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Reflections on the ft Past and Present " ^ f ' y ft »r> ^ \*mi 7«k How do you win a "Mill Race?" What do they grind in a "Grist Mill?" How does a pond turn into a parking lot by day and a drag strip by night? And above all, what has any of this to do with a Savings and Loan? On May 15th, the McHenry Savings and Loan will move to a new location. They are expanding their facilities to accommodate their customers. To provide more service, a convenient location and ample parking space. A move of this kind naturally indicates progress, and a business cannot progress unless the town that it serves progresses as well.' Has McHenry progressed? That is a ridiculous question to put to the average person. Of course it has! The Savings and Loan needs larger quarters, we are building a new high school, Sub-divisions are springing up as far as the eye can see, most families have 2 television sets, 2 cars, 2 children in college, and some have progressed to the stage that they have two mortgages. There are even two ways to look at the new location of the McHenry Savings and Loan! The younger generation will look at the new building and remember that until recently, it was the home of the American Legion, but uppermost in their minds will be the convenience of the drive-in window, improved facilities, and a parking lot that you can pull out of without risking thiry-six monthly payments. , They don't know anything about the history of the location. History books are rather dry reading material and if they have ever had the opportunity to hear an "old timer" recall memories of the past, you can be sure that a great deal of it went in one ear and out the other. It's these same "old timers" who enjoy a move of this kind. They are the ones who can measure the progress of McHenry. They don't have to read history books. They have witnessed and taken part in the progress. The land that the McHenry Savings and Loan is now resting on, was once the sight of the "Old Mill Dam", this is the dam that regulated the flow of water into the Mill Pond. In the early part of the year 1900, the dam broke and the Mill Pond slowly dried up. Much of the activity of McHenry centered around the old Mill Pond in the early days. We tire not going to attempt to give you a factual account of life in McHenry in the days of the Mill Pond, nor are We trying to judge which era was the best or contributed the most. Who is to say that the flour produced in the old Grist Mill, tasted any better in 1908 when a Chicago Electric Company was granted a franchise to bring Electric Power to McHenry than it did when the Wheat was ground by machinery powered by a Lefel Water Wheel whose power stemmed from water brought 412 rods from a Dam in the Mill Race? How do we know that law and order in the town XMLr- • •j ft V vr- m Q R.BISHOP ESTATE MILL PondX Hter OWEN ESTATE Mill Pond at wasn't just as well taken care of by the Village Marshalls, Mr. Jack Walsh and Mr. M. Neisen, as it is today by the large number of officers of the 'McHenry Police Department. The village Marshalls received the grand sum of fifty dollars each month, today that seems like a paltry sum, but perhaps their purchasing power was even greater than that of the police officers today. McHenry's modern water pumping plant is a credit to the town, but turning the faucet to get your water will never match the pleasure that our ancestors got out of meeting their friends at the town pump; and the next time that you pop an ice cube out of a tray, stop and think about the men who worked at the ice houses that lined the Mill Pond, chopping blocks of ice, for the grand salary of $1.65 for sixteen hours work. The work was hard, the hours were long and the salary was meager, but talk to Mr. Peter Justen sometime and he will tell you about the laughs that they had, trying to outdo each other. Let's face it, popping an ice cube out of a tray might be convenient, but it really isn't a source of merriment. Today the fashion world is dominated by the Mod look and the Mini skirt. McHenry shops are well stocked with the latest styles; but what about sixty years ago, when the Miller-Freund General store was known all over the County for its fine line of Bear and Coon- Skin coats that they displayed on a rope in front of their store. Their Felt boots were in such great demand that they had a hard time keeping them in stock. In this day and age, a dance at the Country Club or the new American Legion Home is considered a lovely way to spend an evening, but there's a lot to be said for the old days. When you were looking for a place to dance, the fiddlers at the Riverside Hotel, did a pretty fine job even if the dancers did have to climb to the third floor; an^ a housewarming in a new BiLevel would have a hard time comparing with the parties they gave after a barn raising. If it was a little light refreshment you were looking for in the early days, McHenry was the place to be. Twelve saloons and a Brewery could quench any man's thirst. Boley's Brewery was second to none. It was built in 1868 by George Gribbler and had a capacity of 1200 Barrels. The man who owned the Brewery, was probably the most astute business man in town. He sold the beer to the saloons; paid his employees, who in turn patronized the saloons, who in turn bought more beer from the Brewery. Sixty years ago, who would have thought that one day right here in McHenry, you could have your choice of 32 flavors of ice cream, and all in one store. But come to think of it; sixty years ago we had our own ice cream factory. Today we can count fifty-two volunteer firemen in the McHenry Fire District, their equipment consists of four Pumpers, one Tanker, one Equipment Truck, and a Ladder Truck. It goes without saying that our protection against fires has got to be better than it was in 1900, but the horse drawn pumpers and the volunteers who fought the fires did the best they could with what they had. It was especially difficult when the horses left the fire house two trots and a gallop in front of the firemen. In 1854, the Railroad arrived in McHenry, and West McHenry sprang into existence. It had formerly been WW -W Turn of Century called Gagetown and was named after George Gage who owned the property and was instrumental in securing the railroad. What a shock George Gage would get if he could amble over to the Railroad Station today, it would be hard for him to believe that it wasn't the mob scene from Ben Hur but the commuters leaving for Chicago on the 6:50. There is one area of life that hasn't changed over the years in McHenry. Since 1837, when the Rev. .'oel Wheeler anived in the village and delivered the first public religious services ever held in this County, the Churches of McHenry have prospered and grown to meet the Religious demands of the population. Perhaps this is too broad a statement, there have been changes of course. The Catholics of many years ago would probably be shocked to attend Mass and discover that Dominus Vobiscum is now The Lord Be With You, and what a discovery it would be to the early settlers to attend orje of the inter-faith meetings that are now being held in McHenry and hear someone from one denomination say to another, "There is something I don't understand about your religion, will you explain it to me." The city of McHenry has gone continuously forward, within the memory of even the very young, many of the accomplishments have been realized. The installation of new street lights, the widening of Elm Street, inauguration of a new and modern postal system, the extension of the sewer system, a water pumping station, all of these changes are truly representative of the progressive action within our city. The building of the city could not have been a success without a firm foundation. One of the best examples of the strength of our early settlers was found in the "Atlas of McHenry County Illinois". The year of publication was 1872. FUTURE PROSPERITY "Help One Another" - As a rule, we believe that the prosperity of any town or city lies within its own reach. The true secret of the success of any community is "Help one another", or in other words, patronize one another. Patronage of home institutions and home industry is the key that will open the door to our comfort and wealth. While we still strive to aid and benefit our public schools, our churches and our Railroads, let us not forget our manufactories; let us lend our aid to any we have and to all that may come to us. Let us do away with the idea that home manufacturers are not good enough for home consumption and cease to enrich other cities at the expense of our own profits that rightfully belong at home. If we have mills, factories, merchants, printing offices, mechanics and professional men, let us patronize them in preference to all others. By doing so, we shall make payment of our taxes an easier matter and at the same time induce others to bring in Capital and embark in enterprises beneficial to the community. v If we have establishments where buggies, home articles, machines and agricultural implements are made, let us foster and encourage them. Let us patronize whatever home produces, bearing in mind that our mutual interests are involved in the smallest as well as the greatest enterprises. Let no stranger have it to say that we turned our backs on his honest efforts, or viewed jealously his investment of means, for by doing so we should make ourselves worthy of contempt and. aggrandize competing cities through our own debasement.