Carnegie Library Named to the National Register (see p. 7)

Spring 2014 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society Calendar of Events History Down the Road: Why April Local Historical Societies April 6 Should Be the Next Frontier Free History Program (p.5) for Your Classroom WHS Board Josh Bill Officers May President In the few months since I wrote this article, I have Dennis Moisio May 17 realized that in addition to the Waukegan Historical Vice President Society Annual Meeting & Luncheon (p. 6) Society, I also owe much of my success in studying Doug Stiles local history to my work through Linking Learning Treasurer Communities at Lake Forest College. I know that Yvonne Sylvester June Secretary several members of this wonderful cohort are also Ellen Frew June 7 members of the society. Truly, without your help, Directors Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine Fine Arts Festival none of my success with local history (and otherwise) Betsy Alleman June 22 would be possible. Before an excerpt from this pub- Josh Bill Tour of Homes lication was put into this newsletter, I wanted to fix Gail Dever June 29 this oversight. Mary Goljenboom Waukegan’s American Independence Day Parade & My high school teaching job in Waukegan Sara Griffin Festival was supposed to be temporary: I pessimisti- Jim Maguire cally thought I couldn’t possibly be happy in an Denyse Waters economically blighted city where gang violence and drug busts dominated local newspaper headlines. Because of its location halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago, Waukegan is often either entirely overlooked or scrutinized only for its warts… The Waukegan Historical Society’s archives transformed my vision of Waukegan and my career. Additionally, it allowed my students to find an authentic voice, teaching them to think analytically about the legacy and people of their community while sharing fresh interpretations with a proud public. Not least of all, it allowed them to think of themselves as historians. Every year, I watch students who seem passion- less and disengaged spring to life as they research Waukegan’s history through their work on the Chicago Metro History Fair. After some initial hesitation in response to the enormity of the project Waukegan history students. (it begins in late fall and spans at least through the 2 Fall 2013 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society 3 winter, or further if they advance in the competi- Free Historical Program tion), students are liberated by the open-ended nature of the task and become enthralled by the A History of Waukegan stories that too often have lain dormant in the society’s files. Township Once they are at the society, students will come Sunday, April 6 to life as they see pictures of or read about their 2:00 PM neighborhoods. Several students have explored Jane Addams Center, 95 Drive in Bowen Park civil rights issues, including an exhibit on how race riots in Waukegan demonstrated the division Al Westerman, local historian and Waukegan between violent and nonviolent approaches to Historical Society Life Member, will present a pro- America’s civil rights movement and a documentary gram that highlights his newly published book A on the legal battle to end de facto segregation in History of Waukegan Township, Lake County, Waukegan elementary schools. The stories of the (1835-1850). different immigrant groups that came to work in Waukegan factories throughout the 20th century have proven popular with Waukegan High School’s From the Research Library first-generation Latino immigrants, who empathize with the struggles for acceptance and learn from the Metro History Fair strategies earlier groups used to overcome the strife that is endemic to being new to America. In these Update stories, students discover disheartening accounts of Josh Bill inhumanity, but the stories also reveal the courage of Each year, the Chicago Metro History Fair pro- those who set out to change systems of injustice. vides an opportunity for students in the Chicago Student enthusiasm for undertaking a local area to complete a local history project. Thanks to history project does not come magically; I spend an ever-growing partnership with the Waukegan significant hours ensuring that students’ personal Historical Society, most of our students are able to journeys to becoming historians are successful. do so. Each winter, the Society’s Raymond Research Every year, in the late summer and fall, I reassume Library opens its doors to Waukegan High School the role of a scholar, burying myself in the resources students, and the results have been phenomenal. held in the Waukegan Historical Society. This es- We have had five Waukegan-based projects in sential step ensures that I stay acquainted with the the last four years advance to the National History rewards and pitfalls fundamental to primary source Day competition in Washington, D.C. This year, analysis—from­ the exhilaration of hunting for details Waukegan High School is proud to announce that about an intriguing subject to the confusion and six Waukegan projects are moving on from the bewilderment of hitting a wall. It’s vital that teachers Chicago-area to the state-wide competition. experience these moments so they can teach prob- In addition, each year projects are judged locally lem solving and coping strategies. In order to teach by a panel selected by the Society and a $500 prize our students to be historians, we must stay engaged is awarded to the most outstanding project. The with the art of historical detection ourselves. winner will be announced at our May meeting.

