WWII was declared on Japan when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Sunday, December 7, 1941. Our 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war saying "this was a day of infamy." Before the United States entered WWII, our government started a draft program; Selective Service Bill became law 9/ 16/1940. All men the age of 18 and older had to register for the draft. These names ( or numbers) were put into a large container and drawn out, sort of like Bingo. The first three names drawn from Cary were; Charles Frisch, Jerry Kotlaba and Clarence Storm. They were sent to Spartanburg, South Carolina for Basic Training. Their drill instructor was Sgt. Frank (Moon) Maletz, a Cary man who had enlisted in the army some years earlier. Men received their orders to report for induction from Woodstock, Illinois, our County Seat. Records show about 131 men and women served from Cary. Many enlisted before receiving their induction notice, that way they could get into the branch of service they desired. One of our local veterans was a prisoner of war in Germany, orman Kolbaba, a Sergeant in Co. G. 423 Inf. 106th Division. He was captured December 19, 1944 near Blieaf, Germany, at the Battle of the Bulge. He was sent to a prisoner of war camp. This battle was Hitler's last big battle. Our soldiers were surrounded and running out of ammunition. After being captured they were marched to a POW camp; along the way the German soldiers and the civilians took what they wanted from the GI's, their watches, gloves, blankets, steel helmets and some overcoats. There they were given one meal a day, one cup of soup called grass soup, because there was no meat in it. One loaf of bread for 6 to 10 GI's, 6 to 8 potatoes a day, the largest being the size of a ping pong ball. He lost 70 lbs. Cigaretttes were used as money. He traded a Parker fountain pen for a knife and a Parker pencil for ½ loaf of bread. The lice were so bad he ended up in the hospital, he still has scars from the lice bites. The water ran day and night into a trough, one GI was washing his socks at the beginning of the trough, another washing his cup and spoon at the other end. Norman returned home to Cary in 1946. Another GI, Staff Sgt. Jack Greiner was reported MIA in Germany. He was found but wounded and returned to his base. Bill Zitek, a breeder of pigeons was inducted in 1943 and became a part of the Army Signal Corp, Division of Pigeon Services. The Government put out a call to the American Pigeon Union and International Federation of Racing Pigeon Fanciers for pigeons. Pigeons came to the Signal Corps by the thousands. They were from the best of breed. Handlers of the birds were drafted from the pigeon centers of the nations. Zitek was one of them. They lost many of their pigeons by artillary shells, but the Germans were also shooting them out of the sky. Despite the hazards, the birds saved thousands of lives. One of the birds was believed to have saved the life of Gen. George S. Patton during the battle of Gasfa by carrying urgent messages when communications were cut off between Patton and the 18th British group. They had birds on submarines, bombers, with infantry and the OSS (CIA) working with the underground. Few people are aware of the part birds played in the war and how important this unit was to the war effort. Those killed in WWII: Robert Earl Abbott, Ernest Frank Baron, Arthur Franke Jr., Norman H. Johnson, John E. Lazansky, Harry Martini, continued 243
244 Franklin Gene Reynolds, Gordon Schlottman, John Robert Sedivec and Edward Steckelberg. After WWII, in March 1942, the Village of Cary's Council of Defense was organized to cooperate with the Councils of National and State Defense Agencies for the defense of the community. Later the group was known as Cary War Council. Various activities and tests were held during its organization for training of divisions for necessary patrol and emergency aid or protection. The war in Europe ended May 1945. In August 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In September, Japan signed the terms of surrender. KOREAN WAR - 1950-1953 KOREA - A country South East of Manchuria and West of Japan. After WWII, North Korea was occupied by Soviet troops, and became a Communist state. South Korea, U. S. occupied, became a constitutional democracy. In 1950, the North invaded the South, launching a three-year war. Some people call this the forgotten war, but it's not forgotten to the men and women and families that were involved in the war. Our records show that 52 service people from the Cary area served in this war. Some of our soldiers did not return home. Charles S. Martin, was killed in Korea. His remains were returned home and buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Barrington. Cpl. Eugene H. Kling, son of Fred and Violet Rasmussen Kling, was reported missing in action February 14, 1951. He was killed in action while in the hands of the opposing forces May 14, 1951. His remains were found in a shallow grave in the vicinity of Yudong-Ni, Korea. Official notification of death February 25, 1954. His remains were sent back to the States and buried in Woodstock Memorial Park. The war ended in a draw along a line that ran near the 38th parallel. After two years of negotiations the American United Nations Commander, on July 27, 1953 signed an armistice agreement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North) and the Army Commander of the People's Republic of Korea (South). The agreement ceased hostilities. There having been no settlement of the Korean question hence no peace treaty. The armistice remains in force to this day. VIETNAM WAR - 1962-1973 Vietnam was controlled by France for about 70 years, until nationalists drove the French out in 1954. The country became a divided country, the North; Communist, the South; non-Communist. This division led to the ten year Vietnam War. In 1965, the United States sent troops to South Vietnam supposedly as a police action. More than 3 million United States troops were sent to help fight the Communists. Millions of natives fled the country, most by boat - 'The Boat People.' Fighting was terrible and cruel. Many of our American boys became prisoners of war and the POW treatment was barbaric, many never returned home.
