Bloomingdale Historical Society

And ave a (slightly belated) Happy Veterans Day weekend!

Stop by and see us at Septemberfest! We will be manning a booth from 11 am to 5 pm today.

Another beautiful day for our Memorial Day service at St. Paul Evergreen Cemetery.

Glen Ellyn Historical Society Accepting Resumes for Executive Director Position

​The Glen Ellyn Historical Society is hiring an Executive Director. Established in 1969, the Glen Ellyn Historical Society has a strong volunteer base. Membership currently is over 300.

The Executive Director manages the day-to-day activities and operations and directs and coordinates the work of staff and volunteers. The Director reports to the Board of Directors and works closely with committees while assuming the overall leadership role in guiding all administrative, fund raising, fiscal and community-oriented programs and activities.

​This full-time position involves a flexible schedule and requires evening and weekend hours. It also requires good public speaking skills and experience with recruiting and motivating volunteers. An interest in history, especially with background in museum and archive management, is a plus. Relocation expenses are not covered.

​To submit a resume or request more information, please contact Sara Grabenhofer, Interim Executive Director, at [email protected]. Information about the Glen Ellyn Historical Society can be found at www.gehs.org. The Society’s offices are in the Glen Ellyn History Center, 800 N. Main Street, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.

Please share this announcement in your networks as appropriate. Thank you.

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy New Year!
May 2023 be a healthy wonderful year!

external-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net

Today is Veterans Day!
Thank you for your service defending our country's freedom!
🇺🇸

You're invited to an upcoming event in Bloomingdale's Old Town!

Did you know that Sears sold house kits? In 1926 the house at 135 South Bloomingdale Road was built and is the Starlight model from the Sears catalog.

In the early 1920's Fred Rentner and Willaim Kroeger were owners and proprietors of the Bloomingdale Garage at 104 West Lake Street. Building still stands today and was the first Economart and now Pickle Piano.

Dear BHS Friends:

For those not already aware of it, I just published a new (historical) book: “Strategic Advantage: How to Win in War, Business, and Life.”

Print version (link has book description) is available at https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Advantage-How-Business-Life/dp/B0B6XL6FNP/

at the lowest price Amazon.com will allow me to sell it at of $10.44. Price on 1 August will revert to regular price of $17.76.

Kindle Version is available at www.amazon.com/Strategic-Advantage-How-Business-Life-ebook/dp/B0B582R7ZR/
at the lowest price Amazon.com will allow me to sell it at of $2.99. Price on 1 August will revert to regular price of $7.76.

Due to price-setting complications, I doubt whether I’ll be lowering the price again in the near future.

For those of you who have bought the book and would appreciate a free copy of “Wondrous Words for Brilliant Book Reviews,” please send an email request to the following address: [email protected]
Of course, if you like the book, please feel free to use WW4BBR to write a much-appreciated book review. : )

If you would like an autographed bookplate for your print copy, please send an email request with your mailing address to: [email protected]

NB: As I always say, my books are living documents, so as time goes by, please bear with me; for every two typos I take out, I add a new one for 4ee! : )

Thanks for your consideration. Hope you like it! : )

Best regards,
Bill
Bill Bahr

Strategic Advantage: How to Win in War, Business, and Life Strategic Advantage: How to Win in War, Business, and Life

A special meeting was called on April 23, 1917 for the purpose of canvassing the votes from the municipal election. H.A. Summer, Edward Goodwin, William C. Fose and F.W. Kobush ran for mayor. The last two candidates received 1 vote each, while the two first names each received 22 votes. It was moved and seconded that whoever received the most votes would win the position, since it was a tie the two candidates agreed to draw lots. Goodwin was declared the winner and serviced one year as president.

The Modern Woodman Of America Lodge 4071 was built in 1906 at Bloomingdale Road and Washington Street, of cement blocks made by Christian Hoff on his property at Lake Street and Rosedale Road. The meeting hall for the Woodmen was on the second floor and the first floor housed the fire wagon and was called the old fire barn. At this time the fire department was volunteer and the fire wagon was pulled by two horses, Tommy and Lady.

