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. . LAKEMOOR '51 INCORPORATION (Continued from page 7) 1924, they purchased the land from the farmers, with the exception of the Diedrich farm, and surveyed and plotted lots for a new town. They improved the shoreline of the land, removed weeds and put in two beach areas. The only buildings in the area at that time were the farm homes and the hotel which are still standing today. Sampson and Sex erected a three-bedroom home on the lots where a French restaurant now stands on Route 120 and used the home as thier first real estate office. The building was moved one block north in 1925 and sold. In the spring of 1925, plans for the proposed Lily Lake subdivision were sub­ mitted to the McHenry county courthouse, and Mr. Sampson and Mr. Sex constructed a new office which they called the Jewel Tower building on the same property on which their first offices were located. By 1926, the plans for the sub­ division were approved, ac­ cepted and recorded in the courthouse in Woodstock. Advertisements were sent out offering lots to build homes with lake and beach rights, fishing, swimming, boating and hunting. During the years 1926 to 1930, quite a few businesses and many summer homes were constructed. A dance hall owned by Fred Holly was built in late 1928, where many community affairs were held. A channel was dug in the same year by Tony Freund of McHenry for Sampson and Sex to give ready access to the lake, • C7£ £CLZ± TOWN AND COUNTRY GIFTS On S u±cns±±: dona zatudations McHeniy Plaindealer On Your Centennial Anniversary! 1331 N. RIVERSIDE DR. IcHENRY, ILL. PHONE 385-0297 <SE.X(JLHC} (Tjou On cAXani) *l/l/ay±: • Bridal Registries • Greeting Cards Baby Gifts • Gift Certificates (D/2Lf ^&ahiiLng • HUMMEL FIGURINES • WATERFORD CRYSTAL cStoiz. jJn ^Uouin. <Sf2£ciaL îfks, . . • GOEBEL & HUMMEL PU\TES • BELLEEK and wooden bridges were constructed over the channel on the roadways. By 1930 there were a general store, restaurants, plumbing shop and garage. A few of the new owners of property decided to make Lily Lake their permanent home. . The Lake View cafe, owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Schroder (since torn down) sold all the local newspapers and was also a bus stop where the Greyhound and Bluebird bus companies made regular stops. Betty and Jerome Boyko's place was another local restaurant and was the local post office in the early years. The Lilymoor club and beach house provided a meeting place for get-togethers as well as boating and swim­ ming. One of the show places of the area was the "Villa LeOrra", the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Seyferth. It was well known for its stone masonry inside and out; sunken garden and lions guarding the entrance to the driveway. The first home in Lily Lake to have electricity was the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Hlavacek (mother and father of Mrs. Harry Brady who still reside in the home). The first local newspapaer published containing news pertaining only to Lily Lake was the Lily Lake Journal, edited and published by Sampson & Sex. From 1930 to 1938 many organizations were formed, the first being the Lily Lake Property Owners association in 1931. Members paid dues for the purpose of beautifying and dredging Lily Lake, upkeep of the roads, landscaping the parks and beaches; planting trees and maintaining the property year round. Other organizations during this time were the Lily Lake Owners Protective club, the Lily Lake Sportsman's club; the Lily Lake P.T.A. (which by this time was District 16), the Lily Lake Women's club and the Lily Lake Ladies league. Of all the clubs, the Ladies league is the only organization still in existence today. Residents enjoyed sledding and skiing in the hills^in Lilymoor during the winter months and ice skating and ice fisjiing on the lake and channel which they still enjoy today. Some of the early "per­ manent" residents of the town were the Peter Koobs, the Ettens, the Weggeners, the Seyferths, the Peschkes, the Roy Hobbs, the Arthur Diedrichs, the Wilbert Swan- sons, the Claude Vachets, the Claude McDermotts, the Thomas Klayboughs, the Normands, Budils, Doschs, W r u b l e w s k i s , W a g n e r s , Scanlons, Nielsons, Marie Strnad and family, Lottie Bransford, the W. Einspars, Kriegers, etc. During this time, G. Weisbaum bought the property housing the plumbing shop from Jim Taylor and opened a grocery store which Mae Budil operated for him. The Lily Lake hotel was sold to the Hintz family, who operated it until 1945. Sex moved his part of the real estate business to a building he had constructed next to the Tower building. Sampson and Edward Lannes continued at the Tower building concerned with property located in Lilymoor for the most part. In 1938, Sex sold his property to Rocky, who opened "The Snackery" which specialized in qice cream, candies and sand­ wiches. He also had a soda bar. Upon selling the property, Sex constructed a new real estate office adjacent to the Snackery. Many of the old-timers still talk about