Seventy-Five Years of Glencoe 
 History, 1835-1944 
 
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lfcUM®!§ HISTORICAL SURVEK 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://archive.org/details/seventyfiveyearsOOglen 
 
Seventy-Five l^ars 
 
 ° f A i iY 
 
 Glencoe History ' -' 
 
 /I t- 
 
 ■■' 
 
 1835-1944 
 
 Published by 
 GLENCOE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
 
The Glencoe Historical Society 
 
 The Glencoe Historical Society was incorporated May 3, 1937 to collect 
 and preserve all data concerning history of Glencoe. 
 
 Our former librarian, Miss Hammond, began long before there was a 
 society to save valuable material. Miss Beckwith, our present librarian, car- 
 ried on in the same way until the society was finally organized under the 
 auspices of the Library Board. 
 
 The first several meetings were held in their building and comprised a 
 small but active and earnest group. 
 
 It is the work of this organization to collect and preserve in fire proof pro- 
 tection, pictures, documents, papers and historical records for future genera- 
 tions. These are in the care of Miss Beckwith, our custodian at the Glencoe 
 Public Library. 
 
 The material in this book was taken from the records of the Glencoe 
 Historical Society. 
 
 The present officers of the Glencoe Historical society are: President, Albert 
 O. Olson; Vice-president, Mrs. Fred Holmes; Secretary, Mrs. Charles Brand- 
 riff; Treasurer, Charles Saxby. 
 
 Committee chairmen: Publicity, Mrs. Lou Ann Timmons; Research, Mrs. 
 Harry T. Booth; Program, Mrs. Charles Saxby; Social, Mrs. Grace Grant; 
 Membership, Mrs. Christopher Beebe; Custodian, Helen Beckwith. 
 
 Anniversary Editorial committee: Mrs. John A. Grant, Mrs. Henry H. 
 Curtis, Mrs. Harry T. Booth. 
 
 History is all we know about every- 
 thing man has ever done, or thought, 
 or hoped or felt. 
 
 Prof. Robinson 
 

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CONTENTS- 
 HISTORY OF GLENCOE— 1835 to 1870 
 
 The Village Corporate— 1870 to 1944 
 Street Names — Old and New 
 
 CHURCHES 
 
 Union (Formerly Congregatonal) 
 Trinity Lutheran 
 St. Paul A. M. E. 
 St. Elisabeth's 
 Christian Science 
 # Sacred Heart 
 
 North Shore Congregation Israel 
 
 MASONIC LODGE 
 
 GLENCOE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 
 
 PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION 
 
 WOMAN'S LIBRARY CLUB 
 
 PARK SYSTEM 
 
 GLENCOE PUBLIC LIBRARY 
 
 SKOKIE COUNTRY CLUB 
 
 LAKE SHORE COUNTRY CLUB 
 
 WORTH WHILE CLUB 
 
Glencoe History to 1870 
 
 1 
 
 When Chicago was barely two 
 years old and had a population of 
 less than five hundred, a sturdy 
 pioneer rowed his wife and baby 
 son up the shore of Lake Michigan 
 in an open boat and landed on the 
 beach at the foot of what is now 
 Harbor street, Glencoe. He said 
 he didn't like Chicago because it 
 was too crowded, but also remarked 
 that he was looking for higher 
 ground than Chicago. So on the 
 wooded bluff overlooking the lake, 
 be built himself a log cabin and in 
 so doing, in the spring of 1835, 
 Anson H. Taylor became the first 
 white resident in the corporate 
 limits of what is now Glencoe. His 
 land consisted of a quarter section 
 for which he paid $189.94. 
 
 Builds La Pier House 
 
 On the high ground just west of 
 the lake ran an old Indian trail 
 along which passed wagon loads of 
 settlers on their way to the great 
 Northwest. Taylor was a builder 
 by trade so here he decided to build 
 a two-story frame building. This 
 was soon completed and named 
 
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 La Pier House. It housed a small 
 store and post office which served 
 the small settlement. For nearly 
 half a century the doors of this hos- 
 pitable inn swung wide to travelers 
 one night out from Chicago and to 
 those going much further west. A 
 Spanish stucco house — the former 
 home of Dr. and Mrs. Dwight C. 
 Orcutt, stands on this spot now, but 
 the evergreen trees lining the drive- 
 way are the same ones planted by 
 Mr. Taylor himself so many years 
 before. 
 
 As envelopes and stamps were un- 
 known in those days, a letter was 
 folded, usually sealed with wax, and 
 carried by riders or a stage coach 
 driver. 
 
 Called "Taylorsport" 
 
 Taylorsport was the name of this 
 settlement and it so remained until 
 the Civil War. 
 
 Here at the foot of Harbor street 
 a 500-foot pier ran out into the lake 
 from which cord wood was trans- 
 ported to Chicago by two schooners, 
 one the "John Lillie," the other the 
 "Garter," each carrying from 25 to 
 30 cords of wood. 
 
 These were pioneer days full of 
 hardship and trials. At first the set- 
 tlers were occupied with clearing the 
 land of its heavy timber, the larger 
 trees being selected for the cutting. 
 After this was done they turned to 
 farming, raising sugar cane, flax 
 from which their linen was woven 
 by hand, vegetables for their own 
 needs and feed for their stock. Hand- 
 made candles lighted their homes 
 by night and about the only books to 
 be had were the cherished family 
 Bible, a few early school books, and 
 the dictionary. 
 
 Wild game was very plentiful — 
 geese, doves, and wild pigeons as 
 well as deer, rabbits and ducks. It 
 was said when flocks of pigeons 
 rose from the Skokie marshes or 
 settled into them, they darkened the 
 sun just like a cloud, they were so 
 thick. 
 
 Turnbull Brothers Arrive 
 
 Around this time, about 1838, (only 
 five years after signing the treaty 
 with the Indians), William and 
 Thomas Turnbull settled at the north 
 end of Glencoe, building their homes 
 where the club house of the Glencoe 
 Golf club is located. They were of 
 English descent and took up this 
 land in order to begin farming. 
 
 Almost at the same time came 
 another English family, Robert Dag- 
 gitt, his wife and nine children. He 
 was a cabinet maker by trade, and 
 the tools he brought with him from 
 England were of great value in 
 building the early homes in this 
 
Anson H. Taylor 
 
 He bought a quarter section of 
 land from the Government at the 
 prevailing price of $1.25 per acre. 
 This was the lake shore east of 
 Ravinia park. 
 
 During the next few years he con- 
 tinued to purchase land until he had 
 about one thousand acres adjacent 
 to the Turnbull property. The death 
 of two small daughters in the Dag- 
 gitt family as well as that of a 
 seventeen-year-old son killed by a 
 falling tree brought the necessity 
 for a cemetery nearer than Chicago. 
 
 The father looked over his prop- 
 erty and decided on a sandy knoll 
 of half an acre, east on County Line 
 road, and here his family and early 
 neighbors were laid away. Many 
 North-end residents rest there now. 
 Other Pioneers Soon Follow 
 
 In 1839, Fite Deittrich, a match- 
 maker by trade, who had come to 
 Chicago to escape the Napoleonic 
 wars, built a log cabin on the site 
 occupied now by the Paul Battey 
 home, and began farming. 
 
 In 1842, Wolfgang Louidel took up 
 his farm where Skokie Heights now 
 is while the land owned by Skokie 
 Country club became the farm of 
 Michael Gormley. 
 
 There were four families here at 
 this time, namely Taylor, Gormley, 
 Turnbull, and Louidel. Soon, how- 
 ever, more emigrants from Germany 
 came and the names of Fehd, 
 
 Schneider and Beinlich were added 
 to the list of residents; the latter 
 farm being where the North School 
 now stands. 
 
 Erect Log Schoolhouse 
 
 Taylorsport all this while was 
 growing, too, and in 1850, the need 
 for a school arose. So a log school 
 was built on Green Bay road, near 
 Montgomery street, beside a huge 
 hickory which still stands, though 
 the school has long been gone. One 
 man from the North-end used to 
 bring his small son to school on 
 his back and called for him at night, 
 carrying him home the same way. 
 Nearby, too, are some twin maples 
 used in the early days by survey- 
 ors as a point from which to run 
 their lines. 
 
 Taylor not only served as Post- 
 master, but as Justice of the Peace 
 for New Trier township during Abra- 
 ham Lincoln's presidency. 
 
 In 1848, 21 Mile House was built 
 on Green Bay road and County line, 
 which was a stage coach stop until 
 the railroad went through. During 
 the winter, sleighing parties drove 
 the 21 miles from Chicago and spent 
 the night, sometimes returning the 
 next day, sometimes staying longer. 
 
 Such well known men as John 
 Wentworth, Mr. Clybourne, and Ira 
 Couch often brought their families 
 and friends; though the men often 
 came alone, staying a week or more 
 to go hunting. 
 
 As early as 1855, C. C. Parks 
 
 Michael Gormley 
 
William J. Turnbull 
 
 bought land and built a steam saw- 
 mill for sawing logs which were 
 shipped away to Chicago by boat. 
 Later when the railroad was built 
 he supplied much wood for the early 
 wood-burning engines. 
 
 An early resident of Highland 
 Park recalls going by on the train 
 and seeing stacks of cord wood 
 along the right-of-way in Taylors- 
 port. The mill stood in about the 
 center of the park that is on the 
 north side of Harbor street, and the 
 railroad. Just north of the mill 
 charcoal pits were operated and 
 their output was drawn to Chicago 
 by ox team. 
 
 Mr. Tapper told of his very early 
 memory of running to the Green 
 Bay road when he heard the "Gee," 
 and "Haw," for he knew he would 
 see the oxteams going along, usual- 
 ly four teams together. 
 
 Hail Railroad Line 
 
 There was a road east of Green 
 Bay road which was called Colum- 
 bus avenue. Later the name was 
 changed to Military road because 
 the soldiers from the Civil war 
 worked on it before they were mus- 
 tered out. When Fort Sheridan was 
 built the road was extended to that 
 point, paved and called Sheridan 
 road. Rumors of a railroad were 
 now heard and in 1854, a survey was 
 made. Work was started and on 
 January 20, 1855, the first train ran 
 on the Milwaukee road, now the 
 
 Chicago and North Western railroad. 
 It made a run from Chicago to 
 Waukegan, a distance of thirty-six 
 miles, in three hours, carrying the 
 mayor of Chicago and other promi- 
 nent citizens. Settlers gathered all 
 along the way to see the new marvel 
 slowly pass by. Taylorsport would 
 not give concessions asked by the 
 railroad so the station was located 
 one mile north. English capital 
 built the railroad and that is why 
 it is left-handed. 
 
 The first accommodation train, 
 known as the Waukegan train, con- 
 sisted of a locomotive, one baggage 
 car and one passenger coach, which 
 carried twelve passengers. Other 
 trains added later were the Funeral 
 train, stopping at Rosehill, then 
 Kenosha, and the Milwaukee. The 
 old anvil on which the rails were 
 made was in the possession of the 
 Turnbull family until a few years 
 ago. 
 
 The first land grant in the Glencoe 
 development was bought by Alex- 
 ander Brant and James Murray on 
 March 10, 1843. Later it was bought 
 by George W. Dole May 26, 1853, 
 and sold to Franklin Newhall July 
 11, 1863. 
 
 Center of Village Was Stock Farm 
 
 In the center of the area that was 
 to become Glencoe, was an old stock 
 farm owned by Matthew D. Coe, a 
 man who possessed large grants 
 
 George Louidal 
 
extending north of Highland Park 
 and west to Libertyville. In 1853 he 
 sold the stock farm to his son-in- 
 law, Walter S. Gurnee. Here the 
 latter built a stately home, land- 
 scaped the grounds, planted rare 
 trees and shrubs imported from 
 Scotland, England and even far- 
 away China. Some of these are 
 still to be found on these grounds. 
 
 Mr. Gurnee rose from the owner 
 of a saddlery and hardware shop 
 to be Mayor of Chicago in the early 
 fifties. He was one of the first direc- 
 tors of the Board of Trade, and 
 Chamber of Commerce. At the time 
 of the building of his Glencoe home 
 he was the president of the Chicago 
 and Milwaukee railroad (Chicago 
 and North Western), and trains ran 
 as far as Little Fort (Waukegan). 
 The station was built where it is 
 now located. 
 
 Origin of Name "Glencoe" 
 
 Here it is well to trace the origin 
 of the name Glencoe. Some hold 
 that because of our many ravines 
 (glens) and in honor of his wife's 
 maiden name, Coe, Mr. Gurnee 
 named it Coe's glen or Glencoe. 
 Others believe it was named for 
 his native town of Glencoe, Scotland. 
 Our village seal and Library Book 
 Plate both carry the emblem of 
 Glencoe, Scotland. 
 
 In 1867, Mr. Gurnee sold his home 
 to Dr. Alexander Hammond, a man 
 with vision and ideals, who early 
 saw the unusual beauty in this 
 locality. Very soon the idea of 
 founding a town was born and then 
 came the question of finding men 
 who would see things as he did and 
 not be too commercial. In read- 
 ing a manuscript he wrote, we see 
 it weighed very heavily upon him. 
 He conferred with many and most 
 of them could not get his vision and 
 were a disappointment. One of the 
 group finally selected however, Dr. 
 John Nutt, was a man after his own 
 heart, and lent great aid because 
 he foresaw with Dr. Hammond this 
 ideal community. They now made 
 the acquaintance of Charles E. 
 Browne of Evanston, who was a 
 business man and very keen about 
 the whole matter. 
 
 The Vision Becomes Reality 
 
 They decided to form a company 
 of ten men who should draw an 
 agreement which was to hold for five 
 years. Each man was to pay $5,000 
 and to subscribe $500 in addition 
 for church and school; also to pay 
 
 $100 a year for five years to main- 
 tain a pastor and $50 a year for five 
 years for a teacher. One hundred 
 dollars was to be paid yearly for 
 roads and shrubbery. At this time 
 the present park at the foot of Park 
 avenue was set aside to be used as 
 a park forever. 
 
 The men who entered into the 
 above agreement were John J. 
 Beveridge, Philo Judson, Luther L. 
 Greenleaf, Charles H. Morse, Chan- 
 cellor Jenks, Stephen P. Lunt, Dr. 
 John Nutt, Dr. Starr, Charles E. 
 Browne and Dr. Alexander Ham- 
 mond. Dr. Hammond was made the 
 head and each was to share equally, 
 this project of about 683 acres. Each 
 man was to build one home for him- 
 self to live in and one more to be 
 sold. 
 
 Pioneer Home Builders 
 
 Philo Judson of Evanston built 
 the house known as Cloverly, later 
 the Johnson house, where the public 
 library is now located, and one on 
 the site of Hazelcrest Apartments. 
 Church services and Sunday school 
 were held here before the Congre- 
 gational (now Union) Church was 
 built. 
 
 Luther Greenleaf also of Evans- 
 ton, built two houses; one on the 
 northwest corner, the other on the 
 southwest corner of Park and Green- 
 wood avenues, but he never lived 
 here. 
 
 Dr. Hammond was living in the 
 Gurnee house as his home and di- 
 rectly across the tracks he built a 
 lovely manor house — now gone. 
 
 Charles E. Browne built the house 
 where the Grassets now live and 
 the one beside it that is just like it. 
 
 Dr. John Nutt built his own home 
 on Hazel Avenue, now gone, and one 
 on Sheridan road and Hazel avenue 
 where Mr. Harry Misch now has 
 his home. 
 
 Chancellor Jenks built one at the 
 northwest corner of Sheridan and 
 Hazel avenues — not a pretentious 
 home, although he was the wealth- 
 iest man of all. Chancellor Jenks 
 never lived here, nor did Stephen 
 P. Lunt. Their homes and main 
 interests were in Evanston. 
 
 Dr. Starr built a large, roomy, 
 white frame house at the corner of 
 Hawthorne avenue and Green Bay 
 road, now long torn down. Three 
 of the ten men in the Glencoe Agree- 
 ment were never residents of the 
 village and did not build a home 
 here. 
 
A little later, Franklin (Grandpa) 
 Newhall and his brother built their 
 homes and several others built here 
 so that at the time the village was 
 finally established there were 
 twenty-six homes in its limits. 
 
 It is interesting to note that all 
 these homes were frame buildings 
 in a settlement depending entirely 
 upon wells and cisterns for their 
 water supply. 
 
 It is also to be noted that not one 
 descendant of these developers re- 
 sides in Glencoe today, while al- 
 most every one of the pioneer fam- 
 ilies is well represented. 
 
 The subdivision was recorded on 
 Oct. 19, 1868, and the village was 
 incorporated on the 28th of the fol- 
 lowing March. 
 
 The men mentioned were all 
 prominent in their time; some later 
 were governors of the state, some 
 mayors of Chicago, and several of 
 them were men who had much to 
 do in the affairs of Evanston. 
 Some Early Street Names 
 
 Now came the planning of the land 
 divisions and streets, with much 
 discussion as to names. Finally it 
 was decided that the women should 
 name the east and west streets and 
 the men take care of the rest. The 
 result was the old maps show the 
 east and west streets named after 
 birds and trees, for example Hazel 
 avenue used to be Oriole avenue and 
 Park avenue was Eagle avenue — the 
 names were changed to the present 
 ones later. 
 
 Franklin Newhall, known later as 
 Grandpa Newhall, to all the chil- 
 
 Home of Matthew 
 D . Coe . Later 
 home of Walter 
 Gur n e e , then 
 home of Dr. Ham- 
 mond, and in 1887 
 remodeled by 
 George Ligare for 
 his home. 
 
 dren, acquired his property in north- 
 east Glencoe in 1869 and aided the 
 "ten men" in every way possible, 
 though he was not actually a mem- 
 ber of the group. However, he 
 agreed to build a home too, which 
 was completed in the summer of 
 1869. 
 
 The first village election was held 
 in April, 1870, the polling place be- 
 ing the old depot which is now the 
 freight depot. Mr. Michael Schin- 
 ler was the first station agent in the 
 early days, assisted by his wife, who 
 flagged the trains which at that time 
 stopped for passengers on signal 
 only. 
 
 Early Records Lost in Fire 
 
 Unfortunately, the early council 
 records which were kept in Chicago 
 were burned in the Great Chicago 
 Fire, October 8 and 9, 1871, and we 
 have no official record of the first 
 council of the Village of Glencoe. 
 
 Franklin Newhall, who was here 
 at the time, said that Philo Judson 
 was the first president of the Vil- 
 lage. 
 
 Records show that a complete 
 council was elected in April, 1871, 
 consisting of Porter N. Sherwood, 
 president; Dr. John Starr, Dr. John 
 Nutt, Mr. Hovey, Mr. Newhall and 
 Mr. Pinney, councilmen. 
 
 So, here we find established an 
 ideal village as to location and 
 ideals by men whose characters 
 were of the finest. 
 
 They spared no time or labor to 
 make it all it was hoped it would 
 be, and in passing, left it to others 
 to carry on in their tradition. 
 
It is indeed a trust, worthy to be 
 carried on, and it is today our proud 
 possession, which each newcomer 
 to this village seems to sense. 
 
 May all who come within our 
 boundaries in the years to come 
 catch this fine spirit and continue 
 our traditions as those in the past 
 have done. 
 
 The Village Corporate 
 
 Glencoe, a small settlement of 
 some 25 or 30 scattered homes, 
 a store or two, a church, a country 
 school and a railway station, con- 
 nected by dirt roads and an occa- 
 sional plank or gravel walk, was 
 incorporated as a Village, March 29, 
 1869. The incorporation was under 
 a Special Charter granted by act of 
 the State Legislature. The area in- 
 cluded within the corporate limits 
 was about the same as now, except 
 for the north-westerly section, which 
 was annexed in 1926. It was wooded 
 and traversed by deep ravines, with 
 farm lands in the western portion. 
 
 Of modern conveniences there 
 were none, in fact a large propor- 
 tion of the utilities which today are 
 considered necessities were not in- 
 vented. 
 
