This is a circa 1909 photo of “The Arch”Pool Hall at 237 N. Main St., Urbana. The men standing in the arch from left to right are Patrick Heatherman, William Heatherman, Mike Heatherman, John (Jack) Francis Heatherman, Joe Edward Heatherman, John William Heatherman, and J. H. Gleason – a nephew of John Francis Heatherman.
The pool hall featured Brunswick pool tables and sold cigars and drinks. The building was built by Patrick Heatherman in 1906. The pool hall was managed by John Francis Heatherman until his death in 1911. He was Chief of Police in Urbana from 1892 until 1906. The second photo is of John Francis Heatherman in his police uniform.
From this time through the 1930s pool rooms were numerous in Urbana and other towns in the county. In addition to billiards, cigars, food, and drinks some pool halls had a Western Union ticker carrying inning-by-inning results of big-league baseball games. For many years there was a pool hall at the SW angle of Monument Square owned by a man named Zerkle and another at the NE angle owned by Alfred Hulsizer and later by his son Ken.
Miller’s Appliance Store was at this location in the 1950’s and from the 1960’s through the 1980’s it housed Long’s Music Store.
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The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 E. Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
