History

Shall We Dance?

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Greeting one of our newest business owners in the historic downtown, Jesse DeSoto of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio.

Greeting one of our newest business owners in the historic downtown, Jesse DeSoto of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio.

In the year 1900, Long Grove’s first dance hall was built. Housed on a site next to what is now Kildeer Countryside School (and now serves as a parking lot for the old Zimmer Hotel building), this community building was erected at a cost of $2,500. Residents came together to help finance the construction of this social gathering spot, at a cost of $10 per share. According to local lore, dances were held upstairs on the weekends and refreshments were served downstairs, with a separate room to check coats and horse blankets in the winter. Known as Union Hall, dances continued to be held here into the 1940’s, after which it was sold to a turkey hatchery, then a manufacturing company that produced decorative wooden ducks. Years of accumulated sawdust and wood shavings helped fuel a spectacular fire in 1951 that burned the old Union Hall to the ground. Ironically, the fire department was located just down the street but the firefighters were away that evening attending a dance in a nearby town!

One century later, Long Grove’s popularity as a fun place to dance is about to come alive once again. I have recently had the opportunity to meet local resident Jesse DeSoto, a former “Pro” from Season 3 of the popular television show “Dancing With The Stars.” Jesse is in the process of purchasing the former Red Oaks property, and is currently working to relocate his Fred Astaire Dance Studio from Buffalo Grove to our historic downtown. In business for over the past 11 years, this franchise has been consistently ranked as one of the top Fred Astaire Dance Studios in the United States. The former big “barn” on the property is slated to be renovated and reconstructed into a Grand Ballroom, to be used for day to day lessons as well as accommodating social dance events. Future plans for the additional buildings on the site include possible retail and restaurant tenants. Jesse and some of his students recently appeared on ABC Channel 7 to help promote Chocolate Fest this past May. Click here to view a short clip of this.

I know that I speak for so many of the residents and merchants in Long Grove who are excited to welcome Jesse and his new business to our historic downtown. It is a great fit for our community, and truly a kick to see history repeating itself with a popular dance hall coming back to town. This time though, I say we skip the special cloak room for the horse blankets and opt for a disco ball instead!

Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest…

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Our Village Hall was the recent setting for the presentation of over $60,000 in grant funds from United Way of Lake County Women's Leadership Council.

Our Village Hall was the recent setting for the presentation of over $60,000 in grant funds from United Way of Lake County Women’s Leadership Council.

In one of my favorite movies, Beauty and the Beast, Lumiere delightedly sings his famous tune “Be Our Guest“ as he prepares the castle to welcome visitors. Recently, my official duties have included welcoming several groups of guests to our modest but beloved municipal “castle,” Village Hall. This post will highlight two of these spring visits that I’ve had the pleasure of hosting.

On May 23rd, 80 third grade students and their teachers from Country Meadows Elementary School in Long Grove made a field trip to Village Hall as a part of a unit they are studying on community and government. The students learned about our own local government, and how we fit into the layers of county, state and federal government. We discussed the types of things our staff and elected officials do for the community, and what my job of Village President entails. For show & tell I passed around my gavel and shiny, official Village President badge, which was a big hit. The kids were also highly engaged when we did some role-playing, with student volunteers sitting at the board table as Trustees to help debate and decide one of the actual issues on the Village Board agenda for the following night: Should we allow the addition of carnival rides to the downtown Long Grove Summer Fest scheduled for June 24-26? Despite some very good discussion on safety concerns, it will probably come as no surprise to learn that all of our young residents voted in favor of this proposal! I promised the students that I would share their input with the Trustees at the meeting the following night, and in fact our actual board members took the future board members’ advice as the agenda item passed. Following their time in Village Hall, the field trip continued with a tour of the Archer one-room Schoolhouse, Outhouse, Pioneer Herb Garden and Ruth Barn, with help from docents Amy Gayton and Aaron Underwood of the Long Grove Historical Society. It was a delight to host our students from Country Meadows and sharing in their enthusiasm and energy was uplifting.