 It is the purpose of this article 
 to trace the development of Glencoe 
 as a corporate body through the 
 interval of years since 1869. The 
 material has been collected from 
 the Village records, particularly the 
 minutes of meetings of the Village 
 council, and the ordinances passed 
 by the council. 
 
 As stated in another article, the 
 records prior to Oct. 8, 1871 had 
 been destroyed in the great Chicago 
 fire. The existing minutes start im- 
 mediately thereafter. 
 
 Council meetings, at first a weekly 
 occurrence, were held in the school- 
 room in the rear of the church, but 
 in severe weather when heating was 
 difficult, the council adjourned to 
 the railroad station. After the school 
 building was erected in 1872 meet- 
 ings were held there. 
 
 In 1873 very formal rules were 
 
 adopted, 43 in all, and covering 9 
 pages of the minutes. At that time 
 the form of the corporate seal was 
 revised and a metal stamp of more 
 elaborate design substituted for the 
 pen scroll which had been the seal. 
 Council Controlled Schools 
 
 The charter conferred upon the 
 Village council control of schools, 
 and that subject looms large in all 
 the early minutes. However, as the 
 schools will be treated by another 
 writer, that subject will be left en- 
 tirely to her. 
 
 With the schools thus disposed of, 
 the next most important subject 
 appears to have been that of side- 
 walks. Of the first 10 ordinances 
 passed, 5 refer to sidewalks, stipu- 
 lating requisites for lawful side- 
 walks and specifying locations. They 
 provide for construction by Special 
 Assessment, unless the property 
 owners preferred to construct their 
 own, within the prescribed specifi- 
 cations. In some places individuals 
 used gravel but the sidewalk of 2 
 inch planks, 5 ft. 3 in. wide was 
 standard until concrete walks began 
 to appear about 1892. 
 
 In 1893 ordinances were passed 
 for short sections of concrete, where 
 plank walks were inadequate. Con- 
 crete gradually replaced planks and 
 by 1909 a general system of concrete 
 walks had been provided., 
 
 Snow plowing started early, not 
 only early in the history of the vil- 
 lage but early in the morning. In 
 1886 the street commissioner was 
 instructed to commence clearing the 
 sidewalks with snowplows not later 
 than 5 a.m. In 1888 two additional 
 plows were purchased. This work 
 now is done with tractors and both 
 sidewalks and streets are cleared 
 promptly. In this respect Glencoe 
 villagers always have fared much 
 better than many city residents. 
 Poll Tax in Vogue 
 
 The streets were mere dirt roads, 
 very few blocks even graded and 
 in wet weather deep mud was the 
 rule. In the spring and summer of 
 1872 Eagle avenue (now Park ave- 
 nue) was graded from the railroad 
 to Bluff street. 
 
 This was done under the State 
 poll-tax law which required every 
 male inhabitant between 21 and 50 
 to labor on the roads two days each 
 year, or to pay the $2 tax. 
 
 Other streets followed but only 
 as dirt roads or turnpikes, with 
 ditches along the sides for drainage, 
 until the summer of 1886 when an 
 
ordinance was passed for graveling 
 Vernon avenue from Eagle avenue 
 to South avenue. The graveling was 
 by Special assessment and was not 
 actually accomplished until two 
 years later. 
 
 Other streets were treated to a 
 gravel surface and in 1891 an ordi- 
 nance was passed providing for 
 macadamizing portions of a number 
 of specified streets, both east and 
 west of the tracks. 
 
 As part of a highway from Chi- 
 cago to Fort Sheridan the route 
 through Glencoe from the south 
 limits to Central avenue (now Beach 
 
 or otherwise, slowed down the speed 
 by making travel uncomfortable. 
 
 Some concrete pavement had been 
 laid as early as 1919 and Sheridan 
 road was paved with concrete 
 about 1925. 
 
 Brick pavements in the business 
 section were constructed in 1914. 
 
 In recent years funds received 
 from the State as Glencoe's share 
 of gasoline tax have been used for 
 resurfacing some "arterial" streets. 
 The work is done by the street 
 department. 
 
 In 1888 a surveyor was employed 
 to determine proper drainage of 
 
 Road West of Depot Before Paving Days. 
 
 road) had been located after much 
 controversy. North of Central ave- 
 nue there was no street, but Frank- 
 lin W. Newhall, Melvin E. Stone, 
 Sylvan Newhall, Jonathan W. Plum- 
 mer, and the Phoenix Insurance 
 company dedicated, opened and 
 graded a new street extending from 
 Sheridan road to the County line. 
 All of the expense preparatory to 
 the macadam pavement was borne 
 by them. 
 
 As the volume of automobile traf- 
 fic grew, Sheridan road became a 
 popular drive and frequent attempts 
 were made to regulate the speed. 
 The "bumps," which brought con- 
 siderable notoriety to Glencoe, were 
 brick crosswalks made higher than 
 ordinary, and whether intentionally 
 
 streets. Various plans were studied, 
 catch basins installed and drain pipe 
 laid in places, but no real solution 
 was found until systematic grading 
 and paving of the streets was accom- 
 plished and storm sewers installed 
 in connection with paving. 
 Water 
 
 The water supply from wells 
 seems to have been adequate in the 
 early days, except on occasions 
 when some wells ran dry and water 
 was hauled from the lake or drawn 
 from neighboring wells. 
 
 At sundry times some sort of a 
 water system was broached but no 
 feasible means of pumping and 
 piping was found. In 1892 in re- 
 sponse to a petition signed by 60 
 voters a committee was appointed to 
 
obtain an estimate of the cost of 
 service pipes. 
 
 The Village of Winnetka was plan- 
 ning a water works system and pro- 
 posed supplying Glencoe at the rate 
 of 8 cents per thousand gallons, 
 which arrangement was consum- 
 mated in the summer of 1893. Mains 
 were laid connecting with the Win- 
 netka system at the Village limits 
 at which point the water was 
 metered. Distribution to citizens 
 was by private meter and at some 
 profit to the Village of Glencoe. 
 
 In 1927 the Village decided to con- 
 struct a pumping station of its own 
 which was opened in May 1928. Fur- 
 ther reference to this plant will be 
 made later. 
 
 Bucket Brigades Fought Fires 
 
 As early as 1874, probably spurred 
 to some extent by the recent con- 
 flagration in Chicago, the council 
 was petitioned to take some meas- 
 ures to lessen the danger of fire 
 in woods and prairie. However, no 
 more efficient apparatus than 
 "bucket brigades" was provided 
 until the water system was installed. 
 Thereafter, hydrants were available 
 for the attachment of hose and the 
 pressure was sufficient to permit of 
 quite efficient use of hose lines. 
 Volunteer firemen provided the 
 human element. In the fall of 1894 
 the Village purchased 650 ft. of hose 
 with "play pipes" and a hose 
 wagon. This was at the time that 
 the Village Hall was erected and 
 provision was made in the north 
 room of the building for housing 
 fire equipment. Provision was made 
 for payment of $4 for the use of the 
 first horse which was made avail- 
 able to haul the hose wagon to the 
 scene of the fire. 
 
 A few years later a regular Volun- 
 teer Hose company was organized, 
 consisting of 13 men. 
 
 The fire company was reorgan- 
 ized in 1905 under the control of 
 the council. The membership was 
 composed of those residing in the 
 immediate vicinity of the Fire Hall 
 and having telephone connection. A 
 number of these public-spirited citi- 
 zens are still here. The Telephone 
 company would not permit the use 
 of its poles for an alarm system, 
 but did cooperate in relaying calls 
 by phone. 
 
 The first local telephone exchange 
 was in Holste's store at the south- 
 west corner of Park and Vernon 
 avenues in 1896. 
 
 Later development has been in 
 keeping with the increase in popula- 
 tion and the scientific improvements 
 in equipment. The present efficient 
 exchange is located in the com- 
 pany's own building at 724 Vernon 
 avenue. 
 
 First Sewers in 1900 
 
 Naturally, sanitary sewers were 
 not considered prior to a system of 
 water supply. After several ineffec- 
 tual attempts to provide a sewage 
 system, Frank A. Windes presented 
 preliminary plans, and in March, 
 1900, was authorized to complete 
 plans and specifications for a sys- 
 tem of sewers. In May the contract 
 was let for a sewer in Hazel avenue 
 from Greenwood avenue to the lake. 
 Bacteria beds were installed at the 
 lake for filtration and purification 
 of the sewage before allowing the 
 water to pass into the lake. After 
 a few years as the volume increased 
 with added connections to the main 
 sewer a better method became im- 
 perative. 
 
 There was agitation for a west- 
 slope sewer and about 1906 sewers 
 were constructed with septic tanks 
 at their Skokie terminals. 
 
 The Chicago Sanitary district was 
 planning an outlet sewer extending 
 along the Skokie Valley and empty- 
 ing into the drainage canal at Wil- 
 mette. This was to serve the North 
 Shore communities within Cook 
 county. In 1913 a contract was made 
 with the Sanitary District for the 
 installation inside the Village limits 
 of a system of intercepting sewers 
 to connect with the Skokie outlet 
 sewer. An election was held and a 
 bond issue of $10,000 authorized. 
 Connection of sewers then existing 
 and since constructed, all drain into 
 this system. 
 
 Install Oil Lamps 
 
 Street lighting began when a few 
 citizens proposed installing oil 
 lamps on posts along the principal 
 streets and donating them if the 
 Village would take control and 
 maintain them. Starting with six 
 lamps the system grew to 35 or 
 more, with an official lamp-lighter. 
 Several different types of improved 
 burners were tried but it was still 
 oil until electricity arrived. This 
 applies to homes as well as streets. 
 The subject of electric lighting for 
 homes had been investigated as 
 early as 1892, without results. In 
 January, 1902, a franchise was 
 granted to the Highland Park Elec- 
 
 10 
 
trie Light company (now the Public 
 Service company), and house light- 
 ing began. One arc light was in- 
 stalled for street lighting in Janu- 
 ary, 1903, and in December, 1903 a 
 contract for 46 arc lights was made 
 with the Highland Park Electric 
 company. 
 
 The substitution of incandescent 
 lamps for arc lights for street light- 
 ing began in 1912. 
 
 Gas from the North Shore Gas 
 company was negotiated the same 
 year as the electric service for 
 homes. 
 
 Had Live Stack Problem 
 
 Stray live stock irked the citizens 
 and council. Various ordinances and 
 regulations providing for impound- 
 ing, fines and other attempts at con- 
 trol appear in the records. One 
 strong resolution in 1885 describes 
 Glencoe as "the only remaining vil- 
 lage on the Lake Shore where large 
 numbers of cattle and horses are at 
 all times unrestrained and endanger 
 lives of children." Probably an ex- 
 aggeration, but indicative of the 
 wealth of the village in live stock. 
 Some Village officials who owned 
 cows failed to keep them within 
 bounds and were fined. 
 
 Garbage and refuse disposal 
 grew, as did other needed services, 
 from individual care of waste mate- 
 rial, and collection by a few scaven- 
 gers for dumping near by, until the 
 need for an incinerator became 
 quite apparent. The incinerator plant 
 on Skokie highway was built in 1930 
 and efficiently serves not only Glen- 
 coe but by contract disposes of Win- 
 netka garbage also. 
 
 Erect Village Hall in 1894 
 
 In 1893 the Village was offered a 
 site for a Village Hall, 97 feet front- 
 ing on Vernon avenue for $1,000. 
 It was accepted and a barn was 
 built on the rear of the lots that 
 summer. Tentative plans presented 
 early in 1894 were accepted and that 
 year a bond issue provided funds 
 for the erection of a Village Hall 
 "with jail and other necessary of- 
 fices." It was to house the fire ap- 
 paratus in the north section. The 
 central portion provided a com- 
 modius council chamber with rail- 
 ing and desks, and the clerk's office 
 in the southeast corner room, and a 
 stairway, as now, to the second 
 floor which was an Assembly Hall. 
 
 In 1917 the one-story fire engine 
 house and police station was added 
 on the south, the front entrances 
 
 and interior arrangements changed 
 to accommodate the growing official 
 business of the Village. The second 
 floor was thereafter used as a Coun- 
 cil chamber. The present garage 
 and shop building were added in 
 1933. 
 
 Original Village 
 Certain areas of the Village were 
 platted and laid out in blocks. The 
 "original village" of Glencoe was 
 platted much earlier than the date 
 of incorporation. It comprised 50 
 blocks bounded approximately by 
 Central avenue, (now Beach road) 
 and Green Bay road on the north 
 and South avenue on the south. 
 Other properties within the cor- 
 porate limits of the Village had 
 been, or were later subdivided and 
 described as Additions to Glencoe, 
 or Additions to Taylorsport. A 
 portion of Taylorsport was included 
 within the southeast corporate 
 limits of Glencoe, and the re- 
 mainder in Winnetka. 
 
 Club Buys Gormley Farm 
 
 As these subdivisions and ad- 
 ditions were laid out, a plat was re- 
 quired to be approved by the Vil- 
 lage. Space will not permit further 
 reference to them by name, except 
 mention of the fact that most of 
 Gormley' s Addition, which had been 
 his farm, was later sold to the 
 Skokie Country club and the streets 
 and alleys were vacated by the 
 council. The territory which in- 
 cludes Glencoe Woods, Skokie 
 Heights, Skokie Ridge and the Lake 
 Shore Country club was annexed to 
 the Village in 1926. 
 
 Several maps and atlases were 
 ordered for the use of the Village, 
 among them Gormley's map of 
 Glencoe about 1890. Probably the 
 most useful in the administration of 
 Village affairs are the atlases show- 
 ing the location and character of 
 water mains, sewers, sidewalks and 
 pavements. 
 
 Started Health Rules Early 
 
 Health regulations began as early 
 as 1872 when a Board of Health 
 was appointed by the council. 
 
 Noxious weeds, particularly 
 Canada thistles and poison ivy, 
 have been fought since 1879, but 
 never conquered. 
 
 Wagon scales were authorized in 
 several places and in 1902 an or- 
 dinance was passed requiring coal, 
 grain, hay, etc., to be weighed on 
 a public scale. The scale generally 
 
 11 
 
used thereafter was located op- 
 posite the Village hall and was sub- 
 ject to Village inspection. 
 
 Electric Road Problems 
 
 In 1897 the Bluff City Electric 
 Street Railway company solicited a 
 franchise through Glencoe along the 
 east side of the Chicago and North 
 Western right-of-way. Objections to 
 the location and other complications 
 delayed final approval of a fran- 
 chise to the Chicago and Milwaukee 
 Electric railway, successor to the 
 Bluff City, until the summer of 1898. 
 
 The question of a subway at Hazel 
 avenue caused further delay, but in 
 the summer of 1899 this was ad- 
 justed and construction proceeded. 
 
 One of the stipulations was that 
 the company should furnish electric 
 street lights along its right-of-way. 
 Other provisions such as stopping 
 all trains at Park avenue, speed 
 limits, etc. were controversial sub- 
 jects during the succeeding years. 
 The location of a shelter and wait- 
 ing-room authorized at Park avenue 
 could not be arranged on C.& NW. 
 property south of Park avenue and 
 consequently a temporary site was 
 provided in the street on the south 
 side of Park avenue directly west 
 of the C. & M. railway tracks. The 
 building was to be "artistic and 
 sightly in appearance" and to be 
 removed on 30 days notice. This 
 "artistic" building has just been re- 
 moved, in 1944. The location of a 
 permanent station is not yet settled. 
 
 The Hazel avenue subway was 
 constructed jointly by the Village 
 and the C & NW railway. A subway 
 drain was necessary and an 18"-tile 
 was laid to the lake. 
 
 New Era Begins in 1914 
 
 The subjects heretofore mentioned 
 all had their inception in the needs 
 and aspirations of the early days 
 and for that reason have been 
 treated at length. 
 
 About 1914 what might be termed 
 a new era, began. A radical change 
 was made in the method of con- 
 ducting business. A Village 
 Manager was employed to relieve 
 the members of the council of a 
 large amount of detail and to unify 
 and coordinate departmental ac- 
 tivities. 
 
 The idea of having someone in 
 
 local charge of the Village activities 
 had been in the minds of the busy 
 men who were giving freely much 
 of their valuable time. 
 
 As a forerunner of the Village 
 Manager, as early as 1901, the Vil- 
 lage clerk had been made "general 
 director" of all Village work with 
 authority between sessions to sus- 
 pend any employee. The arrange- 
 ment was temporary but indicative 
 of the desire of councilmen to be 
 relieved of details. 
 
 In 1918 the Village clerk and 
 other salaried officers were elected 
 with the understanding that remun- 
 eration should be $1 per year, and 
 the active duties performed by 
 deputies under the direction of the 
 council and Village Manager. This 
 plan, followed to the present, has 
 been a pronounced success. George 
 R. Young, present Village Manager 
 has been in charge since 1927. 
 Municipal Water Plant 
 The municipal pumping station is 
 complete in every detail necessary 
 to chemical treatment and filtra- 
 tion. The half-million gallon storage 
 tank located on the Skokie Highway 
 property serves to stabilize the 
 pressure at all times. 
 
 The first fire engine, an auto truck, 
 was purchased in 1915, and in 1923 
 a new fire truck was purchased and 
 full time firemen employed. The 
 present equipment is complete and 
 efficient. 
 
 The first patrol car for the Police 
 Department was purchased in 1922 
 and the present two-way radio 
 communication system was in- 
 stalled in 1937. 
 Zoning dates back to 1919. 
 Codification and printing of Vil- 
 lage ordinances, often considered, 
 was accomplished in 1929. The text 
 of the Village Charter, with which 
 this paper started, is printed on 
 the closing pages of that volume. 
 It will be seen that throughout 
 the three-quarters of a century of 
 activities, the Village of Glencoe has 
 kept pace with the times and with 
 other similar communities. 
 
 In 1912 there was a drinking foun- 
 tain for horses and dogs opposite the 
 postoffice, also one on Sheridan road 
 and Park avenue. 
 
 12 
 

 :: " ; . 
 
 ! : lliltl f lll ; : 
 
 Glencoe Fire Brigade — 1906 
 
 Street Names — Old and New 
 
 Edson avenue 1 
 George street [ 
 Central avenue J 
 
 (Taylorsport) 
 Columbus avenue } 
 Linwood avenue j" 
 Main avenue | Lakeside 
 
 Glencoe avenue } Lakeside 
 North avenue Lakeside 
 
 South street Lakeside 
 
 Maple avenue 
 
 Grove street (Mortimer's Sub.) 
 Melville avenue 
 Ravine street 
 St. Palos street 
 Eagle avenue 
 Central avenue 
 Prospect street (Vacated) 
 Downing avenue 
 Railroad avenue 
 Fletcher avenue 
 Oriole avenue 
 Evelyn street 
 
 Now Scott avenue 
 
 Now Sheridan road 
 
 Now Green Bay road 
 
 Now Glenwood avenue 
 
 Now Woodlawn avenue 
 
 Now South avenue 
 
 Now Fairview road 
 
 Now Hawthorne avenue 
 
 Now Mortimer road 
 
 Now Palos road 
 
 Now Park avenue 
 
 Now Beach road 
 
 Now Lincoln drive (approximately) 
 
 Now Greenleaf Avenue (north end) 
 
 Now Glencoe road 
 
 Now Skokie road 
 
 Now Hazel avenue 
 
 Now Euclid avenue 
 
 13 
 
Jesuit Mission 
 
 Probably the first white imprint made in this area was over 160 years ago 
 in the building of the log mission church by the Jesuit Fathers. 
 
 It was located just west of Roger Williams Avenue on Green Bay Road (the 
 old Indian Trail) and stood on a hill overlooking the trail and Skokie Valley, a 
 white cross gleaming from the roof of the little church. Here the Fathers served 
 their red brothers in death as well as in life for in the burying ground around 
 the mission the names were mostly Indian. 
 
