Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 224
B.C. - before coffee - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," is taken from the corner of Hinsdale Avenue and Washington Street facing east. "Hinsdale Avenue is immediately recognizable in this c. 1926 photograph. On the site of Hinsdale's first store and post office, this corner drugstore was built in 1900 by Hinsdale builder Adolph Froscher. A drug store operated here for over 100 years until Starbucks sensitively rehabbed the building in...
Cheers! - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," is of what was to become the York Tavern. "North of his (Benjamin Fuller) house across the creek, Fuller built a grocery and saloon in 1843, naming it the Farmers' Home. Remnants of this building still stand, significantly renovated and now known as York Tavern. This 1941 photograph shows the tavern with an addition in progress."...
That old house - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," shows the home of Benjamin Fuller. It was relocated near the Graue Mill parking lot in 1980. "After purchasing Castle Inn, Fuller built this family home just north of the trail along York Road. Some historians believe this 1843 home is the oldest extant example of balloon frame construction in the country. This revolutionary technique used mill-cut wall studs that ran in a continuous piece...
Early classroom - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," shows the kindergarten classroom at Monroe School in 1929, complete with fireplace and play loft. Do you have a Hinsdale photo that is at least 25 years old? We'd love to share it with our readers. Stop by our office at 7 W. First St. or email it to [email protected]....
Public safety - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," shows Hinsdale Police and Fire Department's building. "Built as a federal public works project in 1935, the police and fire departments moved into this new building at 25 E. First St. designed by Hinsdale architect Harford Field. The building included a courtroom, jail and an apartment for the police chief. Today the former holding cell's iron bars are used decoratively, mounted in the...
Horse powered fire truck - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," shows the fire deparment's hose cart ready for a parade in 1905. "Before 1912, horses were not owned by the department. The first team to appear at the station after the fire bell rang was hired for $5. At the time, Hinsdale's funeral director stabled his horses downtown. Legend tells that these horses, trained to respond to the bell, once took off for the station during a funeral...
March madness continues — This photo in Sandy Williams’ book, “Images of America — Hinsdale,” is of the Hinsdale Township High School 1905 girls basketball team. “Girls also participated in high school sports. This is the 1905 women’s basketball team, possibly the first, dressed in uniforms of wool bloomers, high-collared blouses, and long black stockings....
March madness -This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," is of the Hinsdale Township High School 1909 basketball team. "The high school state basketball championship was won by this Hinsdale team in 1909. The 'largely self-coached' team had a season 22-3 record, outscoring their opponents 838 to 498. From left to right are (first row) Fred Bahlman and Woodbury Melcher; (second row) Fred Cortis, Gilbert Keith and Preston Davidson; (third row) Frank...
Safe harbour - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," shows The Life Boat Rescue Home for unwed mothers and abandoned children. The home was started and managed by the Hinsdale Sanitarium. "Relocated in 1903 from Chicago to Hinsdale, the home was strongly supported by village residents, expanding in 1909 to the building shown here at 328 Phillipa St. The home provided shelter, counseling, adoption placement, employment asistance and the...
Going postal - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," is of the post office on Garfield and Chicago avenues. Hinsdale's village president at the time was William Regnery, who worked tirelessly in securing the location and also personally donated money for the project. "Through some difficult maneuvering the site of the current post office was secured in 1937. With the blessing of Hinsdale's plan commission, Regnery and others traveled to...
First church of Hinsdale - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," shows Hinsdale's first church, built by a Baptist congregation. "The Baptists were the first to build their own church, constructed in 1870 on land donated by William Robbins. Located on the southwest corner of Garfield Avenue and First Street, the splendid building proved too costly. Attempts at sharing the space were not enough to sustain the congregation, and the Baptists...
Wooden walks - This photo in Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," mentions the village sidewalk system - or lack of one - in the early days of the village. "Before Hinsdale was incorporated, sidewalks were private projects. If a homeowner wanted one, he had to build the wooden walk himself. After the 1873 incorporation, walks were a popular public improvement; in 1878, the village's largest expense was for sidewalk nails."...
Frozen Salt Creek - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," shows this photo of a frozen Salt Creek from the early 1900s. "After a hard freeze, Salt Creek offered wonderful ice skating all the way to Elmhurst. Warmed by fires built along the shore, some skaters enjoyed picnics brought from home. While hockey was popular by day, a moonlit evening could find 200 or 300 skaters covering the ice."...
