View of Braidwood from Afar

Braidwood, Categories 2 Minutes

My first eighteen years of life (1940-58) were Braidwood. Despite the fact that during 10 of those years I spent considerable time riding buses and sitting in out-of-town classrooms (St. Rose and Joliet Catholic), the essence of my being was thoroughly Braidwood.

In high school, I was always considered the “kid from Braidwood” who was an outsider. Other kids from Braidwood riding the buses most likely had similar experiences as I did. Never did I consider myself anything other than Braidwood and I took special pride in that. It was good to be a little different even after I had been labelled in Joliet as a “hick” with a certain twang to my words. Braidwood was my home.

Given the fact that between 1958 and 2023 I was away from my home town, my most vivid memories of Braidwood are frozen between those years. Population shifts, physical improvements, road and building construction, and other changes in the city, all have failed to indent my recollection of my home. I don’t think current natives of Braidwood could have the same perspective as I might have. Nor should they.

Frozen Forever

The stories I have written over the past 30 years about growing up in Braidwood – and the impact it made on me – give me license to disregard the significant alterations to my town. Where the native “Braidwoodian” has had the advantage of watching the aging process so gradually, and seeing as it is now, I have the advantage of maintaining the older Braidwood in my mind, unencumbered by its metamorphosis. I still see the baseball field next to my old house, Reed-Custer H.S. in my backyard, the East Side School, and the macaroni factory. Is my vision of old Braidwood better or different than the native’s? Maybe not, but I’d like to think so.

So, my stories revolve around a certain time in Braidwood. A time when Godley was active, when Dixon’s and Dillon’s were crowded, when workers took their break from the factory heat at the pants factory, when you could sneak into the Recreation Club from the back. These stories are not designed to portray my family or town history. They are merely stories from the heart that helped me revisit the ingredients that became the basis of my life and to provide my kids, grandkids, and friends a snapshot of why I am and who I am. I tell others to never forget where you came from. I know where I came from…Braidwood. And I take a special pride in saying that.

My sister Carole Ann, brother Kenny, and me in Ireland.

Other Braidwood Writers?

Hoping that I have not offended anyone, I would also invite others to start writing their stories about the Braidwood they know and the difference that Braidwood has made in their lives. Perhaps we could put together a compendium of Braidwood stories that might be entertaining to an extended audience. It might be a lot of fun reading other perspectives. I think that our themes may be similar. I have many more stories about Braidwood written over the past 30 years that I would be glad to share.

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Published by braidwoodguy

Born and raised in Braidwood, Illinois. Worked in secondary and higher education since 1962. Have 5 kids and 14 grandkids. Avocation is writing and genealogy.

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24 thoughts on “View of Braidwood from Afar”

  1. Tom,
    This is great, especially the invitation to other Braidwoodians.
    Strikes me that most of us have some version of your experience,
    wherever we are from. Nice work.
    Allan

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  2. Thanks again, Tom, for sharing these memories. You have told so many wonderful and interesting stories of your life in Braidwood.

    Keep them coming!

    Dee

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  3. I appreciate your stories. I am glad you are writing them. There is a lady that lives by Tim Pinnick ,and lives in North Carolina originally from Braidwood/Wilmington, that I hope is viewing your stories. I can’t remember her name at this moment but when I do, I will reach out to give her your email. She is a facebook friend of mine. I don’t know why her name is escaping me at this moment.

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      1. Her name is Betty Harden, that is her married name. She grew up in Braidwood, Godley area. She remembers my father and my father and her Mother were friends. I will try to find her on FB and reaach out to her.

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      2. Karen, would you consider writing a piece about your experience in Braidwood. Just write it like a conversation to me. Something like 500-700 words, more if you like. It would add a lot to a book about Braidwood that I am thinking about.
        Please consider it.

        Tom

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      3. I think Betty’s mother’s name was Myra Cosgrove. Not sure. I tried to instant message Betty on FB. She used to be one of my FB friends. I hope her health is good. She did have some health challenges in past years. Maybe the reason she moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. I think she is a Trump supporter but I just heard that recently from Tim. As far as the writing, that will take considerable thought and prayer. My sister who is 95 is the one who talks throughout nursing homes about Braidwood.

