Editing Streator, Illinois (section)

==Arts, culture and media==
Streator's parks and events reflect its heritage and prairie locale. A number of its residents have distinguished themselves in the art world.

===Arts===
The Community Players of Streator offer [[summer stock theatre]] performances each year at the William C. Schiffbauer Center for the Performing Arts at Engle Lane Theatre.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us page |url=http://www.englelane.org/about_us.htm |access-date=2008-10-15 |website=Engle Lane Community Players}}</ref>

[[File:Streator IL Majestic Theater1.jpg|thumb|right|Majestic Theatre in Streator, Illinois]] The Majestic Theatre, an [[art deco]] style movie house, originally opened in 1907 as a [[vaudeville]] house.  It has gone through many changes, openings, and closings throughout its history, having most recently reopened in 2002. The Majestic shows recently released movies as well as hosting live musical acts.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wieczorkiewicz |first=Craig |date=2007-07-27 |title=STREATOR: Majestic Theatre: A look through the years |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/print_display.php?id=303280 |access-date=2008-10-14 |publisher=Streator Times-Press News}}</ref> This has since closed due to deterioration.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stout |first=Steve |title=Curtain call for Streator's Majestic Theater? |url=https://www.shawlocal.com/articles/tn/2015/08/04/7f8a73aafc575592b9da678f998f117d/ |access-date=2017-05-01 |work=Shaw Local News Network |language=en}}</ref>

The Walldogs painted 17 murals in the summer of 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to Streator Tourism |url=https://www.streator.org/explore/arts/murals.php |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=www.streator.org}}</ref> The downtown now is home to more than 20 murals.

===Museums and historical buildings===
[[File:Streator IL Downtown1.jpg|thumb|right|Buildings in downtown Streator]]
[[File:Streator IL Silas Williams House1.jpg|thumb|right|The Silas Williams House is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois#LaSalle County|National Register of Historic Places]].]]
[[File:Streator Il Ruffin Drew Fletcher House1.jpg|thumb|right|The Ruffin Drew Fletcher House is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois#LaSalle County|National Register of Historic Places]].]]

The Streatorland Historical Society Museum houses displays of Streator history and memorabilia of some of its famous citizens. One of the displays is a tribute to the Free Canteen.  The Canteen was a group of local volunteers who served over 1.5&nbsp;million soldiers during World War II who briefly stopped at the city's old Santa Fe Train Depot while traveling by troop trains. Other features include a homemade telescope used by astronomer [[Clyde Tombaugh]] and a Burlington Northern caboose rail car.<ref name="streatorland">{{Cite news |last=Wieczorkiewicz |first=Craig |date=2007-11-19 |title=Treasured Pieces: Historical museum leads to memory lane |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/print_display.php?id=348644 |access-date=2008-10-26 |publisher=Streator Times-Press News}}</ref>

During World War II the [[Streator Station|Streator Santa Fe Train Depot]] was a busy way-station for millions of soldiers and sailors who passed through the town on the way to or from training for the war. Beginning in 1943, the Streator Parents Service Club, a group of parents of veterans of the war, created the Streator Free Canteen.<ref name="timescanteen">{{Cite web |date=2006-11-09 |title=Canteen dedication set for Veterans Day |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/print_display.php?id=278505 |access-date=2008-11-17 |publisher=Streator Times-Press News}}</ref> The volunteers handed out sandwiches and coffee and presented a friendly face to the servicemen during their stopover in Streator. During the 2½ years that the canteen operated, volunteers hosted over 1.5&nbsp;million servicemen and women. Thirty other service groups from Streator joined to assist the Parents Service Club as well as 43 other organizations throughout the central-Illinois region. On [[Veterans Day (United States)|Veterans Day]], November 10, 2006, a bronze statue commemorating the "Coffee Pot Ladies" of Streator was dedicated at the Santa Fe Railroad Station.<ref name="panta-canteen">{{Cite web |last=Stanmar |first=Greg |date=2006-11-10 |title=Streator to dedicate statue to canteen volunteers |url=http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/11/10/news/doc4554b19361736964057171.prt |access-date=2008-11-17 |publisher=Bloomington Pantagraph News}}</ref>

The Streator Public Library was made possible with a $35,000 grant from [[Andrew Carnegie]]. With its two-story high domed ceiling, Ionic columns and oak staircases, it was considered too extravagant by critics when it opened in 1903. The Library was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois#LaSalle County|National Register of Historic Places]] in 1996.<ref name="library">{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Holly |date=2007-07-10 |title=Streator Public Library-Rich history traced back to Streator's beginning |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=302356&query=streator%20Glass%20history |access-date=2008-10-23 |publisher=Streator Times-Press News}}</ref> The [[Ruffin Drew Fletcher House]] located on East Broadway Street is an example of [[Stick style]] architecture. It was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois#LaSalle County|National Register of Historic Places]] in August 1991. The [[Silas Williams House]] is a [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne style]] home built-in 1893. It was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois#LaSalle County|National Register of Historic Places]] in June 1976. Founded in 1883, St. Stephens Catholic Church was the first Slovak Catholic church in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-05-12 |title=St. Stephens Church archive at the University of Minnesota |url=http://www.ihrc.umn.edu/research/vitrage/all/so/ihrc2517.html |access-date=2006-08-13 |website=Immigration History Research Center |publisher=University of Minnesota}}</ref> In September 2010, the four Roman Catholic churches in Streator were consolidated into one new parish named St. Michael the Archangel.  Currently all masses are conducted at St. Stephen's Church and discussions are continuing to decide if a new church will be built or if one of the existing churches will be rebuilt.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barichello |first=Derek |title=Consolidation is here: What's next? |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=414593&query=Prendergast |access-date=2011-03-21 |publisher=Ottawa Times Newspaper}}</ref>

