Glencoe Historical Society
at the
Eklund History Center & Garden

Spring 2001 Newsletter

We’re On Our Way!

Phase I Eklund History Center, Garden funded

Due to the generosity of Glencoe residents and the Village of Glencoe, the Historical Society raised $58,000 during a short, seven-month capital campaign. The money will fund the first phase of transformation of the workshop at 377 Park Avenue into the Eklund History Center and Garden and guarantee transfer of the deed for property at 377 Park Avenue to the Society.

Last September, Sara “Sally” Eklund offered to donate the property at 377 Park Avenue (the workshop and garden along Park Avenue) if the Society could raise enough money to make the building publicly accessible. Under the direction of board members Barbara Javore and Elizabeth Warren, the Society launched a village-wide campaign to raise the funds for the first phase of creating a museum in the workshop.

Construction in the workshop will begin as soon as the weather is favorable for digging a sewer line. The garden revitalization already has begun with tree trimming. Planting will follow when the spring weather stabilizes.

This first phase will make the workshop useable for public events. A sewer line will be completed to allow installation of a bathroom. Additional construction will include adding a safety door opening to the alley behind the workshop, security features including new locks and alarms, framing for a future kitchen, and a gate opening from Park Avenue for accessibility to the workshop.

The deed is being prepared by the Eklund Estate to grant title to the property. Transfer of the property is expected to be completed by May 1.

While many residents contributed to the fund, most were unaware that there will be many more needs—all of them unfortunately, expensive. Exhibits must be mounted and we need equipment for storage. The Society will continue to raise money for future expenses and needs.

But the first steps have been taken. ⇑

Calendar

A number of Historical Society events are upcoming. Mark your calendars now for:

April 29, 3 p.m.

Slide lecture on Walter Gurnee, presented by Ellen Shubart, Society President. This is the same talk she gave to the annual Illinois Historic Preservation Agency conference in September 2000. A reception for donors to and members of the Society will follow. Glencoe Public Library. Free

May 6, 2 p.m.

Downtown Architectural Walking Tour, Meet at the Historical Society, 377 Park Avenue. Join a Historical Society guide for a walk and talk about Glencoe’s eclectic and interesting commercial architecture. Call the Park District, 847.835.3030, to register. $10; $5 for seniors and children.

May 20, 1 p.m.

Trolley Tour of Glencoe’s Churches and Synagogues. Meet at the Train Station. Sponsored by the Glencoe Historic Preservation Commission. Call Village Hall, 835-4114, Peter Scalera for registration. $20.

Fall series of History on Sunday Afternoons

Once the summer is over, the Glencoe Historical Society will embark on more activities based out of the new Eklund History Center and Garden. History Sundays will be held the third Sunday of the month.

The first event will be a tour of the cemetery along Lake-Cook Road. Founded by the Lutheran farmers who lived in the area, the cemetery was part of the church located at the intersection of Green Bay and County Line (today’s Lake-Cook) roads. Those who want to participate will meet at the cemetery for a guided tour.

October 21 will feature an historic bike tour through Glencoe.

November 18 will be the date for Mom and Me or Grandma and Me tea party for American Girl dolls and their owners. Join us for a discussion of the dolls’ history compared to what was going on in Glencoe at the same time.

Admission for each event will be $5 per person, with the funds going to the Historical Society’s on-going fund-raising effort for the Eklund Center. More details will follow in the Glencoe Park District brochure and our next newsletter. ⇑

Recognize this Scene?

Mary Bautzmann of Wilmette donated this picture to us. The mother of her husband Roland Bautzmann and her cousin John Mennenoh are pictured with the truck from the North Shore Florist and Landscape Service Business located on Jefferson Ave., Telephone: Glencoe 609. Year ?? But we’re guessing the 1930s. Anyone recognize this? Let us know. ⇑

Have Items To Donate?

Glencoe-related items are always welcome at the Society. Call 835-2638. ⇑

Campaign For The Eklund History Center And Garden

The Glencoe Historical Society gratefully acknowledges gifts to benefit the Eklund History Center and Garden. Gifts represent a commitment to the history of Glencoe and its dissemination to the Village in perpetuity. (As of January 1, 2001)

$5,000 and above

Village of Glencoe.