To top it all off, the anti-war groups lowered the morale of our American soldiers more than the war itself. Some of our Vietnam soldiers never recovered from the treatment they received on their return home from the Vietnam War. They were there fighting for us who remained home and we did them wrong. ' There are on record 65 men and women of the Cary area who served in the Vietnam War. Walter B. Graves Jr. was killed in action in Vietnam. His remains were returned to his family and he was buried at Windridge Cemetery. China, the Soviet Union and other Communist countries sent aid to North Vietnam during the war. Non-Communist countries supported South Vietnam. In 1973, the participants in the war agreed to a cease-fire and the United States withdrew its last combat troops. PANAMA WAR A republic of South America. Had been ruled by Spain in the 1500's. In 1821, Panama broke away and became a province of Colombia. Colombia became an independent nation in 1903. In 1983, General Manuel Antonia Noriega became head of the military. When free elections were held in Panama, Noriega lost the election. He declared the election invalid, imprisoned the elected President and retained power. The elected President requested help from the United States. Noriega declared war on the United States. December 20, 1989, United States troops invaded Panama. Noriega surrendered to the United States on January 3, 1990 and was flown back to the United States to stand trial. Two United States Federal grand juries in Florida indicted Noriega on drug trafficking and racketeering in the United States. The United States did not declare war on Panama, this was only to be a 'POLICE ACTION' mission. There were 23 reported deaths, 2-3 civilians (Americans) killed and 322 wounded. GRENADA WAR Island in the West Indies, 120 square miles long. Control of Grenada shifted between F ranee and Great Britain until 1783 when it became a British Colony. In 1979 the government was overthrown, and a Marxist government established, bringing a close tie to Cuba. On October 25, 1983, President Ronald Reagan ordered about 1,900 United States troops into Grenada. He said the action was necessary to protect the lives of Americans in Grenada. By December 15, 1983, all United States troops were pulled out. A small number of military personnel remained to maintain law and order. The United States withdrew the remainder in 1985. The island was secured within one week. War was not declared in the Grenada invasion, supposedly it was to be only a 'POLICE ACTION'. There were no reported deaths in Grenada, but 115 men were wounded, and 152 Purple Hearts were presented to the soldiers of the U. S. continued next page 245
246 SAUDI ARABWDESERT STORM - l/17/1991-3/6/1991 This war was even shorter than the Spanish-American War. Cary had 24 service men and women serving in Saudi Arabia. The flags and yellow ribbons came forth again. We the people back home watched the war from our living rooms, like a movie. Each day we watched TV and waited to see what the next move would be. Arab-Americans were frightened; they feared for families back in Iraq and Kuwait. What was the feeling of Arabs shooting at Americans? They remembered what happened to the Japanese in WWII. The price of oil was an everyday topic for the press, and anti-war groups took to the streets again. "Do you think Israel will fight back?" was in everyone's mind. The church and individuals each prayed in their own way for peace, but at the same time felt pride for those serving our country. All were worried about the chemical attack and SCUD's. The price of gasoline went down, not for long, the stock market went up. What to do with all the Iraq POW's became a problem. Archaeology efforts were at a loss, dust and pollution destroyed the temples and palaces of Iraq. The oil spill set off by Saddam Hussein into the Persian Gulf, the 600 oil wells set on fire by Hussein's troops were unforgivable. The burning of these oil wells created an ecological menace that may never end and will affect the whole world. How fortunate we of Cary are to have all our servicemen and women return home safely to their families. Mayor George Kraus asked all citizens to display American flags to show our support for our troops in Saudi Arabia. Flags were flown from all light posts in downtown Cary, and yellow ribbons were scattered throughout our town. The hi-tech equipment provided by our government to our soldiers helped make this a short war. It was written that all the Nintendo games played on TV by this generation helped the bombs and rockets hit their targets almost every time. February 28, 1991, the cease-fire for Operation Desert Storm arrived, 209 days after Saddam Hussein's troops marched into Kuwait. Iraq, by letter, promised the United Nations it would honor all Security Council Resolutions demanded by the United States and its allies. ❖ Elizabeth H. Freeman
RECOLLECTIONS AND REMINISCINGS 1909 Crystal Street l.ooking south. Rasmussen Blacksmith, Kiltz Wagon Maker upstairs, Elsner Groceries, Abbott Pool Hall, Jensen Hotel, Jail. - 247
248 HAPPENINGS THROUGH THE YEARS 1902-1918 William Wascher at one time managed the dances that were held at Opatrny's Castle Pavilion Hotel in Fox River Grove. The Pavilion burned down in 1918. 1913 Crystal Lake Herald 1/ 23/ 1913: A glove factory at Cary. Canvas gloves and mittens made by the Satisfaction Manufacturing Co. headquarters at Cary. A mail order business, they send out material to women with time on their hands and they are paid for their work. A. W. Barnett running the Cary company. 1920 Ileene Graham Harper remembers when ... "My Cary friends and I went to the Tomiskey Building to see the movies. Every Saturday night they would show a movie, it was operated by George Opatrny from Fox River Grove. Frank Tomiskey Jr. remodeled the old store building into a movie picture theatre January 2, 1913, he also purchased a new piano. "The front door of the building was on W. Main Street, just inside the door, to the right, was the ticket booth. There was a wall dividing the front entrance from the movie hall, seats were just wooden chairs, no padding or fancy seats then. "Of course these movies were silent pictures, but there was a piano player that played throughout the movie. There were two piano players, local women, Gertrude England Smith and her sister, Grace England Magnuson. They took turns playing different evenings. "All the shows had intermissions, that was when all us kids ran outside, down to the town pump for a drink of water and back for the last half of the movie. "Most of the movies were Westerns. William S. Hart was a favorite along with Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin. Those were the good old days, or at least good old fun days." Stanley Freeman remembers ... "When we were young our parents never worried about our being outside after dark. Tony Pichen was the town Marshall. All the kids would be outside playing 'Run Sheep Run' o; some other game, some one would say 'Here comes Tony Pichen' and we would all run home. "Mr. Lou Grebe operated a hardware store at 18 Spring Street ( then Depot Street). He would sink wells, put up gutters, sharpen lawnmowers and do about any other job available. He had a horse and wagon in which he delivered his ware. His horse was named 'Bonnie', and his motto was 'Grebe Pays The Freight'. ( Now John Petriak's Antiques) "Several times a year, Mr. Behnke ( nicknamed "Peanuts") would come out from Chicago and take pictures of Cary and of Cary people. It was the old-fashioned box camera on a stand. He would focus, pull a dark cloth over his head and snap the picture. His pictures were very good and most were developed on a post card that could be mailed. We are sure many people around Cary have some of these post card pictures. "Kids could go to the Bowman Dairy and drink all the milk they wanted, but could not take any outside of the building."
