The Legacy Of Nickolas Bohr

 

The Legacy Of Nicholas Bohr

Introduction

The city of McHenry, like all communities in our beautiful country, 

is the culmination of work done by many citizens.  

Throughout McHenry’s 183 years of documentation,

there is an endless list of names that come to the foreground while researching our past.  

The list of contributors is extensive but sadly, sometimes forgotten.  

No longer here to speak for themselves, their names and contributions remain silent, 

until the need for recognition arises.  

At this time, such recognition is necessary to preserve the unique aspects of our city’s 

Old Town neighborhood and to perhaps, set a precedent for future consideration and 

discussions regarding what was once known as Centerville and West McHenry.

Nicholas Bohr

One such name to be recognized at this moment, is Nicholas Bohr.  

Nick was born in Germany in 1862 to Michael Bohr and Catherine Schmitt.  

The family arrived in America in 1864 and settled in Deerfield, Illinois. 

 In 1880, Nick was living in Kansas with his family and by 1900 he was living in 

Chicago with his brother George.  Later that year, Nick was residing in Volo and by 1901, 

he moved into the Village Of McHenry.

At St. Mary’s church in 1902, Nick married Magdalena Schaffer, widow of John A. Schaffer 

who died in 1900.  Magdalena was also the sister of John J. Buch, owner of Buch’s Place 

now known as The Old Bridge Tavern.

Nick Bohr was a Cement and Stone Mason as well as a Brick Layer and in the year 1903, 

he built a home in Old Town for his new wife and step - children located at 1508 Green Street.

An article from the 24 December, 1903 issue of The McHenry Plaindealer reports as follows:

“Nick Bohr’s house on Green Street is nearly completed and is one of the best in McHenry, 

which is saying much, for we have several elegant homes in the village.

The house contains ten rooms besides several closets, halls and bathroom, 

all finished in oak and cypress.  

The plumbing is all outside the walls, the pipes being bronzed.  

The basement is divided into several apartments, for furnace, fuel, vegetables, laundry, etc.

Everything about the house is thoroughly modern and the mason work especially is the finest in 

McHenry.

Mr. Bohr is an excellent workman in that line himself.  

He put forth his best efforts and took plenty of time in doing the work.

The front porch is built entirely of cut stone, while on both porches the posts rest on 

Corinthian columns made of cut stone.

Cement walks extend from the street to the front and back doors.

Mr. Bohr and family are now occupying the house altho the interior is not entirely finished.”

The Bohr family lived in the Green Street home until 1911 when Nick built a 

new stone home for his family located at 3511 Broad Street which also still stands today.  

The Green Street house was sold to Joseph Justen who lived in the home 

until his death in March of 1936.  Joseph’s eldest son John continued to live in the 

home until his death in 1954.

Nick Bohr’s Other Contributions

The Green Street and Broad Street homes are not the only contributions that Nick Bohr 

made to our city.  His legacy remains today throughout our vast historic district. 

In 1908, he did cement work at Buch’s Place to accommodate new electrical machinery

and in 1909, he put in a new cement floor in the basement of the Public School (Landmark).

Other masonry work by Nick Bohr can be found in the Simon Stoffel home 

located at 3814 Main Street, the Marshall Merriman house at 1407 Court Street, 

the John H. Kennebeck house located at 1502 Richmond Road 

and the Nicholas Justen home located at 3804 Waukegan Road. 

Nicholas Bohr died in his home on Broad Street in February of 1923.  

The cut stone Corinthian columns at the Green Street home are gone now, 

replaced by iron supports but thankfully, the Carriage House remains.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the warm, nostalgic charm of McHenry’s historic neighborhoods is due to 

the vision and hard work expended by early citizens such as Nicholas Bohr, 

who’s top priority was to protect and give comfort to his new wife and children as well as to 

bestow something of value upon our city. 

 

Today, the range of architectural elements in our historic areas are a glimpse into our city’s past 

and a reminder of those citizens who left their footprints behind, though their names only appear 

from time to time.

Retaining McHenry’s historic appeal is dependent upon respecting and preserving the intentions 

of our city’s founders and early residents as well as maintaining the identity and integrity of our 

landmarks, historic homes and neighborhoods.

Sources

The McHenry Plaindealer

Ancestry.com