Another equally dynamic and energetic group was welcomed to our Village Hall and historic buildings on June 2nd, when I hosted the quarterly meeting of the Women’s Leadership Council of United Way of Lake County. Over $60,000. in grant funds was presented to local agencies and programs with the goal of increasing early childhood literacy and kindergarten readiness in the most high risk areas of Lake County. Hearing directly from the educators about the impact these grants make in the lives of the children was meaningful, as was the giant, glittery thank you card the kids created for us! The women of WLC appreciated the charming and relaxed atmosphere of the entire evening in Long Grove, from the start at Village Hall and continuing with tours of the historic buildings until ending at Broken Earth Winery. A nice benefit of my job is being able to share with others some of my favorite places in our Village.

Members of the Women's Leadership Council of United Way of Lake County (L to R) Charlotte Richter, Angie Underwood, and Judy Kotsiopoulos.

Members of the Women’s Leadership Council of United Way of Lake County (L to R) Charlotte Richter, Angie Underwood, and Judy Kotsiopoulos attending the June 2nd meeting in Long Grove.

Behind the Name

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Braving weeds and hungry mosquitoes, Historical Society members made a trip to the hidden Gridley Pioneer Cemetary in July of 2010.

Braving weeds and hungry mosquitoes, Historical Society members made a trip to the hidden Gridley Pioneer Cemetery in July of 2010.

A school, a cemetery, a ball field, a restaurant…these are just a few of the things in Long Grove that have used the name Gridley. It all started back in 1835 when John and Nancy Gridley and their six children (Elisha, George, John T., Elizabeth, Mary Ann, and Louisa) boarded a steamer, then a canal boat, and finally a wagon to make their way to where Long Grove is today. Why move into the wilderness from their “civilized” home in New York? John had a leather tanning business out East, but due to the poor economy in the mid 1830’s thought he would try his hand at farming. So the Gridley family went to where good land was available–Illinois. John and his sons built a home from logs and began laying out roads. Hard to imagine Long Grove without any roads, let alone traffic, isn’t it? The Gridley School was built in 1838 and was the first in the area. Two of the school teachers eventually married into the family as brides to sons Elisha and George. Nancy and a few other women who had moved into the area started the first church (also a log structure) in Lake County, what is now known as Ivanhoe Church.

Sons George and John tried their luck in the Gold Rush of 1849 and relocated to California. When things didn’t “pan out” as they had hoped, the men returned to Long Grove. Son Elisha built a dramatic mansion near the intersection of Oakwood Road and Rt. 83 called Endwood. This was later turned into a resort called Oakwood at the turn of the century. The mansion no longer exists, as it was demolished in the 1940’s. Many of the pioneering family members are buried in the Gridley Cemetery, which is maintained by the Long Grove Historical Society.

Thanks to my friends in the Historical Society for helping me research and fact-check this. Our local group survives on donations and volunteers and is a great resource for those wanting to know more about our Long Grove history. Check them out at longgrovehistory.org.

Bark less, Wag more!

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My grand-puppy, Willa.

My grand-puppy, Willa.

As I was exiting the health club this morning I noticed a bumper sticker that made me smile…a cute dog proclaiming, “Bark less, Wag more!” You know how sometimes the right message hits you at the right moment? This week I’ve heard my share of concerns from several residents on various different issues, and sometimes we all have valid reasons to “bark.” But instead of letting it get me down, I am going to choose to “wag” my tail a little harder. Because there are a lot of really good things to love about Long Grove, and I hear about them from residents that I listen to, who write to me, and who commented on our recent community survey. Here is just a snippet off the top of my head:

What Do We Love About Long Grove?