1926 Frances Theobald Jelinek remembers the BLUE MOO ORCHE TRA. They played for street dances or for anyone else that would hire them. As Fran says, "Even if you wouldn't pay them, they would play for nothing." Bill Ridings, drums; John Theobald, trumpet; Edw. Jelinek, sax; Fran Theobald Jelinek, piano; and Bert Moore, banjo. 1926-27 Milton and his brother Eugene Shepard were born in the house at 254 Railroad Street ( now Crystal Street-Rt. 14 ). This house was first owned by the parents of Mrs. Mayme Shepard · the Hertzels. It is now owned by C. Jacoby. Milton's father, Frank Shepard, worked for the railroad - first on the freight cars then as a conductor on the passenger cars - from C. L. to Chicago. On the return run from Chicago, many times the train would stop in front of the Shepard home and Milton was put on the train to ride to Crystal Lake with his father. From there they would drive back to Cary. Milt was about 5 years old at that time. 1930's Another thing Milt remembers as he got a bit older, was working for George Suchy, one of his neighbors. Betty Zimmerman Schauble and Catherine Harper Ormsby also worked with him for George. They received 25 cents per hour helping George with his statue figures, painting, etc., the art work then being sold. June Harper Orzech remembers the neighborhood kids playing a game called KICK THE CAN. There were two sides and the can was kicked between them to see who could invade the other side. Today they call it Soccer. Bessie Kotal had a very small house in the front and to the side of Weavers Gas Station, 112 Crystal Street. Bessie Kotal ran the boarding house in Tony Jensen's Tavern building. 1935-40 Barbara Ventriss Kling remembers when her family lived at 16 Spring Street, the Knife Sharpener Man came around. He was an older man, rode a bicycle that had a basket of some kind on the back or side, in which he carried his sharpening equipment. He usually came around in Spring or Fall when the weather was nice. As he rode along he rang a bell, when the women heard the bell they would come outside with their dull scissors and knives for him to sharpen. Great idea-could use his services today. 1930-1940 Many barn dances were held in the area at different barns and everyone in the area attended them. Tony Brandt would play his accordion and maybe there would be a violin. 1938 Scotty Hanson remembers that Wascher's Ice House was located in Spring Beach on the Fox River. About 1938-39 Ervin (Scotty) Hanson worked at the ice house. They were to tear the building down, and Scotty was told to take the hammer and knock a post out from under the building. The continued next page 249
250 building was to fall in one direction. They guessed wrong and the building fell in another direction and on top of Bill Wascher. Bill Wascher had just come over to the building unknown to the other men. That was not what killed Bill, but he did die shortly after of cancer. One night after basketball practice, Scotty Hanson and Elburn Mentch, were dropped off from their ride, at the corner of Cary Street and Spring Street. The Freeman apartment or then Boarding House was being raided by Federal Men for home brew. (Prohibition - Federal Law in U. S. - 1920-1933) 1940 The Catholic Church - corner of First and Rte. 14 - held dances, about once a month in their basement. All the young people from the area attended. You did not need a date to attend these dances because everyone knew everyone and everyone danced with everyone. It was great. Many matches were made there between the young people. George Harper remembers ... "Mr. R. Schardl, the shoemaker at 123 Spring Street. He had his shop on the front porch of his home. Amazing thing about Mr. Schardl, he never gave you a ticket for your shoes. When you returned to pick up your shoes he would just pick them up and hand them to you. Never made a mistake. That's really knowing your customers." 1965 September 1965, Chief of Police Joseph Zito, announced the hiring of the first school crossing guards for the Village of Cary. The two new guards were June Harper Orzech and Elizabeth Harper Freeman. Elizabeth Freeman worked as a guard for 23 years. ❖ CARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS 1897 1/ 20/ 1897: A Memorial from the citizens of the Village presented to Board. In regard to improvements about Depot and Stockyards. Memorial received and placed in file. 3/ 2/ 1897: Manny Auringer paid for Police Duty $10.00. Street Committee were set to set balance of hitching posts soon as weather permits. 3/ 14/ 1897: Constable Auringer requested the board to procure for him a billie. Carried. 4/ 27/1897: Clerk draw orders of $1.50 each for judge and clerks of election. 6/ 1/1897: Mr. Thomas wanted to open a gravel pit and furnish the corporation gravel at less than Sit per load. Also Mr. Thomas wished the corporation to gravel the highway on Depot Street along his property. Refered to street committee. ♦:♦
MICROFILM READINGS FROM NUNDA ADVERTISER 1877 Married, John Gill to Miss Welldrum. Died Sunday, Mr. Herman - leaves a wife and 4 boys. Died, Tommy Allen, son of I. J. Allen, aged 3 yrs. 9 mo. & 3 days. Married, Johnny Nish to Miss R. Christen, at Janesville last Tuesday evening. Wm. Harback has moved from Algonquin and will teach our school. 1878 Married, Oliver C. Fitz of Cary to Miss Bell Newcomb of Barrington, Ill. 1880 Hod Burton is now boss in the Shop at Cary, we wish him success but all think he missed it, time will tell. That young married man at Cary by the name of Sweet, who was so badly hurt at the ice house, had his leg amputated and died a few days after. 1881 Mrs. T. Rowson died Tuesday, H. Behan adopted Mr. Rowson's infant child, which was very kind. S. L. Burton has bought the Watous cheese factory & "Dickie" will run it this summer. A. L. Weaver's daughter Mrs. Lula Ross of Chicago visited. S. R. Brown Jr. -shipped corn. George Crabtree swindled by bed spring "sharper" $180.00. 1882 S. R. Brown is still the reliable stock buyer of Cary. (Cattle) S. R. Brown, Fayette Thomas, E. Sprague and John Brandon have each purchased a family monument of white bronze. The first 3 named are to be erected in the Cemetery at this place which will add much to its improvement. Mr. Crane of Janesville, who has done all in his power to improve our Cemetery will be gratified. $800.00 has been subscribed to build a bridge at this place. John Daley left Cary Wed. night at 12 for home with a load of timber and when near home on a sidling place the wagon tipped over crushing John and probably killed him instantly, as he had not stirred when found the next day, the team had not left him. The coroner held an inquest. Many articles written about the metric system in 1878. Martha Osgood of Janesville, Wisc. is visiting her father S. Brown. One of my cows having got away from the rest at Cary, Ill. I will give liberal reward for her return to me at Cary. S. R. Brown. As the mail train was coming down the grade to cross the river at Cary last week Monday, John O'Hansey jumped off the front end ( calculating to get his hat and jump hack on again). The train was going at a high rate of speed and he was jerked back under the wheels, both feet were run over. Dr. Horn continued next page 251