$1,000-$4,999

Paul Bechtner Foundation, Mrs. Florence H. Boone, Jake and Claire Boyle, Shirley and Roland Calhoun, Marianne Crosby, Wade and Bev Fetzer in memory of Will A. and Ella S. Fox and Martin P. and Florence Fox Below, The Glicksberg Family in memory of Kolman Glicksberg, Mr. and Mrs. Avrum Gray, Ann Martin in memory of Judson B. Martin, The Melcher Family, Jocelyn and Kenneth Nebenzahl in memory of Maxine and Joel Spits, The Sandquist Family, John and Evey Schweig, Fred and Nancy Schweiger in memory of Ignatz Schweiger who was the first owner of the 375 Park Avenue buildings in 1889, Ellen and Richard Shubart, Marcie and Avy Stein, Dr. and Mrs. Paul Sternberg, Paula and Howard Trienens, Elizabeth C. Warren in memory of Geoffrey S. Warren, Marjorie Hubacheck Watkins in memory of Marjorie and Frank Brookes Hubachek Sr., Faith and Dey Watts, Les, Sue, Megan and Holly West, Dr. Bob and Diane White

$500-$999

Nancy Alessi and Richard Smolev, Rick and Mimi Ciancuillo and Family in memory of Thomas and Mary Verrati, Jane and John C. Colman in memory of Patricia F. Baldauf, Des and Frances Donohoe, The Alfred E. Hackbarth Jr. Family, Mr. and Mrs. William P. Hall, The Handelsman Family in memory of Ralph Handelsman, Dr. and Mrs. David W. McCandless, The Brian P. Norton Family, The Paseltiner Family, Kay and Peter Rossiter, Stanton Schuman, Susan Page Tillett in honor of Sally Eklund, Nicole Williams and Dr. Lawrence Becker, Nitza and Albert Zisook.

$101-$499

Anonymous in memory of Evelyn Wienecke, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard H. Adelson, George and Martha Bermingham in honor of Irene Eklund, Keki and Meroo Bhote in honor of Ingrid Rosenfeld, Robert and Susan Boone, Fern and Arthur Callistein in honor of our children, Pam and Howard Conant, Drs. Jon and Cathlene Crawford, Adam and Melanee Croper and Family, Dr. and Mrs. R. F. Cunningham, Paulette and Bob DeNapoli, Debbie and Steven Dresner, Elaine Fiffer, Kaye and Howard Haas, Elizabeth and Walter Holt, Jim and Kyle Kiefer, The Drentz Family, Charles Kurland, Joseph and Judith Kurland, Brenda and Bud Lenahan, Nello and Ann Lucchesi, Erminia and Edward Mack in memory of Edward E. Mack Jr., The Malkin Family in honor of Sharon Grayboys, Sharon and Eden Martin, Linda and Frank Mayer, The James G. McLaren Family, Michael and Rebecca Mikolajczyk, Roger and Marjorie Nelson, John and Pat O’Brien, Dennis and Mary Osimitz, The Park Family, Christopher, Sara, Elsa and Fritz Pfaff, Bob and Debbie Price, Annette and Bob Rasmus, Mitch and Jill Schoenfeld, Bob and Cindy, John, Caitlyn and Scott Schwimmer, Frank and Wendy Serrino, The Smith Family, The Stone Family, Bobette and Sanford Takiff and Family in memory of Margie and Louis N. Cohen, Alison H. Turner, The Michael Vender Family, James and Frankie Webb, Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Weiss Family in honor of Leslie and John Carothers, Mr. and Mrs. Avers Wexler, Thomas C. and Kathleen Wright.