  • Seeing the sunny daffodils bloom each spring along the right-of-ways and getting free bulbs to plant each fall.
  • Witnessing a huge herd of deer bounding through the snow in the backyard.
  • Christmas lights on the covered bridge.
  • Open spaces that sport native and sometimes rare prairie wildflowers.
  • Knowing that Sunset Foods donates a little bit more to our local school districts each time we use cloth or reusable bags.
  • Having a drink at a tavern that has been in continual operation since the 1800’s.
  • Enjoying beautiful music on Towner Green on Sunday afternoons in the summer.
  • Friendly neighbors who share our “Long Grovian” tendencies.
  • Neighborhood walking trails and nature preserves we can use everyday.
  • Schools that prepare our children for the future with a high quality education.
  • Safe and tidy neighborhoods and volunteers who step up to keep them that way.

I hope your tail is wagging with many, many more reasons to love Long Grove.

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

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Ghost Walk 2015

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Getting ready to haunt the downtown with merchant Meghan Mariani.

Getting ready to haunt the downtown with merchant Meghan Mariani.

It’s the season for all things creepy and spooky. Last night the Long Grove Historical Society joined forces with approx. 50 other merchants, community groups, and resident volunteers to create the 3rd Annual Ghost Walk, and it was a supernatural success! Our historic downtown was overtaken by dancing zombies, living scarecrows, ghosts, ghouls, and several former members of our community who materialized for one night to tell the living their haunted stories of times past. Over 250 members of Long Grove and the surrounding area were scared silly and speaking as one of the ones doing the terrorizing, it was great fun. One cute little three-year-old declared his bravery at the beginning of my first tour of the night, only to grab hold of my hand as soon as we encountered spooky storyteller Tobin Fraley, who told us of the gruesome demise of “Gus” the mechanic. We heard about the flagpole on Towner Green used by real-life gangster Terry Drugan, and “crazy Jake Eisler” appeared once again this year from beyond the grave to menace us with his stick of dynamite. As we made our way to the Long Grove Church’s 1800’s cemetery, the Gravedigger and his “client” warned us of the perils ahead. Across the covered bridge to safety, we made a detour through the haunted trail along the creek, featuring over 50 carved pumpkins and a few demons, zombies, and hockey masked characters brandishing chainsaws. A trip past the spooks at the haunted Historical Society farmhouse, and it was back to the comfort of toasting marshmallows over the fire pit. We even had a “Stay Puft Marshmallow Man” join us–don’t worry, he did keep a safe distance from the flames! My three-year-old victim had a great time (as did so many families who participated) and he did admit that he was “a little bit scared” but could he do it again? Happy Halloween!

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Starting another tour with willing “victims”

 

Countdown to the Haunting of Downtown

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Our lost cat, answering to the name of Bones, has not been seen since the 2014 Ghost Walk. Will he materialize again this year?

Our lost cat, answering to the name of Bones, has not been seen since the 2014 Ghost Walk. Will he materialize again this year?

This week I attended a planning meeting for the Historical Society’s 3rd Annual Ghost Walk, and the spooks are psyched for another fantastic event this year. When you gather together a group of creative locals who have a love of all things scary and creepy, the Halloween spirit truly comes alive! What started out several years ago as a “Long Grove Lurid Legends” storytelling performance, has evolved into a hauntingly fun family fundraiser involving many diverse community groups. The Ghost Walk features short tales of history and mystery presented by costumed docents and community volunteers. Various historic buildings and locations in our crossroads business district serve as backdrops for the scenes.

As an actor in the skits for the past two years, I can attest to the fun to be had for volunteers and participants alike. The families love the frightful but safe encounters, and we get a kick out of scaring the kids silly. But what I think is truly special about the Ghost Walk is the way the Long Grove community has come together to support and build an event that is a win-win for all. We have more merchants than ever participating this year, and “Crazy Jake Eisler” is materializing again to blow things up in his own special way. In Motion dance studio has a thrilling performance in the works. And rumor has it that the youth group of the Long Grove Community Church has got something spooky planned in front of their atmospheric 1800’s era cemetery. I can’t wait for the haunting to begin!

