On Saturday, July 12, Dixon speaker and historian Tom Wadsworth will come to Oregon to present his research into Charles R. Walgreen and his connections to Dixon. The one-hour program includes over 100 rare photos and PowerPoint slides and will be held at the Coliseum Museum.

Walgreen started his drug store career in Dixon in 1891. By his death in 1939, he had built an empire of almost 500 stores throughout the nation. Wadsworth’s presentation focuses on Walgreen’s connections to Dixon and our rural area of northern Illinois.

Wadsworth, who has a national reputation as an engaging speaker, writer, and voice-over artist, was the morning anchor on WSDR radio in Sterling in the 1980s. His career includes 10 years in ministry, 10 years in radio, and 30 years in corporate communications. Now retired and living in Dixon, he holds two master’s degrees and a PhD.