GAZETTE Fall/Winter 2020 Volume 27 No. 2 http://www.winnetkahistory.org Winnetkans Wade through Upcoming Events the Record-Breaking VIRTUAL Presentations Thursday, Nov 12, 7:00 pm, Surprise Snow Storm of “Smart & Gutsy Winnetka Women in History.” 1967 Presentation by Holly Marihugh by Helen Weaver “A city accustomed to snowstorms succumbed to one today,” was the lead-in to a January 27, 1967 New York Times story on the worst snowstorm in Chicago history. For those living in the metropolitan area, including many Winnetkans, the storm that brought 23 inches to the city and several inches more to the suburbs was an unforget- table event. When the snow began on Thursday, January 26, Olive Beaupré Miller most residents were unconcerned, especially since two days earlier the temperature had reached 65 degrees Winnetkan standing next to chest-high piled snow after the and forecasters were predicting less than six inches of Thursday, Dec 10, 7:00 pm, blizzard of ’67. continues on page 6 “Winnetkan Marion Mahony Griffin: A Gifted Architect in a Man’s World.” A Local Physician’s Perspective on the COVID-19 Pandemic Presentation by Jan Pavlovic by Holly Marihugh Dr. David Donnersberger has A: First, patients just stayed away. practiced internal medicine in the When patients are fearful about village since 2005. Before opening their health, availing themselves his office on Winnetka Avenue, he of their primary care doctor or the was Chief Resident at Evanston healthcare system is an automatic Hospital, part of the NorthShore response. In this totally unusual University Health System. situation, a paradoxical response Marion Mahony Griffin In July, Dr. Donnersberger occurred and that was to stay away answered questions about the from hospitals and the doctor’s pandemic posed by Gazette Editor office. WHS Retiring Holly Marihugh. Something that changed in Dr. David Donnersberger of Winnetka says response to that was a broad accep- that even though the coronavirus pandemic Board Members Q: How has your practice changed tance of telemedicine. Patients is sui generis (unique), the NorthShore Phil Hoza 40 Years Health Systems’ response to it was par since the influx of COVID-19 feeling, maybe not comfortable, but excellence. cases? Charles Shabica 20 years continues on page 7 Ann Smith 20 years Joan Conlisk 7 years Non-profit The museum and log house Organization Layla Danley 4 years U.S. Postage are currently closed to the PAID Amy Capocchi 4 years Permit No. 27 public due to the coronavirus. Palatine, Illinois Please check our website Thank you for your for updates. www.winnetkahistory.org SERVICE! Fall/Winter 2020 Vol. 27 No. 2 Winnetka Historical Society Gazette page 2 Winnetkans Stay Connected During Pandemic Birthday Party celebrations moved to front lawns. WHS Board Member, Helen Weaver, sewed masks and offered them to neighbors in a sidewalk display. Handwashing humor at Winnetka business. The Gooden children of Hubbard Woods created a sign to thank local postal workers. Longtime Winnetka Pharmacy, Conney’s, posted a love message from a grateful customer. The Schmidt-Burnham Log House displayed a message of community support. Fall/Winter 2020 Vol. 27 No. 2 Winnetka Historical Society Gazette page 3 pivoted to continue our mission to about the pandemic’s impact on Feel free to email our curator, Pivoting in a honor and preserve the Village’s their lives and developed a new fea- Meagan McChesney, PhD, if you heritage, gather and share the ture on our website titled, “Explore have any items you’d like to donate Pandemic artifacts and stories of its past, Winnetka Stories.” Here, adults and ([email protected]). and foster meaningful connections children can navigate high interest, As we continue to socially by Mary Trieschmann, among Winnetkans and the broader historic topics such as Winnetka’s distance and work to adapt to our WHS Executive Director community. Disappearing Shoreline; Honoring ever-changing realities it seems the First, we cancelled our in-per- Winnetka’s Veterans: WWI & ideal time to reflect on some of the son Spring Event featuring former WWII; Winnetkans Coming many reasons our amazing commu- NBC journalist and Winnetkan, Together during the Pandemic; nity can still “Come together and Mike Leonard, and then reinvented The Skokie Lagoons; the Winnetka see the good.” In this issue we are our Annual Gala to headline Mike Futures 2040 Plan; Spring reminded how Winnetkans pulled as our storyteller extraordinaire. Fashions and Fearless Firefighters; together in 2020 and throughout This was our first Virtual Gala: Winnetka’s Progressive Era; Hadley history. “Big News from Winnetka,” a Institute; and more. We will continue to provide historic event in and of itself, and a We also uploaded the documen- engaging content virtually and are tremendous success with over 160 tary, “Winnetka Story: The History truly looking forward to sharing guests coming together to listen to