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Pistakee Yacht Club Recalls Proud History PAGE 13-PLAINDEALER-FRIDAY, JULY21, 19721 Slow News Day / And so it was for Maureen O'Connor, right, and her sister, Christine. The O'Connor girls were taking a turn working at the truck located in the McHenry Market Place last weekend for the collection of old newspapers and magazines. The recycling is a project of the Montini school Ecology club. The collection last weekend was light in comparison with the previous collection, which netted 8 to 10 tons. With so little for the gals to do. they used their spare time reading the Sunday "funnies". (STAFF, PHOTOS/ WAYI^GAYLORD) A dinner-dance at the Pistakee Yacht club Saturday night, July 22,' will com- ihemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the club. Mr. and Mrs. R. Olson are chairmen of the event. It was on Dec. 29, 1897, that Phillip Jaeger, Jr., Edwin Blomgren, Alexander R. Beck, William M. Gunton, Philip Knopf, Ernest Kedinbergh, Nicholas Morris and Hejiry L. Hertz incorporated the Pistakee Yacht club as a not- for-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Illinois with the following objectives: "To develop and encourage an interest in yachting , and boating; to conduct racing regattas; to provide and maintain a clubhouse and grounds for the use of members of the club; to furnish wholesome amusement and recreation, to its members in various manners, to further the social andproprietary interests among the cottagers and residents." Although these eight men have long since passed from the Pistakee scene, the club they founded seventy-five years ago continues as an active center of sailboat racing and social life in the Chain of Lakes region. It is appropriate on the oc­ casion of the diamond an­ niversary of the club to recall some of the events of earlier times and to learn how the original objectives of the founders have been realized. The club is fortunate to have many written records made by its officers in the fortn of miriUtes of directors and membership meetings and the annual yearbook as source materials. A further dimension is provided by the many stories and "Club Lore" passed down the generations by word of mouth and the result is an in­ teresting account of the origin, growth and evolution of the Pistakee Yacht club as it exists today. In the late 1890's Pistakee Lake was a quiet summer retreat for many Chicago families. In early June, following the closing of the Chicago schools, families would board the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific railroad train to Ingleside and Fox Lake. JPaasengers and belongings would then be taken down to the shore of Pistakee Lake, where they would board the steam launch operated by Captain Anderson, and later by Mat Pitzen, to be transported across the Lake to their homes. The summer cottagers drew their water from the lake and from wells, illuminated their homes by kerosene or gas and purchased ice from the two large ice houses located east and west shores of Eagle Point, or from a third but smaller ice house just off Regner road. During the summer, the wives and children would be in residence all summer long, with the men ^pending weekends at the Bay. The Friday afternoon train was always crowded with the men bringing fresh meat -and produce out from the city. When September arrived and with it the start of school, houses would be boarded up and most of the activity on the Bay would end until the next season. For the early residents, boating on Pistakee Lake was not only a pleasure but also a necessity, as it was often the shortest and quickest route between home and destination. A number of families also had sailboats, among them the family of Henry L« Hertz. Mr. Hertz was known as "The Grand Old Man" of the Pistakee Yacht club and was instrumental in the organization of a Yacht club. He was elected the club's first Commodore and continued to hold the office through 1900. In 1898, the first year of formal operation, the club had eighty-six members who paid an initiation fee of $5 and an­ nual dues of $5. During the early years of the club, many members were in public life, such as Code County Sheriff Charles W. Peters, Recorder of Deeds Joseph F. Haas, Congressman and later Senator William Lorimer and Commissioner of Buildings Henry Ericsson. On Feb. 11, 1899, Mr. Hertz's wife, Mary P. Hertz, acquired the land which is now the site of the Pistakee Yacht club and that year, following a sub­ scription drive which realized $2,300, a club house was erected the Hertz property. ^ In the early days the clubhouse served the members well for dances, wrestling* matches, fund raising fairsy^ cattle and fish exhibits, etc. One of the major ̂ contributors to the events was Samuel In- sull. The club flourished until the first world war when the clubhouse fell into a state of disrepair and was ultimately closed. In July of 1920 Commodore Carl Buehler undertook to rekindle interest in the club. A year later, after extensive remodeling and repairs, the possibility of the porch falling down, or the roof falling in, or possibly the whole building collapsing had-been entirely eliminated. The club developed a regular schedule of social events, in­ cluding card parties, water carnivals, special parties for teenagers. This format prevailed through the'thirties and up to the late forties. Iri 1947, on the occasion of the golden anniversary of the club, Commodore Ralph D. Kellej initiated many needed im­ provements to the club, in­ cluding new service and snacl bars, juke box, ahd a ne^jjij As a special event tocom- memorate the club's fiftieth anniversary the Pistakee Yacht club hosted the Inland Lake Yachting association Class C invitational regatta. During the first fifty years of the club, the vast majority of its members had been summer7 residents, owning lake frontage in the Bay area. Improvements in transportation and the development of land in the Lake-McHenry county area brought more year-round residents to Pistakee Lake and its neighboring communities. While the sailing fleets grew in size, so also did the number of members. The