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Wilmettes 75th Annivers,: 1872-1947WILMETTE LIFESpectacular Fire in 1932&kynde invitation to attend ye pleas- Ine Thys Fafhioneant converse at ye house of yeDestroyedWergoode neighbour Latham on Thurs-e Bide Folke ineday evening is received. We do be Miralago ClubYeYeareMDCCXCVI exceedyngly aged (being ye school-mate of him who was called Chaw-One of the most spectacular fireswhile the blaze had been raging un-Manysir) it hath become necessary fo- times, especially in the earl-us to keep by ye firesyde in yealongchecked. the North Shore broke outier years, the Olde Towne Folkes,Marchorganizationnight tyme. of quarter-century res- 8, 1932, and destroyed theAbout 6 oclock that evening, Vil-idents sent out elaborate invitations"These gatherings bryng backlage President C. P. Dubbs orderedtwo-story Miralago building onto the members announcing the an-fresh to our memory ye goodeSheridathe Wilmette firemen to assist then road in "No Mans Land."Evanstonnual meeting. Written in the flavorold tymes when ye Ouilmette fire fighters. Shortly be-Evanstonof Colonial days, the ones posted intrybe occupyed the lande. No Was Firstfore midnight the Evanston depart-Th1895 read as follows:doubt many who wyll be at yee fire, which was first discov-ment asked the Winnetka firemen tomeeting will remember ye goode"Come Ye Olde Towneeredrelieve them. The Winnetka depart- at 4:45 oclock in the afternoon,ment responded to this call.Folkes,olde days of floatyng sydewalks, of village of Ouilmette,caused considerable dispute betweenmeechurch in schoolhouse espe- ,t ye together, and holdeCovered by Insurancethe villages of Winnetka, Wilmette,pleasantcially ye Sunday evenynge meet-e converse, one with an-andContinuing to rage during the nightothery, at ye house of good neigh- Kenilworth, and Evanston andthe fire was fanned by a northwestbouMnogerrsi spresided over by Layman; also ye Saturday nyghtr Latham, Thursday evening,ended in two suits against Kenil-ysynging school when ye broth-e seventh day of ye third monthworthwind. Firemen fought the blaze withers Broods, Mitchell, Sheldon,.the temperature near zero.MinD CyCeC XCyVea.r of Our LordSherman, McDaniels eke many"WUinpnoentk discovery of the fire, theLossothers sought ye company of ye to the Miralago building,a* * * and Wilmette fire depart-fair maydes for these festive oc-mentwhich was adequately covered bys were notified but neither re-insuranceIn answer to this invitation Good-casions., was approximately $80,-sponded at that time. In the fall of000man Morris sent the following letter. Although other buildings in the1931"Ye dytches also in ye winter time, the Village of Wilmette hadto "Ye Goodlier Physician Stolp" withdrawvicinity were threatened, they weren its fire protection fromnotDrnear ye famous Westerfield pond. Byron C. Stolp wt.s then presi- damaged to any extent. The"No Mans Land" and shut off thedewhich afforded greate skating forwateVr supply to the unincorporatedMiillraa ladge Metre, which adjoined theoMntr of the old settlers group.us when ye were yonge. Neither do. Morris wrote: to the north, incurred min-we forget ye pleasant gatheryngs-prea. (Wilmette annexed the area inor damages from water used to fight1W94il2m.) etAtn offer had been made bythe flames.M"aGryoeodman Morris, hyse spouseghost parties, sleigh rides (when ye, likewyse also Elizabeththermometer be 20 below zero)e that fall to furnish water,and Marye Morris, spinsters,straw rydes in summer, eke manyincluding what might be used forTwo suits were brought againsthaving received ye bidde to yefighiing fires, for "No Mans Land,"the Village of Kenilworth for shut-merriother dyversions too numerous toe making and gathering to-weigh on your patyence at thysfor $500 a month payable in advance.ting off their water mains. The firstgether of ye goode towne folkestyme."The offer was not accepted and nofor $100,000 by the Miralago corpora-of Ouilmette, do greatily sorrowtgreement entered into.tion was entered because of damagethat ye feaste doth fall in yeGettinto the amusement place, its furni-HolyJUST YESTERDAY Faste of Lente, when yeg no response from Win-ture, furnishings and personal prop-goodeIn 1930, there were no paved Mother ye Church doth for-netka or Wilmette, the Evanstonerty.bidstreets, no lights, no storm sewers to mingle in social joys, how-fire department was called and camesoeveand the sidewalks were cinder pathsr innocente in ordinarieimmediately. Evanston firemen tap-Suits Dismissedseasonsin the neighborhood of Indian Hill, but while absente in yeped a Kenilworth water hydrant andAnother suit for $150,000 wasbodyeestates and Kenilworth gardens., trust to be present in yethe blaze was practically under con-brought by the owners of the build-myndes of ye good and kyndeFItrol when the Kenilworth police re-ing. Both suits were dismissed byfriendes and neighbors."fusedWRSinTn eStkEaTTLERs first settler is believed to allow firemen to take waterthe Superior court, with the Village * fromto have been Erastus Patterson, Kenilworth mMaiirnasla. gThis wasof Kenilworth receiving the verdictdoneAnother regret was returned bywho, in 1836, built a tavern on the because the o had noof "not guilty."contracYe Goode Neighbour, Mr. and Mrs.present site of Christ Episcopalt with Kenilworth to supplywaterAlthough Kenilworth was underA. E. Walters." They wrote: "Yechurch. for fire protection, the con-tract being for domestic use only.Mcoinratrlaacgt to supply water to theo corporation for domesticUpon notification that Kenilworthuse, the contract provided that nowater had been shut off, Wendell H.Kenilworth water main might beClark, Kenilworth village clerk, or-used for fire fighting, and that viola-dered it be turned on again and thetion of any clause would permit theEvanston firemen resumed theirvillage to turn off the water with-battle against the flames. Mean-out further notice.Congra tula tionsImportant Dates in Wilmette History1829 Indian Treaty of Prairie du Chien; Ouilmette grant1833 Indian Treaty of Chicago1842 Ouilmette reservation soldWILMETTE1843 Settlement of region of the Village of Gross Point1844 First settlement of former reservation1850 Incorporation of New Trier township1854 C. & N. W. Ry. built to Waukeganon your1869 First plat of Wilmette1871 First Wilmette public school1872 Incorporation of the Village of Wilmette1874 Incorporation of the Village of Gross Point75th1899 Establishment of township high school1899 C. N. S. & M. Ry. built through Wilmette1901 Establishment of public library1907 Establishment of park district1912 Elevated railway established Wilmette terminal1922 First village plan adopted1923 Dissolution of the Village of Gross Point1924 Annexation of former Gross Point to Wilmette1926 Village boundaries extended to Skokie valley1926 Playground and recreation board established1930 Council-manager system adoptedTHOGERSEN HOSIERY CO.1932 School districts 39 and 40 combined1934609 Ridge Road, Wilmette Municipal water works built1942 "No Mans Land" annexedFounded 19221946 Appointment of second plan board1946 Annexation of western Wilmette to park district