Editorial

The World Atlas website has bestowed on Kewanee the title of one of “7 Senior-Friendly Towns in Illinois,” as well as another title of which residents from New Castle, Pa. might take umbrage.

Kewanee is listed seventh on the World Atlas’ top Midwestern towns that seniors might consider when retiring. The city is ranked up there with Galena, Princeton, Dixon, Effingham and Pontiac as towns where retired folks might find the living pretty good.

The particular section on Kewanee begins, “the small-town charm and friendliness of Kewanee residents will make one want to move right in.” The write-up states that “the agricultural and forested landscapes set a serene tone.” So far so good.

Local landmarks, the Kewanee Historical Society, Good’s Furniture, and Windmont Park with its “manicured walking paths around an idyllic lagoon” all get mentions.

But the article’s problem arises in the very next sentence when the World Atlas tells its readers what Kewanee touts. According to the article, not only is Kewanee a great place for seniors to retire, it’s also the “Hotdog Capital of the World.”

The article then goes on to use a cringe-inducing hot dog pun and provides a link to Britannica that by no means mentions hot dogs.

The World Atlas site reads: “Kewanee is a great place to satisfy one’s weenie craving, especially during their annual hotdog festival every Labor Day weekend.” (https://www.britannica.com/place/Kewanee) The article does manage to get the Labor Day weekend part correct.

Follow the link to Britannica and they get the information right, declaring Kewanee the “Hog Capital of the World.” That article was fact-checked by the editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica, which probably explains its accuracy when identifying Kewanee’s claim to fame. World Atlas could have used those editors.

The World Atlas website wraps up the pitch by citing statistics for the median home prices, senior population percentages and crime rates, which appear to be slightly out-of-date, but it does mention the local hospital.

The actual Hot Dog Capital of the World is claimed by New Castle in Pennsylvania, a place where restaurants dedicate themselves to serving up some form of the iconic dog. Chili seems to be a popular choice.

But seniors reading the World Atlas article and rushing to Kewanee in hopes of retiring and getting their “weenie-fix,” will be sadly disappointed. Of course, if it’s really barbeque pork chops and carnival food they crave, then moving to Kewanee might not be such a bad deal.