. . . Fortune left Stephen's son, Peter, to discover the road's curious side. One fine Braidwood day, an eagle fell out of the sky. The regal bird was crippled and would never fly again. Young Peter became the bird's adopted pop. Soon an iron cage stood in the empty lot adjacent to Stephen's grocery, and the young Peter Rossi embarked on a career of roadside entertainment.

"The one wing drooped," says old-time Braidwood eagle-watcher Bernice Schoppe. "But when they captured that eagle and put it in this great big cage, it was a novelty. At first, they kept the eagle in Braidwood. I would pass it on my way to school, and I remember I was half afraid of it. This eagle was a strong bird; it would come at you if you got too close to the cage. Later, Petey moved the eagle out to the grounds where he would build his dance hall. That's why he called the place Eagle Park. . . ."