$10-$100

Jay Abrams, The Achenbaum Family, Nancy C. Ackerman, Constance Adler/Gail C. Fair, Tom and Jane Arthur, Alice and Arnold Behrstock, Stephen and Susan Bisgeier, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Bloch, Robert J. and Leslie Bond, Carl and Nancy Boyar, Patricia Bradley, in memory of Stuart B. Bradley, Eleanor Coon Briggs in memory of Mr. William A. Briggs, The Broccolo Family, Stanton and Judy Brody in honor of 45 happy years in Glencoe for our family, Rick and Andee Brown, Mark, Jean, Jill and Jeffrey Burnstine, Richard and Ann Burnstine, Jean Cooke Cavrell, in honor of Sally Eklund, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel D. Constan, Christine and Ricky Cooper, James and Laura Coplan, Clark and Peggy Dean in memory of Herbert F. and Frances , C. Dean, Edward B. Chez and Camille DeFrank, Gillian Derbyshire, Tanner and Jill Davis in memory of Kathryn Ann Davis, John and Alice Deimel, The Rand Diamond Family, Sally and Larry Domont, Joann, Barry, Brandon and Darcie Duke in memory of , Darren Neil Duke, Kyle Dushman, The Esser Family, Barbara and Fred Featherstone, Scott and Susan Feldman, Lisa and Tom Finke, Louise and Rick Fisher, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Footlik in memory of David and Steven Hoenig, Joan and Tom Forte, Frances P. Fried, Maurice and Muriel Fulton Foundation, Robert and Nancy Gielow, Alice Glicksberg, in memory of William S. Crosby, Arthur and Susie Goldner in honor of D. Jake Goldner and B. Brett Goldner, Louis and Barbara Goldmar, Eddis and Lisa Goodale in honor of Barbara and Scott Javore, Robert Louis Goodman, Dan Goodwin, Dr. and Mrs. Jack Graller, The Lon A. Grubb Family in memory of Ralph R. Fredericks, Tim Hadro and Marcia Ginsberg, Peggy Hamil, The Harney Family, Herbert and Barbara Hazelkorn, Mr. and Mrs. John C. Healy, Ellen D. Hohlfelder, Mr. P. Homer, Mike and Dovie Horvitz, F. B. Hubachek Jr., Joyce and Roger Isaacs, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney F. Jarrow, Morris P. Kaplan in memory of Sharon Kaplan, Robert S. and Jean F. Karger Fund, Mr. and Mrs. Lesilie Kates, The Klein’s, Dr. Evelyn Klein, Emily and Christopher Knight, Nancy and Philip Kotler, Jason and Beverly Kravitt, Paul and Virginia Lawless, Mark and Paula Lawson, Shirley Leavitt in memory of Sol Leavitt, Michael and Cara Levinson, Eva and Arnold Levy, Alfred R. Lipton and Kathleen Roseborough, Maynard and Judy Louis, Edward E. Mack Jr. in memory of Edward E. Mack Sr., Mr. and Mrs. John Madden, The Maganuco Family, Joyce and Fed Marcus, John and Lee Marshall, The May Family, Michael and Nancy Merel, Robert B. and Louise S. Morris, Arthur and Leslie Muir, Susan and Jay Myrick in memory of Geoffrey Warren, Richard and Anne Nathan and Family, The Kenneth E. Nelson family, Carole Rita Nolan in memory of Caroline and Martin Nolan, Steve an Ilene Novack, Dr. and Mrs. Edward Olinger in honor of Sarah and Andrea Olinger, Roberta and Mel Olshansky, The Olswangers, Mr. and Mrs. Neil Pagano, Lance and LoAnn Peterson, Robert and Katrina Pfutzenreuter, Maxine R. Philipsborn, The Reeder Foundation, Ellen and Martin Robinson, Howard and Judy Roin, Mr. and Mrs. Donald I. Roth, Jerry and Barbara Savitt, Cynthia Scott and Daniel Degan, Jan and Edward Schechter, Andrew and Cathy Scheman, The Steven Scheyer Family, Shirley and John Scholssman, The Schulman Family in honor of Gwen and Jules Knapp, Mr. and Mrs. David Schwartz, Gail and Lewis Segal, The Eric Shain Family, Julius and Richard Shapiro, Richard and Ellen Shubart in memory of William S. Crosby, Lynn and Ruth Shuster, Rian and Linda Singer, LaVerne Nelson Smelker in memory of Miss Very Eklund Nelson, Ezell and Edna Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Socoloff and Family, Mark Smith, Sheldon Smith, Mrs. Edward S. Solomon in memory of Edward S. Solomon, Susan and Ireland Stewart, Daniel and Norene Stucka, Steven and Kathy Taslitz, Drs. Marian and Paul Tolpin, Donna Tropp, Craig and Linda Umans, The Varick Family, Katherine Weir, Linda and Al Weiss, Richard F. Wile in memory of Carole W. Wile, Paul and Denise Wilkinson, Carolyn Winter, Vicki and John Winter in honor of David and Noah Winter, Robert and Vivian Zahniser, Paul and Sharon Zulkie.

