As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four historic front pages from Oct. 24. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from early industrial developments and major market shifts to global Cold War tension and modern local sports triumphs.
1929: The Daily Chronicle (DeKalb)
On Oct. 24, 1929, the front page captured the onset of the Wall Street Crash. The massive banner headline proclaimed, “BIG BANKERS GET UNDER PANICKY STOCK MARKET,” as financial leaders attempted to stem panic selling and stem paper loss during “Black Thursday”. Alongside national market panic, the edition detailed local affairs, including a thief’s unlucky attempt to steal an oil painting in Sycamore.
1929: Morris Daily Herald
Published on the very same day as the Stock Market crash, Oct. 24, 1929, the Morris Daily Herald led with tragic news from the water: “FIND 2 DEAD FROM MISSING BOAT”. The front page detailed the search for 52 men lost in a severe Lake Michigan storm that grounded and sank vessels. Beneath the lead local coverage, smaller headlines acknowledged national financial updates, reporting that “ALL MARKS FOR STOCK TRADING ARE SHATTERED”.
1962: Streator Daily Times-Press
By Oct. 24, 1962, the world was grippingly focused on international conflict at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The main banner screamed, “U.S. NAVY RUSHES TO ENFORCE EMBARGO,” detailing military preparations and Soviet reaction following President John F. Kennedy’s naval blockade order. Local news on the front page included a report on a street assault in Streator and a state proposal regarding taxless budgeting.
2005: Northwest Herald
Fast-forward to Oct. 24, 2005, where sports history dominated the front page with the headline “SWINGING IN THE RAIN”. The issue celebrated Scott Podsednik’s game-winning home run in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series, putting the Chicago White Sox up 2–0 against the Houston Astros. The page balanced sports fever with breaking national weather news, tracking Hurricane Wilma’s trajectory toward Florida.
