Historic photo of a busy downtown street with Distinctive Dixon book: Fascinating Stories of Dixon’s Rich History as the title text.

Distinctive Dixon: Fascinating Stories of Dixon’s Rich History

By Tom Wadsworth, PhD

“Dixon is distinctive,” says sixth-generation Dixon native and historian Tom Wadsworth. Published in response to popular demand, Distinctive Dixon brings together more than 50 of Tom’s most-loved Dixon history articles from the Dixon Telegraph and the Sterling Gazette, written between 2023 and 2025.

Organized into three sections—Distinctive People, Distinctive Places & Institutions, and Distinctive Events—the book uncovers the stories, characters, and moments that shaped Dixon from the mid-1800s onward.

With 152 pages, over 130 historical photos and illustrations, and 25 fascinating chapters, Distinctive Dixon is a keepsake for every generation of Dixon resident, former resident, and history lover.

About the Book

Distinctive Dixon sheds light on rarely told stories and little-known facts about Dixon’s past, including:

  • Ronald Reagan and his brother, Moon

  • Charles Walgreen

  • “Father” John Dixon

  • George Page and Col. William Brinton

  • The Dixon–Sterling trolley

  • The Truesdell Bridge disaster

  • How Christianity came to Dixon

  • Dixon’s stagecoach and Civil War history

  • Eye-opening details about Lowell Park, the Dixon Theater, Dixon High School, and more

These chapters are the result of hundreds of hours of research, including extensive digging into newspapers, early histories, and firsthand accounts from the 1800s and early 1900s.

Historic photo of Dixon High School, 1927, featured in the Distinctive Dixon book highlighting its local significance.
Table of contents page for the Distinctive Dixon book, with chapters, page numbers, and logo at the bottom.

Book Details

  • Release Date: December 10, 2025

  • Price: $35

  • Soft cover, 152 pages

  • Larger 12-point font for comfortable reading

  • 8.5" x 11" format, approx. 1.25 lbs

  • Professionally designed and printed

  • More than 130 historic photos and illustrations

  • 25 chapters of Dixon history

Where to Buy the Book

The book is available locally in Dixon:

Books on First
202 W. 1st St., Dixon, IL
Go to their website or call (815) 285-2665 to reserve or ship a copy.

Discover Dixon
87 S. Hennepin Ave.

Lee County Historical & Genealogical Society
113 S. Hennepin Ave.

A 1926 black-and-white photo from the Distinctive Dixon book shows the Dixon High football team with Ronald and Neil Reagan in uniform.
A Distinctive Dixon book page: CHAPTER 6 features Charles R. Walgreen’s photo and notable text passages.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • December 12, 2025, with books arriving in stores by December 13.

  • Visit Books On First, Discover Dixon, or the Lee County Historical & Genealogical Society.

  • Yes. Call Books On First at (815) 285-2665 to request shipping.

  • The book includes more than 130 historical photos and illustrations.