Vintage view - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," describes what the central business district looked like in the 19th century. "Long, narrow 25-foot lots accommodated Hinsdale's early storefronts. Most were built of wood and some had false fronts, characteristics of retail buildings across the country before 1900. This photograph, taken in the late 1870s, shows the west side of Washington Street from First Street, looking north. None of these buildings are...
First park - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," mentions that Burlington Park was the site of the first public landscaping in the village. "After the railroad granted use of the site in 1877, fencing and evergreens were installed. When the new depot was built in 1899, the village acquired the remainder of the block, setting the stage for walkways and flower beds to showcase Hinsdale's 'front yard.' In this early photograph, Flagg Creek, covered in 1934, is...
Can you hear me now? Part Two - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," talks about life before cell phones, or any phones. "In 1896, telephones were at last available to private homes. The switchboard, however, was open only from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. In 1900, one operator was employed to handle the 333 calls per day; by 1909, these operators handled more than 3,000 daily calls....
'Happy Hall-idays' - That was the greeting that Vinaya Sharma used on the first of the Christmas Cards he began designing and sending out in 1996. Sharma has appeared on his cards each year, in locations ranging from the Memorial Building in Hinsdale to the Taj Mahal in India. Do you have a Hinsdale photo that is at least 25 years old? We'd love to share it with our readers. Stop by our office at 7 W. First St. or email it to [email protected]....
Early settler - Benjamin Fuller came by horseback from New York State in 1834 looking for a place to make his home. He eventually settled on Brush Hill, just north of Ogden Avenue and west of York Road. According to Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," he was "one of the area's earliest settlers, gradually purchased most of the land in the central community. Serving over the years as farmer, storekeeper, innkeeper, and postmaster, he platted the town and...
Road trip - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," mentions the Castle Inn, which was on Ogden Avenue. "Over time, (Benjamin) Fuller amassed about 800 acres. His acquisition in 1843 of a portion of Orente Grant's property included this building, Castle Inn. The inn, built by Grant in 1836, was located on the south side of the Southwest Trail, today's Ogden Avenue, just east of York Road. In addition to serving travelers, settlers took shelter at the inn while...
Early churches - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," highlights the early churches built in Hinsdale. "On a lot just west of the Episcopal church, this Presbyterian church was built in 1893. In 1918, the congregation, together with some Unitarians, joined with the Congregationalists in forming Union Church. This building then served as the Episcopal Guild Hall and Sunday School."...
Early churches - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," highlights the early churches built in Hinsdale. "Formally organized in 1875, the Episcopal congregation gathered at the public school and other available churches until its own building was finished in 1886. William Robbins donated the lot, located where the church still stands at First and Blaine streets. This 1890 photograph shows the building with a wooden front, not completed in stone until...
New car smell - Hinsdalean Ralph Homann sends us this picture of his dad, Henry, standing by his sister Marie's new car in their parents' driveway at 728 S. Bruner St., with undeveloped land to the north. The photo was taken in the late 1930s. Do you have a Hinsdale photo that is at least 25 years old? We'd love to share it with our readers. Stop by our office at 7 W. First St. or email it to [email protected]....
Early churches - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," highlights the early churches built in Hinsdale. "In 1870 O.J. Stough donated land on Maple Street near Washington Street to establish a Unitarian church. Shown here is the congregation's second church, built in 1888. It is speculated that a young Frank Lloyd Wright played a role in designing the building whose minister, William C. Gannett, was a close personal friend." Do you have a Hinsdale photo that is...
Club house - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," mentions The Hinsdale Club, which was founded in 1888. It was "initially an informal men's group that met above a local store. With rapid growth in membership and prominence, the club had this building constructed in 1899 at the southwest corner of Garfield Avenue and First Street. This was the center of village social life from that point forward, hosting club meetings, dancing classes, political rallies,...
Social network - Sandy Williams' book, "Images of America - Hinsdale," mentions that in 1872, O.J. Stough built a building at 11 N. Lincoln St. that had a school on the first floor and a meeting hall upstairs. "Until surpassed by the Hinsdale Club, Stough's Hall was the social and civic center of Hinsdale. The photograph was taken after 1904 when the building was purchased by the Swedish Baptist church."...