252 was sent for and amputated one big toe, the bones were crushed in one foot. He was brought to Cary and his brother came and took him away. I will be in Cary Station 18th day of Aug. with 80 head of yearlings for sale. S. R. Brown Jr. Mrs. E. Kerns is very sick. Mr. K called Sat. and subscribed for the Herald so his wife can read the news. Dave Craney has the boss $500 team. A. L. Weaver has just purchased a new carriage from Hod Burton. Frank Tomiskey has bought an acre here of Seebert to put a new store on, paid $200. The R.R. Co. has just completed a new iron bridge across the Fox River at a cost of $30,000. Chas. Berke the veteran tank man wishes to sell his place and move to Neb. Nip Sprague now tends the tank. S. L. Eells has purchased land out in Neb. "Says he has found God's country", and now wishes to sell his 60 acres here, it is well watered, timbered, good bearing orchard and C. He will sell cheap. 1883 Mrs. John Dailey of Cary died last week. Mrs. Ross is here visiting her parents A. L. Weaver. E. Paddock died at his residence of consumption on the 14th inst. His remains were interred in Cary Cemetery the 16th, Friday 1883. Three fine monuments have been erected in our cemetery by: E. Kerns, R. Johnson, and Mrs. Fuller. A. L. Boomer has advertisement to sell bees and honey. Mr. Levi McNett is about to move to Woodstock. Capt. Nish is building a new cistern. 1886 Look, see these bargains, at the CASH STORE, Cary, Ill. Best coffee .. 18'? lb; Good coffee .. 15'? lb; Spendid raisins .. 14'? lb; Splendid crackers . . 8'?lb; Best tea .. 60'? lb; six bars soap .. 23'? lb. In addition, we have best 5'? counter in McHenry County. Yours, C. E. North. 1894 Mr. Voycher of Algonquin, has purchased the building lately occupied by William Wascher and is moving in upon the 'Chaplain Property' where he intends starting a meat market. Miss Mary Shepard of Barresville spend Sunday with her sister Mrs. Z. L. Blaisdell. Carpenters are busy at work rebuilding the road bridge over the Fox River at this place and the bridge is open part of each day. The wrestling match held here Saturday Eve. between the Champion Lights of Wisconsin and Michigan, resulted in favor of the Wisconsin man. (Lightweights) Theo Atherton and Alma McNett were married in Woodstock last Thurs., Reception held at the residence of Wm. McNett, last evening at their home. ◄
A. C. Abbott building a large 2 story building just West of Abbott's Barber Shop. Willie and Frank McNett were home over the Holidays visiting their parents. Mable Osgood has typhoid. Lives in Woodstock. W. N. McNett rents his farm with 50 cows. Mrs. J. C. Lemke Sr. is sick with pleursey. John Stinek and Matilda Flowner married Monday. 'The Substitute' has moved from Weaver's building into Z. L. Blaisdell's building, north of the track. 1895 Mrs. W. J. Severns has removed from Weavers building to Sprague's building, near the drug store. She has a large bakery business. L. A. Blaisdell will hold a public auction here Thursday morning. He will sell his household goods. The Epstein Bros. of Antioch, Ill. have opened a dry goods store on the first floor of Z. Blaisdell's building. Mrs. J. Wire (Frank) has eight boarders since she fixed up the rooms over E. Kerns store. The gravel business for this season is practically closed. Shipments being so reduced that the switch engine was taken off on Tuesday. The Cary Steam Mill is doing business here owing to the local corn crop and considerable business sent here on account of Barrington mill having burned. Last Thursday evening during the display of Halloween tricks, what proved to be a serious accident occured here, whereby one of the party was seriously injured. While driving a wagon in front of the barber shop, Wm. Swartz, the proprietor, came out and fired a number of shots, one of the shots striking Frank Breen and passing thru his left shoulder. Mr. Swartz, the culprit is now boarding with Sheriff Echart waiting possible results. We are pleased to state that Frank Breen is on the safe road to recovery. ❖ CARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS 8/ 3/ 1897: Mrs. Frances Hitchcock, requested the board to place her husband Wm. Hitchcock upon the Black List. Granted. Mr. Weaver presented the plat of Cary Cemetery and asked it be accepted. Tabled. 9/9/ 1897: Committee conferred with Mr. Weaver and found it impossible to purchase Cemetery or to get Mr. Weaver to make an addition there to, as he said it was not in his power to do so. Report accepted. Committee discharged. ❖ C. GUNTHER COMPANY INC. -1984 253
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BITS OF INTEREST Built for Reigh Count and trainer. Now the house of Mr. & Mrs. Paul Tegel. 255
256 1855 The home of George Schmidt. The house was moved back for the Pub Tavern and the Pichen Laundry on West Main Street.
TIDS OLD HOUSE 208 W. Main Street In 1855, John George Schmidt, grandfather of Marian Johnson Dickman Drafall, built this house at the corner of High Road, 200-208 W. Main Street. It was moved to the back of the lot, west side, in 1960 when Joe and Coreen Pichen built a new building for their laundry business. This building was actually two buildings built together. The west side of the new building was sold to Chuck Mathews, owner of the Cary Pub Tavern, later owned by a Mr. Groves and in 1980 sold to Fran Pokorny, the present owner. At that time, Fran demolished the old George Schmidt House. The house was said to have no nails, only wooden pegs, and was still pretty sturdy when it was demolished, although it was 125 years old. Donald and David Krenz were born in this house. When they were young children, Sandy Davis lived upstairs. The Davis's moved to Algonquin, the Krenz's stayed in Cary. Dave and Sandy met in later years again, and in 1963 they were married. Sandy came back to Cary. ❖ Elizabeth H Freeman 1960 257
258 LUNA E. MENTCH HOUSE 226 W. Main Street In 1843 the original purchase of land from the United States Government was by Levi Seebert. After the death of Levi and his wife Electa Gillilan Seebert, their son, Samuel G. Seebert was heir to the propety. Samuel G. Seebert sold lot #4 of this property to Luna E. and Lila Mentch in 1889. In 1892 Luna and Lila built this house and their two children Foy L. and Vera Mentch Allen were raised here. After the death of Luna and Lila Mentch, the heirs sold the homestead to John and Fannie K. Hertz in 1945. The Hertz family had moved from Cary but John and Fannie K. Hertz kept this house as their legal Illinois residence. This was also the main office and as all transactions were transacted, the records were kept here. Mr. Alton N. Huttel, who worked for Mr. Hertz before the Hertz's moved to Illinois, was in charge of all details of this office. After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Hertz and Alton N. Huttel, Sylvia Richardson was in charge of the office. After the retirement of Sylvia Richardson, the building was sold in 1983 and became the new home of NIBS Insurance Agency owned by Jim Frisch. ❖ Porch Added Elizabeth H Freeman 1892 Luna E. Mentch House 226 W. Main St.