Corporate gifts

The Glencoe Historical Society welcomes gifts from businesses and corporations.

$500-$10

Art Store Galley (Jerry Meinhardt) in honor of Glencoe’s residents’ retail patronage, Friedman and Holtz, P.C., in honor of the Glencoe Park District, The Harris Bank Glencoe-Northbrook, JMC Realty, Parkway Drugs. ⇑

Moving Right Along

Next Step: Getting Organized

Getting ready for construction is not easy. Before any digging for the sewer line could begin, Society members had to work carefully to move all items from a first floor room of the Eklund workshop to other locations. Artifacts had to be covered and protected from the dust and dirt.

The Society happily worked with Andrew Gumbiner, a Boy Scout preparing for his Eagle Scout badge with Troop 23. Andrew gathered Scouts to work on preparing the History Center for creating the working spaces in the workshop: the museum that will include an exhibit of Sally Eklund’s father’s furniture and upholstery operation, the research room and library on the second level, and the conference room with areas for meetings and displays.

We expect that the museum will be opened to the public by September. ⇑

Our First Exhibit

World War Posters

The Glencoe Historical Society has had in its collection for the past 20 years a collection of 15 posters, most from World War I and a few from the World War II. These were among the artifacts moved from the Glencoe Public Library to Watts Center, but no documentation came as to who donated them or why they were in the collection.

For the past decades, the posters have been kept in the condition they arrived: rolled up and out of sight. Working with Jerry Meinhardt of the Art Store Gallery, the Society had the posters mounted on linen and framed for an exhibit that will open in the fall.

We invite you to join us to see these posters, the majority from the World War I U.S. Food Administration, urging citizens to eat specific foods and conserve others.

We also would like to know about the posters and who might have donated them to the Society. Let us know if you have the secret of this marvelous collection.⇑

Who is Walter Gurnee?

And why are we talking about him?

Walter Gurnee was a tanner, a real estate investor, and a politician. He came from to Chicago from New York where he was born, not Scotland as is so often written in Glencoe history books, and returned there after the Civil War. So why is he so important?

Gurnee is often listed as one of the three founders of Glencoe, along with Anson Taylor, the first white settler in the area, and Dr. Alexander Hammond, the founder of the Glencoe Company that incorporated and laid out the Village in 1869.

Gurnee, who came to the area and bought a stock farm, established the area that later became the Village’s downtown business center. It was he who had the train stop on what is now Park Avenue.

But Gurnee was more than that. No less an authority that North Shore historian Michael Ebner has noted that

“More than any other individual, (Gurnee) deserves the credit as the first to envision a network of railroad suburbs along the western shoreline of Lake Michigan.”

He’s the father of the North Shore.

In September 2000, Society President Ellen Shubart presented a paper on Gurnee to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency annual history conference in Springfield. She will repeat that slide show on April 29 at the reception for donors and members. Do join us to hear about the man who created the vision of the North Shore and helped create Glencoe as we know it today. ⇑

Want to Help?

The Glencoe Historical Society has a long “wish list,” ranging from folding chairs to a computer. We would be delighted to talk to you about donations. The Society is a 501(c)3 and you can take tax deductions.

The Society also will be holding working evenings at the workshop. Working clothes and desire to help all that are required. Call 847.835.2638, Ellen Shubart, or Alice Glicksberg, 847.835.4935, for specific times. ⇑