the "flood" in 1937 when, after a heavy snowfall the previous winter and an early spring thaw, Lily Lake and the channel went over their banks and flooded the highway and surrounding homes. The only way residents could get in or out was to either swim or take a boat. The newly opened Vogue was getting ready for a grand opening and found much merchandise floating down the highway. G.A. Lipfert of Chicago had recently taken over the management of the Lily Lake Casino formerly operated by Fred Holly, and found the business completely surrounded by water. The Lily AUGUST i, 1975 • PLAINDEALER CENTENNIAL EDITION PAGE 8 Highway 120 as it runs througn business district of Lakemoor. » * * • SPANISH LLADR0 Lake drain leading from the lake to Pistakee bay was just a small stream at that time and could not handle the heavy flow of water. Village of Lily Lake In the fall of 1938, when it was found more funds would be needed than could be raised through the activities of the organizations to maintain Lily Lake, a group of home owners hired Attorney Irving Roth to look into incorprating the area. The proposed village en­ compassed one square mile in area with twelve miles of road, divided in two townships, Nunda and McHenry. The west boundary was set at the "Villa LeOrra"; Mr. and Mrs. Seyferth chose not to be in­ cluded. The east boundary was set at the Lake-McHenry county lines; the north end ended at the Diedrich farm and south end af Wagner road. Attorney Roth submitted a petition Containing thirty-two signatures to the McHenry county clerk and a date was set for the homeowners to vote on the issue., In November, 1938, by a vote of 55 to 1, the voters passed to incorporate as the Village of Lily Lake. The first election was held in April, 1939 and those elected to serve were president, Harry Wise; clerk, Ben Chelini; trustees, Joseph Spatafora, Louise M. Gannon, Harry Jacobs, Jerome Boyko, Frank Harder and George Vollmer. Paul Leitzell was the first attorney for a the newly formed village. Police magistrate was Irving Roth and chief of police, Edward Lannes. Village meetings were held at the Jewel tower. The first police vehicle purchased was a motorcycle. Street lights were installed on the highway and beach area. The first road commissioner was Roy Hobbs. During the years 1938 to 1942, a group of permanent residents led by Claude McDermott filed petitions in various courts asking that the incorporation of Lily Lake be dissolved, alleging the original petition and vote to be a fraud since those voting were summer residents. The federal census taken in 1940 (the first taken for the village) listed the population of the newly formed village at forty- seven. During these years the Lily Lake school began teaching only first through fifth grades due to a larger influx of children. The Lake View cafe was sold to Mary and Vincent Schiavone, who renamed it the Lily Lake Cottage Inn and specialized in Italian food. Bernie Peschke bought Weisbaum's business and the grocery store end was torn down. Another grocery store operated by Ch^riCs Didoni on the south sid^of Rt 120 near Short street remained the only store in the village. In April, 1941, at the second election, Wilbert Swanson was elected president and Claude Vachet and Herman Brown replaced George Vollmer and Louise Gannon as trustees. Fred Dosch was appointed road commissioner. In September of the same year, Thomas Budil was appointed to serve as clerk when Mr. Chelini resigned. In December of 1941, a petition was submitted by Trustee Vachet to the village board to call a special election on whether the village in­ corporation should be dissolved and an ordinance was passed to set a date. After three years in various courts to dissolve, a ' ' ' ' date of Feb. 10, 1942, was set to vote on the issue. On that date r, the residents went to the polls and voted 57 to 4 for dissolution. After a year and a half of filing papers and winding up the business of the village, the final board meeting was held Sept. 11, 1943, and the area of Lily Lake returned to an unin­ corporated status. The Lily Lake Beautifying club, which was chartered in the spring of 1941 by the homeowners, took over the raising of funds to maintain the area. Through the years following the dissolution of the village, the area of Lily Lake continued building with a majority making Lily Lake their per­ manent homes. The summer homes began to be either torn down or converted. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gilmore took over the ownership of the (Continued on page 9) LARGE SELECTION OF • JEWELRY & WATCHES • PURSES • PICTURES & LAMPS • NOVELTY TABLE Im ^Wrafi - On ^3own <Sfi£cLa£ ^Packing ^oz <^Aai[inq SENIOR CITIZENS 10% DISCOUNT YEAR ROUND e&nUnJe. . . LAVERNE'S WILL SPECIAL ORDER WHAT YOU NEED! These two photos show Johnsburg business district today. In picture at left, the photographer is looking east, approaching four-way stop intersection. Photo at right shows the intersection, looking west. Looking west on Johnsburg road in the early 1900's. This is main street in Johnsburg in 1917.