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      7. The Braidwood Journal is now combined with the Wilmington Advocate and the Coal City Courant. Each has its own publication but they have a single ownership. Regarding possible writing an article: how about I just ask you (and your sister) to respond to 4 or 5 questions and I would incorporate your responses into an article. I would not publish it until you approve the article.

        Tom K

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  4. Oh, Tom, please do share your other stories with us. The family stories, and all these are interesting, funny, serious, and the doggone truth of your life experiences. Brings back so many fun experiences I’ve had in Braidwood since I was about 8 – 10 years old. Every year my family visited my Grandfather for almost the whole Summer. My dad came for the weekends. During the Winters, we were in Chicago most of the time, but when the Basketball season was going strong, we begged my parents to take us to Braidwood to attend the games and occasional “Sock Hop” after it. BEST time of my life, I’d say!

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    1. Would you consider writing 500-700 piece for publication, Dee? Just write it in conversational style as if you were talking to me. It would add a lot to the book about Braidwood that I am thinking about.

      Tom

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  5. Hi, Tom!
    I came across your post and have read some of your stories…interesting to me because I am a Braidwood. I live in Michigan in what is considered the old Scottish Settlement in a house my Great-great grandfather built when he and two of his brothers came from Scotland in 1842. Enjoying reading about a place similar to our little town where my memories began and continue to be a historical place close to my heart as a Braidwood descendant. Thanks for writing about this namesake!

    Stacy Kmetz

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    1. Thanks, Stacy. Where do you live in Michigan? Can you tell me more about your ancestors? I think that it would be interesting. You can also view my recently published book, “The Skinny Kid from Braidwood,” on Amazon. I am aware of two other towns named Braidwood, one in Australia and the other, obviously, in Scotland.

      Thanks for the message, Stacy.

      Tom

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      1. Tom,

        The Scottish Settlement is a few miles east outside of our little town called Almont, and occupies the corners of three counties. There is an Almont in Canada as well as a restaurant called the Almont in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Doug (I’ll circle back to him) believes this is more likely how our town got its name, but there are tales that have been written that may overshadow the truth, but who knows. The cemetery as well as the country school house still stand…1/3 of the cemetery is Braidwood and many of them were schooled in the little school house (now a home) that sits caddy corner across the road to the north. The old church was moved somewhere north in the countryside around Imlay City.

        My husband and I have gone back to the 1500’s on my Braidwood side, so first I would have you go to a new website we created with Doug Baldwin, a fellow descendant and author, that will answer many questions you have. Our website is the scottishsettlementproject and would be a great place for you to start. After clicking on the menu icon, click on first wave names list. Once into Braidwood, scroll through the name history and you will find my genealogy. at the bottom you will find our contact information.

        As you mentioned, I have some , but rather outdated, contact information on my family from India, Australia, Canada, Scotland, etc., as well as from many different states here in the US.

        I would also encourage you to look up Doug Baldwin, also a descendant of the settlement, but an author, too. He has written a series of three books: one on the settlement itself, one on the families, one on the churches. He is still researching these and editing and such, among many other projects, but he’s a great guy and fun to talk to. His email is on the website, also. He is based in Saginaw, MI, but has great interest in all who came from Ayrshire to this wonderful little pocket of the world, I still call home.

        I have been told that if two Braidwoods find each other (and this just happened to me) they are related (and we were). It’s just a matter of connecting all of the dots, back through the lines of our ancestors (and we did). I spoke to a 92 year old that remembered my great grand father, my grandfather, and my father back when she was a young girl and she knew them by name. Her grandfather, along with his youngest brother, my great grandfather, was one of the three who came over in 1842. I would love to trace my genealogy to James Braidwood who gave your town a name, for it is a popular name in my family.
        If you know of any Braidwood’s from your research, I’d love to connect with them as I have with you, one who shares such similar memories of being from a small town…the way it used to be. Looking forward to hearing from you!

        Stacy

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