of Winnetka & the North Shore,” to Winnetka’s history with the com- Mike and raise essential funds to our YouTube Channel for viewers munity in person in 2021. ■ support the Schmidt-Burnham Log to watch for free and created an House, the Museum at 411 Linden online system for research requests Mary shoveling snow at 615 Cherry Street, Street, and our collections, exhibits, to ease access to our historic The Gazette is funded winter of 1967 and programs. photographs, documents, and through generous donations Next, we began to document publications. Lastly, we developed from individuals like you. In the spring of 2020 we expe- the Covid-19 pandemic and the a safe and secure process to accept Please consider making a rienced historic events, reminding protests to denounce racism through donations of artifacts for our vast contribution to the Winnetka us that Winnetka is part of a global new features on our website and collections, ensuring that important Historical Society this year. community and compelling us all social media platforms. We created Winnetka-related documents and to “pivot.” As soon as news of portals for community members objects are preserved for genera- Thank you! the coronavirus hit the press, we to submit photographs and stories tions to come. Winnetka community) with glimpses into this wonder- charter member of WHS and a life member of the Curator’s Corner ful and welcoming Village’s storied past. Winnetka Woman’s Club. Impressively, Mrs. Windes by Meagan McChesney, PhD was also an early member of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), an organization commit- ted to “helping women advance through education.” This year’s As a relatively early resident of the Village, perhaps successful Mrs. Windes helped lay the groundwork for so many Virtual Gala Winnetkans’ involvement in social activism and, featured particularly, the on-going fight for women’s rights. several of the unique hats housed in the Winnetka Educator and Community Leader Mabel Windes (1872-1959) donned this brown velvet hat during her time as a villager. Historical Society’s offsite Costume Collection. While notable in their own right for their beautiful designs As one of the oldest hats in the Costume and detailing, collecting images of Collection, this late-19th century brown velvet floral these hats led me to wonder about and beaded hat immediately grabbed my attention. the people who wore them, and Upon further investigation, I found that this uniquely what their stories may reveal about ornamented hat was owned by Mabel Windes (1872- Peace Activist and Suffragette Lola Maverick Lloyd (1875-1944) wore this beaver fur hat, c. 1910. Winnetka’s important history. 1959). While I’ve only been at WHS since March, by To find out more, I embarked the time the Virtual Gala was held, I’d become quite on a research quest, searching well acquainted with Frank Windes –- prominent For those well-versed in Winnetka’s history, the the archives here at 411 Linden Village engineer, WHS co-founder, and, of course, owner of the large-brimmed black beaver fur hat likely Street to trace the lives of some Mabel’s husband. Mabel, however, remained a bit of needs little introduction. Lola Maverick Lloyd (1875- of Winnetka’s whimsical hats and a mystery. To find out more, I turned to the archives 1944) was an influential activist and pacifist who the people who owned them. I was and specifically, the index of Winnetka Talk obituaries dedicated much of her life (and wealth) to supporting thrilled to find that so many of acquired from the Winnetka Public Library. women’s rights and advocating for peaceful solutions WHS’ hats do, indeed, have signifi- Like her husband, Mabel Windes was a prominent to international conflicts. cant stories to tell. (and clearly fashionable!) member of the Winnetka I’ve highlighted here two that community. During the 1890s, she taught at Columbia provided me (a newcomer to the School, now known as Hubbard Woods. She was a continues on page 5 Fall/Winter 2020 Vol. 27 No. 2 Winnetka Historical Society Gazette page 4 Flying Fortress as bombardier with Over There: Winnetkans Serving in WWII and Supporting the newly developed and highly secret Norden bombsight. Sam was the War Effort at Home assigned to the 390th Bomb Group under Colonel Joseph A. Moller, a by Charles Shabica When Hitler invaded Poland in kamikaze attack during the invasion WWI veteran and Winnetka resi- 1939, war to an American was the of Okinawa, Bert survived the dent. On his 35th mission, Sam’s “War in Europe.” It wasn’t until the war and returned home to work as B-17 was shot down near Charleroi, Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on a counselor at Boy Scout Camp Belgium. He escaped and was able December 7, 1941 that President Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan. to keep the bombsight out of enemy Roosevelt (FDR) committed us to Another Winnetka resident, hands.