1977
On February 11 The Matador restaurant opened in the Valley Forge Shopping Center.
In 1977 there were two candidate for Mayor: Arden Muller, then a currently serving alderman, and Wally Green, a 20-year-old landscaper whose motivation for running came from cops running he and his friends off of the square. Muller was victorious by a 735-44 margin, by far the most lopsided election in Washington Mayoral history.
The tornado sirens were first installed in the City.
The Illinois State Supreme Court decided in favor of Pleasant View District #622 in a teacher dismissal case that had been drug through the courts for several years.
McDonalds opened on Washington Road, the first with a drive-thru in the Central Illinois area.
Central Grade School crowns the first state champions in their school history when Cherie Cullom wins the 50 yard dash and Cullom, Lisa Uphoff, CIndy Swanson, and Candi Urban win the 440 yd relay in girls track. These finishes were enough to crown Central as the team champion as well.
The Washington West Apartments, later changed to the Georgetown Apartments, began renting after years of city haggling and construction.
The WCHS girls basketball team finished 2nd in state in the first-ever state basketball tournament for girls.
WCHS has its first individual state champion in school history when Tami Essington wins the 880 yard run.