 The building was blown down in the early 1890' s but its mission was over 
 long before that, and the parish moved to Highland Park. 
 
 Congregational (now Union) Church Established Early 
 
 Religious services were held in 
 the south part of what is now Glen- 
 coe, then called Taylor's Port, as 
 early as 1852. In the home of L. D. 
 Taylor and in the log school-house 
 on the "Green Bay Road" the Gos- 
 pel was preached and baptisms 
 were administered. Father St. Clair 
 and Rev. (afterwards Bishop) Ste- 
 phen M. Merrill, of the M. E. 
 church, are particularly remem- 
 bered in these services. 
 
 Regular Sabbath preaching was 
 commenced in the village of Glencoe 
 soon after its incorporation in 1869. 
 For a year or more these services 
 were conducted by transient supplies 
 (Rev. Henry L. Hammond, Congre- 
 gational, of Chicago, and Rev. L. L. 
 Knox, M. E. Church, Evanston, re- 
 peatedly), and were held sometimes 
 in the family residences, but gen- 
 erally in the school building which 
 had been erected on Green Bay 
 road, about midway between Maple 
 and Hawthorne avenues. 
 
 Almost immediately after the vil- 
 lage property had been subdivided, 
 lots 13, 14, 15 and 16 of block 19 
 were set apart as a site for a 
 church edifice. A plan of structure, 
 with estimate of cost was accepted 
 by the company. Subscriptions by 
 the incorporators and a few other 
 persons residing in the vicinity were 
 received and a neat and commodi- 
 ous structure, 30x50 feet, with a 
 
 wing 16x24 feet, was completed at a 
 cost of $3,500 and opened for public 
 services, with no restrictions as to 
 denominational name or creed. The 
 first services were conducted by 
 Rev. P. Judson, of the M. E. church, 
 Evanston. Methodists, Baptists and 
 Congregationalists, for a time alter- 
 nated in the pulpit supply. 
 
 During the year beginning Novem- 
 ber 1, 1870, Prof. S. C. Bartlett, 
 D.D. of Chicago Theological Semi- 
 nary, who had become a resident 
 of Glencoe, was invited to supply 
 the pulpit three-fourths of the time, 
 and, the following year, every Sab- 
 bath. A Sabbath school was estab- 
 lished, and a Wednesday evening 
 prayer meeting instituted. During 
 the summer of 1872 the Woman's 
 Missionary society auxiliary to the 
 Woman's Board of Missions of the 
 Interior was organized, Mrs. S. T. 
 Lockwood, secretary. In the autumn 
 of 1872 the conviction had become 
 deep and general that some closer 
 organization was required for the 
 best interests of religion in the com- 
 munity. 
 
 In accordance with a notice given 
 from the pulpit, Sunday, October 13, 
 1872, a general meeting of all inter- 
 ested was held on the third Wednes- 
 day evening of October. 
 
 The first distinct proposal that a 
 Congregational church should be 
 formed came from members of the 
 
 14 
 
Methodist and Baptist communions. 
 With absolute unanimity of feeling 
 and opinion, it was voted that a Con- 
 gregational church ought at once to 
 be organized. Several members of 
 other communions proposed to join 
 it, while all pledged it their interest 
 and co-operation. Rev. S. C. Bartlett, 
 S. T. Lockwood and P. N. Sherwood 
 were chosen as a committee to 
 arrange all the preliminaries of such 
 an organization. On the 23rd of Octo- 
 ber the committee reported a Con- 
 fession of Faith and a Covenant, 
 together with a Constitution and By- 
 laws, which on Wednesday, Octo- 
 ber 30th, were discussed, accepted 
 and adopted. 
 
 By letters missive a council was 
 called to meet at the church on 
 Tuesday, November 12th, to com- 
 plete the organization. The churches 
 invited were the Congregational of 
 Evanston, and the First, Union 
 Park, Leavitt Street and Tabernacle 
 Congregational churches of Chi- 
 cago; also Profs. F. W. Fisk, J. T. 
 Hyde and G. N. Boardman of the 
 Chicago Theological Seminary. The 
 council met at the time appointed, 
 and after a full examination of all 
 the circumstances and documents, 
 unanimously voted to proceed with 
 the customary exercises of organiza- 
 tion and recognition. These services 
 were performed at 7:30 o'clock in 
 the evening as follows: Reading the 
 minutes of the Council, by the 
 Scribe, Rev. E. N. Packard, of 
 Evanston; Invocation and Reading 
 of the Scriptures, by Rev. E. F. 
 Williams of the Tabernacle church, 
 Chicago; sermon by Prof. F. W. 
 Fisk; propounding the Confession 
 of Faith and Covenant, by Rev. 
 Moses Smith, of the Leavitt Street 
 church, Chicago; prayer of recog- 
 nition and consecration, by Rev. 
 Henry L. Hammond, Chicago; ad- 
 dress to the Church, by Rev. E. P. 
 Goodwin, of the First Congrega- 
 tional Church, Chicago. 
 
 List Organization Members 
 
 The following persons were organ- 
 ized into the Congregational Church 
 of Christ in Glencoe: 
 
 Samuel C. Bartlett, Mrs. Mary L. Bart- 
 lett, Edwin J. Bartlett, Miss Alice Bart- 
 lett, William A. Bartlett, Charles H. 
 Howard, Mrs. Kate F. Howard, Samuel 
 T. Lockwood, Mrs. Juliette P. Lockwood, 
 Mrs. Annie E. Nutt, Frederick W. New- 
 hall, Mrs. Ellen Newhall, Henry Wilson, 
 Mrs. Jane Wilson, Washington A. Nichols, 
 Mrs. Laura A. Newberry, Mrs. Carrie L. 
 Daggett, Augustus H. Hovey, Mrs. Alice 
 M. Hovey, Miss Hattie M. Hovey, Miss 
 Sarah J. Hovey, Archibald W. Fletcher, 
 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher, Porter N. Sher- 
 wood, Mrs. Sarah V. Sherwood, Mrs. 
 Jeannette C. Starr, Alexander Hammond, 
 George F. Newhall. 
 
 The first meeting of the organized 
 church was held Wednesday evening, 
 November 13, 1872, when the fol- 
 lowing officers were elected: Rev. 
 Samuel C. Bartlett, D.D., pastor; 
 Frederick W. Newhall, Charles H. 
 Howard, deacons; Henry Wilson, 
 clerk; Augustus H. Hovey, treas- 
 urer; Samuel T. Lockwood, Fred- 
 erick "W. Newhall, Porter N. Sher- 
 wood, Dr. John Nutt, G. H. C. Wil- 
 liams, trustees. 
 
 Augustus H. Hovey was continued 
 as superintendent of the Sabbath 
 school. In December following, Sam- 
 uel T. Lockwood was chosen Sab- 
 bath school superintendent, when 
 A. H. Hovey resigned, and a sched- 
 ule of benevolences was adopted as 
 follows: The American Board of 
 Commissioners for Foreign Mis- 
 sions; the American (now Congre- 
 gational) Home Missionary society, 
 the American Missionary associa- 
 tion; the American (now Congrega- 
 tional) Educational society; the 
 Church (now Congregational) and 
 Parsonage, Building society; and 
 the Congregational Publishing 
 society. 
 
 Build Church Addition 
 
 About this time an addition to the 
 church edifice, 18x30 feet, for prayer 
 meetings and social services, was 
 made. 
 
 In 1873-4, during the absence of 
 the pastor in foreign travel, the 
 Rev. J. W. Bradshaw supplied the 
 pulpit four months, May to August 
 1873, and the Rev. G. N. Boardman 
 of Chicago Theological Seminary, 
 during the succeeding winter. In 
 1875, during a three months' ab- 
 sence of the pastor, the Rev. Wash- 
 ington A. Nichols, of Lake Forest, 
 supplied the pulpit. In the autumn 
 of 1876, during another absence of 
 the pastor, Prof. F. D. Hemenway, 
 D.D., of Northwestern university, 
 became the regular pulpit supply. In 
 the summer of 1877, Dr. Bartlett, 
 having accepted the presidency of 
 Dartmouth college, resigned the 
 pastorate of the Glencoe church 
 and, with his family removed from 
 the village. Dr. Hemenway was at 
 once invited to the pastorate, which 
 office he filled one year. In June. 
 1879, the Rev. Thomas J. Volentine 
 accepted the call of the church and 
 served as pastor one year. 
 
 15 
 
I 
 
 Glencoe's Early Congregational Church 
 
 In September, 1880, by unanimous 
 vote of the church, the Rev. Hiram 
 Day, of Chatham, Mass., was in 
 vited to become pastor of Glencoe 
 church. He accepted the invitation 
 and at once entered the service, 
 which he continued for eight years. 
 During these years fifty persons 
 were added to the membership of 
 the church. In 1887, Mr. Day asked 
 for relief from the duties of the 
 pastorate and tendered his resigna- 
 tion. The church at once requested 
 the withdrawal of the resignation, 
 but secured Dr. G. B. Wilcox, of the 
 Chicago Theological Seminary, to 
 preach each Sabbath morning, and 
 continued Mr. Day's salary in full. 
 
 When in May, 1888, Mr. Day again 
 offered his resignation, testimonials 
 of high appreciation were unani- 
 mously adopted and spread upon 
 the church records, together with 
 the request that Mr. Day continue 
 his practical sympathy and counsel 
 with the church. 
 
 In October, 1888, the Rev. Moses 
 Smith was invited to the pastorate 
 of Glencoe church, with the pledge 
 of hearty support and co-operation. 
 In January, 1889, a Young People's 
 Society of Christian Endeavor was 
 organized, also a Young Ladies' Mis- 
 sionary society. In March following, 
 the Opportunity Club (Children's 
 Missionary society) was organized. 
 
 16 
 
During the summer of 1889 an asso- 
 ciation of gentleme n — Messrs. 
 Thomas Allen, Chas. E. Browne, 
 A. L. Dewar, Charles H. Howard, 
 George A. Ligare, Franklin New- 
 hall, Dr. John Nutt, George Scott 
 and Robert Scott— purchased lots on 
 Hazel avenue, between Greenleaf 
 and Green Bay road, and erected 
 an attractive, commodious and com- 
 plete home for the pastor. This en- 
 tire manse property, one hundred 
 foot front, including sixteen feet 
 donated by Charles H. Morse, was 
 deeded to the church in 1895. 
 
 Aid Shermerville Church 
 
 During the autumn of 1890, sev- 
 eral of the young people of Glencoe 
 church, with a few friends in Sher- 
 merville, now Northbrook, and vicin- 
 ity, undertook the support of a Sun- 
 day school in the school house of 
 Shermerville. In 1892 an ecclesias- 
 tical society, the Hope Union church 
 of Shermerville, was organized, 
 trustees appointed, and house of 
 worship commenced. This was com- 
 pleted and formally dedicated, free 
 from debt, in 1893. The Glencoe 
 friends had contributed $600, and 
 continued to aid the enterprise till 
 the spring of 1895. In 1892 the Wom- 
 an's Guild, a society for the aid of 
 the church, was organized at The 
 Manse. 
 
 During the autumn of 1895 and 
 the early part of 1896 the pastor, 
 the Rev. Moses Smith, was entirely 
 disabled by an accident to one of 
 his eyes. The church tendered him 
 a leave of absence for six months. 
 At the end of that time, Easter 
 Sunday, 1896, he resumed his work. 
 After a little more than a year of 
 service he became entirely blind and 
 resigned the pastorate, October 31, 
 1897. During the period that the pas- 
 tor was disabled the pulpit was 
 occupied by Prof. R. A. Jernberg, 
 Rev. William Burgess, Rev. E. F. 
 Williams, D.D., and Rev. J. M. 
 Sturtevant, D.D., each of whom 
 preached a number of weeks. 
 
 Modifications and improvements 
 in the church edifice have at suc- 
 cessive times been made. The pulpit, 
 which at first was set at the south 
 end, was removed, much to the re- 
 lief of the congregation, to the north 
 end. The movable partition which 
 originally divided the west wing 
 from the main audience room, was 
 removed, thus affording additional 
 as well as desirable sittings. The 
 original vestibule at the northwest 
 
 of the church was converted into 
 an apartment for the Sunday School 
 Library, and a more desirable en- 
 trance secured at the southwest 
 angle. In 1889 an excellent pipe organ 
 was purchased by a friend who de- 
 sired that his incognito be preserved, 
 and an orchestral alcove added to 
 the audience room. During the sum- 
 mer of 1896 the entire audience 
 room was refitted and its utmost 
 capacity utilized. New and stationary 
 seats were introduced; furnace 
 heating was adopted; two rooms 
 with increased facilities for the 
 social needs of the congregation 
 were added, and a new roofing 
 given to the entire building; the 
 whole at a cost of $3,000. 
 
 Great Friend of Missions 
 
 During its , entire history, Glencoe 
 church has maintained close rela- 
 tions with the wide field of Christian 
 evangelization. A monthly mission- 
 ary meeting, with reports from 
 home and foreign lands, was held 
 regularly for many years. Some 
 representatives of the church have 
 always shared in the executive de- 
 partment of the leading missionary 
 organizations, notably two corporate 
 members of the American board, 
 one secretary of the American Mis- 
 sionary Association, one secretary 
 and both the presidents of the Wom- 
 an's Board of Missions of the In- 
 terior. Two members of this church 
 have gone in person to missionary 
 fields— Rev. Samuel C. Bartlett, Jr., 
 commissioned by the American 
 Board to Japan in 1894, and Miss 
 Margaret A. Brown, missionary 
 teacher in Utah in 1888, under the 
 New West Education Commission. 
 
 Becomes a Union Church 
 
 In 1898 the Rev. A. M. Ingraham 
 came to the pastorate and remained 
 less than two years. Dr. Marcellus 
 W. Darling succeeded him, and 
 served until 1910 when he resigned 
 because of declining health. In Feb- 
 ruary 1910, Dr. Douglas H. Cornell, 
 accepted a call. He began his pas- 
 torate on the understanding that if 
 the relationship proved mutually ac- 
 ceptable the church would become 
 an independent, or interdenomina- 
 tional organization. On January 18, 
 1911, in accordance with this agree- 
 ment the church withdrew from 
 the Congregational association and 
 changed its name from the Congre- 
 gational Church of Christ in Glencoe 
 to Glencoe Union church. 
 
 17 
 
On November 12, 1910, the Church 
 Building erected in 1872 was com- 
 pletely destroyed by fire. Four days 
 later at a congregational meeting a 
 resolution was adopted to begin im- 
 mediately the erection of a new 
 building on the same site to cost 
 approximately $50,000. In slightly 
 over a year the first meeting was 
 held in the Sunday School room of 
 the new building, meanwhile serv- 
 ices had been held in the auditorium 
 of the public school house. On 
 March 31, 1912, the new church 
 building was dedicated. 
 
 In April, 1912, Mrs. Dwight C. 
 Orcutt became organist and choir 
 director. Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. 
 Hess were the donors of the fine 
 organ which was installed in the 
 new auditorium. A bronze tablet 
 was placed upon the front wall of 
 the auditorium at the right of the 
 pulpit as a memorial to Dr. Darling. 
 The bell in the church tower was 
 the gift of Jacob Schnur and William 
 Mortimer in the names of their 
 grandchildren. 
 
 During the years of the World 
 War the Church took an active part 
 in entertaining groups of men from 
 the Great Lakes Naval Training sta- 
 ion and from Fort Sheridan. 
 
 Miss Ruth L. Goss came as 
 church assistant on September 1, 
 1922. 
 
 On November 12 and 13, of 1922, 
 the Fiftieth Anniversary of the 
 Church was celebrated and a num- 
 ber of former members returned 
 from distant points for the occasion. 
 
 The church felt, as did all 
 churches, the financial stringency 
 during the years of depression. And 
 in 1931 certain retrenchments be- 
 came necessary in the matter of 
 current expenses. By June, 1937, the 
 church income had recovered suffi- 
 ciently to warrant calling Miss Ruth 
 C. Locke to the church staff to work 
 
 especially in the field of religious 
 education and young people's activi- 
 ties. She continued in this capacity 
 until February, 1941. 
 
 In June, 1941, Miss Gail Frank, 
 a graduate of the Presbyterian Col- 
 lege of Christian Education, entered 
 upon her duties as Director of Reli- 
 gious Education. 
 
 During the summer of 1932 a por- 
 trait of Dr. Cornell was painted by 
 Mr. F. R. Harper, and presented 
 by him to the Church on Septem- 
 ber 9, 1932. 
 
 On November 25, 1938, a grand 
 piano was presented to the Church 
 by Judge and Mrs. James H. 
 Wilkerson. 
 
 In October, 1941, a new pulpit 
 Bible was presented to the Church 
 by Mrs. Samuel G. Goss in memory 
 of her late husband. 
 
 In 1940, after 30 years incum- 
 bency Dr. Cornell felt that for the 
 best interest of the church he should 
 retire, but the officers dissuaded 
 him from doing so. Again in 1941 
 and 1942 this was repeated. But in 
 June 1943, after a serious illness 
 Dr. Cornell urged the congregation 
 to release him, to which the Church 
 acceded, the severance of the pas- 
 toral relation to take place on, or 
 about the 34th anniversary of his 
 installation. On February 5, 1944, 
 he conducted his final service as 
 the minister. Thereafter his relation- 
 ship with the Church was fixed by 
 the congregation as Minister 
 Emeritus. 
 
 It is significant that as long ago as 
 June 4, 1899, at a meeting of the 
 Men's Club of the Glencoe Congre- 
 gational Church, when the Rev. 
 Ingraham was pastor the subject dis- 
 cussed was The International Peace 
 Conference. 
 
 18 
 
Trinity Lutheran Church 
 
 Pictured above is the first edifice of Trinity Lutheran church, built 
 on the site of Green Bay road and County line in 1866. The structure 
 was razed in 1921. 
 
 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran 
 church, Glencoe, is one of the old- 
 est Lutheran churches in Cook 
 county. Among Lutherans in the Chi- 
 cagoland area it is generally con- 
 ceded to be the second oldest Luth- 
 eran church of the Missouri Synod 
 in the county. The oldest congrega- 
 tion is First St. Paul's Lutheran 
 church, now located at LaSalle and 
 Goethe Streets, Chicago. Trinity, 
 Glencoe, is a daughter church of 
 First St. Paul's. 
 
 History Traced to 1847 
 
 The beginnings of Trinity church 
 go back to the year 1847, when a 
 number of German immigrants 
 
 came to America and settled about 
 the Cook-Lake County line. In the 
 same year the church body known 
 as the Missouri Synod, of the Luth- 
 eran church of which Trinity church 
 is a member, was founded at First 
 St. Paul's church. The Rev. A. Selle 
 was at that time the pastor of First 
 St. Paul's church. Hearing of the 
 Lutheran settlement at the Cook- 
 Lake County line, he investigated 
 the possibility of conducting wor- 
 ship services among them. These 
 services were held monthly by the 
 Rev. Mr. Selle in the homes of the 
 parishioners, especially in that of the 
 John Fehd family. In 1853 Dr. Henry 
 
 19 
 
Wunder succeeded the Rev. Mr. 
 Selle as pastor at First St. Paul's, 
 also continuing to serve the Luther- 
 ans of this neighborhood. Most prim- 
 itive were the conditions which pre- 
 vailed in that period. The ministers 
 made the trip from Chicago by- 
 means of oxcarts. Later horses were 
 acquired. Then the North Western 
 Railway was built. When the congre- 
 gation was organized is not definitely 
 known. 
 