Among Streator's other notable buildings are the ornate [[Bauhaus]]-inspired National Guard Armory near the Vermilion River and the town's turn-of-the-20th-century City Hall on Park Street (now a business).  These facilities are accessible to the public, with some limitations.  Streator is also home to many private residences of significant historical interest and value, including the Kennedy Home on Pleasant Avenue.

===Events===
The Streator Food Truck Festival is held annually in May.

Park Fest is held during the Memorial Day weekend through Sunday. Park Fest activities are held in City Park (the main public park in the downtown Streator area).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barichello |first=Derek |date=2012-05-28 |title='Patsy Cline' draws biggest crowd at Park Fest |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=456610&query=Park%20Fest |access-date=2012-10-17 |work=The Times of Ottawa}}</ref>

A Memorial Day observance is held on the morning of Memorial Day at the Veterans Plaza at the southeast part of City Park.

Streator is a designated stop each year in the annual "Heritage Tractor Adventure" along the [[Illinois and Michigan Canal]].  This three-day tractor ride/rally attracts hundreds of antique tractor owners.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Heritage Tractor Adventure |url=http://www.heritagetractoradventure.com/ |access-date=2008-10-14 |publisher=Heritage Tractor Adventure}}</ref>

The annual Fourth of July celebration runs for over four days with events throughout the city, with most of the events held in City Park; the park-based events include a carnival, 5K run and a talent contest. Other Fourth of July events include the annual parade which runs through downtown and the fireworks display which is held at Streator High School.<ref name="4thofjuly">{{Cite web |title=Streator's 4th of July |url=http://www.streators4th.org |access-date=2008-10-25 |publisher=Streator July 4 Celebration}}</ref>

"Roamer Cruise Night" is an annual cruise / car show held on Labor Day weekend in the downtown district that attracts over 600 cars and 18,000 attendees. Special features of the Cruise Night include a display of a [[Barley Motor Car Co.|Roamer]] which was built at a factory in Streator in 1917. Cruise Night was rained out in 2011 and 2012, leaving Streatorites hungry for 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Mike |date=2008-08-28 |title=Roamer Cruise Night and the Dream Machines Car Show Return to Streator |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/print_display.php?id=365756 |access-date=2008-10-14 |publisher=Streator Times-Press News}}</ref>

A Veterans Day observance is held on the morning of Veterans Day at Veterans Plaza.

Streator also has an annual event called Light Up Streator held the first Saturday after Thanksgiving.  Light Up Streator is a group of volunteers who place holiday decorations throughout the Streator area, most notably in City Park.

The Keeping Christmas Close to Home Parade of Lights is held the weekend after Thanksgiving in downtown Streator.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-12-10 |title=Volunteers the force behind winter fests |url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=467395&query=Lights |access-date=2013-01-23 |work=The Times}}</ref>

===Media===
Streator has one daily newspaper, ''The Times''. The daily paper, published by the Small Newspaper Group Inc., in nearby [[Ottawa, Illinois|Ottawa]], provides the local news for the [[Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area]].  Streator's original daily, ''The Times-Press News'' merged with the ''Ottawa Daily Times'' in 2005.<ref name="times">{{Cite web |title=The Times, About us |url=http://mywebtimes.com/contacts.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711015226/http://mywebtimes.com/contacts.php |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |access-date=2008-11-12 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>  Television broadcasts are provided by stations in nearby [[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington]] and [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]].  Local cable providers also air Chicago stations.  Streator has three local radio stations: [[WSPL]] 1250&nbsp;AM, which has a [[Talk radio|news/talk]] format, [[WSTQ (FM)|WSTQ]] 97.7&nbsp;FM, which has a [[contemporary hit radio|contemporary pop]] format and [[WYYS]] 106.1&nbsp;FM, which broadcasts a [[classic hits]] format. The three stations are owned by the Mendota Broadcast Group, Inc. One of the longest-running programs on WSPL was "Polka Party", which was broadcast live on Saturday mornings for more than thirty years until its host Edward Nowotarski retired in 2001.<ref>Staff writer (2004-01-20). "Cousin Ed remembered for music." [http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/print_display.php?id=250535] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719180705/http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/print_display.php?id=250535|date=July 19, 2011}} ''The Times'' of Ottawa, Illinois. Retrieved 2012-05-22.</ref>