MOUNI'TOM For those skiers who were not yet ready for the challenge of the ski jump in Fox River Grove, Mount Tom of Cary was often the slope of choice. The hill just south of town offered a commanding view of the gravel pits, and the Fox River and beyond. Even people who did not ski would climb the hill just to enjoy the view. A large rock marked the summit and provided a place to sit and reflect. It was a place for fun, but it was also a place of legend. Long before the white man settled in the Fox River Valley, the Indians visited Mount Tom. We don't know why they came, or how long they stayed, or what they did here, but they left behind signs of their passage ... a few arrowheads and other artifacts. Given this seed of an idea, the fertile imaginations of schoolboys probably filled in the details. According to local lore, Mount Tom was an Indian Burial Mound. People who had heard about the legend came to dig around the hill, some coming by train from as far away as Chicago. Most of the area was bulldozed during the construction of the Brigadoon Subdivision, and there wasn't anything found to support the story. Nobody skis the slopes of Mount Tom anymore. The once grassy slope has given way to trees and brush. Even the actual location of Mount Tom along the bluffs of High Road ( somewhere near 320 High Road) has been obscured by development and the passage of time, and fading into obscurity along with Mount Tom are the memories of the good times spent there, and the legends of those who had gone before. ❖ 1919 C. Russell Allen - Mt. Tom Gravel Pit and river in background. Jim Zalipski
260 Crystal Lake Herald - July 7, 1921 ARREST 3 BOYS IN "4th" CELEBRATION Three of our boys celebrated the Fourth by setting off a large charge of dynamite in the old railroad pit. They put in an extra large charge, and the explosion was so great that it shook the entire east end of town, a number of windows being broken. The boys were arrested and taken before Justice L. E. Mentch, who fined them $3.75 each. P. S. The three boys were: John Narowetz, Stan "Big Six" Pichen, and Howard Stewart. They were so afraid of what their parents would do to them that they left town on a train ending up in Ramen, South Dakota. They earned money threshing there that season. When they thought things had cooled off in Cary, they headed back home. TTpon returning, they soon discovered that they weren't gone long enough! ❖ Karen Gitzke Parrish CARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS 1898 4/ 5/ 1898: Marcellus L. Joslyn of Woodstock applied for permit to construct telephone lines with the corporate limits of the Village of Cary. Carried. 6/ 20/1898: To act in conjunction with Township Officials in regard to the building of a new wagon bridge across the Fox River. Upon a ballot vote, it was decided to build one. 9/ 20/1898: An ordinance was read by which the Village of Cary gave the Chicago Telephone Co. certain rights. Approved. 12/ 30/ 1898: Committee appointed to circulate a petition granting said Board an appropriation ordinance of $4,000 to build a new west half of a bridge across Fox River where old one now stands. ❖
THE CARY CUITURE CONNECTION SHAKESPEARE Over three centuries ago, a quarter of the way around the world, a fateful cannon shot was fired that would have its effects felt in the Village of Cary, Illinois. The cannon was being used for theatrical effect during a performance of "Hamlet" in William Shakespeare's own Globe Theatre in London, England. The blast ignited the structure, and the Globe burned to the ground. When workmen preparing a construction site uncovered the remains of the theater's foundation, a trust foundation was set up to oversee excavation and study of the site, and the possible reconstruction of the theater. A Chicago resident involved in the work had heard of a 10 foot by 15 foot banner that had been created by a student at Ripon College in Wisconsin for the school's Shakespeare festival. Inquiring about obtaining the banner to hang at the site as a symbol of the work being done there, it was decided that the banner was not suitable to the needs, as it would be quickly deteriorated by weather and sunlight. The artist, Gordon Schwontkowski, proposed a banner of suitable materials four times the size of the original. He put in nearly 700 hours of volunteer time and used 98 oil based marking pens to complete a 600 square foot portrait of William Shakespeare on vinyl coated nylon. With the work nearing completion, he began looking for a place in his home town of Cary to hold the unveiling of his work. It couldn't be done indoors. Even the High School gym, where much of the work was done, did not have a ceiling high enough to let the banner hang at its full length. Gordon convinced village officials to let him use the only structure in town that had both the required height and suitable attachment points, the water tower on High Road. Early on Saturday afternoon, September 30, 1989, Gordon and a friend climbed the water tower and started hauling the 130 lb. bundled banner up the tower. It took several hours to get the banner in place, covered with a sheet of black plastic. By that time a crowd of a couple hundred people had gathered in the yard of the Zalipski home, across the street, to watch. The crowd cheered Gordon when he ripped away the shroud to reveal his work. The banner was left on display for a while, then carefully lowered to the ground where it was folded and packed away. The banner, painted and first displayed in Cary, now flies over the bank of the Thames River, a symbol of the research that is being carried on there; research that may help us better understand some of the greatest dramatic literature in the English language. ❖ Jim Zalipski
A ROAD THAT'S Nor Nish Road - named after James Nish, our first Cary Postmaster who came to Cary in 1856. A cutoff from Route 14 to East Main Street, it's only about 200 feet long, and has become a parking lot for the few businesses located on it. It was closed in 1989 when Route 14 was widened. Interesting thing about the Nish Road, the businesses located on it have a Northwest Highway address. According to Jim Costello, Cary Post Office employee, the Post Office still has Nish Road listed on its Village schematic, even though there has never been a Nish Road address. It will probably be left there forever, just in case. ❖ Elizabeth H Freeman 4 ' ~ ... ' ..... ~ .. .. \~ "" ' , ' .,;,.. ~ ~- "'- ,. t ~' "' : "-, "" .\'\ :.., 1~1 , ~/' . ,, .1;, N!lan,, 1:"' , l ,,~•tt .,,.., '\ ,., , -•-,., _ 1989 NISH ROAD· closed when Route 14 was widened in 1989.