 Erect Edifice in 1867 
 
 By the year 1866 the congregation 
 felt itself strong enough to erect a 
 church building. An acre of land 
 was bought on Green Bay road near 
 the County line, and a subscription 
 was circulated among the members 
 to finance the land purchase and the 
 building program. The following 
 names appear on the subscription 
 list, which may be taken as a 
 membership list of the congregation 
 at that time: George Hesler, George 
 Rudolph, Frederick Knoll, Karl 
 Schneider, John Hesler, John Fehd, 
 Julius Nafe, Margaret Beinlich, 
 Abraham Frank, Martin Huesel, 
 John Wolff, William Ostermann, 
 Christoph Hohlfelder, George Rosen- 
 berger, Paulus Hoffmann, William 
 Bartmus, Carl Unbehauen, Kather- 
 ine Diesch, M. Gesch, John Pavil- 
 lard, Christoph Lehmann, Frederick 
 Nerich, Gottlieb Hesler, George 
 Schaefer, Eduard Mueller, Freder- 
 ick Kuhl, Frederick Truempler, Karl 
 Ludwig, Henry Tomfo, Frederick 
 Bauer, Henry Truempler, Frederick 
 Rudolph, Jacob Behrens, and Fred- 
 erick Helke. The church was built 
 the following year (1867) at a cost of 
 $649.89. Of this amount $614.23 had 
 been collected previously by sub- 
 scription, so that a church debt of 
 only $35.66 remained when the 
 church was completed. 
 
 Recounts Many Hardships 
 
 Writing his reminiscences on his 
 ninetieth birthday in 1929, George 
 Hesler, who was a leading member 
 of the congregation when the first 
 church was built, gives an interest- 
 ing sidelight of the conditions which 
 prevailed in the 1850' s and 1860's 
 when the congregation was in its 
 infancy. He writes: "There were 
 many hardships to endure. How- 
 ever, there was such a friendly 
 spirit of helpfulness among the 
 neighbors that we were happy then, 
 and certainly more content than we 
 are now. Money was not plentiful in 
 
 those days, an acre of land costing 
 about $5. Work was hard to find; 
 father was willing to undertake any 
 job that was offered at 50c per day. 
 The principal means of making a 
 living was the burning of charcoal. 
 This was sold in Chicago at the 
 price of 5c to 10c a bushel. The only 
 means of transportation was by 
 means of oxen. It took a charcoal 
 wagon three days to make the round 
 trip; one day going, the second sell- 
 ing, and the third returning. Another 
 source of revenue was that of chop- 
 ping cordwood, for which a man re- 
 ceived from 35c to 40c a day. Even 
 we children were obliged to work; 
 many a day I labored at digging 
 potatoes from early morning 'til late 
 at night, and the wages were 5c a 
 day plus meals." 
 
 Dr. Wunder continued to come 
 once a month, on Mondays, to 
 conduct church services, which peo- 
 ple attended from the south as far 
 as Evanston and from the north as 
 far as Lake Forest. 
 
 Doering First Resident Pastor 
 
 This continued until the year 1874, 
 when the congregation decided to 
 call its own pastor. The Rev. Ed- 
 ward Doering was the first resident 
 pastor of Trinity Church. During 
 his pastorate additional land was 
 bought and a parsonage erected. He 
 served the congregation for eight 
 years. In the meantime a congrega- 
 tion had been organized at Ev- 
 anston, and when the Rev. Mr. Doer- 
 ing left, the two congregations de- 
 cided to combine their resources, 
 and called the Rev. J. Adam Detzer. 
 He resided in Evanston, conducting 
 divine services every second Sun- 
 day afternoon for the Glencoe con- 
 gregation. After eight years the Rev. 
 J. D. Matthias became his suc- 
 cessor. 
 
 In the year 1891 the members of 
 the church residing at Highland 
 Park felt themselves strong enough 
 to establish a congregation of their 
 own; so their dismissal was granted 
 for the purpose of organizing Zion 
 Evangelical Lutheran church of 
 Highland Park. This congregation 
 called its own pastor. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Matthias continued 
 to serve the Glencoe congregation 
 from Evanston until the year 1902, 
 when the second resident pastor 
 was called to Trinity church. He 
 was the Rev. B. Hintz, who took up 
 his residence in the parsonage, 
 which had been rented during 
 
 20 
 
the years that the congregation was 
 served from Evanston. The new pas- 
 tor also founded a parochial school, 
 which was conducted until the year 
 1917. After eleven years the Rev. 
 Mr. Hintz was called to another 
 charge, and the Rev. F. C. Israel 
 became his successor in the year 
 1913. Pastor Israel remained for four 
 years, accepting a call in 1917. At 
 that time the Rev. W. F. Suhr, then 
 pastor of the Lutheran church at 
 Highland Park, was asked to take 
 charge of the congregation during 
 the vacancy. 
 
 Bring Church Into Village 
 It was during the pastorate of the 
 Rev. Mr. Suhr that the decision was 
 made to re-locate the church and 
 
 to erect a new church building in 
 Glencoe. Property was purchased on 
 the corner of Greenwood and Haw- 
 thorn avenues in the village and in 
 1921 the present church building, 
 which was to be the first unit of a 
 larger edifice, was completed, with 
 dedication services being held on 
 April 17, 1921. Shortly thereafter a 
 parsonage was built. The congrega- 
 tion again decided to have a resident 
 pastor, and at this time called the 
 Rev. L. H. Nauss, who served the 
 congregation from May, 1925 to May, 
 1933. The present pastor, the Rev. 
 Paul A. Mundinger, was ordained 
 and installed in Trinity church on 
 May 7, 1933, and has remained in 
 that capacity up to the present time. 
 
 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 
 
 The St. Paul African Methodist 
 Episcopal church of Glencoe was or- 
 ganized in the year of 1884. 
 
 The Rev. Jesse Woods was the or- 
 ganizing pastor. The charter mem- 
 bers were: Mr. and Mrs. Homer F. 
 Wilson, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. R. Mc- 
 Will, Mrs. Mary Walker, Mr. and 
 Mrs. W. H. Henderson, Mr. and Mrs. 
 W. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. 
 Chatman, Mr. and Mrs. V. Griffin, 
 Mr. and Mrs. R. Minter, Mrs. Cyn- 
 thia Daly, Mrs. Emily Walker, Mrs. 
 Hattie Cooper. 
 
 These members held their first 
 service in the home of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Homer F. Wilson, 425 Adams street. 
 Services were continually held at 
 this address for over a year. 
 
 The group then decided they 
 should have a church home. No 
 funds were available because of the 
 meager income of the membership. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Homer F. Wilson be- 
 cause of their interest and the dire 
 need for a church for the colored 
 people in Glencoe, mortaged their 
 home to purchase a lot. This lot was 
 purchased from Morton T. Culver. 
 A small church was then erected at 
 the present site. 
 
 The church was then carried into 
 
 the Chicago Annual Conference and 
 became a bonafide member. Several 
 ministers during this early stage 
 were assigned to the pastorate of 
 St. Paul. These men made a fine 
 contribution to the church in im- 
 provements. The church was re- 
 modeled during the pastorate of the 
 Rev. Daniels. 
 
 In 1930 the church was destroyed 
 by fire. The present building was 
 erected in 1931 under the pastorate 
 of the Rev. Francis Washington. 
 
 Since its organization, the Confer- 
 ence has assigned about 10 minis- 
 ters, the present pastor is the Rev. 
 Hyman B. Mills, graduate of North- 
 western university and Garrett Bib- 
 lical Institute. 
 
 Some of the living members of 
 the earlier years are Mrs. Sarah 
 Rankin, Carrie Miller, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Thompson, now living in Ohio, Mrs. 
 William Jackson of Evanston and 
 Florence Stewart of Evanston. 
 
 The St. Paul church choir is noted 
 for its singing of Negro Spirituals. 
 The church is usually packed each 
 fourth Sunday night by friends, both 
 white and colored, to hear this noted 
 choir sing. 
 
 21 
 
St. Elisabeth's Church 
 
 It was on the evening of All Saints' 
 Day in the year 1894 that a little 
 group of devout Episcopalians met 
 at the home of George F. Orde and 
 made plans for the organizing of a 
 Mission, to be known as Saint Paul's 
 Mission, Glencoe. In the beginning 
 services were held by a Seminary 
 student in the Council chamber 
 of the Village Hall. Each Satur- 
 day night a crude Altar, made of 
 dry goods boxes, was set up, and 
 then it had to be taken down again 
 after the services. Later, George F. 
 Tapper built a small Altar which 
 was set in place each Sunday morn- 
 ing. 
 
 From the Village Hall the Mis- 
 sion moved to a store building on 
 Park avenue, where services were 
 held for a time. It was near the 
 close of the last century that a small 
 frame church was built on Green- 
 leaf avenue, near the spot where 
 the old Glencoe Public library now 
 stands. Later on, the lot on which 
 the present stone church stands was 
 purchased, and the frame church 
 was moved to the new location on 
 Vernon avenue. 
 
 Church Gift of Rector 
 
 The present church building was 
 given to the Parish by one of its 
 rectors, the Very Rev. Luther Par- 
 
 dee, in memory of his mother, Elisa- 
 beth Pardee. The church was con- 
 secrated in 1907, and the name was 
 changed to Saint Elisabeth's. At that 
 time the frame church building was 
 moved to the west on the lot and 
 used as a parish house. It was later 
 moved to the northeast corner of 
 Vernon and Oakdale and converted 
 into a dwelling. In later years the 
 rectory and the basement and roof 
 of the Parish House were built. 
 
 It is indeed a far cry from the 
 beginnings of Saint Paul's Mission, 
 Glencoe, to the present Saint Elisa- 
 beth's Parish, Glencoe. Some very 
 well known and godly men have 
 ministered at the Altar during the 
 past fifty years; among them Bishop 
 George Craig Stewart. And a large 
 number of devout lay-people, both 
 men and women, have given gene- 
 rously of themselves to build and 
 develop the present parish. Much 
 of love, energy, time, devotion, 
 money, consecrated, self-sacrificing 
 service and deep love for God and 
 man have gone into the building up 
 of Saint Elisabeth's, Glencoe. 
 
 There are today some 750 baptized 
 persons connected with the parish, 
 and 350 communicants. There is a 
 sizeable Church school, and there 
 are a number of very active parish 
 organizations. 
 
 Christian Science Church 
 
 First Church of Christ, Scientist, 
 of Glencoe, was organized on the 
 twenty-fourth day of February, 1921, 
 by residents of Glencoe, former 
 members of First Church of Christ, 
 Scientist, of Highland Park, who felt 
 that there was a need for a Christian 
 Science church in this community. 
 This church was duly incorporated 
 the following day. 
 
 It received recognition as a branch 
 of the Mother Church, The First 
 Church of Christ, Scientist, in Bos- 
 ton, Mass., on April 13, 1921. The lot 
 on which the edifice stands was pur- 
 chased in August of the same year. 
 
 Services were held in Masonic 
 Hall, Glencoe, until the occupancy 
 of the new church, at the corner of 
 Greenleaf avenue and Beach road, 
 on January 15, 1928. Following the 
 procedure of all Christian Science 
 churches to have formal dedication 
 when property is free from debt, 
 this church held its dedicatory serv- 
 
 ices on Sunday, September 12, 1929. 
 Edifice of Simplicity and Beauty 
 
 The structure is probably not ex- 
 celled in its simplicity of beauty and 
 harmony by any other church build- 
 ing in the vicinity of Chicago. The 
 church covers an area of 60 by 124 
 feet, and is in early American de- 
 sign, with the purest details. The 
 entire exterior is of colonial brick, 
 with white marble trim and slate 
 roof. 
 
 Maintain Reading Room 
 
 From its inception, in 1921, this 
 church has continuously had a read- 
 ing room on Park avenue, Glencoe. 
 The present Reading room is lo- 
 cated at 339 Park avenue, where the 
 Bible and all authorized Christian 
 Science literature may be read, stu- 
 died, borrowed, or purchased. This 
 Reading room is open week days 
 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on 
 Saturday evenings from 7 to 9 
 o'clock. 
 
 22 
 
North Shore Methodist Church 
 
 In the early years of the twentieth 
 century the people of Chicago be- 
 came aware of the many attractions 
 and advantages which the North 
 Shore suburbs offered to those who 
 were seeking more desirable en- 
 vironment for family life than city 
 surroundings could offer. According- 
 ly, there was a considerable influx 
 into the North Shore villages of resi- 
 dents who had formerly been identi- 
 fied with city institutions of various 
 kinds — political, religious, edu- 
 cational, etc. 
 
 In the late summer of 1909 the 
 leaders of Methodism in the Rock 
 River Conference, which included 
 all Methodist churches in Northern 
 Illinois, realized that many Method- 
 ist families were moving from Chi- 
 cago to the North Shore. Also, that 
 there was no opportunity for them 
 to continue their affiliation with the 
 Methodist church, there being no 
 Methodist church between Wilmette 
 and Waukegan. Two years prior to 
 this time an effort had been made 
 to establish a Methodist church in 
 Hubbard Woods, then called Lake- 
 side, but after services were held in 
 the old frame school house for a 
 short period of time, the meetings 
 were discontinued. 
 
 An appeal was made to the Inter- 
 denominational Council of Churches, 
 one of whose functions was to make 
 a survey regarding the need of new 
 church organizations in Chicago and 
 surrounding communities, and the 
 organization of a Methodist church 
 in Glencoe was sanctioned and ad- 
 vised. There were at that time in 
 Glencoe a Congregational church 
 (some time later reorganized as the 
 Glencoe Union church), an Episco- 
 pal church, a German Lutheran 
 church, and an African Methodist 
 Episcopal church. 
 
 Call Session in 1909 
 
 In October, 1909, representatives 
 of the City Missionary and Church 
 Extension society of the Rock River 
 Conference of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal church, after conferring with the 
 resident Bishop William F. McDow- 
 ell, and Rev. William O. Shepherd, 
 Northern District Superintendent 
 (later elected a Bishop), called a 
 meeting of Glencoe and North Shore 
 residents who had been active mem- 
 bers of Methodist churches in other 
 communities, and the founding of 
 
 a Methodist Church in Glencoe was 
 discussed. 
 
 Subsequent conferences were held, 
 as a result of which, on December 
 5, 1909, in the Woman's Library 
 club building, which later housed the 
 public library, and is now headquar- 
 ters of the Office of Civilian De- 
 fense, the first Sunday evening wor- 
 ship service was held, Dr. Shepherd 
 preaching the sermon. 
 
 Weekly Sunday evening services 
 were continued, and on March 18, 
 1910, the church was formally or- 
 ganized as the Glencoe Methodist 
 Episcopal church, and regular serv- 
 ices were held for five years in the 
 Woman's Library club building. 
 Broaden Scope of Name 
 
 In 1913, because the name "Glen- 
 coe Methodist Episcopal Church" 
 did not adequately express the ex- 
 tent of the field of work of the or- 
 ganization, the name was changed 
 to "The North Shore Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church." In 1940 the name of 
 the denomination became "The Me- 
 thodist Church," so that the correct 
 name now is "The North Shore 
 Methodist church." 
 
 Dr. E. C. E. Dorion was the first 
 regular pastor of the Church, and he 
 was followed in 1912 by the Rev. 
 Horace G. Smith, who served the 
 church for five years, and is now 
 president of Garrett Biblical Insti- 
 tute in Evanston. 
 
 Dedicate Church in 1915 
 
 During his pastorate, the need of 
 a church building became impera- 
 tive, and May 26, 1913, the following 
 Building committee was appointed: 
 William A. Fox, William S. Hamm, 
 Don E. Marsh, Sperry B. Pope, and 
 St. John Powers. The church prop- 
 erty was acquired, ground was bro- 
 ken April 15th, 1914, the first spade- 
 ful being turned over by Mrs. Min- 
 erva White, a faithful and dearly 
 beloved member. The completed 
 church building was dedicated 
 March 7, 1915. 
 
 The Woman's Society of Christian 
 Service, divided into three Circles, 
 the Men's club, and the Youth Fel- 
 lowship, comprised of young people 
 of high school age, at the present 
 time are active in the support of the 
 local church and other Methodist 
 institutions, as well as various non- 
 sectarian enterprises, and provide 
 opportunities for social and cultural 
 
 23 
 
advantages to the members and con- 
 stituents of the church and to new 
 residents in the community. 
 
 The religious educational program 
 of the church is carried on through 
 its Sunday Church school, which pro- 
 vides religious instruction for all 
 ages of children and young people, 
 
 and through various adult projects, 
 and through cooperative community 
 enterprises. Other church organiza- 
 tions include a volunteer Senior 
 chorus choir and a Junior choir. 
 
 The Rev. Robert Bruce Pierce at 
 the present time is in his third year 
 of the pastorate of the church. 
 
 Faith of our fathers, living still 
 In spite of dungeon, fire and sword, 
 Oh, how our hearts beat high with joy, 
 When e'er we hear that glorious viord. 
 
 Faith of our fathers, faith and prayer 
 Have kept our country brave and free, 
 And through the truth that comes from God 
 Our children have true liberty! 
 
 24 
 
Sacred Heart Church 
 
 Old School Utilized by Sacred Heart Church. 
 
 Sacred Heart Church of Hubbard 
 Woods, has served the Catholic resi- 
 dents of Glencoe for 46 years. 
 
 On the eleventh day of October, 
 1897, Archbishop Patrick A. Fee- 
 nan, of Chicago diocese, appointed 
 the Rev. Frederick J. Haarth to or- 
 ganize a parish for Catholics of the 
 territory of Glencoe, Lakeside (now 
 Hubbard Woods), and Winnetka. 
 
 A site for the new church was 
 selected at the corner of North ave- 
 nue (now Tower road), and Burr 
 avenue; on October 24 of that year 
 it was cleared and work on the 
 construction of the church was 
 started. During the time of building, 
 altar boys and choir girls were 
 trained for their respective duties. 
 The building was completed in De- 
 cember of the same year and Mass 
 was celebrated for the first time on 
 Christmas morning. 
 
 First Convened in Old School 
 
 While the church was under con- 
 struction, Mass was said each Sun- 
 day morning at 9 o'clock in the old 
 Lakeside school house, which was 
 rented from the Winnetka School 
 board for one dollar each Sunday. 
 
 In these early days of the parish, 
 the Rev. Father Haarth experienced 
 hardships not unlike those of mis- 
 sionaries who carry on in the re- 
 mote places of the world. With his 
 horse and buggy, he drove long dis- 
 tances in all kinds of weather to give 
 the Sacraments and Christian con- 
 solation to the sick and dying. 
 
 Build Rectory in 1899 
 
 The first rectory was built in 1899 
 and in 1902 the present convent and 
 school were constructed. The Paro- 
 chial school was opened in Septem- 
 ber of 1902 with 56 children enrolled. 
 The Sisters of St. Francis, whose 
 Mother House is located in Joliet, 
 111., were selected to teach and have 
 served the parish for these many 
 years. 
 
 The parish continued to grow and 
 it was apparent the little English 
 Gothic church was inadequate, 
 therefore, in 1908, the church was re- 
 modeled to provide a place of wor- 
 ship on the second floor and class 
 rooms and an assembly hall on the 
 first. The building that had been 
 used for convent and school was 
 then used exclusively as a convent. 
 
 In the first World war, eighteen of 
 the Catholic boys of Glencoe served 
 in the Armed Forces of their 
 country. 
 
 In 1925 the construction of the 
 present church was begun and it 
 was completed in 1926. On Christ- 
 mas day of that year, the members 
 moved into their new and beautiful 
 church. 
 
 Last year, in 1943, the church was 
 redecorated, making it a pride and 
 joy of the parishioners and a gem 
 of beauty for the North Shore. 
 In Priesthood Over 50 Years 
 
 The Rev. Frederick J. Haarth, 
 who has served as pastor for 46 
 years, recently celebrated his Gold- 
 en Anniversary in the Priesthood. 
 
 25 
 
He was born in Chicago on May 6, 
 1870, and attended St. Francis Paro- 
 chial school. He entered St. Francis 
 Seminary in Wisconsin, then pursued 
 his philosophical studies with the 
 Jesuits at St. Mary's college, Mont- 
 real, Canada. His studies in theology 
 were completed at St. Mary's Semi- 
 nary, Baltimore, Md., and he was 
 ordained by Archbishop Patrick A. 
 Feehan in Chicago, July, 1893. 
 
