The McHenry Area Historical Society and the McHenry Landmark Commission will have a booth at Art In The Park on Saturday July 16th.
Please stop by and say hello! You can also pick up our 2023 McHenry Calendar!
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Saturday, July 9, 2022
The Old Iron Bridge
In 1836 when our early settlers came to McHenry, the Fox was crossed by using an Indian Ford and a little later, by Indian Canoes. Later in that year, a Ferry Boat was built near Burlington Wis and purchased by the citizens of McHenry in 1837.
It was used until 1842 when the first bridge was built across the Fox. According to The McHenry Plaindealer, this was located at Elm Street. This bridge was carried away by a freshet (flooding of the river due to heavy rain or melting snow) in the Spring of 1849.
McHenry citizens rebuilt it in May of that year. By 1852, that bridge had deteriorated so a new bridge was built at Pearl Street. In 1880, that bridge was replaced with the old Iron Bridge.
The current bridge was dedicated in December of 1977.
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Now Available - 2023 McHenry Area Historical Society Calendar
Our 2023 McHenry Area Historical Society Calendar is now available:
The 2022 calendar features 13 historic photos of our most recognizable landmarks.
Calendar pages include all US holidays, season changes and religious holidays.
You can order it from the McHenry Area Historical Society online store.
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
The Legacy Of Nickolas Bohr
The Legacy Of Nicholas Bohr
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
Sunday, June 19, 2022
Zoning For Our Historic Downtown Area
On Monday June 20th, at 7:00 p.m., The McHenry City Counsel will be discussing zoning for our historic downtown area which will include the fate of this beautiful home built in 1903 by Nicholas Bohr.
The MAHS will be there to share a brief presenation on the history of the home and it's builder. Please consider attending the City Counsel meeting.
Below is shared from the FB page of our 3rd Ward Alderman Frank McClatchey:
Tomorrow Night ,20th, we are going to talk about zoning in our down town area, 1508 Green St. wants to make it a 3 flat/couch house.
I would like your thoughts and if you can share this with others... we need to act, as many people we get there the better.
this is what I will propose:
To Mayor and Council:
We live in a great city, our down town Business District is growing, with many new things to come…. But, we are leaving behind the true Essence of McHenry, our residents that live a few blocks from Green St, Riverside Dr, Main St. and areas of Ward 6.
Our very historic down town residential Zoning is being taking advantage of… yes this has been going on for many years, but it is way past do, TO FIX IT. I have no problem with someone buying a home, and renting it, but the impacts of these multifamily rentals are making an impact on our whole city. Yes, we as a city looked the other way, and kicked the can down the road…. That road should end if we want to protect our historic down town residents. It is time to act, Instead of reacting to this takeover of our neighborhoods.
It is time to act as a governing body, we were all elected to make McHenry a better place to live, not to let loopholes fill the pockets of people looking to make money on multifamily rental properties.
For those that make money from selling multi rental property, or represent the seller… we need to work as one, and not let money decide what is best for McHenry… We are all ONE!
“I move that the requested use of 1508 N Green St. be denied on the basis that it is either illegal or a grandfathered use that was discontinued and that staff be directed to prepare a document for council to review and approve amortizing similar uses in the neighborhoods upon sale by the existing owner.” In other words, if it is not conforming now, we will let it go until property is sold, and then go back to single family RS4 as it was meant to be and passed by the McHenry city Council, and Zoning board and reflected in zoning maps.”
Link to Agenda item: Pages 120-150
Please call me with any questions, Frank 815.385.1813
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Program Speakers from June 11, 2022
On Saturday, June 11, the MAHA held a wonderful program at Veteran's Memorial park. Our speakers included Lee Lexow representing the American Legion, Ronnie Reber who represented the VFW, Ron Bykowski representing the Polish American Legion and Ernie Stetz who represented the Polish Legion Of American Veterans.
They each spoke about their role in these organizations and gave us a history of the organizations they represented.
It was a wonderful and insightful program. Thank you to each and everyone of these gentlemen!!
From left to right:
Ronnie Reber - VFW, Ron Bykowski - PAL, Ernie Stetz - PLAV and Lee Lexow - AL.
Photo courtesy of Pat Wirtz.
Sunday, June 12, 2022
A. H. Hanly & Sons - The McHenry Brick Mill
We at the McHenry Area Historical Society as well as the McHenry Landmark Commission, are pleased to announce that our little yellow brick mill, The A. H. Hanly & Sons McHenry Brick Mill is now a designated Landmark! Thank you to the McHenry City Counsel for voting yes!
Today, I'm sharing a very unique, one of a kind McHenry treasure from my personal collection. This is a handwritten letter dated May 26, 1891. It is written on stationary from the Office Of A. H. Hanly & Sons - Proprietors Of The McHenry Brick Mills.
Cousin Daniel,
Yours of the 17th at hand and I am quite tardy in answering but - was glad to hear that all the folks were feeling so well and that you have struck the right thing to make a fine grade of butter, as it will sell well there as the western butter go East - about 1/4 of it and the Eastern cheese comes west - so think you have a start in right direction and think it would be a good thing for us to make full cream cheese
There is nothing written on the back and there is no 2nd page so I'm not sure who wrote it however, I do have a few clues.
First, the letter is dated May of 1891. Alexander Hanly passed away in January of 1891 so I know it wasn't written by him.
He had four sons, Samual, George, John and Daniel.
The letter is addressed to "Cousin Daniel". Back in the day, the words brother and cousin were interchangeable.
I suspect that the letter was written by George to his brother Daniel. George spent most of his time working on the farm and at the mill and I believe Daniel did some traveling. Although I can't confirm this theory right now, I may be able to with a little more research.
For now, our newly designated landmark will have a plaque soon. I will post here when I have specific date.
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