Copyright Joliet, IL Patch
The Village Board designated North Madison Street and Polk Street in honor of Ralph Ross and James Detzler, two longtime residents. OSWEGO, IL — Two longtime Oswego residents will have their names etched in aluminum after the Village Board approved Tuesday honorary street designations in their honor. Trustees unanimously voted at the regular Village Board meeting to designate Polk Street in honor of James Detzler and North Madison Street in recognition of Ralph Ross. Detzler's designation will live at the southeast corner of North Madison Street and Elmwood Drive, just outside the home where he has resided for more than 60 years, village officials said. For Ross, an honorary street sign will be placed at the southeast corner of Polk Street and Ashland Street, "the most appropriate both for visibility and the fact that the honorary sign can be attached to an existing Polk Street sign," according to the Historic Preservation Commission. Ceremonies are planned for both designations when signs are installed in 2026. The two designations fulfill a Village Board policy, approved in October 2023, that allows the Historic Preservation Commission to recommend up to two streets per year for honorary street names. In December 2024, the Historic Preservation Commission received an application for an honorary street designation from Jeffrey Ross, who wanted to honor Ralph Ross, his late father and longtime Oswego resident. Ralph Ross and his wife, Genevieve, raised their three children at 77 Polk Street before moving to 83 Polk Street in 1968. Ross is remembered for his impact at local schools and on various boards across Oswego. He became the principal of Oswego Junior High School in 1961 and transitioned in 1970 to oversee East View Elementary School as principal. His experience included serving on the Oswego Village Park, Oswego Community Unit School District 308 Board of Education and the Oswegoland Park District. "Ralph passed away on October 30, 1996," Community Development Planner Jeff Lind wrote in a memo. "However, his tremendous impact on the community remains to this day." Gracie Heinz applied in February for an honorary street designation to honor her grandfather, James Detzler, an Oswego resident since 1952. "This is a great honor to my grandpa," Heinz said at the meeting Tuesday. "I'm very excited for this, and he's going to see this every day on his way home. ... This is really awesome." Detzler's impact on Oswego spanned several sectors, as he helped oversee the village's "tremendous growth" as both a business owner and elected official, according to documents. He owned Detzler-Zentmyer Used Cars and Detzler Pontiac, which he opened after he began working at Zentmyer Ford first as a mechanic, then salesman. He went on to serve two years as a trustee before he was elected mayor in 1984. Detzler's dedication extended to the Oswego Fire Protection District, where he served for a total of 50 years before retiring in 2011. He worked as a volunteer firefighter before becoming chief in 1968, serving for 20 years. "In each of his many careers and leadership positions, Jim has dedicated his time, talents, and boundless energy to Oswego and its surrounding communities," Lind wrote in a memo.