 The Glencoe membership of 
 Sacred Heart church has grown 
 from about 15 families to 298 fami- 
 lies, which include 792 members. 
 
 JV. S. Congregation 
 Israel 
 
 The history of any congregation 
 would involve the cataloging of dates 
 and events, a statement of views and 
 philosophies, and a roll call of per- 
 sonalities who contributed to the be- 
 ginnings and the development of the 
 congregation. For the life of a con- 
 gregation is the record of people 
 and their deeds and hopes and as- 
 pirations. 
 
 This was true in the case of the 
 North Shore Congregation Israel. 
 Early in the days of the North Shore 
 as a growing community in Ameri- 
 can metropolitan life, in the years 
 of the First World war, many Jew- 
 ish families established their roots 
 in the green-shaded, ravine-en- 
 twined areas of the North Shore 
 suburbs. Although they had no re- 
 ligious gathering place of their 
 own, they nevertheless followed 
 their faith as best they could. They 
 met for religious services, some- 
 times at homes, sometimes at the 
 Winnetka Women's club, sometimes 
 in the public school buildings of var- 
 ious of the villages. 
 
 Start Congregation in 1920 
 
 It was in 1920 that the Congrega- 
 tion was first organized as a cohe- 
 sive body. The meeting was held at 
 the Winnetka Woman's club for the 
 purpose of organizing a congrega- 
 tion and laying plans for its future 
 development. However, firm as was 
 the purpose of this first group, the 
 succeeding years brought their prob- 
 lems. The migrations of the Congre- 
 gation took it from school to lodge 
 to church. The religious school for 
 children convened first in the school 
 in Hubbard Woods, for a time in 
 Winnetka and ultimately at the Sko- 
 kie school. It was through the mag- 
 
 nanimity of the citizens of these vil- 
 lages, through the courtesy of the 
 school boards, and by reason of the 
 deep belief in American principles 
 of civic groups that this Congrega- 
 tion was given the strength to con- 
 tinue. 
 
 The helpfulness of the Winnetka 
 school authorities during the long 
 formative period was a distinguished 
 example of an enlightened public 
 attitude toward an organization 
 struggling to maintain an ideal. The 
 same spirit and support were ex- 
 hibited by the Winnetka Congrega- 
 tional church and other community 
 groups. This broad and liberal spirit 
 of encouragement was responsible 
 in a large measure for the intense- 
 ness of purpose with which the Jew- 
 ish community approached its task. 
 
 First Branch of Chicago Unit 
 
 At the time of the first religious 
 services the title of the Congrega- 
 tion was North Shore Branch of 
 Sinai Congregation. The noted dean 
 of American rabbis, Dr. Emil G. 
 Hirsch, then rabbi of the Sinai Con- 
 gregation in Chicago, provided the 
 inspiration and the leadership in 
 those early days. During the days 
 of the formative stage, Dr. Hirsch 
 and other rabbis of Chicago con- 
 gregations traveled to the North 
 Shore to hold services and give 
 their advice and inspiration to this 
 new group. After Dr. Hirsch' s death, 
 in the early twenties, the congrega- 
 tion was ministered to by several 
 rabbis, each of whom made the long 
 trip from the city to conduct serv- 
 ices every week. This rabbinical 
 leadership was augmented from 
 time to time by outstanding men 
 from all over the country. 
 
 During this time adaptability of 
 the congregation was essential. If a 
 visiting rabbi could not be present 
 on Sunday, the usual day for reli- 
 gious services, the services were ar- 
 ranged for another day of the week, 
 even Tuesday or Wednesday if the 
 occasion demanded. 
 
 After 1923, the rotating schedule 
 was followed, under which the Con- 
 gregation was served by three out- 
 standing Chicago rabbis, Dr. Solo- 
 mon Freehof, Dr. Gerson Levi and 
 Dr. Louis L. Mann, the latter having 
 succeeded Rabbi Hirsch at Sinai. 
 
 Incorporated in 1926 
 
 In 1926 the Congregation was in- 
 corporated under the name of the 
 North Shore Congregation Israel. 
 
 26 
 
One sizzling Sunday afternoon — 
 July 27 in 1927 — the cornerstone for 
 the new Temple was laid. The late 
 Alfred Alschuler, well known Chi- 
 cago architect, served in double 
 capacity as president of the Congre- 
 gation and architect of the new 
 structure. The building was com- 
 pleted and dedicated March 2, 1928. 
 The beautiful structure, occupying 
 the corner of Lincoln and Vernon 
 Avenues, Glencoe, was designed by 
 Mr. Alschuler. Its architecture is 
 Byzantine with Spanish influence. 
 
 From the day it moved into its 
 own structure, the North Shore Con- 
 gregation expanded its activities. 
 Serving as it does the suburbs from 
 Evanston to Waukegan, it encom- 
 passes one of the largest parishes 
 in all metropolitan Chicago. 
 
 Louis Kopald First Rabbi 
 
 The first rabbi regularly assigned 
 to the Congregation was Rabbi 
 Louis J. Kopald, who served from 
 1928 until his death in February of 
 1931. It was then that Rabbi Charles 
 E. Shulman, who is known through- 
 out not only the North Shore but 
 the entire country, came to the 
 North Shore Congregation. 
 
 Under Rabbi Shulman' s brilliant 
 leadership, the North Shore Congre- 
 gation grew to be known as one of 
 America's leading Jewish synago- 
 gues. His brilliance as a speaker, 
 his scholarliness and his intense de- 
 votion to the cause of Judaism were 
 the source of growing inspiration to 
 the Congregation and the commu- 
 nity. 
 
 Two Rabbis Now in Service 
 
 In 1942 Rabbi Richard C. Hertz 
 came to the Congregation as Rabbi 
 Shulman' s assistant when Rabbi 
 Shulman' s entrance into the Navy 
 as a chaplain became imminent. 
 However, his tenure of office also 
 was interrupted by the war when 
 after a year he entered the service 
 of his country as a chaplain in the 
 Army. 
 
 North Shore Congregation Israel 
 has over six hundred members. Af- 
 filiated organizations are: a re- 
 ligious school for the instruction of 
 children, which serves over four 
 hundred fifty youngsters every Sun- 
 day; the Sisterhood, which does ex- 
 tensive philanthropic work; the 
 Men's Club; and the Alumni, which 
 is composed of young people of high 
 school age, many of them having 
 been confirmed from the Temple. 
 
 Masonic Lodge 
 Dates to 1915 
 
 Glencoe Masonic lodge was insti- 
 tuted January 26, 1915, and con- 
 stituted the following October 25. 
 The cornerstone of the temple build- 
 ing is dated February 11, 1918, and 
 the temple was dedicated May 15 
 that year. The lodge had 107 char- 
 ter members. The first officers of 
 the lodge under dispensation were 
 J. Fred McGuire, master; William 
 V. Schnur, George M. Groves, 
 Arthur G. Sayles, F. N. Jordan, 
 W. J. Walter, George W. Mieth, 
 Charles A. Dresser, W. S. Crozier, 
 Albert O. Olson, Oscar J. West, 
 H. E. Hirsch, Sr. and E. Harry 
 Keene. 
 
 Population Trend in 
 Nineties Recorded 
 
 On June 17, 1890, the number of 
 children of school age in Glencoe 
 was 203, only three more than in 
 1885. In 1885 the total number of 
 families was 110 and the population 
 536, of which 145 were males, over 
 21 years of age, "subject to poll 
 tax." In 1890, five years later, the 
 population had increased to 636, of 
 which 203 were children of school 
 age. There were 131 buildings in 
 the village at that time. 
 
 Saw Town Outgrowing 
 Improvement Capacity 
 
 In 1925, Merle B. Waltz, then presi- 
 dent of the village, speaking before 
 the Glencoe Chamber of Commerce, 
 made a prediction that by 1930 the 
 population of the village would be 
 10,000. Those were the days when 
 Glencoe, as well as the entire North 
 Shore, was growing so rapidly that 
 President Waltz said "it is almost 
 impossible for the administration to 
 keep pace with the growing prob- 
 lems." In 1910 the population was 
 1,900; in 1920, 3,400; in 1930, 6,300 
 and in 1940, 7,000. Had it not been 
 for the depression and the war, it is 
 revealed that Mr. Waltz' prediction 
 was not far out of line. 
 
 In 1895 a hitching rack for horses 
 was placed in front of the Village 
 hall. 
 
 27 
 
Glencoe Schools 
 
 By Flo Bowman 
 
 The first family known to have es- 
 tablished a home in Glencoe left the 
 vicinity of Fort Dearborn to escape 
 the "crowded conditions" in Chicago. 
 At the time there was a population 
 of a few hundred! That was in 1835, 
 when the Anson H. Taylors built their 
 log house at the foot of Harbor street. 
 Contemporaries of the Taylors were 
 the Turnbulls, who settled on the 
 land now known as Turnbull Woods. 
 
 These two men, in 1850, sponsored 
 the building of a oneroom log school- 
 house on property now bounded by 
 Montgomery and Green Bay roads. 
 Here, on backless benches of wide 
 planks ranged on three sides of the 
 room, presided over by Mr. Boquet, 
 the schoolmaster, at the desk beside 
 the huge fireplace, youngsters strug- 
 gled with their ciphering. From 
 across the village came Frankie 
 Schramm, riding on his father's back 
 to school in the morning and home 
 again at night. 
 
 South of Hawthorne avenue, on 
 Green Bay road, is the site of the 
 second school, a frame building set 
 up on cedar posts and sided to the 
 ground. A mark of progress in heat- 
 ing facilities was the huge box stove 
 in the center of the room. The rough 
 walls, painted black, served as 
 blackboards. Pupils came from as 
 far north as County Line road and 
 from Lakeside on the south, now 
 Hubbard Woods. It was a co-educa- 
 tional institution — with discreet limi- 
 tations. The girls entered always, by 
 the north door and the boys, from 
 the south. As many trips per day as 
 the teacher would countenance were 
 made to the old wooden pump. In 
 1870 M. Fellows was the teacher. On 
 each Friday he issued an award of 
 merit to all pupils worthy of "ap- 
 probation for industry and good con- 
 duct." 
 
 Build "First Class" School 
 
 For reasons unknown, the school 
 building was moved across the 
 tracks to the corner of South avenue 
 and Glencoe road. By 1872 it was in- 
 adequate for the needs of a growing 
 community, and the School commit- 
 tee proposed to "establish a first 
 class school in a good and commod- 
 dious building." Plans to build on the 
 east side of the village church were 
 abandoned for lack of funds. In May, 
 
 classes were transferred to tempor- 
 ary quarters in the east wing of the 
 church, with a Miss Fleming in 
 charge. 
 
 The old building was offered for 
 sale. In the files of the Glencoe His- 
 torical society is a communication 
 from a prospective purchaser: 
 
 "19th 1873 
 Chicago Sept. 
 To the Honorabel Body 
 
 Board of Course 
 of the vilige of Glencoe 
 
 I will Give Seventy five 
 Doller of the SChool house 
 
 P Smith 
 256 thir St." 
 
 Mr. Smith's offer was accepted, 
 but he failed to make payment and 
 on January 5th, 1874, it was sold for 
 $60 cash to a Mr. Fletcher, a mem- 
 ber of the Village Council, who used 
 it for a store. 
 
 Meanwhile, negotiations for a 
 building site resulted in the purchase 
 of lots 6, 7 and 8, block 34, on Green- 
 wood avenue. By December of 1872 
 the "commodious building" was a 
 reality, at a cost of $3125.40, with $50 
 additional as architect's fee. New 
 equipment included a walnut table 
 for $18 and a dictionary for $10. A 
 Mr. Hammond was the master until 
 July of the next year. He was suc- 
 ceeded by Miss Fleming, a former 
 teacher, who remained only until 
 October. Miss Chambers followed. In 
 January 1874, a division of classes 
 was made and Caroline Smith was 
 employed as primary teacher. 
 
 When classes assembled for the 
 fall session in 1875, "the principal 
 teacher" was presented with a docu- 
 ment prepared by the Village coun- 
 cil, entitled "Rules and Regulations 
 for Schools." (See pp 271-285 of Vil- 
 lage Council records or Historical 
 Society files) . The signatures of the 
 School committee of the Village 
 council were appended: Michael 
 Gormley (son-in-law of Anson H. 
 Taylor), Henry A. Taylor, James F. 
 Dennis. The school was composed 
 of— 
 
 "Primary department, .five lowest grades 
 Grammar departent. . .five highest grades 
 High school two years" 
 
 Further improvements followed. At 
 a cost of $22 a well was dug, and a 
 chain pump with pail and dipper 
 were purchased for $15.80. During the 
 next summer the upper part of the 
 building was finished to serve as an 
 assembly hall. The first record of 
 
 28 
 
its use was on the occasion of the 
 wedding of Paul Feht. 
 
 School Destroyed by Fire 
 
 Fortunate it was that the building 
 and contents had been insured for 
 $2553, for in October, 1876, it was 
 completely destroyed by fire. Re- 
 building according to the former 
 plans was under way immediately, 
 the church wing housing classes once 
 more until they were again under a 
 school roof in April, 1877. 
 
 Had Progressive Attitude 
 
 Throughout all its history, evidence 
 appears that the Glencoe school was 
 ready to make any adaptations that 
 appeared to be in the way of prog- 
 ress. Additions to the curriculum 
 were made from time to time. Ora- 
 torical exercises were introduced in 
 1878. The study of Latin was offered 
 as an elective. (See pp. 92-95 Village 
 records summer of '78, for other 
 changes.) Lessons in drawing outside 
 regular school hours, were made op- 
 tional with the teacher — an extra- 
 curricular activity, perhaps. "Girl 
 pupils" were given instruction in 
 sewing and knitting. A Mason and 
 Hamlin organ, secured for $85, is the 
 first musical instrument to be men- 
 tioned as a part of the school equip- 
 ment. 
 
 "For the edification of the schol- 
 ars," Lewis Favor was invited to de- 
 liver his course of lectures on astron- 
 omy for a compensation of $3.45. 
 
 C. F. Sinclair, M. D., was "accord- 
 ed the privilege of examining the 
 eyes of school children, subject to 
 the convenience of Professor Mathie- 
 son." 
 
 The faculty in 1884-85 consisted of 
 the following: William King, Evans- 
 ton, "principal teacher"; Ida I. Law, 
 assistant teacher; Mary E. Brown, 
 primary teacher. 
 
 Wins Point in Controversy 
 
 "An innovation was attempted in 
 1888, when Gen. C. H. Howard, edi- 
 tor of "Farm, Field and Stockman," 
 Chicago, was "induced" to accept the 
 position of "School Superintendent" 
 of the village. He was a member of 
 the Village council and it appears 
 that his new title was not interpreted 
 in the modern sense. He was expect- 
 ed to act in a liaison capacity be- 
 tween the council and the school. 
 (Urban B. Kletzing was the princi- 
 pal.) One of the superintendent's dut- 
 ies was to visit the school accompan- 
 ied by the school committee "on the 
 first school day of each and every 
 
 month!" He was also requested to 
 employ teachers subject to the con- 
 firmation of the board. Since opin- 
 ion was divided as to his authority 
 to do this, General Howard appealed 
 to the Hon. Richard Edwards, State 
 Superintendent of Public Instruction 
 for a decision, and his right was sus- 
 tained. 
 
 Following the resignation of Gen- 
 eral Howard one year later, Mr. 
 Kletzing was appointed as principal 
 and superintendent. He was request- 
 ed to notify all teachers to be in 
 their places at the opening hour of 
 school. Furthermore, it was his duty 
 to inform the council of any "re- 
 missness, absence or tardiness on 
 the part of the teachers for such ac- 
 tion as may seem to be required." 
 He held the office for one year only. 
 Enlargement Program 
 
 By August, 1889, it was considered 
 that the school enrollment was over- 
 taxing the capacity of the building. 
 Therefore arrangements were made 
 with Robert Chatman to lease the 
 front room of his store building on 
 the southeast corner of Vernon and 
 Madison for the use of the primary 
 grades for the coming year. (At that 
 time, the president of the council was 
 Charles E. Browne, whose name is 
 identified with many events in the 
 early history of the Village.) 
 
 Census statistics for 1890 as com- 
 piled by the street commissioner 
 were: Entire population within the 
 Village limits— 636 souls; number of 
 children of school age, 203; number 
 of buildings in the village, 131." 
 
 And now comes an important event 
 in the history of the school. A petition 
 was circulated to bring about a reor- 
 ganization of the school under the 
 provisions of the "Free School Law." 
 After eight months of agitation of the 
 question, an election was called, and 
 the change was effected. Responsi- 
 bility for the affairs of the school was 
 now vested in a Board of Directors 
 of School District 1 of Township 42. 
 (In 1901 the district number was 
 changed to 35.) 
 
 The first meeting of that board 
 was held on May 4, 1893, at the home 
 of Mrs. Andrew MacLeish at which 
 time their organization was effected 
 as follows: 
 
 President, A. L. Dewar; clerk, 
 Martha H. MacLeish; member, W. 
 H. Johnson. 
 
 Pioneer in Progressiveness 
 
 "Frequent evidence of pioneering 
 in progressive education appears 
 
throughout the records. In October, 
 1893, the school was closed for two 
 days to allow attendance of pupils at 
 the World's Columbian Exposition in 
 Chicago. The teachers had offered to 
 prepare the children to make pro- 
 per use of the visit and to accompany 
 them— a forerunner of the "excursion 
 technique, with careful planning in 
 advance." Some years later, the 
 sixth, seventh, and eighth grades 
 were granted permission to visit the 
 Art Institute with their teachers, the 
 board to bear the expense. Again, 
 a holiday was declared to allow 
 children to witness the unveiling of 
 the statue of General Grant in Lin- 
 coln Park. 
 
 At one time, Mr. Plumb, the prin- 
 cipal, was asked to consider with his 
 teachers the desirability of shorter 
 school hours for young children. To 
 this request the staff made answer, 
 "The work required of the pupils 
 could not be accomplished in shorter 
 hours. A longer noon hour would be 
 inconvenient since so many pupils 
 bring lunches. 
 
 Further progress is noted in a 
 variety of items recorded in the min- 
 utes. Water was turned on in the 
 school building; an organ was pur- 
 chased for the fifth and sixth grade 
 room; the janitor was asked to be 
 on duty between twelve and one p.m. 
 each day; pupils, thereafter would 
 be admitted to first grade only at 
 the opening of fall and spring terms ; 
 and, at the request of the Board, a 
 weekly fire drill would be maintained. 
 
 A part time instructor in Physical 
 Culture joined the faculty, working 
 under certain restrictions. The re- 
 quest for dumb bells was "not to be 
 allowed at present." 
 
 In May, 1894, at a public meeting, 
 citizens present declared themselves 
 unanimously in favor of issuing 
 bonds for a new building. In a sub- 
 sequent election, a $5000 bond issue 
 was voted for the purchase of Block 
 25 as a school site. 
 
 With a population now numbering 
 1000, Glencoe was entitled to replace 
 its Board of Directors with a Board 
 of Education. Following the spring 
 election, the new organization was 
 composed of the following members 
 present at the first meeting on April 
 25, 1896: J. F. Forsyth, president; 
 Otto R. Barnett, secretary; James 
 K. Calhoun, Eugenia M. Culver, 
 Granville D. Hall, Martha H. Mac- 
 Leish, John T. Plummer. 
 
 William H. Johnson, the retiring 
 member, failed of re-election as a 
 protest of one faction against the ex- 
 travagance of the Board of Directors 
 in expending $5,000 on Block 25 for 
 a school site! 
 
 Responsibilities for school affairs 
 were distributed among the follow- 
 ing committees: Finance, Building 
 and Grounds, Teachers, Discipline, 
 Textbooks and Course of Study. 
 