The Ghost Walk is set for Friday night, October 30th beginning at 7:00 pm in historic downtown Long Grove. To make reservations and for more information (and a hilarious FAQ page) please visit the Long Grove Historical Society website at http://www.longgrovehistory.org/Ghostwalk.html

Honoring the Heroes of 9/11

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The newly dedicated Heroes of Freedom Memorial in Wauconda.

The newly dedicated Heroes of Freedom Memorial in Wauconda.

This morning I had the honor of attending a dedication ceremony for the new Heroes of Freedom Memorial in our neighboring community of Wauconda. Frank Bart, Mayor of Wauconda extended a personal invitation to me to attend, and I am so grateful that I took the opportunity. This memorial has been years in the making, and is a tribute to those who sacrificed so much on September 11, 2001 and for those who have served in the years since in Afghanistan and Iraq in the Global War on Terrorism. The impressive memorial features a 19 foot tall beam from the World Trade Center North Tower, set on a Pentagon base, surrounded by four benches representing each of the four hijacked planes that crashed that morning.  The memorial was constructed entirely with donated items, labor, services, and funds from Wauconda and the greater community.

Mayor Bart, himself a veteran, opened the ceremony which featured patriotic music from local bands and choirs, along with remarks from dignitaries. Three members of the NYFD traveled to Illinois to attend this service and speak of their experiences that day. Kirk Morris, a Gold Star father of Marine PFC Geoffrey Morris, spoke on behalf of all families who have lost loved ones to this cause. The Morris family has contributed greatly in the creation of this memorial. Dylan Morris took on the management, design and installation of the landscaping as his Eagle Scout project, and as a tribute to his fallen brother. He traveled to Shanksville, PA with his father to bring back soil from the crash site to be used in the raised flower beds.

I was most moved by hearing the words of Lt. Colonel Ryan Yantis, who is a 9/11 Pentagon Survivor. His personal story and remembrances, along with his encouragement to all of us to “continue to do what is right, to do what you can in your own life to serve our country,” was touching and inspiring. Today’s ceremony was an expression of honor, love, and support and I am humbled to have been able to participate.

Old Glory in Barnwood

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Artist Marie Roth poses with Aaron and I on Flag Day, 2014.

Artist Marie Roth poses with Aaron and I on Flag Day, 2014.

In honor of Flag Day this past weekend, and Father’s Day this coming weekend, I thought it would be fitting to post the story behind this picture. It was taken on June 14, 2014, and Father’s Day fell on the following day. Local artist Marie Roth had given a program in downtown Long Grove’s Fountain Square, entitled “Old Glory in Barnwood.” Among her many artistic endeavors, Marie crafts replicas of historical American flags out of wood recycled from old barns, many of them right here in Lake County. After her presentation, members of the Long Grove Historical Society gave tours of our restored 1850’s farmhouse, and walking tours of the historic downtown. That explains my husband Aaron’s unusual costume in the photo above. Marie is a member of our local Art Guild, which is a part of the Long Grove Arts and Music Council. At the time, the Art Guild had a gallery space and many of Marie’s flags were on display. We were so taken with her art that we were motivated to purchase the flag shown above for my Dad, Bill Killian, as his Father’s Day gift last year. He loved it, and it is now hanging in his home office, where he enjoys seeing it every day. So for those of you interested in American history, here are a few facts about this flag:

This 21 star flag of the United States became the official flag on July 4, 1819, recognizing the admission of Illinois to the union on December 3, 1818. It was with the admission of Illinois that Congress declared that a new national flag would be unfurled for the first time on the July 4th following the admission of each new state. This flag is painted on flooring from a barn built on Molidor Road in Grant Township, Lake County, Illinois circa 1867. In the German style of barns, it was built to house dairy herds on the first floor. The second floor of the barn was accessed by a dirt ramp, and was where the family lived and worked and where supplies were kept.