4 Fall 2013 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society 5 Annual Meeting and Luncheon Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine Fine Arts Festival. Please keep the Museum in mind as you do your Annual Meeting and “spring cleaning.” If you have a question about some- thing that you would like to possibly donate, please Luncheon do not hesitate to give us a call. Saturday, May 17 To learn more about what is happening at the 1:00 PM Waukegan History Museum, like us on Facebook. If Bonnie Brook Club House you are interested in history related events occurring 2800 N. Lewis Avenue throughout Lake County like “Northeast Historical Waukegan Happenings” on Facebook.

Mark your calendar for the Waukegan Historical Society’s Annual Meeting. This year the Society will be hosting its members with a light luncheon to be Preservation Corner followed by the President’s Annual Report, Board The iconic Waukegan Carnegie Library was re- Elections, presentations by the Waukegan High cently placed on the prestigious National Register School Metro Fair winner and a look to the future. of Historic Places. Waukegan native, Hector Bryan Details to follow in April. Escobar, chose the structure to fulfill a classroom requirement while studying as a graduate student at Loyola University. Bryan went above and beyond his Museum Supervisor’s assignment and he submitted the application for of- ficial review. Bryan first made a case for the Carnegie Report with the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council and Ty Rohrer with their approval, paperwork was forwarded on to the National Park Service. The Carnegie Library The next few months will be busy as we finish out was officially named to the National Register on the school year working with teachers and students December, 31, 2013. while at the same time gearing up for our sum- mer events and activities. We are looking forward to wrapping up our education outreach programs and hosting the students at the Waukegan History Congratulations Beverly! Museum during end of the year field trips as well as Our research librarian, Beverly Millard was honored talking the kids around Waukegan on guided bus/ recently by Beta Sigma Phi, a member organization of walking history tours. the Lake County Women’s Coalition at the coalition’s There will be new exhibits opening at the Museum annual brunch celebrating Women’s History month. in the following months. Opening in April is the Each year at the brunch, nominees from the member exhibit History of the Lake County Courthouse. organizations are honored. Beverly was recognized Opening summer 2014 is a photography exhibit for her faithful and continuing commitment to our titled Waukegan: Then & Now. The last showing of research efforts for the past 25 years. This year’s theme the exhibit Back to School will be Saturday, June was “Women of Character, Courage & Commitment.” 7, 2014 during the Waukegan Park District’s Ray Beverly is a prime example of that theme. 6 Fall 2013 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society 7 Historically Speaking stars of the silent movie era, including, for a time, Charlie Chaplin. Anderson set up a studio in Niles, George Kirke Spoor California and made numerous Bronco Billy west- Ed Link erns, starring himself. The partnership ended in 1916 when Anderson Born in Highland Park December18, 1871 George pulled out and Spoor remained as the sole owner. moved with his family to Waukegan within two Soon, however, the lure of Hollywood and Chicago years. One of 11 children he was the son of Marvin weather ended Essanay Studios as a movie producer. Spoor, a Civil War veteran. George attended Central In January, 1915 George bought the property School. at the northwest corner of Genesee and Clayton As a young adult George worked for the Chicago Streets and began building the Academy Theater. & Northwestern Railroad in Chicago and was a co- The name was carried over from the Waukegan manager of the Phoenix Opera House in Waukegan. Academy which operated at the site the He became acquainted with Edward Amet and previous century. The theater, the first the magniscope, a movie projector. Here the story built in Waukegan for the showing of gets a bit murky. In a May 10, 1944 speech to the motion pictures, opened June 10, 1916 Waukegan-North Chicago Chamber