 In April 1898, Flanders and Jen- 
 nings were elected as architects for 
 the new school and on March 4, 1899 
 the formal dedication was held. Mis- 
 fortune followed its opening, how- 
 ever, for on March 16, a fire caused 
 by spontaneous combustion threat- 
 ened to destroy the building. Prompt 
 and heroic efforts of the Glencoe 
 Volunteer Fire department limited 
 the damage to an amount well cov- 
 ered by insurance. 
 
 Repairs having been made, classes 
 were again functioning in the new 
 quarters. Improvements and changes 
 of significance to many age groups 
 occurred at this time. One of the 
 most important was when one room 
 was made available to the "Kinder- 
 garten Association," with rent, fuel 
 and janitor's service free. The condi- 
 tions were that the Association 
 should finance the teachers and 
 maintain a free kindergarten for all 
 children of eligible age, and that all 
 be subject to the regulations of the 
 Board. By September, a further step 
 had been taken in the decision to 
 establish and maintain a kindergar- 
 ten as a part of the school system. 
 Miss Louise Webster was employed 
 as director, with Miss Sarah Ham- 
 mond as assistant. 
 
 Frank A. Windes (Winnetka) was 
 authorized to expend not over $130 
 for tools for Manual Training classes 
 which he conducted one day each 
 week. 
 
 "A notable change was made in 
 the reports to parents of pupils' 
 achievements, when for a grading on 
 a percentage basis there was sub- 
 mitted the terms — Excellent, Good, 
 Satisfactory, Poor, Unsatisfactory. 
 
 "Recognizing variations in native 
 ability, the principal was instructed 
 to use her discretion in treating cer- 
 tain children as special pupils who 
 should not necessarily follow the reg- 
 ular course of study. 
 
 "Pupils wishing to enter a sec- 
 ondary school were certified either 
 to Evanston or Winnetka High 
 schools. 
 
 30 
 
The facilities of the new school 
 were gradually made available to 
 various organizations in the village. 
 The Committee on Discipline of the 
 Board of Education granted permis- 
 sion to a group of young men to 
 play association football on the play- 
 ground after school hours. They were 
 allowed the use of the basement as 
 a dressing room under the direction 
 of the principal. 
 
 Miss Olive Taylor, for a nominal 
 fee, was granted the use of the As- 
 sembly Hall, with the piano for a 
 class in physical culture one day a 
 week after school hours. 
 
 The Glencoe Athletic club, during 
 the winter months, played baseball 
 on that floor. 
 
 In a part of the old school building 
 (sold shortly after for $1,900) the 
 Glencoe band met regularly for 
 practice. 
 
 Rowell Named Leader 
 
 When in 1903, Arthur B. Rowell 
 was appointed as superintendent, he 
 was recognized as one interested not 
 alone in the school but in the com- 
 munity itself. He gave himself freely 
 to work with young people in the 
 Sunday school, and with their elders 
 in civic life. He was sympathetic 
 and understanding in his leadership 
 with teachers and pupils, and among 
 his associates in the profession along 
 the North Shore he was highly re- 
 garded as a man of vision, tempered 
 with good judgment. 
 
 Rapid increase in population neces- 
 sitated frequent expansion of build- 
 ing facilities. In 1907, through re- 
 modeling, additional classrooms 
 were provided on the first floor and 
 an auditorium on the second. In 
 1914 a wing was added for primary 
 grades and a gymnasium. Provision 
 was made for manual training and 
 sewing in rooms equipped in the 
 basement. Again, in 1921, additional 
 classrooms were provided by sacri- 
 ficing the auditorium and utilizing 
 hall space on the first floor. 
 
 In 1923 when it was necessary to 
 seek more room one class met in 
 the basement of the Trinity Evangel- 
 ical Lutheran church. It became 
 evident that there was need for 
 long-time planning based on present 
 and future education developments. 
 As an outcome, the South school at 
 Monroe and Linden was completed 
 in September 1926, opening with 
 kindergarten, first, second and third 
 grades, the fourth and fifth grades 
 being added in 1927 and 1928, respec- 
 
 tively. Norman Watson was assist- 
 ant superintendent at this time. 
 
 Under the leadership of Clarence 
 T. MacNeille, president of the Board 
 of Education, the need for an assem- 
 bly room for the school and a meet- 
 ing place for community use, was 
 supplied in 1928, when the Central 
 School auditorium was made possi- 
 ble through public subscription. 
 
 During the same year the North 
 school on Green Bay road and Ver- 
 non avenue was dedicated. 
 
 During these years services had 
 been expanded in many fields. Clara 
 Dietz, who entered the system in 
 1904, as a classroom teacher, be- 
 came a specialist in science. Her 
 enthusiasm in her work and her 
 great desire to lead others to recog- 
 nize, to enjoy, and to protect plants 
 and animals was such that her influ- 
 ence is still evident in the commun- 
 ity although her death occurred in 
 1932. 
 
 There were special teachers in 
 art, music, sewing, shop work, and 
 physical education. A school band 
 was functioning. A testing program 
 had been started, and Mrs. Rowell 
 was giving assistance in remedial 
 reading. 
 
 The Student Safety patrol was 
 established in 1928. A school library 
 was set up at Central school in 1931, 
 followed later by such facilities at 
 North, and South schools. 
 
 The health of school children was 
 a growing matter of concern for 
 many years. Precautionary measures 
 were taken to prevent contagion. 
 Glencoe's requirement of a physical 
 examination for all pupils (without 
 removal of clothing) was an unusual 
 practice in 1911 for the country at 
 large. 
 
 For two years, Frederick L. Rede- 
 fer served as Assistant Superintend- 
 ent, succeeding Mr. Rowell on his 
 retirement in 1931. 
 
 By this time the country was in 
 the midst of the memorable depres- 
 sion and many economies became 
 necessary. 
 
 Mr. Redefer resigned in 1932 to 
 become the executive secretary of 
 the Progressive Education associa- 
 tion and was succeeded by Gordon 
 N. Mackenzie, who had been his 
 assistant during the previous year. 
 
 With infinite patience, prudent 
 management and never-failing op- 
 timism, Mr. Mackenzie advised with 
 school and community throughout 
 
 31 
 
the crisis, developing understanding 
 of school policies and strengthening 
 the relations between home and 
 school. A curriculum guide, begun 
 under the direction of Mr. Redefer 
 as a faculty enterprise, was com- 
 pleted for tentative use and evalua- 
 tion. 
 
 During the following year, with 
 financial assistance from the Parent 
 Teacher association, whose contribu- 
 tions throughout the years are in- 
 calculable, special services were 
 gradually restored and expanded. By 
 1934, two kindergartens were opened. 
 Counsellors were added in Art, Mu- 
 sic, Shop, Library, and Guidance, 
 and the administrative staff was in- 
 creased. 
 
 When Paul J. Misner succeeded 
 Gordon Mackenzie in 1935, he faced 
 a tremendous building program. 
 
 Plans were already under way for 
 the remodeling and expansion of 
 South school and for improvements 
 in North school. A survey was made 
 to determine, as far as possible, the 
 type of school plant that would meet 
 the requirements over a period of 
 years. That called for a new Central 
 school building, which with the spa- 
 cious community auditorium and the 
 well-appointed North and South 
 schools, would complete an ideal 
 setting for rich experiences in learn- 
 ing. 
 
 Through cooperative efforts of fac- 
 ulty, Board of Education, architects 
 and builders, advised by a specialist 
 in the development of school plants, 
 the goal was achieved when in Sep- 
 tember 1939 the Central school was 
 dedicated. 
 
 Class of 1893 — Glencoe Public School — Standing (left to right): Delos 
 Vance, Will Sieber, Will Parry, Maggie Diettrich; seated: Frank 
 Gormley, Alice Culver, Mr. Plumb the teacher, Annie Lane, on ground, 
 Eddie Fehd, Pauline Hankey, Al Campbell. 
 
 32 
 
P. T. A. Becomes a Vital 
 Adjunct to Our Village 
 
 Before 1923, it was the custom to Ways and Means committee. Our 
 
 have monthly meetings of mothers P.T.A. has for many years spon- 
 
 who met at room teas and dis- sored one annual benefit; a musical 
 
 cussed various school affairs. and puppet show in 1927, a series of 
 
 In February 1923, these groups card parties the next few years, fol- 
 
 sent Mrs. Douglas H. Cornell and lowed by more years of play-reading 
 
 Mrs. Edgar Haight as delegates to a teas and climaxed this year with an 
 
 State P.T.A. convention in Evans- evening program featuring a speak- 
 
 ton. These women came back so er of international repute for which 
 
 enthused that they, with Mrs. F. W. twice the number of tickets were 
 
 Parker, drew up by-laws and met sold than had ever been sold before, 
 
 with other interested mothers; and introducing perhaps a new era in 
 
 so the Glencoe Parent-Teacher asso- P.T.A. benefits. 
 
 ciation was born. Mrs. Cornell pre- The dancing classes were started 
 sided at this meeting and Mrs. in 1927, conducted by Miss Edwina 
 Charles Brandriff was elected the M. Weckler of Chicago, with an en- 
 first president. rollment of 92. In 1931, Miss Jessie 
 
 Following is a list of Presidents L. Pocock took over the manage- 
 
 from 1923 to 1944. ment of these classes, which she is 
 
 Mrs. Charles Brandriff . .1923-4 and 1924-5 still conducting, and later organized 
 
 £££ M. !e eS Bee rs ::::S.7 the fortnightly class for the eighth 
 
 Mrs. J . M. b.^i^on iazi-6 and 1928-9 grade. 
 
 Mrs. R. V. Sawhill 1929-30 and 1930-1 From the very beginning there 
 
 Mrs. R. E. Stoetzel 1931-2 and 1932-3 have been child study classes, our 
 
 Mr! T. M. Hatpin'.'.":: 1934-5 and 1935-6 ^st record being in 1927 with a 
 
 Mrs. A. R. Bray 1936-7 and 1937-8 series of weekly lectures sponsored 
 
 H rs - SL A - c W A m ?2? s ■•••5X23; ,^* n , jointly by the P.T.A. and the Wom- 
 
 mX: £ES S Y C o h ^ t .:::::^?f and1940 " 1 **'* Library club, with Miss Ethel 
 
 Mrs. Harris Frazier 1942-3 and 1943-4 Kawin giving the first course of 
 
 There are very few records left of eleven lectures, 
 the early period, up to about 1927. In the early days, one of the most 
 The organization was largely social important functions of the P.T.A. 
 at first, stressing especially the was looking out for the welfare of 
 meeting of parents and teachers, our teachers. During the summer 
 getting acquainted with each other months the mothers hunted up all 
 and the school. An effort was made the available rooms for teachers to 
 to get all mothers interested, espe- rent and saw to it that all new 
 cially the foreign born and to make teachers had adequate places to live, 
 them feel at home. Arthur B. Rowell, They collected and turned over to 
 superintendent of schools, although the teachers unused theater and con- 
 very cooperative, asked the mothers cert tickets. In 1927, all the teachers 
 to make the P.T.A. as inconspicuous were entertained at a Christmas 
 as possible. A bulletin was started at luncheon; the year often started with 
 this time, however, and there were a reception for teachers and there 
 meetings with programs planned were special receptions whenever 
 from month to month to fit the ac- there was a new or retiring superin- 
 tivities of the school. Programs from tendent. Since 1931, when the annual 
 the beginning down to the present May meeting has been in the form 
 time have been largely built about of a luncheon at Skokie Country 
 the activities of the school, either club, the teachers have been the 
 outside speakers talking on some guests of the P.T.A. Last year there 
 phase of education or our own teach- was no luncheon because of the war. 
 ers and children giving reports and Always the back-bone of the or- 
 demonstrations; or "parent's nights ganization has been its corps of 
 at school," at which the school work Room Mothers with a head Room 
 was outlined for interested fathers Mother from each school. Since 1931, 
 and mothers. the three head Room Mothers have 
 
 Every organization must have a entertained all the Room Mothers 
 
 33 
 
and the teachers at a tea early in 
 the fall. 
 
 The Art committee has always 
 been important; sponsoring art ex- 
 hibits of many kinds and selecting 
 and purchasing many pictures for 
 the three schools. 
 
 Publicity has also been paramount. 
 There has been a Bulletin of some 
 sort since the very early days. 
 
 The P.T.A. has been, and we hope 
 will always continue to be, a vital 
 force in the community. It has 
 initiated many projects which were 
 later taken over by other groups. 
 We have a record in 1927 of a Play- 
 grounds and Recreation committee 
 to survey and coordinate the activi- 
 ties of all the groups in the village 
 working along those lines. It has al- 
 ways supplied free milk where 
 needed; for years supplied funds for 
 dental and optical work, which were 
 later taken over by the Glencoe Re- 
 lief and Aid Society; sponsored free 
 vaccinations and has always sup- 
 plied funds to take care of any spe- 
 
 cial cases of need among our school 
 children. 
 
 In 1929, at the beginning of the 
 depression, the "Sandwich Collec- 
 tion" was started, to send sand- 
 wiches in to Chicago to feed poor 
 children. This collection was con- 
 tinued for five or six years, gen- 
 erally amounting to ten or fifteen 
 cartons each week. There were also 
 collections of candles and blankets. 
 
 The first record book of minutes 
 was started in 1929. 
 
 The P.T.A. has sponsored concerts 
 and many plays for children, cul- 
 minating in a most successful series 
 of eight last year. 
 
 In the field of community activi- 
 ties, the P.T.A. has planned classes 
 for adults in the evening at school 
 including: typing, gym, badminton, 
 tap dancing, crafts, shop, languages, 
 book reviews, forums, puppetry and 
 instrumental music. These activi- 
 ties are now planned by the School 
 Board and the faculty. 
 
 RELIC OF PAST— In striking contrast to the modern machinery 
 employed in construction of the $4,287,287 Winnetka grade separation 
 project, which also extends well up into Glencoe, is this old anvil which 
 was used 90 years ago as a part of the important equipment when the 
 tracks of the Chicago and North Western railway company were laid 
 through the North Shore. Staff Photo 
 
 34 
 
Woman 's Library Club 
 
 Editor's note: Material for the ap- 
 pended article was gleaned from a his- 
 tory of the Glencoe Woman's Library 
 club written by Mrs. Harry T. Booth for 
 the permanent records of the Qlencoe 
 Historical society. 
 
 In order to give a brief history 
 of the early days of the Woman's 
 Library club, it is necessary to give 
 a little of the early history of Glen- 
 coe, as the two are so closely 
 connected. 
 
 In 1867 ten prominent men of Ev- 
 anston and Chicago, drawn here by 
 the natural beauty of the spot, 
 bought 683 acres of land for $50,000 
 and started a town. Among those 
 who came out in the country to live, 
 was Prof. S. C. Bartlett of the The- 
 ological seminary in Chicago. In 
 1870 he moved into the S. R. Hur- 
 ford home, and on Sundays con- 
 ducted the church service held in 
 the Judson home, about on the site 
 of the new library. During his trip 
 to the Holy Land in 1872 Dr. Bart- 
 lett sent home to his wife letters 
 of such great interest that she in- 
 vited some of her neighbors in to 
 hear them. Following him in his 
 travels, they became interested in 
 Italy and its art treasures and de- 
 cided to meet once a week for the 
 reading of worthwhile books — the 
 group to buy the books and keep 
 them as a nucleus of a library in 
 Glencoe. 
 
 Club Started in 1874 
 \ At a meeting on April 3, 1874, at 
 / the home of Mrs. H. B. Willmarth, 
 these women of Glencoe who had 
 been holding informal "readings," 
 formed an organization for intel- 
 lectual and social improvement 
 called "The Woman's Library club. 
 The signers of the original consti- 
 tution were: President, Mrs. John 
 Nutt; vice-president, Mrs. Charles 
 H. Howard; secretary, Mrs. H. B. 
 Willmarth; treasurer, Mrs. Freder- 
 ick W. Newhall; librarian, Miss Jen- 
 nie Willmarth, and Mrs. S. C. Bart- 
 lett, Mrs. S. T. Lockwood, Mrs. J. 
 S. Bartlett, Mrs. Henry Wilson, and 
 Miss Sarah Uptegraph. Dues were 
 25 cents quarterly, or $1 a year. 
 Glencoe' s size at that time is in- 
 dicated by the fact that there were 
 27 registered voters in the spring 
 election of '74. 
 
 Becoming president of Dartmouth 
 college two years later, Dr. Bartlett 
 and his interesting family moved 
 
 east, and the Woman's Library 
 club, for which he was indirectly 
 responsible, continued as one of the 
 finest influences in the village. 
 
 Highlights of Earlier Years 
 
 Streamlining the history of early 
 years, highlights disclose that Mrs. 
 John Nutt, the first president, 
 served in all for 20 years. Wife of 
 one of the founders of both Evans- 
 ton and Glencoe, she was a sister 
 of that Dr. Evans for whom Ev- 
 anston was named. With their 
 church missionary meetings as a 
 pattern the members met every 
 Thursday afternoon, opening the 
 sessions with a prayer given by 
 whomever the president called 
 upon, and closing the afternoon by 
 singing, "Blest Be the Tie That 
 Binds." Since most of the early 
 members had large families, by 
 Thursday afternoons they had darn- 
 ing and mending to bring with 
 them. 
 
 Club meetings followed about the 
 same program for years — an hour 
 devoted to reading some classic or 
 history, a period of discussion, and 
 perhaps some light refreshments — 
 the last hour of reading given over 
 to a book in a lighter vein, and 
 often poetry. Each member was 
 supposed to take her turn reading, 
 but as some had better voices than 
 others, the same few read year 
 after year. 
 
 By invitation, the members met 
 in the homes of various members 
 and sometimes in the parlors of 
 the new Congregational church. Dur- 
 ing the summer there were basket 
 picnics in Newhall' s Woods along 
 the lake and sometimes the men 
 were invited, too. 
 
 Group Broadens Interests 
 
 In 1876, Mrs. Nutt suggested the 
 group take up the study of archi- 
 tecture, another member suggested 
 literature, and from that time on, 
 one book of each subject was read 
 at every meeting. The custom of 
 serving luncheon was started when 
 Mrs. Nutt entertained for the 13 
 members present at the third an- 
 nual meeting. For the first three 
 years the same officers were elected. 
 The sewing done by members at 
 the meetings became more in- 
 clusive, for in 1878 the club was 
 making clothes for Christmas pres- 
 
 35 
 
ents for the poor in Miss Lock- 
 wood's Sunday School class. 
 
 When the second president, Mrs. 
 Lockwood, moved away the last of 
 September in 1879, after holding 
 office during the summer months, 
 Mrs. George Ligare, vice-president, 
 completed her term and for a num- 
 ber of years the club met regularly 
 at her home, the large brick house 
 at the rear of the present audi- 
 torium built in the late '50' s by 
 Walter S. Gurnee, ex-mayor of 
 Chicago. 
 
 The club's next president, Mrs. 
 Eliza Otis Gilmore, had the dis- 
 tinction of being the mother of two 
 Civil War generals, O. O. Howard, 
 and Charles H. Howard, whose wife 
 later became a president of the 
 club. 
 
 Interesting facts of the club's 
 early days are many, too numerous 
 for mention here, but among them 
 is the account of the first benefit 
 listed, a lawn party planned when, 
 in June of 1881 the club, anxious 
 to buy several more volumes of the 
 Encyclopedia Brittanica as they 
 were being published, needed funds. 
 To raise these, Mrs. Nutt offered 
 the use of her beautiful grounds. At 
 the appointed time it rained, forcing 
 the guests indoors, but they enjoyed 
 themselves playing various games, 
 and made a net profit of $22.30— 
 "not bad for a rainy afternoon." 
 Expenses for the party are inter- 
 esting in the light of current prices. 
 
