Havana Bank to survive the Great Depression. It is still going strong today.
Havana is the seat of Mason County. The city's estimated population in 2018 was 3,040.
Tags: Havana Mason County Illinois IL Downtown Business District Main Street Lawford Theater Movie Stage Live Performance Venue Havana National Bank City Hall Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
The Havana Water Tower stands on the Main Street hill, overlooking the city's original business district and the Illinois River. With its five story, octagon-shaped base and 50,000 gallon steel storage tank, the brick tower stands approximately eight-six feet tall. Constructed in 1889, the tower was the city's only water supply until 1962, and it remains in operation today.
Designed by F. William Raider, the brick tower was designated an American Water Landmark by the American Water Works Association, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Tags: Havana Mason County Illinois IL Old Historic Havana Water Tower Brick Water Tower Architect F. William Raider American Water Landmark National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 93000325 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Completed in 1902, the Havana Public Library was built to house Havana''s library program, which began in 1896 and was previously kept in a room in city hall. The building's construction was funded by an $8,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation as well as a local library tax. The Carnegie grant to Havana was one of 105 grants in various amounts made to Illinois communities between 1900-1916.
The blond brick building was designed by C.E. Hair in Classical Revival Style. An addition was added in 1937. The Havana Public Library was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Tags: Havana Mason County Illinois IL Havana Public Library Carnegie Library Andrew Carnegie Architect C.E. Hair Architectural Style Classical Revival Historic Landmark Public Building National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 94000014 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
A view of the pusher boat Prosperity pushing barges down the Illinois River at Havana. The Illinois State Museum in Springfield traces the history of barge traffic on the river back to the 1840s when loaded keelboats were tied to the sides of steamboats. Farmers historically have relied on the river for the transportation of their grain and other goods along with businesses that used the river as a supply line.
Seen In the distance is the Scott W. Lucas Bridge, a steel truss through deck bridge built in 1936, and reconstructed in 1998, that carries traffic on US-136, IL-78 and IL-97.
Tags: Havana Mason County Illinois IL Illinois River Pusher Pusher Boat Pusher Tug Towboat Barge Barges Scott W. Lucas Bridge Steel Truss Bridge Seascape Riverscape Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
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