Diary of a One-Room School Teacher

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Getting ready to start the lesson by ringing the school bell.

Getting ready to start the lesson by ringing the school bell.

Ever have one of those days when nothing seems to go right?  I recently had a day that started out bad and went to worse, and frankly I was in no mood to teach.  But two classes of eager third grade students from Country Meadows were counting on me to lead a field trip at Archer School that afternoon, so what could I do but don my 1860’s day-dress, and subject myself for questioning:

“Did you really teach here?”

Well, I realize that today I might look and feel like I am 165 years old, but no, I am not the actual original schoolteacher from 1849.

“Can I pretend to be naughty so you will use the switch on me?

You know, that’s not a bad idea, but unfortunately your parents could have me arrested if I actually employed old-school discipline.

“How come they did not fall in when using the outhouse?  And is that what I think it is?”

The children were careful and used the privy at home too.  And yes, the raccoons have broken in again and set up their latrine in our outhouse, but they are not smart enough to use the holes!

“Do we get to use the axe to chop wood for the pot-belly stove?”

No, but Mr. Lee Bassett has many pitchforks and other sharp objects to fascinate you in the barn.

“I already know the rules of the spelling bee because I saw a video of one on YouTube!”

Okay… if we are role-playing that it is 1876, and I am really your school teacher and you are really my student, what in the world is a “video” and mercy-sakes, a “YouTube?”

After two hours of relentless inquiry by some of our brightest little residents, I found my spirits had been lifted.  When surrounded by so much infectious enthusiasm and joy, how could they not be?  Thanks, kids!!!

Legendary Pets of Long Grove

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teaphoto

The ladies of the Long Grove Historical Society met for afternoon tea over the recent holidays, and we enjoyed a most delightful and interesting conversation. One of the topics that came up was unusual and distinctive pets. One of the ladies in our group has a giant snake living in her house (I won’t reveal who) that she claims belongs to her son. Another had a pet frog named Cynthia, who lived so long she became like a beloved member of the family. Members of the society have also been known to harbor chickens and goats in their Long Grove yards in past years. But as the conversation meandered (as conversations do), it was fun to reminisce about a couple of special pets that really belonged to the entire town of Long Grove. I’m classifying them as legendary. So without further ado, I give you:

Tramp, the Dog
Helen Young has lived in Long Grove now for many decades, and she remembers Tramp from the years when her children were small. He lived with a family somewhere off of Cuba Road, and had a regular routine that made him well-known throughout the Village. He would wait with the children at the bus stop until they took off for Kildeer School in the morning. Then Tramp would start his rounds. He had several daily stops at various shops in the downtown crossroads, and merchants who knew Tramp would give him scraps and treats at each location. He was known to have several canine friends of the female persuasion, and legend has it that Tramp had numerous offspring in the area as a result of his popularity. When the school bus returned with the kids at the end of the day, Tramp would be faithfully waiting at the stop.

Drexler, the Cat
In 1998, I brought my young kids along when I made my first trip to Village Hall to pick up our “new resident packet.” They were thrilled to discover that we had a town cat! His name was Drexler, a reference to historic Drexler Tavern, which was the first incarnation of the building now known as Village Hall. Drexler was original to the area, having wandered over from a neighboring property. He apparently decided that he preferred to hunt near Village Hall, and since the old building had more than a few extra mice, he was tolerated, and eventually cared for by the Village staff. Historical Society member Kathy Wiberg remembers taking pity on him on more than one very cold winter holiday weekend, as he preferred to live outside. Drexler had a relatively short life, and was followed by a “Drexler 2,” but despite my dropping several hints, we do not have a current Village cat. You would think that as Village President I could wield some powerful influence on this—but no, I guess times have changed. However, if another Drexler just showed up one of these days….