Arthur’s Garden Deli donates to cover Dixon arch’s renovation costs

DIXON – Shortly after committing funds for electrical work and to install new lighted letters on the Dixon War Memorial Arch, City Council members were surprised Monday night with a local business’ donation to cover the costs.

With a $63,000 check in hand, council member Mike Venier said Arthur’s Garden Deli and the Wolber family wanted to pay for the renovations because of the many memories they have of the arch.

They have “generations of great family memories driving under the arch and they have a legacy of military history in their family background,” Venier said. “And, as we all know, Arthur’s is a staple in the Sauk Valley area. So, thanks to them.”

Before that announcement, the council discussed the difficulty of finding firms to maintain the arch and voted 5-0 to waive the formal bidding process for enhancement projects. The council then approved an agreement with Legacy Prints of Polo for lighted letters, lighted controls and electrical work at a cost of $48,393 and another with Kuhlemier Painting of Rock Falls to clean, paint and repair the arch and prepare it for new lighted letters at a cost of $18,800.

“In aggregate between the two projects, there had been budgeted $80,000 and we are under budget by $12,000,” Mayor Glen Hughes said. “So, that’s a nice piece of information.”

Venier then said that since the council had fully approved the work, he could announce the donation and had the $63,000 check in his hand.

“On Friday, I received an email and it said, ‘Mike, it would be humbling to be a part of the restoration of the Dixon Memorial Arch. Should the Dixon City Council choose to move forward with the project, Arthur’s Garden Deli would be honored to fund the restoration,’” Venier said. “We couldn’t be more thankful to see one of our local businessmen come forward on behalf of the city of Dixon, Illinois,”

“That is an amazing gesture,” Hughes said after the council applauded the donation.

The Dixon arch has a history dating more than 100 years. An original wooden arch was constructed in May 1919 to commemorate Lee County soldiers who fought in World War I. It welcomed the return of hundreds of servicemen June 12. The grand celebration included band performances, wrestling and boxing matches, as well as a hot air balloon flying across the river accompanied by one-armed trapeze and acrobatic stunts, according to a historical presentation on the arch in 2019 by historian Duane Paulsen.

Arches were a common piece of parades for those returning from the war. However, unlike Dixon’s arch, most such structures were temporary. Interest grew in making the arch a permanent fixture, but arguments arose over how to pay for it.

By 1949, some residents reported the arch as an “unsightly hazard,” and it was rebuilt and rededicated. It then was widened, heightened and rededicated in about 1965, when Galena Avenue was expanded to four lanes.

The Victory Memorial Arch Committee was formed in 1979, and the arch once again was repaired and rededicated. In 1984, it was decided to take down the arch and replace it with a fiberglass structure. That was built in 1985 and is what greets visitors and community members today.

There was a push for improvements from some community members in 2019 when the arch hit its 100-year milestone – although the structure itself has been rebuilt a few times – and repairs were made to the electrical system with the goal of doing more renovations in the future.

The City Council a few months ago saw a mock-up of lighted letters, operated by remote control, that could be bought and installed on the arch. Dixon City Public Works Director Matt Heckman at that time used a remote control to change its hues, saying the letters are the same dimensions as the arch’s existing letters.