I can only hope, however, that we never forget the memorable experiences that thousands upon thousands of residents and visitors enjoyed at the historic landmark known as 63 Chester Street, Champaign, Illinois. Maybe in some profound way, the confluence of this event and the Stonewall anniversary is meant to signal a new beginning. after a notable restaurant and bar of the same name in Old Town Chicago. Such a loss was doubly impactful with Monday, June 28 marking exactly 52 years since the Stonewall rebellion in New York City - a tipping point for the gay liberation movement. The fact that a gay bar lasted that long, had that kind of staying power in one.

Perhaps that is why it was rarely appreciated by the City of Champaign, even during its downtown revitalization efforts. Then again, for the longest time Chester Street east of the Illinois Central Railroad wasn’t considered part of downtown Champaign, despite being one block from Illinois Terminal. Suffice it to say, 63 Chester Street should have been placed on the American Registry of Historic Places years ago, certainly before all the devastating “renovations” and arson and collapse that stripped it of its unique character. “A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspiration, and economic legacies - all of the things that quite literally make us who we are.” -Steve Berry