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WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1922 WINNETKA MEANS "BEAUTIFUL LAND" Name of "Winnetka" was Selected by Mrs. Charles E. Peck, wife of Lead- ing Pioneer Who Devised Winnetka's First Village Plan. BY WINNETKAN Most people who stop to think or to question at all know at once that the name Winnetka is an Indian name. What it meant in the Indian language, or how it came to be ap- plied to the town is not generally known. The writer has been interested in the history of the village, and in his investigations has come across the following story. It is related here in the hope of bringing forth other in- teresting facts in the early history of Winnetka, as well as giving a bit of historical information. The abstracts of title show that the first government survey of this part of the country was made in 1840. A quarter section of land bounded on the north by what is now Pine street, and on the west by a line coinciding with Ridge avenue, and extending south and east, was entered in the land office in 1843 by a man named Erastus Bowen. He also took a title to the quarter section lying west of Ridge avenue and south of Pine street. These tracts changed hands several times in the next ten years, when they were bought by Charles B. Peck. 5 First Winnetka Plan At this time, Mr. Peck, who was a well to do business man of Chi- cago, and who thought that he had accumulated a fortune sufficiently large to allow him to retire from ac- tive business, moved to Winnetka, and lived in a small house near the north end of the tract of land known to the older residents as the Hetty Green tract. This] house was just south of Pine street and near Lincoln avenue; he lived here until he could build what was then considered a palatial residence on the site which is now occupied by Arbor Vitae road and midway between Elm and Pine streets, and lay out grounds in keep- iny with the house. In 1855 Mr. Peck considered the plan of laying out a town, and with that in view, platted the quarter section west of Ridge avenue and south of Pine street, making the divisions approximately equal to a block as it now is. The idea was to invite his friends to come out to a quiet country place and lo- cate on a piece of land large enough to permit a house and grounds that would be such as a well-to-do man "would like to retire upon and live in some state and comfort. Mr. Peck was "7 prominent in -Chicago among the members of the Unitarian church, _and the opportunities he offered were seon accepted by his friends of that denomination. The plat was record- ed in 1858. Mr. Peck was not the earliest white settler in Winnetka, but the number of people there when he came was small. How Name Was Selected The following story, as told by Mrs. Reed, of Chicago, who was, by the way, teacher of the first school in Winnetka, and who is still living in Chicago, was given to a friend re- cently. One day in 1856, Mr. and Mrs. Peck drove into Chicago to visit at the home of their intimate friends, Mr. and Mrs. Gould, who were the parents of Mrs. Reed. In the course of an enthusiastic conversation about the new location, Mrs. Gould said to Mr. Peck that she supposed he would call the new town Pecktown, after the example of Evanstown, which had just previously been laid out by and called after the name of Mr. Evans. There was some bantering and jovial conversation in regard to the matter, when Mrs. Peck said firmly, "No, the place shall not be called Pecktown, it shall be called Winnetka." "Oh, what a name," they said, "no one can ever remember that." "It is an Indian name}'" replied Mrs. Peck, "and means "Beautiful Land," and the place shall be called Winnetka. 1 have just come across the name in an Indian story I have been reading and Winnetka shall it be." Come to "Beautiful Land" The matter was accepted as settled, and since that day the name has been Winnetka, and to the oldest -inhabi- tant, as well as the passer-by, there is no question as to the fitness of the word. We tried in vain to find the name Winnetka in what Indian stories we know to have been in circulation at that time, but have not so far suc- ceeded. If any one has any knowl- edge of the origin of the word or of its earliest use, it would be consid- ered a favor to receive it. It may be interesting to add to this story that Mr. Peck's friends showed their ap- preciation of the opportunities he placed before them, and they bought the tracts of land, and moved out and built themselves homes in the beau- tiful land. The railroad came in 1854, and for several years there were two trains each way every day. The country was covered with im- mense oak trees. On the east side was the lake, and on the west the Skokie, then, a marsh or a lake all the year round. All the features of the landscape were present to justify the name--"Beautiful Land." SEEK CANDIDATES FOR TRYOUTS IN 3 PLAYS "Try-outs" for positions in the casts of three one-act plays to be produced next month by the North Shore Play- ers, are to be held at Winnetka Com- munity House, Friday evening, March 24. Mrs. Jessie Royce Landis, who re- cently has assumed an active interest in the North Shore Players and who gave special readings at the perform- ance a few weeks ago, is to do the "casting" for the forthcoming plays. Mrs. Landis is well known to north shore playgoers for her stellar work in "Daddy Long Legs," "The Tangle" and other important productions of the past few years. She is a leader in dramatics and the North