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DANVILLE -- It's been 15 years since Walldogs artists converged on the city, creating murals to showcase its history.
It's been more than two decades since the popular Chuckles gummy candy was produced locally.
At the request of the Danville Area Visitors Bureau, Walldogs muralist Mike Meyer of Chester, Iowa, returned to Danville in June to repaint the Chuckles mural downtown on Walnut Street near Fatman's Warebouse.
It's turning out to be a Chuckles summer of remembrance.
The mural work is expected to be finished in the next few weeks -- including the return of Evel Knievel's image -- and the Vermilion County Museum is hosting Chuckles Day on Sunday with a community celebration.
Meyer said his days in Danville painting the Chuckles mural in 2010 evoke wonderful memories.
Chuckles' original factory was on Griffin Street in Danville. The fruity candy was first introduced in 1921.
"It was incredible," Meyer said about being in Danville 15 years ago.
"I was blown away by the amount of people who talked to me who had worked there, (and one couple) who worked on the line and married ..."
Fred W. Amend went into business for himself manufacturing marshmallow.
In 1921, Amend began producing jelly candy from a formula he developed.
The formula solved a problem of "sweat" on the surface of jelly candies by using a sugar coat on each piece.
Amend's wife suggested the name Chuckles, and the treat hit the market, where it's still sold today.
In 1974, the candy teamed up with motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel.
A television commercial featured Knievel jumping over a pile of Chuckles candy boxes on his motorcycle.
Meyer also heard stories about Knievel coming to the Danville Chuckles factory, with his cane and diamond studs on it.
One woman even gave Meyer a service pin with a jewel on it that she received for working at Chuckles for 25-30 years.
She said her family didn't want it, and she wanted him to have it.
He also recalls selling Chuckles Walldog crew T-shirts, with proceeds going to the Fischer Theatre. He said it's been suggested they revive those T-shirts.
Sales and Event Manager Tracy Fentem with the Danville Area Visitors Bureau was "very fired up," Meyer said, of wanting to have him back again for three days in June to repaint the faded mural he previously created.
There also was an interesting story about the building being sold that the mural was created on at 137 N. Walnut St. The Evel Knievel figure on the motorcycle had blown down, it was stored in an attic and was later found in a barn in Indiana.
"He would laugh himself," Meyer said of Knievel's adventures.
Meyer is finishing a new Knievel in the next few weeks.
He said Knievel now will be on a piece of aluminum instead of plywood.
"It will stay better," he said.
Meyer said he had all his artwork left to recreate Knievel.
"Evel can't sit around. He wants to jump things," Meyer said.
Fentem said they'd love to work with Meyer again on another mural possibly next year.
The subject: the recently torn down 12-story Bresee Tower.
"I would love to," Meyer said.
Chuckles Day
The Vermilion County Museum Society, 116 N. Gilbert St., is celebrating Chuckles Day in Danville with an Open House from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Parking is available for the event, adjacent to the museum in the Carle parking lot.
Museum director Sue Richter said the special day came about after her husband, Don, wrote a column on Chuckles.
She said it garnered a lot of interest, and they decided the museum should celebrate the early history of Chuckles in Danville.
They also dedicated the last issue of The Heritage magazine to the first years, up to WWII.
The next issue will continue the story.
"We have found that there are still a lot of individuals out there that have memories of Chuckles, either through working there, having a relative that did, or remembering the factory from being raised in the neighborhood. It was decided that before these individuals, and their memories are part of the past, it would allow the museum to archive them for future generations. Quite a few individuals have also loaned us items for the exhibit, which includes copies of ads, paper memorabilia and artifacts," Richter said.
The museum is having two local actors, Bob House and Nancy Henderson, portray founders Fred and Tulita Amend and relate some of the high points of Chuckles and the Danville area from the past in the 2:30 p.m. program.
Guests also will be able to write and leave their own memories on the memory board in the exhibit, or they can email them to the museum at [email protected], and they will be mounted ahead of the open house.