 100 paper napkins 75 
 
 y 2 crate of strawberries 85 
 
 Small cakes 50 
 
 10 gallons home-made ice cream. .. .12.50 
 
 Expenses 14.60 
 
 Receipts 36.90 
 
 Observe Tenth Anniversary 
 
 In 1884, the same year the 
 Woman's Library club held its tenth 
 annual meeting at the residence of 
 Mrs. Joseph Daggitt where at 1 
 o'clock luncheon was served to 35 
 women, a description of Glencoe 
 reads, "The Village now contains 
 about 300 people, one good general 
 store, a post office, a good school, 
 one church, and quite a collection 
 of houses." (History of Cook County, 
 111., 1884) 
 
 When, in March 1885, at Mrs. 
 Hiram Day's, as some 30 women 
 were finishing luncheon, news came 
 of the death of Mary Hovey. The 
 program was omitted, the Rev. 
 Hiram Day conducted a short re- 
 ligious service, and the meeting was 
 disbanded. 
 
 By inviting men to the thirteenth 
 annual meeting held April 14, 1887, 
 an evening for which a special pro- 
 gram was planned, the club started a 
 new custom. Brief yearly reports 
 included the librarian's proud an- 
 nouncement that the club library 
 had 241 books, some of them gifts, 
 and a number of them from the fine 
 library of Mrs. Robert Scott in 
 Lakeside (now Hubbard Woods). 
 
 To mark the fifteenth anniversary, 
 a special "Crystal Wedding Celebra- 
 tion" was planned. The event was 
 announced the Sunday previous as 
 an open invitation read by the pastor 
 of the Congregational church, the 
 Rev. Moses Smith. 
 
 Summer meetings in 1889, at "The 
 Cabin," the charming home of Mrs. 
 Safford on Hazel avenue near the 
 lake; the trip that November of 14 
 members to Rose Hill, where car- 
 riages awaited them to take them 
 to their hostess' home about two 
 miles distant, their return on the 
 6:20 evening train after having left 
 Glencoe on the 9:30 morning train; 
 the annual meeting with the Rever- 
 end Mr. Smith coming to say 
 "Grace" at the luncheon and re- 
 maining for the program by invita- 
 tion, the first man to attend an after- 
 noon session — these are other his- 
 torical notes. 
 
 Informal talks by members on 
 various subjects, the feeling of de- 
 pression at the seventeenth annual 
 meeting at Mrs. Day's when their 
 president was abroad and all of 
 the other officers had had serious 
 illnesses in their families, and events 
 outside the club itself, are noted in 
 the history sketch. 
 
 Get Plans for Clubhouse 
 
 Looking ahead to the day when 
 the women could build a clubhouse, 
 they obtained in February 1892, 
 from Flanders and Zimmerman, 
 architects, plans for their approval. 
 It was not until fourteen years later 
 that their hopes were fulfilled (1906). 
 
 The World's Fair of 1893 had its 
 influence on the Woman's Library 
 club. In April of 1892, 43 women 
 and 2 men, General Howard and 
 the Rev. Moses Smith, met at the 
 manse for a basket lunch, to hear 
 the series of papers on countries 
 to exhibit in the fair, papers pre- 
 pared by the women themselves in 
 advance so that they could appre- 
 ciate the fair. Later each gave an 
 account of her day spent at the 
 fair. August 31, 1893, for the first 
 time since the club started, meet- 
 
 3(5 
 
ings were discontinued because the 
 "World's fair interfered." In No- 
 vember 8, when meetings were re- 
 sumed, Mrs. Hurford stated that 
 the club had applied for papers of 
 incorporation. 
 
 In 1894, changes were made in 
 the club's constitution and two vice- 
 presidents were elected; the books 
 in the library were insured for $500 
 and Mr. Hurford, who arranged the 
 insurance, returned his fee to the 
 treasury. Another highlight of that 
 year was an invitation to visit the 
 Woman's Club of Wilmette, a group 
 which Miss Ida and Miss Annie Law 
 helped organize soon after their 
 family moved to Wilmette from 
 Glencoe. 
 
 The club's first department, 
 "Home and Education," was intro- 
 duced in 1896 when the Morning 
 club, a group of young mothers un- 
 der the leadership of Mrs. MacLeish, 
 who had been studying nature sub- 
 jects, joined the Woman's Library 
 club. 
 
 Leaves Bequest of $5,000 
 
 Thomas Allen, in whose home the 
 club had met frequently for many 
 years, passed away in 1897, leaving 
 a bequest of $5000 to the club in 
 memory of his wife. Receiving the 
 money three years later, the club 
 selected a suitable place to build 
 on the corner of Greenleaf and Hazel 
 avenues, where a lot was bought for 
 $1,250. Howard Nutt gave the club 
 the other lot in memory of his moth- 
 er. The treasurer, Mrs. Brewster, 
 kept a detailed account of the cost 
 
 of the building and gave $8,628.05 
 as the final figure. Mrs. Ben New- 
 hall and Mrs. William R. Johnson 
 were the building committee. Before 
 the clubhouse was finished the dues 
 were raised to $3 a year and $2 
 initiation fee charged new mem- 
 bers. Life membership was avail- 
 able for $100 and associate mem- 
 bership for $15. 
 
 At the time the building was open- 
 ed with a reception, February 1, 
 1906 the club membership numbered 
 about 75. In appreciation of Mr. Al- 
 len's gift, a tablet was placed in the 
 clubhouse inscribed "To the memory 
 of Hannah Allen." 
 
 With such a fine building the 
 membership grew rapidly and new 
 features were added to the pro- 
 gram. A Christmas party was given 
 each year for the small children, 
 and an autumn meeting was in 
 honor of daughters. Rental requests 
 were frequent and the board decided 
 to charge $8 for afternoons or $12 
 for evenings to outsiders. The Metho- 
 dists soon rented it for Sunday serv- 
 ices, paying $35 a month, with the 
 privilege of placing their church 
 sign on the building on Sundays. 
 
 It seems truly remarkable that 
 from the time of the opening of the 
 first clubhouse on down to the pres- 
 ent day, there is an unbroken line 
 of living past presidents, except for 
 Mrs. Hurford, Mrs. Howard, and 
 Mrs. Allen G. Mills. 
 
 Membership Grows Rapidly 
 
 With the clubhouse as a definite 
 meeting place, membership increas- 
 
 es INt- 
 
 Woman's Library club in 1906. 
 37 
 
ed rapidly. In 1910, under the leader- 
 ship of Mrs. Gerry Taylor the club 
 joined the Illinois Federation. 
 
 Glencoe was growing rapidly, and 
 its problems of health and sanitation 
 became a matter of concern in the 
 club. During Mrs. George Pope's of- 
 fice, 1912-1914, the club's library 
 books were loaned to the Glencoe 
 Public library and placed in the Vil- 
 lage hall where the reading room 
 was in charge of Miss Sarah Ham- 
 mond. Mrs. R. W. Stevens, the club 
 treasurer, vigorously collected gold 
 and silver, and the mortage on the 
 clubhouse was lifted in 1913. This 
 when Mrs. George J. Pope was 
 president. 
 
 Mrs. Allen G. Mills was president 
 from 1914-1916 and programs of that 
 time reflected the war in Europe. 
 In June, 1916, 49 clubwomen 
 marched in the parade of 5,500 wom- 
 en to show the Republican conven- 
 tion at the Coliseum that they were 
 in favor of Woman Suffrage. 
 
 During Mrs. Boardman's presi- 
 dency, which began in 1915, club 
 funds were low, and to raise money, 
 the club gave a lecture series, rent- 
 ed the clubhouse to the Masonic 
 lodge for its meetings, gave a play, 
 and made a down-payment on a 
 grand piano. In those years, too, 
 the civics department was formed, 
 and Mrs. Orcutt organized a music 
 department. 
 
 The piano arrived in time to be 
 played at the opening meeting in 
 October 1916, when Mrs. Alfred 
 Washington took the chair for the 
 first time. A series of card parties 
 and plays soon raised the remaining 
 money owed on the piano, and Mrs. 
 Orcutt gave a program of Christmas 
 music which was the forerunner of 
 the Candlelight service. 
 
 Entertain War Veterans 
 
 Mrs. Dwight Orcutt opened her 
 term as president on November 7, 
 1918. During the summer of 1918, 
 clubwomen brought wounded men 
 down from Fort Sheridan every 
 Wednesday afternoon for entertain- 
 ment. 
 
 During Mrs. Henry H. Brigham's 
 presidency (1920-1922), plans were 
 made to enlarge the clubhouse, but 
 were given up because the grounds 
 were too small. Soon afterwards 
 while Mrs. Albert Olson was presi- 
 dent, the clubhouse was sold, and 
 the property on Tudor court was 
 purchased. In April, 1924 the club 
 
 celebrated its semi-centennial anni- 
 versary. 
 
 Under Mrs. William Fox's leader- 
 ship "Glen Cote, a Gift and Thrift 
 shop" was opened in August, 1924 
 to raise money for a new clubhouse. 
 At this time, the club sponsored 
 night schools for adult foreigners, 
 La Petite Causerie was formed, and 
 there was a membership drive, 
 which brought the club's member- 
 ship to 500. 
 
 Under Mrs. Andrew MacLeish's 
 leadership, the various departments 
 were sponsored and kept active. 
 During Mrs. Ivor Jeffreys' office. 
 1927-1930, the club met in the Central 
 School Community room. The club 
 joined the General Federation in 
 1927, and the Junior auxiliary came 
 into being the same year. 
 
 In Mrs. Walter Hughes' term of 
 office (1930-1933) the depression was 
 weighing heavily on the nation, and 
 the club raised large amounts for 
 charity. During Mrs. Howard Spur- 
 geon's administration (1933-1934), 
 the club celebrated its sixtieth an- 
 niversary. 
 
 During Mrs. George Heidman's 
 term (1934-1936), the club joined the 
 "Friends of American Writers," and 
 Mrs. Heidman served as hostess on 
 Illinois Federation day at "A Cen- 
 tury of Progress." 
 
 During Mrs. L. Duncan Lloyd's 
 term (1937-1939), the new clubhouse 
 was planned and completed, and for- 
 mally christened at an evening re- 
 ception, on October 5, 1938, the 
 beginning of Mrs. Warner Nelson's 
 term of office. 
 
 Mrs. Charles Steele's presidency 
 (1940-1942) marked the beginning of 
 the club's active part in National 
 Defense before Pearl Harbor, and 
 a Red Cross class, in nutrition, the 
 first in the village, was held in the 
 clubhouse. The club furnished and 
 maintained a Day room at Fort 
 Sheridan. 
 
 The club's present leader, Mrs. 
 John Newhall, is now serving the 
 second year of her term, and it 
 has been an active period, with the 
 clubhouse used as headquarters for 
 the Red Cross Mobile Blood Donor 
 Unit, and sales of Stamps and 
 Bonds at each club meeting. The 
 Knapsack Library has produced 
 many booklets from old magazines 
 for the boys in service. A large serv- 
 ice flag with 79 blue stars hangs in 
 the auditorium. 
 
 38 
 
Glencoe Park System 
 
 By Fred L. Holmes, 
 
 Secretary, Glencoe Park District 
 
 "In April, 1912, the Glencoe Park 
 district was organized, under a 
 mandate by the public, to protect 
 the gate-way to the village against 
 the encroachment of undesirable 
 and disfiguring business structures, 
 and particularly charged with ac- 
 quiring all vacant property in Block 
 19, immediately opposite the station 
 on the north side of Park avenue." 
 
 Thus are the origin and aims of 
 the Glencoe Park district set forth 
 in a report of the commissioners is- 
 sued in 1916. How well this aim was 
 carried out is evidenced by the pres- 
 ent park system extending along 
 both sides of the railroad with little, 
 if any, privately owned vacant prop- 
 erty. 
 
 The Glencoe Park district was in- 
 corporated under an act passed in 
 1895 by the Illinois State legisla- 
 ture. The commissioners elected in 
 1912 were: 
 
 Oscar G. Foreman, William V. 
 Jacobs, Otto R. Barnett, Fred D. 
 Jackson, Sherman M. Booth. 
 
 They continued to serve the pub- 
 lic in that capacity for a decade, 
 some of them for a considerably 
 longer time. 
 
 First Park Near Station 
 
 The first property acquired was 
 that in Block 19 adjacent to the 
 Glencoe Union Church, the first tract 
 being one and one-half lots do- 
 nated by Franklin Newhall, June 6, 
 1912. Other lots were donated or pur- 
 chased and the entire tract con- 
 verted into park. 
 
 The "mandate" above mentioned 
 was the result of an election held in 
 response to a petition by the voters 
 of the community. The report cited 
 goes on to say: 
 
 "Upon careful consideration of the de- 
 velopment of all suburbs along the North 
 Shore, the Commissioners were unani- 
 mously of the opinion that they could 
 render no more valuable service to the 
 Village than to evolve and carry out a 
 park project which would comprehens- 
 ively protect and beautify the entrance 
 to the Village so as forever to shut out 
 unsightly business developments adja- 
 cent to the station grounds. Accordingly 
 the Park District acquired property on 
 the southeast corner of Park avenue and 
 Green Bay road, extending 227 feet on 
 Park avenue and 262 feet on Green Bay 
 road." 
 
 Later the park holdings were ex- 
 
 tended to include all Green Bay road 
 frontage to Hazel avenue. 
 
 How Development Grew 
 
 Further development of the orig- 
 inal plan to "protect the gate-way" 
 led to the acquisition of practically 
 the entire frontage on Green Bay 
 road and along the east side of the 
 railway from a point several hun- 
 dred feet north of the Green Bay 
 road crossing south to Harbor street, 
 the depth of the park areas vary- 
 ing from a few feet to half a block. 
 
 On the west side of the railroad, 
 frontage was purchased in a similar 
 manner. One of the most satisfactory 
 purchases was that of the Railroad 
 avenue frontage in Block 44, be- 
 tween Lincoln and Milton avenues. 
 This was before the improvement 
 of the street as an arterial highway 
 under the present name of Glencoe 
 road, and the property west of the 
 railroad was occupied by a coal 
 yard and a lumber yard, both hav- 
 ing switch tracks crossing Railroad 
 avenue from the C.&N.W.Ry. 
 
 In 1925 the southerly three lots, 
 to a depth of 100 feet had been pur- 
 chased from the Illinois Bell Tele- 
 phone company and in 1928 the re- 
 mainder of the property fronting 
 on the railroad in this block was 
 purchased from the Edward Hines 
 Lumber company and the Peabody 
 Coal company. The lumber yard and 
 coal yard operated by the Consum- 
 ers Company moved out. 
 
 The street was widened and im- 
 proved as Glencoe road, about 1933, 
 but the railroad retained a siding 
 and freight house on its own prop- 
 erty. Within the last few years the 
 railroad finally was prevailed upon 
 to remove the siding and freight 
 house which were the last vestiges 
 of business in that locality. 
 
 The property at the northwest 
 corner of Jackson and Linden ave- 
 nue, adjacent to the South school, 
 was heavily wooded and therefore 
 a desirable tract for preservation 
 and development as a Wild Flower 
 Sanctuary. Consequently, an ex- 
 change of properties was arranged 
 with the Board of Education in 
 1928, whereby the school acquired 
 six lots directly west of the South 
 school building in exchange for the 
 wooded area. 
 
 39 
 
Monroe-Vernon Park was acquired 
 in part by negotiated purchases and 
 through condemnation proceedings 
 started in 1928, and was financed 
 by a special assessment spread over 
 twenty years. The park involves all 
 property on both sides of Vernon 
 avenue from Adams avenue to the 
 center of the block south of Monroe 
 avenue and eastward on both sides 
 of Monroe avenue, which was va- 
 cated. Thus a large area is provided 
 near the South school suitable for 
 athletic fields and other recrea- 
 tional facilities. 
 
 Aside from Monroe-Vernon Park, 
 some of the properties acquired 
 were by gift or at nominal prices, 
 and the other properties purchased 
 prior to 1931 were financed by the 
 issuance of general bonds. This re- 
 sulted in a large bonded indebted- 
 ness which has gradually been re- 
 duced from year to year. No gen- 
 eral bonds have been issued since 
 1931. 
 
 Again "Protect Gate-Way" 
 
 The latest acquisition, that of the 
 Standard Oil company's property on 
 Glencoe road south of Woodlawn 
 avenue, was accomplished on a 
 twenty-year basis without interest 
 and without added burden on the tax 
 payers. Use of the property had 
 been discontinued by the Standard 
 Oil company and it was taken over 
 by the Park district in line with 
 the original concept of "protecting 
 the gate-way." 
 
 Aside from the Monroe-Vernon 
 park very little property has been 
 purchased except along the railroad. 
 One wooded tract at Dundee road 
 between Greenwood avenue and 
 Grove street is an exception. 
 
 The Bird Sanctuary, a triangle at 
 the west end of Park avenue, was 
 the gift of Edward H. Ravenscroft 
 in 1917 and was dedicated as the 
 Clara M. Dietz Bird Sanctuary June 
 10, 1932 in recognition of the long 
 and efficient services of Miss Dietz 
 as science teacher in the Glencoe 
 public schools. 
 
 Earliest Park at Lake Front 
 
 The Lake Front Park between 
 Park and Hazel avenues, was dedi- 
 cated as such by the founders of the 
 Village, or at least is shown as a 
 park on the earliest maps available. 
 It was natural that the control of 
 this park and the development of a 
 bathing beach on the adjoining shore 
 should devolve upon the Park dis- 
 trict, but no use could be made of 
 
 the beach until the discharge of 
 sewage into the lake could be 
 stopped. 
 
 In December, 1915, the Chicago 
 Sanitary District provided intersept- , 
 ing sewers which made it possible to 
 reverse the flow of sewage, and the 
 Park board erected a frame beach 
 house, with showers, toilet accom- 
 modations and running water. An 
 electric sludge pump carries the lo- 
 cal sewage to the sewer on the bluff, 
 which is about 80 feet high. 
 
 Make Improvements in 1928 
 
 The present substantial, attractive 
 and convenient beach house and ap- 
 proaches were installed in 1928 un- 
 der the supervision of Paul L. Bat- 
 tey, then president of the Board. 
 Mr. Battey, a prominent consulting 
 engineer, prepared the plans and 
 supervised the entire Lake Front 
 park development, including the 
 treatment of the exterior of the 
 water works plant to harmonize with 
 the beach architecture. He gave 
 freely of his time and experience 
 and Glencoe is indebted to him for a 
 development which is acknowl- 
 edged by park men throughout the 
 country as unexcelled. 
 
 In passing, it might be well to note 
 the fluctuation of lake levels and 
 the construction of breakwaters and 
 piers as affecting the beach. 
 
 In the winter of 1929-30 the beach 
 was so narrow that a severe storm 
 wrecked a large portion of the re- 
 taining wall of the terrace in front 
 of the beach house and undermined 
 the stone floor. In making repairs it 
 was necessary to drive sheet piling j 
 for protection against further en- " 
 croachments. 
 
 Storms Play Havoc 
 
 This storm also damaged the 100 
 foot pier at the foot of Hazel ave- 
 nue to such an extent as to make 
 complete rebuilding necessary. A 
 new pier 200 feet long and 20 feet 
 wide was constructed and the pres- 
 ent depth of the water at the end 
 of this pier is several feet less than 
 at that time. Although the new pier 
 was weighted with many carloads of 
 large stone, it required repairs 
 again in 1940. 
 
 With the water level the highest 
 in years and beach frontage in gen- 
 eral endangered, this beach at pres- 
 ent is over 100 feet wide. Not only is 
 the piling hidden from view but 
 most of the thirteen stone steps lead- 
 ing from the beach up to the terrace 
 are buried in sand. In a photograph 
 
 10 
 
taken in 1934, ten of these steps are 
 visible, and the beach appears to be 
 40 or 50 feet wide. 
 
 To what extent the longer pier has 
 influenced the accretion of sand, it 
 is hard to say but the fact remains 
 that Glencoe bathing beach is not 
 endangered by the present high lake 
 level. 
 
