Streator /ˈstriːtər/ is a city in LaSalle and Livingston counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city is situated on the Vermilion River approximately 81 miles (130 km) southwest of Chicago in the prairie and farm land of north-central Illinois. It is the center of the geographic region known as Streatorland. According to the 2010 census, the population of Streator was 13,710.
Streator was named for Worthy S. Streator, an Ohio industrialist who financed the region's first coal mining operation. It was founded in 1868 and incorporated as a city in 1882 when Col. Ralph Plumb was elected as its first mayor. Streator's early growth was due to its success as a coal producer, a major glass manufacturer and a railroad hub in the midwest. Today Streator's economy is led by heavy-equipment manufacturer Vactor, food distributor U.S. Foodservice and glass bottle manufacturer Owens-Illinois.
The city is the hometown of Clyde Tombaugh, who in 1930 discovered the dwarf planet Pluto, the first object to be discovered in what would later be identified as the Kuiper belt; and George "Honey Boy" Evans, who wrote "In the Good Old Summer Time." Streator hosts annual events including Streator Park Fest; an Independence Day celebration, the Roamer Cruise Night and the Light Up Streator celebration. Streator is governed by a Manager–council style of government. It maintains police and fire departments as well as a public works system. Its current mayor is Jimmie Lansford.
Streator Station was a train station located in Streator, Illinois, United States. It was served by numerous Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) passenger trains during its heyday. Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation) served the station until 1996 with the Southwest Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles daily. When the Burlington Northern and the AT&SF railways merged, BNSF built a connecting track between the two main lines east of Cameron, Illinois, (known as the Cameron Connector). This allowed passenger trains to change from the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) main line to the Southern Transcon freely. This along with the amendment of a stretch of track that was essential for getting to Chicago Union Station forced Amtrak to reroute the Southwest Chief to bypass Cillicothe and Streator.
In 2013, the station received upgrades by BNSF Railway including "a new roof, brickwork, tuck-pointing, and new windows."
Youre shooting looks at me semi-automatically
Just like youve never seen what it is that you see
I'm just a man in the street
I got shoes on my feet
You always get what you want
But do you know what you need?
All my intentions are good
But my pockets are empty
Ive got nothing to give
Except for whats in my body
Let me pat you down
Are you wired?
Dont you make a sound
Were you hired?
Cause youre a fucking crook
Youre a liar
Youre playing with my cash
So youre fired
You know its making me lose my mind
Hard to find
Lose my mind
Hard to find
Im gonna go if you stay
Im gonna stay if you go
If you ask I dont know
If youre fast, then I'm slow
You know youre pissing away
Your words bitching at me
Cause I wont ever hear
What youre saying to me
And are you really a fan?
Are you really the sweet type?
I dont know, I dont know
Cause I fell right out of my bed
And stumbled into your spotlight
And you could be making this up
Let me pat you down
Are you wired?
Dont you make a sound
Were you hired?
Cause youre a fucking crook
Youre a liar
Youre playing with my cash
So youre fired
You know its making me lose my mind
Hard to find
Lose my mind