Happy 4th of July! May you celebrate safely!
Enjoy the day and remember why we have this holiday.

Charles Hollenbach a Chicago sausage maker built his house in 1900 at 113 East Lake Street as a summer home. It was the first house in Bloomingdale with electricity and indoor plumbing. With its 40-foot-by-40-foot ballroom on the third floor, dumbwaiter service and the first cement sidewalks in town, the other residents in town considered it a mansion.

The Holstein mill along Bloomingdale Road just south of Schick continued to function until 1899 when a tornado leveled the fam and took off the top of the structure. The house and barns were rebuilt on same foundations but what remained of the mill was used only for grain storage. What remains of the mill stones can be seen outside of the Park District Museum.

On January 30, 1889, Bloomingdale sent a petition to Du Page County to allow an election to officially incorporate the Village of Bloomingdale. The vote was 47 to 12 in favor. The first village board: president Dr. Henry Vanderhoof, village clerk John H. Rohler, trustees John Bagge, William Wangelien, Joseph Fiedle, Wiliam Rathje and Frank Holstein.

Bloomingdale School was erected in 1894 on Lake Street just west of Bloomingdale Rd. The building still stands today. Grades 1-4 were on the first floor and upper grades on the second floor. During July 1899 School District 7 hired 2 teachers for the 1899-1900 school year. Mayme Schmidt was hired for 9 months at $35 a month to teach the lower grades and Mr. E. O. Grange was hired to teach upper grades at $60 a month. The school janitor was paid $5 a month for the same 9 months as the teachers.

Memorial Day service at St. Paul Evergreen Cemetery this morning. A beautiful morning to remember all the Veterans.

Today is Memorial Day, please take the time to remember all of our servicemen and woman especially those who gave all!

Remember

“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Memorial Day is coming! Did you know there are 88 Veterans buried in St. Paul Evergreen Cemetery on Lake Street? 9 of them were in the War of 1812, 27 in the Civil War, 14 in WWI, 19 in WWII, 9 in Korea and 10 in Vietnam.

Harness shop of Thomas Sauerman who had a reputation for honest dealing. After Sauerman the harness shop was run by T.H. Reuss, who also rented sleeping rooms to Lake Street travelers.

Robert Gates enlisted in Company D, 8th Illinois Calvary. After his return, he had a successful wagon making and blacksmith business. In 1874, he was elected justice of the peace. He is buried in St. Paul's Cemetery on Lake Street.

Happy Mothers Day!

Elizabeth Meacham, daughter of Benjamin Franklin Meacham, was a student at Wheaton College at the time of Civil War. She married Lt. Frank Woodworth in 1873 who was a veteran of the Civil War, 9th Illinois Calvary, Company K. They are buried in the St. Paul Cemetery on Lake Street.

Happy Easter!

4YI, here’s a little of what I’ve been collecting on “Army Trail Road history” (the top 6 hits on Google):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Trail_Road

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-07-18-9707180224-story.html

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=47438

https://dupagehistory.org/dupage-roots/wayne/

https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/wm7AFX_Army_Trail_Road_marker_Addison_IL

https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/1316074

Of possible interest regarding Winfield, IL: Other than honorary, Winfield, IL, appears to have no obvious physical connection to General Winfield Scott, despite being named for him and having General Winfield Scott Park.

Army Trail Road Infobox road marker state=IL highway name=Army Trail Road name notes= type= route= alternate name= maint= section= length mi=16.4 length round=1 length ref= [http://maps.google.com Google Maps] estimate.] length notes= established= decommissioned

Henry Holstein and his wife Louisa emigrated from Germany in the 1850's. They purchased farmland in Bloomingdale on the west side of Bloomingdale Road, just south of Schick Road. Holstein built a windmill on his farm where farmers would bring their grain to be ground and their tools to be sharpened. The mill stone pieces that remain can be found by the Park District Museum.