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In 1869, the population of yet-to-be-incorporated Hinsdale numbered less than 500, living within boundaries that stretched from Ayres Avenue to 10th Street and from Jackson to the county line," according to Hugh Dugan's 1949 book, "Village on the County Line." Developer William Robbins had built a school at Main (now Garfield) and Third, and the train station then sat between Washington and Lincoln. Dugan includes a description from an issue of a real estate publication...
June in Hinsdale is a time to welcome in warmer weather, frolic in a multitude of outdoor activities and celebrate the reopening of Safety Village. Every year at this time since 1983, the miniature municipality tucked next to Oak School sees its small-scale streets filled with rising kindergartners and first-graders learning them the rules of the road. The tiny town featuring 16 diminutive buildings, including replica police and fire stations, a Memorial Building, school, chur...
Gardening is a pastime many enjoy during the summer months. During World War I, working in the garden became more of a necessity. In April 1917, the village of Hinsdale ordered all citizens with vacant land to allow the use of it for Victory Gardens and that every able-bodied man not working in defense volunteer to tend them, according to an article that appeared in The Doings Centennial Edition in 1995. "Schoolchildren were encouraged to plant and tend their own gardens,"...
An invitation to a tea time may be misinterpreted in today's Hinsdale. In the village's nascent era, however, tea parties were a way for women, in particular, to enjoy fellowship and enlightening discussions in a paternalistic society, according to Leslie Goddard, a historian known for her portrayals of figures from the past. As part of the celebration of Hinsdale 150th anniversary, Goddard will present the program "Elegant Indulgence: History and Rituals of Afternoon Tea"...
Dubbed the "Ace of Burns Field" for his tennis exploits locally, Hinsdale native Marty Riessen went on to make a name for himself far beyond the village. The Hinsdalean chronicled Riessen's life in as part of the "Hinsdale Originals" series in 2011, portions of which are included here. Growing up in the 400 block of West Hickory Street, Riessen could often be found across the street on Burns' courts honing his game. His father Clare started the tennis program at then-Hinsdale...
Hinsdale American Legion Post 250, whose members will lead Memorial Day observations in town Monday, May, 29 (see Page 17 for details), has been part of the village since 1919. The post was featured in The Hinsdalean's Making a Difference series in 2019 to mark its 100th anniversary. Following are excerpts from the series' introductory article, which ran April 18. When Congress chartered the American Legion in 1919 and Hinsdale Post 250 was formed shortly after, the goals of...
This building located at 53 S. Washington St. was home to the Hinsdale Post Office from 1899-1926, when the building was destroyed by fire. Architecturally significant features of the new building include full-height stone pilasters topped by ball finials and a balustrade brick cornice. The site was home to a Walgreens at some point and today is home to J. McLaughlin. (Hinsdale Historical Society photo/Jim Slonoff photo)...
April's showers are resulting in a colorful yield of May flowers across the village. And no flower past or present is more associated with Hinsdale than the American Beauty Rose. The rose was declared the village's official flower in a May 2 proclamation celebrating the village's 150th anniversary. According to records in the Hinsdale Historical Society's archives, the brilliant bloom's local roots can be traced back to 1887, when printing company owner Orland Bassett and his...
The mood was unusually jovial at Tuesday night's Hinsdale Village Board meeting. "Thank you all for coming," Village President Tom Cauley told the crowd. "Usually when we have this many people in the room it's not a good thing." The village's first official 150th anniversary celebration brought out everyone from residents to former trustees to a U.S. congressman. After conducting regular business (see roundup on Page 6), Cauley read a sesquicentennial proclamation, citing the...
Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future. The village of Hinsdale hopes to project that two-fold spirit in its 150-year sesquicentennial celebration this year through various expressions in the months ahead. Assistant village manager Andrianna Peterson said a proclamation will be read commemorating the milestone anniversary of Hinsdale's 1873 incorporation following the village board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 2. "We've invited legislators and community and organization...
Did you know Hinsdale police and firefighter/paramedics are wearing retro badges this year in honor of the village's 150th anniversary? At the fire department, which is also celebrating its 130th anniversary this year, the project required quite a bit of research. "There have been badge numbers physically on the badges, but they were just kind of handed out arbitrarily," firefighter/paramedic Nick McDonough said. So when he and Chief John Giannelli were talking about how to ma...
"Hinsdale in Lights," a new exhibit opening next week at Immanuel Hall, will give visitors a unique opportunity to view and experience 150 years of village history. Hinsdale Historical Society board member Alexis Braden, who created the exhibit with society manager Katharine Andrew and Matt Stockmal, hired as the creative and technical director, said her vision initially was for a two-dimensional exhibit with photos and a timeline that broke the village's history down in...
As April 1 - the 150th anniversary of the village's official incorporation date - approaches, village officials are anticipating a variety of ways to mark the occasion. Unfortunately April 1 falls on the Saturday after spring break. "As a result, we have decided that our official date where we will be recognizing and celebrating the 150th of the village will be May 2," said Andrianna Peterson, assistant village manager. The event will be held in conjunction with the Hinsdale...