CARY RECYCLES During the 1970's, the ecology movement began to make the average person aware of the problems that our advancing technology, affluence, and the resulting consumption of natural resources was causing. There was a time, not long ago, when rural residents did not have to worry about waste disposal. Most farms had set aside a place to dump their trash, usually over a convenient embankment where it would be out of sight. Similarly, communities operated their own dumps on a disposable piece of ground, or people simply burned in back yard incinerators. Concerns over the pollution of our air and water by these practices resulted in government regulation and public involvement in the waste disposal industry. It became increasingly difficult to open new landfills. As existing facilities reached their capacity and were closed, it became apparent that a crisis was approaching. By the mid-1980's the Illinois State Legislature passed laws designed to divert waste from the landfills. Recycling, the separation of reusable materials from the trash that we discard, was identified as one of the most cost-effective ways of dealing with the problem. Many people had learned that aluminum was a profitable recyclable material, and already utilized some of the commercial recyclers of aluminum for their beverage cans. Mostly it was a way for the children to make some money. Cary's first official recycling effort opened in October 1988. A large walk-in container was located in the village's commuter parking lot where citizens could drop off newspapers, aluminum cans, and glass. A local Boy Scout troop was responsible for keeping the site clean, and shared in the proceeds from the sale of the recyclables. The recycling center was later moved to the rear of the Cary Commons Shopping Center. The demand for the-facility exceeded its capacity. The container was often full and materials were being stacked around the outside. Meanwhile, the village was moving toward a more radical program. A recycling committee was formed by the Village Board to investigate a curbside recycling program. Only a few such programs had ever been established, and with varying degrees of success. The basic principle was simple; recyclable materials are separated from the trash by the resident and placed in a separate bin for free collection, while trash must be packaged in special bags purchased from the village for $1.35 each. The more one recycles, the few bags one uses. It was hoped, based on the experience of other communities, that 70% of Cary's households would recycle by the end of the first year. Monarch Disposal of Elgin was hired by the village to run the program, based upon the variety of materials that they were able to handle as recyclables. When the program started in June 1990, 13 items were collected as recyclable, more than any other program in the state. The program applied to all single family homes and duplexes. When Cary started recycling, there were only six other programs like it in the state, none as extensive. State funds were obtained for the start-up, and an extraordinary effort to inform and educate the public about the program preceeded it. An information packet was delivered to each household in the village, along with a bright blue recycling bin. The weekend before starting the program, Monarch held an "open house", putting some of their trucks on display at Cary Point Shopping Center. continued next page 263
264 The efforts paid off. By the end of the first year, 94% of the single family households were recycling, 800 tons of material that would have been sent to a landfill were recycled, a pilot program to expand recycling to include apartment buildings and townhouses was being considered, and the trash bags were being made of plastic collected from the recycling bins. Word of Cary's success spread. Other towns were using the Cary program as a model for their own programs, and village officials were receiving requests for information from as far away as central Ohio. Cary pioneered the community-wide recycling program concept, and the people of Cary made it work. ❖ Jim Zalipski CARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS 1899 1/ 6/ 1899: Above ordinance passed. 1/ 14/1899: Joint meeting of Village Board, Highway Commissioner and Board of Supervisors called. Carried. An iron bridge of 4 • 70 ft. spans to be constructed with pile bulkheads for the approachs be built. Carried. Bids required. 5/ 10/ 1899: Joliet Bridge and Iron Co. received the job. Alfred Turner · Village Marshall. 6/ 6/1899: Vote carried that Village purchase the Marshalls star from D. M. Auringer for $1.50. 9/ 5/1899: Board voted to notify Mr. Wascher he clean and keep clean the gutter in front of his premises and meat market or remove his waste pipes. 1900 1/ 2/ 1900: Mr. Swartz made complaint about Pool and Billiard playing on Sunday and collecting money on games. Board instructed Pres. Wulff to get counsel. Tabled for further action. 5/ 16/1900: Petition of Anton Jensen for saloon license. Carried. 8/7/ 1900: Committee of three to look after sewerage from Wascher and Krupicka place. Comm : Thomas Allen, Phil Bloner and W. J. Smith. ❖
THE OLD CLOIHES LINE Prior to World War II women were, for the most part, "home bodies"- work hard they did, taking care of the family, home, gardens and so on ... Oh yes, there were card parties, bunco and bridge clubs that met regularly as well as garden clubs. These were very important and very much a part of the women's lives. They had great times as neighbors yet were a bit competitive in some areas, especially when it concerned their laundry. On Monday mornings, typically known as "wash day", the ladies competed to see who had their laundry hung out on the lines first! Believe me, the ladies got up early for this ... as I recollect, Anna Till was usually hard to beat. There were no clothes dryers as we know today, hence clothes lines were a part of everybody's back yard. There were a few-commercial laundry trucks that came into town to pick up laundry for those needing this service. Many people used a service called "wet wash". The clothes were just washed and returned wet. The clothes were then hung to dry in the back yard. The biggest commercial laundry service was probably the "Diaper Service", a service that almost disappeared but has since made a return. In 1952, Joe and Coreen Pichen opened a Launderette-a new concept in laundry service in the town of Cary though not strange in the big city of Chicago. A do-it-yourself operation, it consisted of individual coin operated wash machines and large dryers that would hold many wash loads. This was well accepted but mostly for washing only. As winter approached, drying became a convenient service. Before long, people took to the idea of merely dropping their bundles off, having them serviced and picking them up later. This became popular as more and more women were going to work outside the home, Coilcraft being a major employer locally. So, coin slots were removed, flatwork ironers installed and hand ironing service began. The laundry was still being washed individually, which the ladies liked. Gradually