The Counts House

Dr. William P. Melindy and his wife Mary who was the daughter of Daniel Owen, built the home that we now refer to as The Count's House on land purchased for $500.00 from George Gage in the year 1860.

The Greek Revival home is unusual in the sense that it has 2 facades.  The north facade sits on Waukegan Street, while the south facade faces Main Street.

When the Melindy's moved to California in 1873, the home was sold to Fred Schnorr Sr. who came to McHenry in 1857.  Mr. Schnorr added the Gothic Revival addition shortly after he took possession of the home. 

Fred Schnorr was a shoemaker who operated his business on Main Street.  The McHenry Plaindealer reports that Fred and his wife Katherina maintained the most beautiful gardens in all of McHenry!

Katherina passed away in 1905 and Fred passed away in 1917.

In 1920, Fred Schnorr Jr. sold to the house to Count Oscar Julius Albert Bopp Von Oberstadt. 

The Count was born in Germany in 1866 and moved to Chicago in 1916.  Count Oberstadt was married to Elizabeth Schoenhofen, the daughter of Peter Schoenhofen who owned the Peter Schoenhofen Brewing Company located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.  They produced Edelweiss brand beer and during prohibition, invented the famous Green River soda!  Count Oberstadt was the vice president of the brewing company.

For a time near the end of WW1 it was said that the Count was a German spy and that he was imprisoned in England.  I have not been able as of yet to confirm this.

In 1922, Count Von Oberstadt gifted the new church bell to St. Patrick's Church.  

The Count returned to Austria in 1927 and he passed away in 1928.

The house became the property of Clifford Sherman and his wife Laura.  Clifford was raised on the old Sherman homestead up on Sherman Hill.

Although the home has had several more owners throughout recent years, the beautiful historic house to this day is referred to as The Count's House.  

In 1982, it was added to the National Register Of Historic Places.

References:  The McHenry Plaindealer

 

 

McHenry Outdoor Theater

One of McHenry's treasures!  The McHenry Outdoor Theater.

Built by R.J. Miller in 1951, the opening day for what was once called the Skyline Drive-In was July 20, 1951.

In the 1950's, there were about 4000 drive in theaters located in the United States.  Now, there's less than 350 still in use.