As part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the village, we’ve taken a look back at some early issues of The Doings, which started covering the village in 1895. These news briefs show not only what was going on in the 1920s, 1930s and 1970s, but how reporting has changed over time. Big vote for annexation April 14, 1923 — The annexation of Fullersburg became a reality after the votes were counted at the special election Tuesday. Though only a small vote was polled, it was so overwhelmingly in favor of the pro...
Hinsdale Central varsity boys swim coach Bob Barber - then a junior at Central - celebrates his victory in the 100-yard freestyle race at the IHSA state meet in this photo that ran in The Doings in February 1991. Barber also captured first-place as a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay and came in third in the 50-yard freestyle. "As soon as I touched the wall, I didn't know who won. I had to look up at the clock. I saw who won and then I started jumping for joy," he told...
The April 4 election will determine the next set of local officeholders, so what a perfect time to look back at Hinsdale's election history - with a note of gratitude to the Hinsdale Historical Society for opening its archives. After residents cast a majority of ballots to incorporate March 29, 1873, the freshly minted suburb needed to form a government. As Timothy Bakken chronicles in his book "Hinsdale," 44 residents - or about a third of those eligible - cast ballots and...
The building located at 14 W. Hinsdale Ave. in downtown Hinsdale was originally designed by Hinsdale architect R. Harold Zook to be the Hinsdale post office in 1927, according to Sandy Williams' "Images of America - Hinsdale." The post office originally located on Washington Street had been destroyed by a fire. "The building still stands, though drastically altered. A remnant of the original roofline cab be found in the alley facade," Williams wrote. Today the building is...
Although some current residents might beg to differ, the village's "Elegant Era" took place in the early days of the village, from the 1870s to 1890s. At least that's the conclusion of Hugh Dugan, author of "Village on the County Line." And while he makes a point of noting that 13 pages of "The Elegant Era" chapter are designed to spotlight historic Hinsdale homes, it is his descriptions of the homeowners, along with their occupations and pastimes, that are most entertaining...
Do you know how streets in the village acquired their names? If you said they're named after U.S. presidents, you'd be right 16 times. But village founder William Robbins intended for the street named after the country's 20th president to have a different name, according to Timothy Bakken's 1976 book, "Hinsdale." "The north-south streets of the new village were named for some national heroes: the recently martyred Abraham Lincoln, the victorious General Ulysses S. Grant, and, of course, George Washington," he writes. "Robbins...
The last century and a half would have unfolded much differently in this town had it not been bisected by a train line. So thank you, Aurora. Back in the mid-19th century, the Kane County outpost was thriving and petitioned for direct rail to Chicago to boost commerce. Settlements in between hopped on board with the idea. A question remained: Would it traverse Fullersburg (and present-day Ogden Avenue) or be routed one mile to the south through Hinsdale forerunner Brush Hill?...
The intersection of York and Ogden was once the center of Brush Hill, which preceded Hinsdale's founding by about 30 years, according to Sandy William's book, "Images of America - Hinsdale." First, ancient Indian trails and later a "plank" road Ogden was one of three primary routes out of Chicago for settlers heading on their western journey. In the 1850s Benjamin Fuller incorporated many lots at the intersection as Fullersburg. The photo above is of the intersection in 1946,...
Imagining what life was like when the village was founded in 1873 is almost impossible, given the changes that have taken place in just the last quarter century. . But a look back at early issues of The Doings, which started covering Hinsdale in 1895, offers not only a flavor of village life, but a sense of how local reporting has changed over time. Consider these news briefs from the 1930s, 1960s and 1980s. Hinsdale club’s opening stag to be held tonight Nov. 3, 1928 — All traffic rules will be thrust aside — lives of the ...
Sesquicentennial has own logo The village has a new logo to commemorate its 150th anniversary. The planning committee selected a design by Kyle Poff, VP design director at Leo Burnett in Chicago, and son-in-law of committee member Cynthia Curry. Poff and his wife, Julia Curry, who grew up in Hinsdale, also are former residents, having lived in the Woodlands for three years. "I thought, 'Oh, this would be great to add back to the community,' " said Poff, noting he does a lot...
Do you know for whom the village of Hinsdale is named? If you don’t, you’re certainly not alone. Actually there is no definitive answer as to how the village got its name. “Now, before turning to the subject of how William Robbins was to actually create the village of Hinsdale, it would be wise to examine the one issue which, in this past century, has caused more argument and controversy than any other: the questions of how, why, by whom and for whom Hinsdale was named,” Timothy Bakken wrote in “Hinsdale,” published i...
This building at the southwest corner of First and Washington streets, numbered 2 W. First, was built in 1888 to house the successful tailoring business of German-born John Papenhausen. It was the first commercial structure built on the south side of First Street, according to "Images of America - Hinsdale" by Sandy Williams. Papenhausen lived on the second floor with his wife and their six children, Williams wrote. Walter Davidson, plumber, was also a tenant, as the sign...