of Commerce, with Walter Spoor, George’s brother, as Spoor stated that Amet “was building a machine for manager. The Spoor family continued to projecting motion pictures” but needed money to operate the Academy until it was taken finish. Spoor supplied $25 and went into partnership over by Great States about the time of with Amet. Throughout his lifetime the story shifted the Genesee’s opening. in Spoor’s favor. George’s obituaries in sources like George invested much time and the Chicago Tribune, Variety and a Hollywood paper money in developing Natural Vision, a credited him with inventing or producing the first precursor of 3D movies. He had a public projector. demonstration in 1930 and showed it at Amet disputed that view. In an undated letter pur- Chicago’s Century of Progress in 1933. portedly written by him, Amet stated “Our Company Although acclaimed the approach never (the Electrical Advertising Company) had sold more caught on due to technical difficulties than 250 machines before I ever met Mr. George K. and cost. It would be another two de- Spoor. He had nothing to do with the conception cades before 3D movies were popularly or development of my Magni-Scope motion picture produced. machine.” At the 1947 Academy Awards George After a few years of producing and selling projec- was one of four men given a special tors the paths of the two men diverged. Amet went award for being film pioneers. He died onto other interests while Spoor stayed in the en- November 24, 1953. George Spoor tertainment business. George operated the National Film Renting Bureau. In 1907 he and actor Gilbert Anderson formed Essanay (S for Spoor, A for Anderson) Studios in Chicago. At their location on Argyle Street they produced hundreds of films featuring major 8 Fall 2013 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society 9 Thomas W. Strus Recent Donations Newspaper Articles about Andrew Cooke School, Nancy Inskeep 1950s Photographs Photograph Penny Miller Dorothy Dorband “A Little Bit of Verse” by Woodman, “History of Plate, Yearbooks Waukegan School Buildings” by Roman Miller Shirley Figeas Jean Walsh Postcards, Newspaper Clippings, Books Jack Benny Letter Sue Schwab Dr. John Schwab St. Anastasia Book-1990 & 2000 Yearbook City Treasurer Report of Disbursements 1938-39 Debbie Harris Dan Drury Henderson Jewelry Memorabilia, Waukegan City Bernard Stiner Memorabilia Directory 1905-06 Gerald McGonigle Peter Popit North Shore Photocopies Photocopies of St. Anastasia Students Nancy Bjerstedt Francine Cunningham Waukegan North Chicago Coal Dealers Assn 1941- R.L. Strip Co. Photograph 1955 Cheryl Whitford Ann Darrow Guenette Family Memorabilia, First Federal Savings & 1987 Commonwealth Edison Centennial Medal Loan Passbook, Midwest Bronze & Alum Co. Papers, Tony Pignaloni High School Information, Coast Guard and Army First National Bank Books, First Federal Savings and Information, Local Business Advertising, Postcards, Loan Assn Book, 1979 St. Therese Hospital Auxiliary Genealogy Information Membership Directory, Assorted Photographs and Carl M. Yolz Slides 1867 Letter, Joseph Neumann Nancy Shumm 4 North Shore Railroad Photographs George Washington Calhoun and Family Genealogy Warren Township Historical Society Research Waukegan High School Photographs (1920) Marlene Graham Theodore Wm. Strang Memorabilia Waukegan Public Library Blumberg Receipt Book, First National Bank Book, 1938 Worlds Fair Bank, Yearbook, Newspaper Clippings, Heins 17 “Thirsty Elephant” Books Store Bag Alan Parshall Tom Mellen 1934 Audio Tape of Phyllis Farrar Mr. & Mrs. Harry Saulson Photographs, Marriage Sheet Music Certificate, Cemetery Deed, Spanish American War Jim Malecha Certificate, Assorted Memorabilia 2 Posters Margaret Boettle YMCA Memorabilia Newspaper Clippings Scrapbooks Betsy Alleman Jim Deram 1926 Photographs Johnson Motors 1935 Snow Scene Photographs Hank & Beverly Bogdala 1924 YMCA Photographs First Methodists Church Photos Misc. Items & Memorabilia, “Guide and Duties of Diana Laurent Township Officials”, “Handbook of Illinois Government” William Tyre Book “A Promise For Life-The Story of Abbott” 2 Waukegan Postcards

