1970
In 1970 the first preliminary maps of the bypass north of the city were distributed.
The 1970 U.S. Census lists Washington as having 6,790 residents.
A small shopping center was built at the corner of Wilmor and Peoria Streets. The first tenant was a Convenient store.
A long-talked about project was finally put into motion: Route 24 was widened to four lanes from Bondurant Street to Cummings Lane, and in Sunnyland from Summit Drive to Cherry Lane.
In 1970, Sandy’s restaurant wanted to expand to Washington and build a restaurant. The site they chose was 604 Peoria Street, which is midway up the hill between the viaduct and Odea’s Cleaners, currently residential houses, as it was then. It seemed a curious spot for the site of a restaurant. Opposition from nearby residents was almost unanimous, and they created petitions and collected piles of evidence against the construction of the restaurant. Mayor Robert Hult at the time was in support of a zoning change to commercial, because he felt that Peoria Street suited the town best as a commercial thoroughfare, and that moving towards that as an end-goal would be in the best interest of Washington. In the end, the zoning change was defeated by the city council 5-2, and Sandy’s relocated its new restaurant to the southwest corner of Wilmor and Peoria Streets, and within two years had changed their name to Hardee’s. Had the zoning been approved, the hill on Peoria Street might be all businesses today.
An ice skating rink is first constructed behind city hall on Jefferson Street.
Lindy's Grand Opening