Shore Players are considered to be very for- tunate in having a claim upon at least a portion of her time. Any resident of the north shore in- terested in dramatic art is invited to seek a place at the tryouts next Fri- day. Clu/alCLl Fhe man who depen as" upon chance (0 Win SAYS: "J never had a chance 900000 Don't miss your chance--- Start a Savings Account NOW WINNETKA MHERCHMR STATES CAMPAIGN PLATFORM Candidate For Assembly Seat Wants Re-Vamped Code Curbing of governmental expendi- tures, a complete revision of 'our archaic criminal code so that our citi- zens may be protected against crimi- nals and the machinations of unscru- pulous lawyers," extension of the Merit System, revision of statutes on par- dons and paroles, and the declaration that he is "not a Thompson man" and is "opposed to the City Hall domina- tion of Springfield," are among the outstanding declarations in a state- ment issued this week by R. Malcolm McKerchar, Republican. nominee for State Representative from the Seventh Senatorial district, comprising the north shore. The statement made by Mr. Mec- Kerchar this week was the first declar- ation coming directly from the candi- date. Resident of Wilmette Mr. McKerchar is an attorney, resid- ing at 1109 Central avenue, Wilmette and with offices in Chicago. He has been conducting a vigorous campaign since last November when his can- didacy was first announced. He served more than two years in the army as captain of cavalry and major of artillery in France and is the only ex-service man in this district seeking a seat in the General Assem- bly. Mr. McKerchar is said to have the endorsement of the Ex-Service Men's Campaign committee and of many north shore business and pro- fessional leaders. Miss Charlotte Birong, formerly of the Marinello Shop, left this week for southern Illinois, where she expects to conduct a business of her own. 00 0006000600000000000800000 VV IPIPIPITITIIIVTIITIFIIVIIVIIV IS v 4 . 2 $ For Parties-- p< ® . p 4 Our home made ice $ : cream and birthday $ 4 cakes are the talk of p4 4 the north shore. 3 3 MAA 3 "@ s A $ Mrs. Smith § 4 819 Oak Phone 112 ¢ $ Winnetka 1 * 066000000000 00000000000 VIVIPITIIVIVIIIVIIVIIVIIIVIIIITIIIVIIFIIVIIIO JUST ARRIVED! A Line of the|"PRETTIEST" CAPS - SUITS - and WRAPS FOR SPRING UNIQUE STYLE SHOP B. Coplan, Proprietor 1126 Central Avenue SKOKIE FINANCIERS PAY FIRST STOCK DIVIDENDS Directors of the Skokie Finance corporation, made up of pupils in the Horace Mann public school, this week declared first dividends aggregating two per cent for the three months of the corporation's existence. As the stock sells at 10 per cent a share and the average holding among the pupils amounts to about four shares, it requires considerable calcu- | lation on the part of the arithmetic classes to determine just what is each pupil's dividend. New stock certificates, issued this week to all holders of three or more shares are of the regulation type, lithographed stock certificates such as is issued by all large corporations. Read the Want Ads Hadley School For Blind Secures Permanent Rooms The trustees of the Hadley Corre- spondence School for the Blind have secured two rooms for the use of the school at 584 Lincoln Avenue. Under the skillful direction of Mrs. Franklin Rudolph, the rooms have been furnished in a most attractive manner. ! The work of the school has grown steadily from month to month, and the field before it is constantly widen- ing. It is hoped that in another week it will be thoroughly settled and sup- plied with all the equipment neces- sary to carry on the work. Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Snobble and fam- ily, 647 Lincoln avenue, have gone to South Haven, Mich., to remain until early fall. Mrs. A. L. Adams, entertained the members of her Sewing Club informal- ly on Wednesday afternoon at her home, 926 Cherry street. 2 in a class, per lesson, 75c COLUMBIA SCHOOL OF MUSIC CLARE OSBORNE REED, Director Class Lessons in Sight Reading for Piano Training PHONE WINNETKA 974 4 in a class, per lesson, 50c AnoOunce..rPrevention Let us thoroughly over- haul your car and save you that Pound of Cure. IDA/:N CWO 38S) 903474 (% 73 Xe == GASOLINE -- AGENCY ARAGE EXPERT REPAIRING RELIABLE SUPPLIES-DEPENDABLE ACCESSORIES FOR AUBURN BEAUTY SIX OILS = TRIANGLE 557 CHESTNUT GARAGEEMOTORCO: PHONE 1446 Wilmette Phone WII. 2403 SI OO x S o x u a - i yout ater I'ruit Market : x a uN - Bo "BUY HERE AND SAVE MONEY" x | . x 561 Lincoln Ave. WINNETKA, ILLINOIS Phone Win. 392 2 = HN . . | m2 Our prices are never high - - Buy here and save money " X - x 5 u : BLUE Special Sale : (3 u - GOOSE : Extra Fancy Northern Spy, 1b. .......... 10c - - Indian River Grapefruit, per crate $3.75 u 1 doz. 78c anB. ie. ih 85¢c : x Indian River Oranges, doz, 50c and 60c | - Pineapples ...a itis. vena dates 35c " = Lemons, doz. comes. i vino viigs 0, 30c kn - Wisconsin Potatoes, pk. ................. 55¢ - ~ Roman Beauties, extra fine, 3 ths......... 3bc - - box... lo RRE Saves $4.15 ® = un - Fresh Strawberries. ... low price Spinach, pk... 1. .BL 0. ca Ge vee 40c - - Bananas, doz. ........ 30c and up Biue Goose Tomatoes; th... .........., low price o WM: Tresh Cocogrute. each. 41. 10¢ Head Lettuce, per bunch........... 10c, 15¢, 20c x x Sior : 5c Fresh Carrots; 3 bunches for................. 2c pn lien aera : Creeni Beant, oQl, .. «odoin sins virnnioms ay 2c ® - Fresh Mushrooms... ... low price Coloty .... cocoviniv visi vinhcs ulin, low price x fu] = 5 DELIVERY MADE ON ORDERS OF $2.00 AND UP . - 4 I EN