dry cleaning service and commercial shirt services were introduced. In 1961, Cary Launderette moved from 9 Jandus Road to its new building at 200 West Main Street; in later years it became Eisner's Laundry and Dry Cleaners. Changes are inevitable, and as the cycle moves, coin-operated laundries made a comeback. Cary now has two coin-operated laundries-Family Pride located on First Street and Fox Valley Quick Wash in the Fox Valley Shopping Center. Both of these offer dry cleaning and shirt service as well. In addition there are three establishments specializing in dry cleaning and shirt services-Cary Quality Cleaners located in Cary Square, 14 Cleaners in Cary Square Plaza, and Cary Depot Cleaners ( originally DeMichel Cleaners and Tailors) in the downtown Cary area. Eisner's Laundry and Dry Cleaners ( now known as Eisner's 1 Hour Cleaners) remains a full service operation. Through the years, home washers and dryers have become so sophisticated as well as standard equipment in every household; some subdivisions even have covenants prohibiting hanging clothes outdoors on the "old clothes line". The busy active lives people have today has contributed greatly to the return of coin laundries, the influx of cleaning establishments and the return of diaper services. Alas, only the OW CLOTHES LINE seems destined to oblivion. ❖ Coreen Nordby Pichen 265
266 CRITIERS IN CARY Like most other towns in our latitude, Cary has its share of the common animals such as rabbits, squirrels, birds and chipmunks, but beyond these, Cary is inhabited and regularly visited by quite a variety of animals. Some, like the groundhog that is frequently seen grazing along the roadside on Spring Street near the golf course are easy to spot. To see some others, you have to know when and where to look. While common lore dictates that the first robin is the harbinger of springtime, we have come to regard the return of the mallard ducks to our yard as the official end of winter. With the many ponds in the area, Cary has become post to quite a large resident population of Canada geese. A plentiful food supply, mostly bread crusts supplied by local residents results in many of the birds wintering over in our town. A funny thing about geese, they don't always fly when they want to go somewhere ... sometimes they walk. And, when they walk, they often walk just as they fly ... in groups. They don't have much regard for traffic, and local drivers have learned to give them the right of way. Every now and then, there is a brief rush hour "goose jam" on Silver Lake Road. Some of Cary's critters come out mostly at night. Anyone who has had to clean up the trash after it has been sorted by marauding racoons can attest to the presence of the little masked bandits. They can sometimes be seen traveling through the neighborhoods in groups of five or six. Once, on a moonlit night, I saw what appeared to be a soccer ball in the yard. Muttering to myself that the children shouldn't be so careless as to leave their toys outside overnight, I was within about six feet of giving it a good swift kick toward the garage, when that soccer ball turned itself into a skunk, got up, and started walking away. Luckily, I managed to back away without arousing the creature's displeasure. Every now and then, late on a still evening, deer will pay us a visit. Although they are usually only visible as dark forms moving across the face of the hill below the water tower, their peaceful demeanor and graceful movements are inspiring. On a hot summer night, the sounds of a violent encounter outside our open bedroom window shocked us out of a sound sleep. The beam of our flashlight interrupted whatever it was that was going on, and allowed us a glimpse of a pair of gray fox as they scurried away into the darkness. Since that night, we have seen them twice again, both times at dusk, hunting small game in the field at Perth and High. The opossum is one of Cary's less visually appealing, but more unusual residents. Rarely seen during the day, it is usually seen crossing a road or slinking through the bushes. It is a long time resident of this area. Its name comes to us from the Algonquin language, and literally translates as "the white animal". It is unusual in that it is a marsupial. The female has an abdominal pouch in which she carries her young in much the same manner as a kangaroo. Most mysterious, misunderstood, and seldom seen of Cary's critters is the bat. They can sometimes be seen darting briefly into the glow of a street light while hunting insects that are attracted to the light. In ancient times, the bat's ability to move about in the darkness with flawless accuracy
gave it the undeserved reputation of a creature of evil. We now know that it finds its way in the dark by using sound waves and that its appetite for insects can be a benefit to us. A hungry bat will eat several times its weight in insects in its lifetime. More often, rather than being seen, they will be perceived as a shadow moving swiftly through the air, or merely a flutter in the darkness. You really have to look closely, but they're there. We have been watching the animals around us from our vantage point on Mt. Tom for some time now and find them to be a fascinating part of our community. Look around. You may be surprised at what you see. Did I mention the snakes ... ? ❖----------- ❖ Halloween in Cary Charles Schreiber COILCRAFI'- 1946 Jim Zalipski • 267
268 THE GREAT JAIL BREAK "Halloween, short for Hallow Even, the eve of All Saints Day falls on the evening of October 31st and is traditionally observed with merry-making and the playing of pranks by children"* Children come in all ages and the boys (girls?) of Cary assumed a variety of age levels when it came to fulfilling the time-honored Cary Halloween tradition of "buttering-up" the town. "Buttering-up" consisted of transporting the everyday stuff of farm animals and farm life from surrounding farms to town thoroughfares where the following morning farm life could be observed by the citizens of Cary as they marvelled at the ingenuity and talent of the village youth. Local farmers also observed All Saints Day by retrieving mysteriously missing manure spreaders, wagons, rakes, hoes and most essentially, horseshoe throned back yard shacks. Fortunately, by the very nature of their vocations, farmers are excessively tolerant and, as they say today, the beat ( translation: tradition) went on. Not so tolerant, it appears, was the keeper of the law. Tradition, or not the "butter-uppers" were breaking the law and must be stopped. Tipped-off by the date and approximate hour, and ignoring the time-honored divergent tactic of ringing church bells, the Cary police force consisting of the chief sprung the Halloween trap and a good baker's dozen of Cary's finest youth was herded to the village hall at the corner of Main and Route 14. The jail, located in the basement of the village hall, was a huge cage of bars capable of accommodating the entire "spook" mob. The chief, congratulating himself on a great night's work, scurried home to a well deserved night's sleep knowing the streets of Cary and the farms' by-products were safe this All Hallows Eve. Halloween in Cary Meanwhile, the incarcerated culprits, bemoaning their troubles and the chiefs poor sense of humor, made a startling discovery. Jostling in the sizeable group caused the revelation that the jail cage was not fastened to the floor. Further, a quick glance up revealed a clearance of about a foot between the top of the cage and the ceiling of the basement. Biding their time 'till all was quiet, the stalwart youth, by virtue of combined muscle, were able to lift the entire jail bar cage so one-by-one they could slide under the cage to freedom. Oh, the ubiquitous fat guy had a little trouble, but his fellow conspirators eventually squeezed him out. So, with the dawn of All Saints Day, the townsfolk who arose to see what Halloween had wrought were surprised at the pristine condition of Main Street. But then, they had little time to contemplate this strange break with tradition, for their minds and conversations were occupied with the story of the Great Jail Break. ❖ Jack Arnold *:Webster, 1940