10 Fall 2013 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society 11 Denyse Waters The Early Industry Worker* 1908 Pamphlet-First Methodist Church Membership List “Firsts” in Waukegan* Cheryl Whitford 4 Photographs Waukegan: A History of Immigration Newspaper Clipping Lake Michigan History and the Lady Elgin Shipwreck Dennis Moisio Waukegan’s African American History PCB Info Near North Neighborhood Notebook Influential Women of Waukegan’s Past Al Westerman Prominent Events and Visitors of Waukegan Book “A History of Waukegan Township, Lake County, IL Waukegan and the Motion Picture Industry 1835-1850” by Al Westerman Tom Sivia Ray Bradbury: Waukegan’s Influence on a Visionary 1980 Photograph of Waukegan Harbor Jack Benny: From Waukegan to Hollywood Haunted Waukegan* Titanic: A Fateful Ticket ot Waukegan Find Us on Jane Addams: Remembering Bowen Country Club Facebook! Play Ball: in Waukegan Like the “Waukegan Day in the Life of a Student (corresponds to the year your school History Museum” on opened) Facebook! Education Outreach “What-Cha-Ma-Call-It” History Trunk (hands on program)* Students are back to school so our education out- For more information on *for school groups only (all other programs are for both school local historical events and reach programming is gearing up for another great and adult groups) programs, like “Northeast year! We have a few changes for the teachers and stu- Program length is 45 minutes to 1 hour. Many Illinois Historical dents this year. First for the teachers, we have lesson Happenings” on Facebook! plans available to assist with preparing their students programs are multimedia presentations with hands- for the upcoming topic. For students we have incor- on artifacts. Programs can be given for multiple porated two new programs. The first program will classrooms on the same day. Programs able to be introduce the students to the Waukegan History scheduled to be given on a weekly basis. Programs Museum and the importance of studying local his- presented in the schools are based on Illinois Social tory. The second program looks at what it was like to Sciences Performance Standards. be a student back when their school opened. The Supervisor of the Waukegan History Museum Teachers, don’t wait to schedule history programs will present each program. for your class. The calendar fills up fast! For more information and to schedule a free program, contact the Waukegan Historical Society. Native American History of the Waukegan Area* Early settlers of Little Fort* Waukegan and the Underground Railroad Abraham Lincoln Goes to Waukegan The Civil War: The War Efforts in Waukegan Waukegan’s Famous Civil War Drummer Boys* 12 Fall 2013 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society 13 Thank You! Join Us! New Members Dieck Arenas & Associates NAME(S) Ann Richter MEMBERSHIP Alan & Kris Young Senior (age 60+) $7.00 Susan Lerch Student $7.00 Claudia Grace ADDRESS J. Brian Alleman Individual $15.00 Carol Alleman CITY Family $25.00 Vicki Mattson Patron, Organization $50.00 STATE ZIP Life, Individual $100.00 New Life Members Life, Couple $150.00 Patricia Foley PHONE My additional gift $______Matthey Crabb Tom & Sue Koesser EMAIL Make checks payable to Douglas & Marianela Peterson Waukegan Historical Society. Donations VOLUNTEER Howard & Cleone Peterson Memorial Fund Please contact me about volunteer opportunities. Baxter Employee Giving Campaign Baxter International Foundation Ann Richter Robert & Michelle Crombie William Tyre Waukegan Historical Society Waukegan History Museum Gregory Alloian Founded in 1968, the Society collects, preserves, interprets, in Bowen Park Joyce A. Ludovic and exhibits significant materials about the history of 1917 N. Sheridan Road Douglas & Marianela Peterson the Waukegan area. The Society, in cooperation with the Museum Supervisor: Ty Rohrer Waukegan Park District, operates the History Museum and 847-336-1859 Raymond Library and publishes this quarterly newsletter. [email protected] Tuesday, Thursday: 10am - 4pm 1917 N. Sheridan Road Saturday: 1pm-4pm Waukegan, IL 60087 847-336-1859 www.waukeganhistorical.org [email protected] John L. Raymond Research Library 1911 N. Sheridan Road Visit our website for more information Librarian: Beverly Millard about events, exhibits, and our 847-360-4772 extensive library. [email protected] Wednesday, Thursday, Friday www.waukeganhistorical.org 10am - 2:30pm

14 Fall 2013 Newsletter of the Waukegan Historical Society 15 1917 N. Sheridan Rd, Waukegan, IL 60087

Carnegie Library, interior