RECENT ACQUISITIONS

Albert and Mary (Starr) Beelow of Carpentersville recently donated some family items which will be a fine additional to the museum archives. Included are photos of the Starr family and the Carpentersville area, a stereopticon with pictures, 1878 Kane County History book and local memorabilia.

 Tim Loversky, principal at Lakewood Elementary in Carpentersville, found an old drum stored away at the school.  It turned out to be from the town municipal band of years ago. 

 These are things that make a museum. Our thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Beelow, Mr. Loversky, and all who think to donate items  to the museum  rather than discard them.

 

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteering is a job that takes commitment, flexibility, dedication, conscientiousness, and team work.  It is a job that offers no health insurance or even a pay check.  So why volunteer?

In England during the 1700s, men who came together to form a fraternal group from which they could benefit socially, enjoy fellowship and help those in need were thought to be odd.  This was in fact the beginning of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  It was odd to do a kindness without expecting something in return.  If that is so odd, why do they still exist almost 300 years later?  Did you know our local lodge in Old Carpentersville, Century Lodge 492, has been in existence over 100 years?  That’s a lot of fellowship and volunteering.

The Dundee Lions Club was chartered in 1937 and the Carpentersville Lions Club in 1959.  Members enjoy social events, camaraderie and work to raise money to provide eye exams and eyeglasses to needy residents who cannot afford them.  Work?  Yes, sometimes volunteering takes work to raise funds needed to help others.  Even in addition to a 40-hour work week, members strive to combat blindness during their free time.

When the Girl Scouts began in 1912, its founder asked her cousin to volunteer and the rest is history.  Many of us have either been a troop leader, helped chaperone a troop trip, been a girl scout or had a daughter, sister, or friend who was in Girl Scouts.  The Sybaquay Council that serves our area has been in existence for 50 years, with the help of volunteers.  The Boy Scouts of America and our area’s Three Fires Council also have volunteers to help our nation’s future adults reach their potential.  Was your Scoutmaster a volunteer?

Our own historical society is run by volunteers.  It takes work to make sure our building is in good repair, clean and has someone to open the door to visitors.  Sometimes it takes elbow grease but mostly it takes an interest in preserving history.  If we did not know what happened before us, we would not know why we are who we are.  Our society was formed by volunteers in 1964.  We are a young organization.  We should have energy and vitality and eagerness to share things with others.  We should be able to work to make sure our society and our museum serve the people who are eager to learn, without looking at it as work.

Take some time this season to volunteer for our society.  There are many different ways to do so.  A couple hours a week, a month, or a couple of hours once or twice a year is well worth the investment.  We can feed on the excitement of learning the how and why of our ancestors and former residents and what molded them that in turn molded us. 

When the door of our museum opens, it is just like opening a history book.  Help tell the story to those who haven’t heard.  You may learn something you did not know before about the people and villages that make up Dundee Township. 

Kristie Benedik

President 2007/2008

(847) 428-0932

kbenedik@sbcglobal.net

 

 MEET YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our Board of Directors is responsible for carrying out the objective goal of the Dundee Township Historical Society which is to inspire appreciation in our rich local heritage by encouraging understanding and preservation of the history of our township.

 EINAR GRAFF

 Einar and his wife Lene joined the Dundee Township Historical Society soon after they moved to East Dundee in 1997 to learn the history of their new community.  Soon thereafter they both became docents for the museum.

 Einar became a board member in 2001 and continues to be a docent greeting visitors to the museum.

 COLETTE McDONOUGH

 Attending a class on chair caning was Colette's first exposure to the Dundee Township Historical Society. She has been a Board Member since 1989 and was elected Secretary shortly thereafter and continues in that capacity to this day.

 Assisting with programs as varied as Americana Days, the Cemetery Walk, Collector's Day, and Housewalk has kept her integrally involved with the Society year in and year out.

 Receiving a plaque from the Historic Sites Committee for a previous residence, an 1892 Victorian, after many years of research and renovation still remains an accomplishment of which she, and her husband Dave, are particularly proud.

 GENE LAMP

 In the spring of 1987, Gene received and invitation to a board meeting to see if he would be interested in being a board member.  He agreed to join and at the Annual Meeting, he was elected treasurer.  He replaced Vangie Sharp.

As a history major in college, he was interested in local history, but until then didn’t have time to pursue it.  Through the years he has enjoyed portraying various local residents.  There have been many fascination and outstanding people in our villages.

Gene feels that one of the strengths if the Historical Society is the programs we do for schools, both at the museum and in the individual schools.  Recently he portrayed Angelo Carpenter at Perry Elementary School.  Marge Edwards and I were Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter at Dundee-Crown High School.  He was really pleased when several of the students recognized Mr. Carpenter.  He also says that our exhibits are another strong feature of our organizations.

 

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

The new heating system is up and running. There is still work to be done as finances will allow. The air conditioning will make the summer museum hours much more comfortable for our volunteers and visitors.

 A number of monetary donations and volunteer labor have made the new system possible and we are eternally grateful for the financial assistance and volunteer hours from those in our community who came to the rescue.

THANK YOU

Thank you to the following for their monetary and in kind donations toward the heating system project  that began in Fall 2006:

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 

Do you have a few hours a month to volunteer at the museum ?  The museum is open Sundays and Wednesdays from 2 - 4 p.m.  There is a need for docents during those times.   It is an opportunity to learn local history and share that knowledge with visitors.  There is also a need for volunteers in the research library.  There are obituaries, newspaper clippings, pictures and family histories to be filed as well as research assistance for visitors and phone and mail correspondence.

 Please call the museum at 847-428-6996 if you have a few hours to volunteer on either of those days.  Leave a message and someone will return your call.

 We take this opportunity to thank those who have spent countless volunteer hours at the museum.  Volunteers are an integral part of the workings of a museum.  Thanks to our docents, library volunteers, display builders, construction workers and others who have helped to keep our doors open.

 The compensation is little, but the rewards are many.

 

HISTORY QUIZ  

1. What native tribe populated the Fox Valley before the settlers came ?
2.  Who were the first permanent white settlers in the place to become Dundee ?
3. Allen Pinkerton set up shop at 3rd and Main streets. What was made there ?
4. What was the nickname of the area in East Dundee that was populated mostly by German immigrants ?
5. Who was Dundee's most prolific photographer ?
6. Who built the R.L.B. opera house ?
7. What was made at Haeger's Pottery before art pottery?
8. Where was the first post office in the Dundees ?
9. Who owned a tavern at Main and 4th streets at the time of the Civil War ?
10. What "romance" writer is the source of much of the historic information found in the museum archives ?

 The answers to these questions can be found on the following pages of our history book:

DUNDEE TOWNSHIP 1835 - 1985.

 1. pg. 7 - 12                      6. pg. 92
 2. pg. 33                           7. pg 89
 3. pg. 83 - 84                    8. pg 30
 4. pg. 89                           9. pg 16
 5. pg.116                          10. pg. iii

 If you do not have a copy of this book it is available at the museum at a cost of $20.00.
Proceeds benefit the historical society museum.

 

 Audrey Falese

 Jack Festen

 Carol Shedden Silvermann

 Mark & Kathleen McWhouter

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The Informer

Newsletter of the Dundee Township Historical Society                                         July 2007