BROWNIE 10 FffiST CLASS Sheila Pichen is the first Chippewa Cadette to earn the rank of FIRST CLASS SCOUT. First Class is the highest honor in Girl Scouting and comparable to the Eagle Rank in Boy Scouting. To fulfill the requirements for First Class, it was necessary to earn six proficiency badges in the fields of Art, Citizenship, Health and Safety, International Friendship, Home and Out-of-Doors. In addition, there were four Challenges that needed to be successfully completed. The first three Challenges could be done in groups of three to seven girls who were also ready to accept a specific Challenge. ("Challenge Preps" as they are called in Scouting.) Sheila completed the Challenge of Social Dependability, Challenge of Emergency Preparedness in 1971 and the Challenge of Active Citizenship in 1972. The fourth Challenge, the Challenge of the Girl Scout Promise, must be applied for and completed alone before the troop's Court of Honor. Sheila's challenge, suggested by the then Mayor and Mrs. Fuchs, was to research the previous Mayors and Board members of the Village of Cary. After much time spent researching files and talks with "old timers", photos of the previous Mayors were located, framed, and a booklet compiled with the names and dates of all persons that had served on the Village of Cary Board from 1893 to the present with the exception of oneMr. Blaisdell, the second Village President.** The Challenge completed, Sheila received her badge and First Class pin at the Court of Honor on May 30, 1972. At the July 18, 1972, Village Board meeting, Sheila presented the booklet and all the photographs to Mayor Fuchs and the board members. The results of this Challenge may be seen today in the lobby of the present Village Hall-the WALL OF MAYORS. **Through the efforts of Historian Elizabeth Freeman, a photograph of Mr. Blaisdell was located and now hangs in its respective place on the WALL OFMAYORS. ❖ Coreen N. Pichen 1915 View of Village from Mt. Tom (High Road) 269
Dankert House - 107 Spring Street The Boomer family moved int,o this house a few years after the Civil War. The present owner is the David Helmer family. 270
MEMORIES OF GEORGE C. BOOMER On November 10, 1944, George C. Boomer talked to the Women's Club of Cary. He was born in a little cabin of a house where the switch track used to enter Franke Lumber Yard. It was about a block northwest from the Old Village Hall on Crystal Street and Route 14. The house is no longer there nor is the switch track. George Boomer's father was born in Massachusetts and his mother was born in England. His family came west via Erie Canal and railroad in 1853. They were able to use the railway to just east of Barrington where they lived for several years. Soon after the Civil War, his grandmother and her children came to Cary and moved into a house that we call the Dankert House, 107 Spring Street. The house still stands. There was no Fox River Grove. The Johnson Farm stood where the business district is now. The Silver Lake School House was there prior to 1890 at the corner of Silver Lake Road and Crystal Lake Road. The first school burned down but it was rebuilt. He remembered the dances held at Sprague Hotel, located where the butcher shop now stands on 9 Jandus Road. Not all the homes had bathrooms at that time. Life Buoy soap was unknown · B. 0. was never absent. George tells about how frightened his mother was when a band of Indian Squaws came around. She used to hide the children in one of the bedrooms. Indians moving along the Fox River Valley often camped at the site now called Spring Beach. In the year 1862, Chippewa Indians stayed in our area during the winter months. Some worked for the farmers cutting trees and making fence posts. There was a fur market in Barrington and the Indians sold their furs there. When spring would arrive, and before the river would thaw, the Indians would go farther North. George also tells how he caught muskrats and mink along the creek that runs through the Park Avenue area. The especially big ones were down in the bogs along the same stream which is now the Cary Golf Club. Wages were irregular and scanty. A job on the railroad, at the ice house or in the gravel pits was seasonal. Mr. Boomer got a job on the railroad. He said the superintendent claimed that when he wanted a good man, he sent to Cary to get him. If you had Cary gravel in your shoes you rated high. So George became a telegraph operator. George was promoted from Cary in 1896 and came back to Cary again in 1924. He retired after forty-six years of service to the railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Boomer moved to California to be near their daughter in their later years. Both died in California, many members of the Boomer family are buried in the Cary Cemetery. ❖ Elizabeth H. Freeman 271
272 PATRONS The Cary Historical Group grat,efully acknowledges and thanks the following Cary companies and individuals for their support in this effort: Cary-Grove NAPA Kenneth W. Park, D. 0. Kentucky Fried Chicken Swifty's Vacuum Cleaners Cary Station Antiques Peter's Bakery Robert Blumberg, CPA, Ltd. Century 21 Sketch Book Gage Grinding Henehan & McIntyre Ltd. Places II Travel Cary-Grove Medical Associates Cary-Grove Orthodontics, Dr. J. Thodos Cary Pub Franke's Lumber Central States Microfilming Maple Tree Inn H. R. Stewart, Inc. Cary Sanitary Dairy Communications Design, Inc. Cary-Grove Suburban Bank First Security Bank of Cary-Grove Northern Federal Savings Bank T. Cerelle Hair Salon Seaquist Manufacturing Coffman Manufacturing Flex.icon Inc. Dr. Roman Brykowski D. C. Verseman Exclusive Real Estate Dr. R. Metelka, D. D.S. N. W. Mutual - McCabe Katrina Greening Kahle-Moore Funeral Home Cary Library Wesley Berry Flowers Tru-Test Manufacturing Cary Country Club Marcal Systems Michael T. Barrett, Attorney-at-Law ,i American Legion & Auxiliary ~ Cary Chamber of Commerce /;;; C. Gunther Co. Coilcraft .. , .. Page 9 11 15 21 29 33 34 47 51 56 62 65 66 69 75 80 89 90 95 103 104 107 108 110 114 129 137 145 146 150 154 161 168 179 189 197 198 218 221 222 233 235 253 267 __ . .J~