 Makes Long-Range Plans 
 
 Deeming it advisable to have a 
 superintendent experienced in en- 
 gineering and landscaoing, the Park 
 board in June, 1930, employed 
 Robert E. Everly as superintendent. 
 
 Under his direction and super- 
 vision an extensive program of im- 
 provements was planned and in 
 large measure carried out. This in- 
 volved not only landscaping but the 
 erection of several buildings for the 
 use of various park facilities. 
 
 Play areas in the Monroe-Vernon 
 park were developed, ball fields and 
 tennis courts installed and a large 
 amount of landscaping accom- 
 plished. This involved the removal 
 of several buildings from the 
 property. 
 
 The Wild Flower Sanctuary was 
 improved by enclosure with a "Lin- 
 coln" rail fence, stiles, paths, log 
 seats, etc. It is the aim of the Park 
 Board to have all varieties of na- 
 tive woodland plants represented in 
 this sanctuary and to this end quite 
 a considerable amount of additional 
 planting has been done. More is an- 
 ticipated as opportunity is pre- 
 sented. 
 
 The establishment of a nursery for 
 trees and shrubs, the purchase and 
 erection of a propagating house for 
 decorative plants and shrubs, the 
 erection of shelter houses at skating 
 rinks, also were included. 
 
 Get Federal Assistance 
 
 Only a small portion of this work 
 could have been undertaken but for 
 the financial aid of the Federal re- 
 lief agencies which were seeking 
 projects for the employment of idle 
 labor. Under these agencies, spon- 
 sored by the Glencoe Park district 
 and jointly by the Park district and 
 the Glencoe Board of Education, a 
 number of projects were set up suc- 
 cessively with the Civil Works Ad- 
 ministration, its successor the Illi- 
 nois Emergency Relief Commission 
 and then the Works Progress Admin- 
 istration. The workmen and much of 
 the material were furnished by the 
 Federal Government. 
 
 One of these projects included the 
 
 razing of a large residence located 
 on the property on Glencoe road be- 
 tween Park avenue and Hazel ave- 
 nue. This had been the home of 
 William H. Johnson and family for 
 many years prior to its transfer to 
 the Glencoe public library. 
 
 Much of the lumber taken from 
 the Johnson house was used in the 
 construction of the neat multi-pur- 
 pose colonial building which stands 
 on park property to the north-west 
 of the North School. The building 
 serves as machine shop, garage for 
 three trucks, fieldhouse for the ad- 
 jacent athletic field, and the second 
 floor is occupied as the residence 
 of the foreman. Very little in the 
 way of materials was used except 
 that from the old house. 
 
 Utilize Salvage Material 
 
 Another project involved the 
 wrecking of the Central school build- 
 ing in preparation for the new build- 
 ing erected in 1938-39. The gym- 
 nasium in the west wing of the old 
 building was built of hollow tile 
 which was salvaged and later used 
 in the construction of a commodious 
 equipment shed and a large compost 
 pit, both on the North Park prop- 
 erties. 
 
 The equipment shed now houses 
 power mowers, tractor, power leaf 
 sweeper, tree sprayer, rototiller and 
 other machinery needed in the effi- 
 cient maintenance of park areas. 
 
 The amphitheater at Central 
 school was constructed from cut 
 stone taken from the foundation of 
 the old school. 
 
 The skating rink, which had been 
 maintained at Park avenue and 
 Green Bay road, had become inade- 
 quate and a larger rink area was 
 drained and graded at Green Bay 
 road and Dennis lane. The shelter 
 house was moved from Park avenue 
 to the new location, enlarged and 
 veneered with brick from the old 
 school building. Flood lights were 
 also installed. 
 
 Move Many Great Trees 
 
 One of the chief projects carried 
 on through the winter months was 
 the moving of a large number of 
 trees. The first call for this service 
 was when the Glencoe road im- 
 provement in 1933 made necessary 
 the destruction or removal of a 
 number of valuable trees, among 
 them some large maples. These 
 were transplanted to park property 
 to the west of the right of way. 
 Owing to the size of these trees, 
 
 41 
 
some of which were hard maples, 
 upwards of 2 feet in diameter, it 
 was necessary to operate when the 
 ground was frozen. In one instance, 
 when Federal restrictions did not 
 permit work for several days, the 
 weather changed and the endangered 
 balls of earth on two trees were kept 
 frozen by the use of dry ice. This, 
 being an innovation, caused consid- 
 erable publicity among park men 
 and arborists. Both trees lived. 
 
 Many other trees were removed 
 from parking areas and replanted in 
 park and school properties. One 
 hard maple measuring 30 inches in 
 diameter, and an elm nearly as 
 large, were among the trees saved 
 from destruction. These required a 
 root enclosure of frozen earth 18 to 
 20 feet in diameter. Dead trees also, 
 were removed and live trees 
 trimmed and sprayed under these 
 projects. 
 
 Ten Acres Per Thousand People 
 
 Park men and planning commis- 
 sions are pretty generally agreed 
 that the ideal ratio for park and rec- 
 reation areas to population is ten 
 acres per thousand of population. In 
 this respect Glencoe is just about 
 right. 
 
 It should be borne in mind that 
 parkways in front of private prop- 
 erty are not included in the park 
 system. The Park board has juris- 
 diction over property owned by 
 the Glencoe Park district, only. 
 However, through a special arrange- 
 ment with the Village, the Park dis- 
 trict planted and maintains the buf- 
 fer strip along the east side of Green 
 Bay road adjoining the railroad 
 right-of-way. The strip varies in 
 width from a minimum of 15 feet, 
 and the planting serves as a screen 
 for the railroad tracks. 
 
 What further might have been ac- 
 complished had not the war inter- 
 vened may not be known. Doubtless 
 the postwar period will bring to 
 fruition some of the interrupted 
 plans as well as others not as yet 
 contemplated. This must be left to 
 a future historian. 
 
 Independent Water 
 Supply Started in '25 
 
 All residents of Glencoe were in- 
 vited to attend a mass meeting to 
 discuss plans for an independent 
 water system which was held at the 
 Masonic hall, December 14, 1925. 
 The meeting was sponsored by the 
 Glencoe Plan commission, the Glen- 
 coe Men's club and the Woman's 
 Library club. Glencoe' s water sup- 
 ply at that time was furnished by 
 Winnetka, whose contract for this 
 service was to expire in 1927. 
 
 BIGGEST BUILDING MONTH 
 
 Building permits for improvements 
 totalling $275,000 were issued in 
 Glencoe in one week during Novem- 
 ber, 1925, an all -time record for a 
 like period, it was announced. One 
 of the permits was for the new South 
 school, costing $90,000. There were 
 seven for new residences, one of 
 which cost $70,000; two, $23,000 each; 
 one, $22,000, one, $17,000. another 
 $15,000 and still another for $13,000. 
 Several permits also were taken out 
 for addition and alteration jobs. 
 
 NAME VALLEY STATIONS 
 
 In October, 1925, official announce- 
 ment of the definite locations of the 
 nine stations on the new Skokie 
 Valley route of the Chicago, North 
 Shore and Milwaukee railroad was 
 made by the company in conjunc- 
 tion with announcement that $1,000 
 would be paid for the most appro- 
 priate names to designate the new 
 stations. 
 
 42 
 
Glencoe Public Library 
 
 Glencoe Public library had its 
 beginning in 1909 when with a nuc- 
 leus of books from the Woman's 
 Library club, the Glencoe school and 
 the Congregational church, it opened 
 in one room of the old Central 
 school. Miss Sarah S. Hammond, 
 who was teaching in the elementary 
 school at that time, was made the 
 first librarian and continued in this 
 capacity until her retirement in 1935. 
 To honor her many years of faith- 
 ful and able service to the com- 
 munity, the second floor assembly 
 room in the new building was named 
 for her and marked with a suitable 
 bronze plaque. 
 
 On August 1, 1912, because of its 
 growing size, the library was moved 
 to the second floor of the Village 
 hall where it remained until 1929. 
 As the Village then required this 
 space for its various departments, 
 the Library board acquired the 
 property at the corner of Greenleaf 
 and Hazel avenues known as the 
 "Hawthorn school." This building 
 had originally been erected for the 
 Woman's Library club. In this loca- 
 tion the library continued until the 
 opening of its new building on July 
 13, 1941. 
 
 In 1917, with wise foresight, the 
 Library board with proper approval 
 from the Village board, levied the 
 sum of $97,500 spread over a period 
 of fifteen years, to acquire a suit- 
 able site and erect a fitting library 
 building. Fortunately, at this time 
 the William H. Johnson residence 
 covering the property bounded by 
 Park avenue, Glencoe road and 
 Hazel avenue, was placed on the 
 market and Mr. Johnson, always a 
 public-spirited citizen, was particu- 
 larly anxious that it be acquired by 
 the Village as a future community 
 center. The Library board purchased 
 the property for $54,900, which sum 
 was made available by the Chicago 
 Title and Trust company, after 169 
 Glencoe residents had guaranteed 
 one thousand dollars each for its 
 repayment. The sum, however, was 
 repaid in yearly installments out of 
 the original levy spread over fif- 
 teen years. 
 
 Presents Homelike Atmosphere 
 By 1938, the board felt that the 
 quarters in the building at Green- 
 leaf and Hazel avenues were be- 
 
 coming entirely too cramped to long- 
 er serve the library demands for 
 the increased growth of the village. 
 The board resolutely set to the task 
 of erecting a new building on the 
 Johnson property and as a result the 
 present edifice was opened to the 
 public on July 13, 1941. Its simple 
 Georgian lines and homelike atmos- 
 phere and its central location have 
 made it a pleasant and accessible 
 center for the cultural life of the 
 community. A bond issue of $37,500 
 was made available by the Village 
 board and this sum with what re- 
 mained of the original levy and its 
 accretions was sufficient to defray 
 the entire cost of the building and 
 its furnishings. To this was added a 
 trust fund left by Mr. William H. 
 Johnson for the development of the 
 property for community purposes, 
 amounting by 1941 to somewhat over 
 $5,000. Part of this sum was used 
 for the furnishing of the main read- 
 ing room which was named in 
 Mr. Johnson's honor and properly 
 marked with a bronze plaque. The 
 board still holds title to the property 
 at Greenleaf and Hazel, without any 
 incumbrances and when this can be 
 sold, the proceeds are to be devoted 
 to the retirement of the bond levy. 
 The Library board also holds in 
 trust for the best uses of the com- 
 munity the south portion of the John- 
 son property and on which at some 
 future date it may be found desir- 
 able to erect a new Village Hall. 
 The Glencoe Public library is ad- 
 ministered by a Board of six mem- 
 bers, two of whom are elected every 
 other year for terms of six years 
 at the regular Village elections in 
 April. The staff has grown to four 
 members, all trained library work- 
 ers, and consisting at present of 
 Miss Helen Beckwith, librarian, and 
 as assistants, Mrs. Agnes W. 
 Mitchell, Miss Britomarte Eastin 
 and Miss Mertice E. Schmidt. 
 Today, library facilities include 
 reading rooms, a children's room, 
 a young people's alcove, stacks, as- 
 sembly rooms, small conference 
 rooms, an auditorium, office, work 
 rooms and a sun deck. The re- 
 sources of the Library include 25,- 
 000 volumes, picture and pamphlet 
 files and subscriptions of 116 cur- 
 rent magazines and newspapers. 
 
 43 
 
Sfcpkta Club. Qlencoe,' Ml, 
 
 •^SKMfcM 
 
 SKOKIE CLUB STARTED IN 1897— Certificate of incorporation for 
 Skokie Country club in Glencoe, one of the outstanding private golf 
 clubs in the United States, was filed with the Illinois secretary of 
 state November 8, 1897. Signatures attached to the certificate were 
 as follows: Frederick Greeley, James K. Calhoun, George Higginson, 
 Jr., George H. Leslie, Heaton Owsley, Arthur B. Jones, George F. 
 Orde, Walter L. Fisher, and John J. Flanders. 
 
 In the intervening years the Skokie 
 club has been the scene of national 
 and international tournaments, top- 
 flight tennis events, as well as the 
 locale for many brilliant social func- 
 
 Lake Shore Club 
 Started in 1908 
 
 The Lake Shore Country club in 
 the northeast section of the village 
 dates its beginnings back to the year 
 1908. At present the club has a 
 
 tions. O. P. Alford is president of the 
 club today, and Amos H. Watts, sec- 
 retary. Picture above was taken in 
 1912. 
 
 membership of 299, including all 
 classes, and 74 of its members now 
 are in government civilian or armed 
 services. Officers of the club are 
 David Mayer, Jr., president; L. M. 
 Stein, vice-president; Robert E. 
 Straus, secretary and treasurer; 
 Sidney W. Karger, recording secre- 
 tary. 
 
 Jordan's Grocery Store, on corner win 
 
 44 
 
 mm? 
 
 Zeising Building now stands. 
 
The Worthwhile Club 
 
 In the year 1912, a small group of 
 women started what has been known 
 as the "Worthwhile Club." A few of 
 the charter members were, Miss 
 Mary Dresser, to whom the credit of 
 the original plan has been given, 
 and Mesdames Blodgett, Cormack, 
 Findlay, Jeffrey, Power, Mieth, 
 Mills and Miss Grace Power. 
 
 The object was to sew for charity. 
 Among the organizations helped 
 were: Glencoe Relief and Aid Soci- 
 ety, Dorcas Home, Arden Shore, 
 Lake Bluff Orphanage, Foundling 
 Home, (Chicago), Chicago Woman's' 
 Shelter, (Chicago), and the Red 
 Cross. Many layettes and items of 
 clothing were given as the necessity 
 came to the Club's notice. 
 
 Meetings were held once a month 
 in the homes of members, from 10 
 a.m. to 4 p.m. There were twenty 
 
 active members and some associate 
 members. Dues were paid yearly 
 and the money used for the pur- 
 chase of materials with which to 
 sew. 
 
 There was an average of 250 to 
 300 garments made and given to 
 some worthy cause each year. The 
 materials were purchased from Gar- 
 nett and Company, Glencoe, and 
 Carson Pirie Scott Wholesale; a ten 
 percent discount was given on all 
 purchases for charity, from both 
 stores. 
 
 The club adjourned October 29, 
 1941. The members at that time 
 were, Mesdames Appleton, Baehr, 
 Blodgett, Budd, Childs, (Mrs. T. B.), 
 Fox, Heidman, Hubbard, King (Mrs. 
 Thos.), Lothrop, Olson, Pope, and 
 Steele. The associate members were: 
 Mesdames Foote, Manchester, Bel- 
 lows and Mieth. 
 
 Village Celebrations 
 
 Unique in Glencoe History was its 
 civic, social-life in which all resi- 
 dents joined. 
 
 As early as Monday, July 5, 1875. 
 (the Fourth of July being on Sun- 
 day), an old program of a so-called 
 "Attic Club" held a "Pic-Nic" at 
 12 % P.M. in Newhall's Grove— north 
 of Central Avenue (Beach Road) on 
 the lake bluff. 
 
 Programs of much later celebra- 
 tions dated 1907, 1910, 1911, and 1915 
 show these Patriotic celebrations 
 were sponsored by the "Men's Club" 
 and held at the Park on Park Ave- 
 nue, set aside by the founders for 
 this purpose. Women of the various 
 
 churches served lunches, and soft 
 drinks were handled by the drug 
 stores. In a 1911 program it states 
 one attraction is "A Mile of Mag- 
 nificence" — "Impersonations of Ele- 
 phants, Monkeys, Goats, and other 
 Citizens." 
 
 In 1919 the statement is made on 
 the printed program that "children 
 with symptoms of cold, whooping 
 cough, measles, or any other con- 
 tagious disease will not be permitted 
 on the school grounds (where the 
 parade formed) and would not be al- 
 lowed in the Lake Front Park or to 
 ride in automobiles or carriages." 
 This announcement was made by 
 the Board of Health. 
 
 45 
 
FIFTH GENERATION VILLAGERS— According to Mrs. John A. Grant 
 and her committee of the Glencoe Historical society, there are three 
 five generation families in the village and a larger number of fourth 
 generations. The committee has furnished the three five generation 
 groups and three of the four. (Gode children, left; Richard Wilson, 
 right.) 
 
 The fifth generation families fol- 
 low: 
 
 Richard Hartley Wilson II, (above) 
 son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hartley 
 Wilson, Sr. Mrs. Wilson's maiden 
 name was Jean Richardson, a daugh- 
 ter of Mr. and'Mrs. Herbert V. Rich- 
 ardson. Mrs. Richardson was Jennie 
 Gormley, a daughter of the late Mr. 
 and Mrs. Michael Gormley, and Mrs. 
 Gormley, whose maiden name was 
 Eliza Taylor, was a daughter of the 
 late Mr. and Mrs. Anson H. Taylor. 
 
 Carol Hurford Gode and Patricia 
 Eleanor Gode (above) are daugh- 
 ters of Mr. and Mrs. Carl A. Gode, 
 Jr. Mrs. Gode, whose maiden name 
 was Eleanor Kent Calhoun, is a 
 daughter of the late James K. Cal- 
 houn and Mrs. Calhoun. Mrs. Cal- 
 houn's maiden name was Blanche 
 Hurford, a daughter of the late Mr. 
 and Mrs. Samuel R. Hurford, and 
 Mrs. Hurford— Jennie, was a daugh- 
 ter of the late Mrs. Charles H. 
 Munch. 
 
 Dennis Michael Blasius, born Jan- 
 uary 29, 1944, is a son of Capt. and 
 Mrs. Frank Blasius. Mrs. Blasius' 
 maiden name was Janet Hall, a 
 daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archie 
 
 Hall. Mr. Hall is a son of the late 
 Granville Hall and Mrs. Hall, and 
 Granville Hall was a son of the late 
 Mr. and Mrs. William P. Hall. 
 
 Fourth Generation 
 
 Nancy Newhall is a daughter of 
 Mr. and Mrs. John Newhall. John 
 Newhall is a son of the late Mr. and 
 Mrs. Benjamin Newhall and Benja- 
 min Newhall is a son of the late Mr. 
 and Mrs. Franklin Newhall. 
 
 Park Taylor and Evarts Bugh Tay- 
 lor Jr. are children of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Evarts Bugh Taylor. Mr. Taylor is 
 a son of the late Gerry Taylor and 
 Mrs. Taylor. Mrs. Taylor is a daugh- 
 ter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William 
 A. Bugh. Gerry and Trudy Schnur, 
 children of Mr. and Mrs. William 
 Schnur are also great grand-children 
 of Mrs. Bugh. 
 
 Lindsay and Stanley Keith Peirce 
 Jr., are children of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Stanley Keith Peirce. Mrs. Peirce, 
 whose maiden name was Dorothy 
 Day, is a daughter of the late Mr. 
 and Mrs. Charles Lewis Day and 
 Mrs. Day, whose maiden name was 
 Lillie MacLeish, was a daughter of 
 the late Andrew MacLeish. 
 
 46 
 
Hillmans Corner in 1916 
 
 EARLIEST PAPER 
 
 From 1889 to 1894 the Glencoe "Re- 
 minder" was a weekly publication. 
 
 CLUB PROPOSED TAX 
 
 The wheel or vehicle tax was pro- 
 posed by the Glencoe Men's club in 
 1913. 
 
 Henry C. Schroder was Glencoe' s 
 first telephone operator. 
 
 Wieneckes in 1902 
 
 47 
 
HOLDS RECORD— Henry C Wie- 
 necke's hardware store as it ap- 
 peared in 1902, the year it was estab- 
 lished by Mr. Wienecke, who, in the 
 picture is seen standing in the door- 
 way. 
 
 A thrilling event that startled the countryside was the delivery of four 
 "'palaces of the rails" to the Bluff City Electric Street Railway 
 Company in 1898 — starting as a local street car line to connect 
 Waukegan and Bluff City (Lake Bluff) and which by 1899 had ( 
 
 extended its operations as far south as Glencoe. 
 
 48 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA 
 
 3 0112 031892349