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Rockwell Red
Rockwell Red is a metallic dark red with a hint of brown.
Think autumn.
The town of Rockwell is gone. All that remains is the
cemetery and the Rockwell neighborhood of LaSalle. In
the early 19th century, Rockwell had several hundred residents
and was competing to become the point at which the soon-to-be-built
I&M Canal would enter the Illinois River. This potential
gold mine persuaded locals to fight off the various diseases
that were part of living in primitive conditions in the
river bottoms. Once it was announced that the canal would
enter the Illinois in LaSalle, most of the residents of
Rockwell left. |
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Shippingsport
Silver
Shippingsport Silver is a classic silver. It is subtle
and smooth lacking the flashiness of the silvers currently
in fashion. Many folks don't realize that there are so
many different flavors of silver, but there are. This
one looks good in any era.
The town of Shippingsport is gone. There are still a few
homes marking its location across the Illinois River from
LaSalle. The bridge there has always been known as the
Shippingsport Bridge. The third generation of this bridge
is currently under construction, but its concrete construction
will mean the end of the steel girders that gave our silver
paint its name. |
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Gooding Green
Gooding Green is a medium metallic green. Not as bright
as Kelly Green, but not as dark as Forest Green or Waterford's
Sherwood Forest.
Gooding Green is named after William
Gooding, the chief engineer of the I&M Canal. This
canal, constructed in the early 19th century, provided
a shipping link from Lake Michigan at Chicago to the
Illinois River in LaSalle. This meant that goods could
now be shipped from the Great Lakes all the way to the
Gulf of Mexico. It was the I&M Canal that built
the city of Chicago. Prior to its construction, the
population of LaSalle was actually larger than that
of Chicago since many goods were transported by wagon
to LaSalle to be placed on boats.
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Bailey
Falls Blue
Bailey Falls Blue is dark metallic blue with a hint of
green. Some folks will call it a blue-green, but everyone
seems to see it a little differently.
Bailey Falls was a beautiful local landmark. It featured
unique rock formations and a large waterfall. It had been
a popular spot for picnics and swimming for decades. Unfortunately,
the area had to be closed for safety reasons as a local
mining operation expanded nearby. Eventually, the mine
overtook the Falls, and this unique local spot was lost
for good.
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