clubhouse kitchen facilities were improved. The social program was expanded to include weekly dinner dances. The profitable social program made it possible for the club to make many needed ' improvements to its-physical plant. In the early 1960's social activity began to decline somewhat, but working in favor of the club was the inauguration of a junior sailing school to interest young Bay area sailors and their parents in the club. While many hundreds of families have been associated with the club over the years, the descendants of at least two of its original eighty-six members have remained ac­ tive in its affairs. Franz Oscar Peterson's sons, Clarence (Pete) and Sidney L., became accomplished sailors and Pete, still robust at the age of 82, is looking forward t,o crewing again this sraison for his son, Chuck, the club's current Rear Commodore. Sidney passed away in the fall of 1971 in the course of collaborating in the preparation of the club's history. Honorary members of the club include two daughters of tum-of-the-century members, Mrs. Harry E. Hoff, daughter of Joseph F. Haas, and Mrs. R.T. Waters, daughter of Frank B. Edelmann. Other families are well into their second generation of membership in the club. ° The success of the club continues to be founded upon the interest and active par­ ticipation of the entire mem­ bership and it is the good for- PARK ATTRACTION - A crowd of several hundreds--mostly young people--gathered in the city park Wednesday night for the first of three dances planned as part of Marine Festival week festivities. Looking very relaxed on park benches and on the partially wet tennis courts are few of those who enjoyed dancing and listening to the music of the Scotch Lads. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Police Tickets the McHenry Police department issued the following tickets this past week: Jeanne F. Wetteland, 4808 Jeffrey, McHenry, speeding 51 in a 35 m.p.h. zone. Ray E. Cork, 53 Second, Elgin, speeding 50 in a 35 m.p.h. zone. f John S. Mazur, 2806 Old Oak, McHenry, speeding 49 in a 25 m.p.h. zone. Donna M. Sharik, 1708 High- view, McHenry, speeding 42 in a 25 m.p.h. zone. Florence M. Anderson, 3409 W. Gracy, McHenry, speeding 42 in a 25 m.p.h. zone. Richard D. Spears, 207 N. Green, McHenry, tran­ sportation of open liquor and no valid driver's license due to curfew violation. John A. Bixby, 5503 E, Lake Shore drive, Wonder Lake, improper passing. Robert L. Cluff, 1105 Rolling lane, McHenry, speeding 49 in a 30 m.p.h. zone. Diane M. Frayer, 903 Ronald, Round Lake, speeding 40 in a 25 m.p.h. zone. William B. Bolger, 906 Allen, McHenry, disobeyed traffic signal. Emmett W. Sopp, 1432 Ridgeway, Round Lake Beach, vehicle entering stop or yield intersection. tune of the Pistakee Yacht club that this foundation has proved to be a solid one. During Our 8th Annual Red Tag Sale BUYS A BRAND NEW72 BUICK "MEANWHILE BACK AT THE COURTHOUSE" BRANCH COURTI Associate Circuit Judge William Gleason Charles Schlottman, 2605 Mid Oak lane, McHenry, guilty of violation of McHenry County Building and Zoning ordinance, fined $10 and costs. D. Dornbusch, 2718 Walnut, Wonder Lake, violation of junk vehicle ordinance, on a motion by the State's Attorney, case was dismissed on payment of costs. COMPLAINTS Officer John A. Gibson of the McHenry ePolice department charges that on July 5, Mr. or Mrs. Michael C. Johnson of 1404 N. Park street, McHenry, committed the offense of dog running at large. Thomas G. Freund, 1206 S. Nippersink, Ingleside, speeding 50 in a 30 m.p.h. zone. Thomas Franks of McHenry '* charges that on July 13, Arden Heald of 120 W. Riverside 1 drive, Lakemoor, committed • the offense of battery in that he did cause bodily harm to said • Franks. Frederick Brink charges that * on July 10, Roger L. Rempert of ? Route 1, Spring Grove, com « mitted the offense of soliciting; without a permit. Court date set £ for Aug. 10. Oeputy E.M. Baseggio- charges that on July 11, Glenn* R. Pawlikowski of 1514 Freund * avenue, McHenry, committed the offense of reckless driving. « Bond set at $500, court date* July 24. - AMONG THE SICK Mrs. Richard (Claire) Rosing-; suffered a broken ankle last 2 week. She is recuperating at i her home and would ap-f preciate hearing from her? friends. "This is one place you can tell the girls from the boys , °*lY Tmj « 14 SPORTWAGONS 37 McHenry people made a Silly Little Mistake this morning. SKYLARKS MM 26 OPELS 47 ^ LeSABRES And it cost them some money. They placed station-to-station Long Dis­ tance calls through the Operator-instead of dialing the number themselves and getting the direct dial discount. You can save on out-of-state calls any where in the U.S. except Alaska and Hawai Just by dialing the number yourself. Next t ime you call out-of-state, don't make The Silly Little Mistake. Dial direct i t 's cheaper. •txdmplf U SkyUk / Di S7f>8 (J S18'J Down S7500 to f i i i . i i i . t* . i t $81 9' j l i . iymi' i i t t in 3(i month A P H 11 08 Pin-. t . i«cs In . :t .n I t i l l . - 34 ELECTRAS 10 RIVIERAS OV»M bO ut in** bhdip* © DRIVE TO BABER BUICK AND SAVE All PHONES 587-2555 Dial-direct discounts do not apply to Operator-assisted calls such as toin, credit card, colltct person-to-person, hotel-guest calls, or calls charged to anothtr number. But, In areas whara direct-dialing facilities are not available, the founts to apphf to Operator-assisted station-to-station calls that elsewhere could be dialed direct Quick I IS 1? f o t IAK( I I I A WEEKS PAY hard-to-fill shoes . . . b i g r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s n o w a n d big plans for the future needs a special kind of life insurance. He needs a plan that makes establishing an estate and re­ tirement funds worry-free. If you're this kind of man, State Farm has the program for you. As soon as you begin, ' your family's future is protected. Contact your State Farm Agent for details on this Person-to- Person Life insurance program. DENNIS CONWAY ' A * M A 3315 West Elm Street McHenry 385-7111 STATE FARM LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY HOME OFFICE: BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS