The panorama sky has a pinkish and blue wash, the trees and grass are a deep green, and the only building with any color is the red brown on the blacksmith's shop next to City Hall.
Comparing this panorama with the postcard "Park Scene, Woodstock, Ill." that has no information on the back other than "printed in Germany", we discover a bit of photo piracy--the two photos are identical.
The real publisher is E. C. Kropp of Milwaukee, who started in business in 1907. The postcard can be dated between then and 1910 (the postmark of the pirated card.) Kropp remained in business until 1956.
On the back of the panorama the Stamp Box lists the cost to send it:
"1 c to all Countries if writing your name only
2c to U.S., Canada and Mexico. 5c to all other countries, if writing a message"
121 W. Van Buren: City Hall
125 W. Van Buren" C. W. Hill Blacksmith
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E. C. Kropp]]>
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File Cabinet 9 Keefe
In Jim Keefe file cabinet Postcard box]]>
It was printed after 1907, when the postal service permitted messages to be written on the back along with the address.
Luman T. Hoy had a drug store at 100 Cass from 1881-1928. He had this postcard printed in Germany as part of the PCK Series, number 3684.
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File Cabinet 9 Keefe]]>
The format of the postcard, which has the space below the photo for messages, indicates that it might have been produced before 1907, when the postal service permitted messages to be written on the back along with the address.
However, the back of the postcard is divided with space for both message and address, so it was printed no earlier than 1907.
The message about addressee being too stingy to spend one cent on a postcard as well as one cent for a stamp continues on the back.
post card]]>
Pearson-Ullberg, Minneapolis]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9 Keefe
In Postcards box in Keefe file cabinet]]>
The Birds Eye View shows the City Hall/Opera House, the new Central School built in 1906, and the old Public School, built in 1867. Since this school burned in 1919, this photo is dated between 1912 and 1919.
Notice that there is no Johnson Street between Van Buren and Calhoun Street. Johnson St was extended in 1921 to accommodate the new post office.
121 W. Van Buren: City Hall
125 W. Van Buren: Chauncy Hill Blacksmith
129 W. Van Buren:
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File Cabinet 6 Photos
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Two clues make it possible to date the card as 1906 or 1907. First, the back of the postcard includes "The address to be written on this side." The postal service did not permit any messages to be written on the back until 1907. The message on the front reads, "Best regard S.C.P." The postmark on the back of this card is 1907.
Second, D. F. Coakley purchased the meat market from Herely & Sons on May 17, 1906. Dennis Coakley stayed in business "for a number of years'" according to the Woodstock Sentinel.
109 E. Van Buren: A. S. Wright Drugs and Medicine
111 E. Van Buren: Bunker Brothers Hardware and Groceries: Flour, Salt and Barbed Wire. The Wheat & Wright Drugs & Medicines, Books & Stationery partnership started in 1869 and became A. S. Wright in 1880.
113 E. Van Buren: D. F. Coakley Market
115 E. Van Buren:
post card
117 E. Van Buren: J. S. Andrews
117 E. Van Buren: Southside Market
121 W. Van Buren: City Hall
125 W. Van Buren: Chauncy Hill Blacksmith
127 W. Van Buren:
124 Johnson St: Stafford Furniture & Undertaking
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File Cabinet 9 Keefe]]>
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McHenry County Republican]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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McHenry County Republican]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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Woodstock American]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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Woodstock American]]>
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Woodstock American]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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McHenry County Democrat]]>
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Woodstock Sentinel]]>
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McHenry County Democrat]]>
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McHenry County Democrat]]>
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Library of Congress]]>
McHenry County Republican]]>
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Tripp]]>
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Tripp]]>
Opened in 1891, the library was originally located in the Woodstock Opera House. The library moved to its Judd Street location in 1959. The 4000 sq ft building was designed by local architect William Fyfe, a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright. The brick pillars throughout the reference area are from the 1959 building.
The library underwent two more expansions in 1966 (Fyfe, architect) and in 1987. The 1987 expansion by the architectural firm of O'Donnell Wicklund Pigozzi of Deerfield increased the library size to nearly 23,000 sq. ft. and added upper and lower levels to the building. Originally the Children’s Room and a meeting room were located in the lower level and the adult nonfiction and reference collections were on the upper level. The entrance to the building was moved to the west side, from the parking lot, instead of the original front door location on Judd Street with a back entrance from the north side driveway.
The 2001 expansion of the library by Frye Gillan Molinaro Architects of Chicago retained the upper and lower levels of the 1987 building and the brick pillars from the 1959 building. The 43,000 sq. ft. revision of the library moved the Children’s Room to the main floor of the library, and provides a variety of meeting spaces from study rooms to meeting rooms.
The antique oak tables located in the Margaret Marchi Reading Room are from the library’s first days in the Woodstock Opera House in the 1890s. The slanted table and benches in the Children’s Room and several adult fiction display stands are from the 1959 and 1966 renovations. Much of the upper level furniture is from the 1987 addition.
]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
Opened in 1891, the library was originally located in the Woodstock Opera House. The library moved to its Judd Street location in 1959. The 4000 sq ft building was designed by local architect William Fyfe, a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright. The brick pillars throughout the reference area are from the 1959 building.
The library underwent two more expansions in 1966 (Fyfe, architect) and in 1987. The 1987 expansion by the architectural firm of O'Donnell Wicklund Pigozzi of Deerfield increased the library size to nearly 23,000 sq. ft. and added upper and lower levels to the building. Originally the Children’s Room and a meeting room were located in the lower level and the adult nonfiction and reference collections were on the upper level. The entrance to the building was moved to the west side, from the parking lot, instead of the original front door location on Judd Street with a back entrance from the north side driveway.
The 2001 expansion of the library by Frye Gillan Molinaro Architects of Chicago retained the upper and lower levels of the 1987 building and the brick pillars from the 1959 building. The 43,000 sq. ft. revision of the library moved the Children’s Room to the main floor of the library, and provides a variety of meeting spaces from study rooms to meeting rooms.
The antique oak tables located in the Margaret Marchi Reading Room are from the library’s first days in the Woodstock Opera House in the 1890s. The slanted table and benches in the Children’s Room and several adult fiction display stands are from the 1959 and 1966 renovations. Much of the upper level furniture is from the 1987 addition.
]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
The library underwent two more expansions in 1966 (Fyfe, architect) and in 1987. The 1987 expansion by the architectural firm of O'Donnell Wicklund Pigozzi of Deerfield increased the library size to nearly 23,000 sq. ft. and added upper and lower levels to the building. Originally the Children’s Room and a meeting room were located in the lower level and the adult nonfiction and reference collections were on the upper level. The entrance to the building was moved to the west side, from the parking lot, instead of the original front door location on Judd Street with a back entrance from the north side driveway.
The 2001 expansion of the library by Frye Gillan Molinaro Architects of Chicago retained the upper and lower levels of the 1987 building and the brick pillars from the 1959 building. The 43,000 sq. ft. revision of the library moved the Children’s Room to the main floor of the library, and provides a variety of meeting spaces from study rooms to meeting rooms.
The antique oak tables located in the Margaret Marchi Reading Room are from the library’s first days in the Woodstock Opera House in the 1890s. The slanted table and benches in the Children’s Room and several adult fiction display stands are from the 1959 and 1966 renovations. Much of the upper level furniture is from the 1987 addition.
]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
The library underwent two more expansions in 1966 (Fyfe, architect) and in 1987. The 1987 expansion by the architectural firm of O'Donnell Wicklund Pigozzi of Deerfield increased the library size to nearly 23,000 sq. ft. and added upper and lower levels to the building. Originally the Children’s Room and a meeting room were located in the lower level and the adult nonfiction and reference collections were on the upper level. The entrance to the building was moved to the west side, from the parking lot, instead of the original front door location on Judd Street with a back entrance from the north side driveway.
The 2001 expansion of the library by Frye Gillan Molinaro Architects of Chicago retained the upper and lower levels of the 1987 building and the brick pillars from the 1959 building. The 43,000 sq. ft. revision of the library moved the Children’s Room to the main floor of the library, and provides a variety of meeting spaces from study rooms to meeting rooms.
The antique oak tables located in the Margaret Marchi Reading Room are from the library’s first days in the Woodstock Opera House in the 1890s. The slanted table and benches in the Children’s Room and several adult fiction display stands are from the 1959 and 1966 renovations. Much of the upper level furniture is from the 1987 addition.
]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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The stage of the Woodstock Opera House was dedicated to Welles in 2013, and the Woodstock Opera House hosted an 80th anniversary celebration of the Todd Theatre Festival.
The famous actor and director, Orson Welles, is the best-known Todd School graduate. He started at Todd School in 1926 and graduated in 1931 at age 15. In the summer of 1934, he returned to produce the Todd Theatre Festival of Shakespearean plays at the Opera House.
Welles’ first known film, Hearts of Age, was filmed in Woodstock. The building seen in the film is Wallingford Hall on the school campus. The Todd School bell used in the film now resides in front of the Woodstock Presbyterian Church, and the gravestone is in the Calvary Cemetery on Jackson Street.
Welles is perhaps best known for directing and starring in Citizen Kane. In another of his movies, The Stranger, set in a boys’ boarding school, Welles paid homage by including subtle references to Todd School.
Welles was a frequent visitor to the school after graduating, and would eventually serve on the Todd School board and his daughter, Christopher, attended the school. Welles remained friends with Roger Hill, Todd School Headmaster, and the two men collaborated on the Everybody’s Shakespeare.
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The Woodstock Sentinel June 12, 1919 p6:
Pavement Dancing
Between the hours of 3 and 5 in the afternoon and 10 and 12 in the evening, dancing was enjoyed on the pavement between the courthouse and city hall. Music was furnished by Weldon’s band and the pavement was well fitted up for the occasion. In the evening electric lights, which had been strung across the pavement and lighted, making it indeed a pretty scene with much merriment and joyfulness as the sweethearts, brothers, sisters wives and husbands and even mothers and fathers, old and young alike, joined in the dance, merrily swinging their partners to the music of the band in the evening breeze. Although the afternoon dancing was much enjoyed, the extreme heat prevented many from joining the merry crowd of dancers but in the evening the cool breeze made the dancing more enjoyable and old and young alike joined in until the pavement was crowded the dancing room was very small, yet the crowd stayed until almost the hour of twelve, when dancing stopped and everyone returned home, declaring a pavement dance an enjoyable feature for summer entertainment.
The committee in charge of this feature of the day's events had prepared the dancing space by spreading a barrel of floor wax on the pavement brick, thus giving it a smooth, slippery surface, which the dancers reported was very satisfactory.
During the dancing in the early part of the evening a large crowd of spectators assembled on all sides, in all several thousand people being congregated to enjoy the beautiful sight. The booths committee had established headquarters next to the dancing space, where the revelers enjoyed the refreshments which were served without price or pay to all who wished them.
For more information see Item #465: "Welcome Home 1919 train depot"]]>
Tripp Photo, Woodstock]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Photos 1900-1920 notebook]]>
Public Works Department, Woodstock]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Photos 1951-1969 notebook]]>
Looking east, a clear view of the west side of the frame building formerly at 131 W. VanBuren is visible in front of the Opera House second floor west windows.
Looking south, there is a building on Calhoun that is probably a service garage but the business sign is obscured by the trees.
124 S. Johnson St]]>
Tripp Photo, Woodstock]]>
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File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Photos 1921-1950 notebook]]>
Public Works Department, Woodstock]]>
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File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Photos 1951-1969 notebook]]>
The two photos are taped together to make the treeline in the background to the west line up.
From south to north in front of the trees: Methodist church, city hall and fire department, Opera House, post office/home state bank, a corner of Woodstock Square Mall, cupola of the Erastus Richards house on W. Jackson, the old courthouse, the surveyors house on W. Judd and the houses on the corner of W. Judd and Tryon.
Roofs in the foreground include Harris Bank, Divorce Busters, and the raw edge of the law offices on VanBuren.
To the right of E. Jackson is Village Cove, Beard & Stovall Men's Wear and Studio 2015.]]>
Keefe, Jim]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9
In Keefe Photos (original photos)]]>
A. S. Wright, druggist, was in business between 1880 and 1940.
This postcard is labeled City Hall, Woodstock, Ill.]]>
Wright, A. S.]]>
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File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Postcards notebook]]>
The postcard is post marked March 24, 1914
Taken from the street near Benton, it shows the Opera House without a fire escape. The dirt streets and the rope on post railing on the square indicate that it was taken before 1912. It shows the Bunker Brothers building with an awning sign for C. S. Coakley and J. S. Andrews next door. J. S. Andrews advertised his groceries in the Woodstock Republican between 1907 and 1911 and on December 30, 1908 his ad said, "We moved to the C.F. Gaulke & Sons Meat Market." An article on Gaulke praised his good business skills at his corner stand.
Other visible buildings include Chauncy Hill's blacksmith shop on Van Buren and Stafford's Furniture on Johnson St.
111 E. Van Buren Bunker Borthers Hardware, Groceries, Barbed Wire
113 E. Van Buren C. S. Coakley
115 E. Van Buren
117 E. Van Buren J. S. Andrews
121 W. Van Buren City Hall
125 W. Van Buren Chauncy Hill Blacksmith
129 W. Van Buren
124 Johnson
C. R. Childs Photograph postcards Chicago]]>
C R Childs Photographs]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 6 Photos
In postcards notebook]]>
Keefe, Jim]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9
In Keefe Photos (original photos)]]>
The series of events are easy to follow, with the crane needed to lift the wooden frame into place. In photo #10, John Schares poses in front of the successful project. Photo #11 was taken some time later, after the raililngs and fishscales have been added but before the lighting (next record) was installed.]]>
Keefe, Jim]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9
In Keefe photos (original photos)]]>
Jefferson St back of Square]]>
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File Cabinet 9
In Keefe photos (original)]]>
The bench style identifies this as before 1992 when Columbia Pictures restored the square after the filming.]]>
Keefe, Jim]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9
In Keefe Photos (original photos)]]>
121 W. Van Buren Woodstock Opera House
125 W. Van Buren Chauncy Hill Blacksmith (now Stage Left Café)]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Opera House Binder Box]]>
Shows a fire hydrant in the bottom right corner, thus dating it as 1895 or later.
Blacksmith Chauncy Hill (1858-1938) came to Woodstock in 1888 and was still listed in the 1914 city directory. He was Alderman for the South Ward 1896-1901.
The photo could be as late as 1912 when the brick pavers were installed.
121 W. Van Buren Woodstock Opera House
125 W. Van Buren Chauncy Hill Blacksmith (now Stage Left Café)]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Opera House Binder Box]]>
A phone booth stands on the corner of the building on the sidewalk. The east side of the building shows details such as the library entrance on Dean St.]]>
Public Works Department, Woodstock]]>
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File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Photos 1951-1969 notebook
]]>
Keefe, Jim]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9
In Keefe Photos (original photos)]]>
Reverse identification: City Hall Building and Theatre, Woodstock, Illinois. Genuine Curteich-Chicago "C.T. Art-Colortone" Post Card (Reg. U. S. Pat. Off.)
This postcard was taken during the era of the "Woodstock Players" (Paul Newman, Betsy Palmer, Geraldine Page, Shelly Burman, Tom Bosley and Lois Nettleton.) The cupola is missing as is the portico. The sign in the brick says City Hall and Library. There is a neon "Theatre" sign over the left front door. The adjacent building has a tile façade and jeweled glass under a large plate glass window, but no signage. The A & P grocery store has no identification. Contemporary pictures show Super A&P Market in large lettering on the building. The Western United Gas and Electric (later Nicor) really did not have signage.
Parking meters line the brick street.
1951 is pencilled on the back-presumably from the Teich inventory number.
121 W. Van Buren Woodstock City Hall and Theatre
127 W. Van Buren Western United Gas and Electric Company
129 W. Van Buren Great A & P Supermarket]]>
Teich, Curt]]>
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File Cabinet 6 Photos
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Uncle Tom's Cabin poster with date Mar 31, Wednesday. This combination of date and day occurred in 1897, 1909, and 1915, but Good Friday fell on this date in 1915, eliminating that possibility. J. S. Andrews advertised his groceries in the Woodstock Republican between 1907 and 1911 and on December 30, 1908 his ad said, "We moved to the C.F. Gaulke & Sons Meat Market." An article on Gaulke praised his good business skills at his corner stand.]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Photos 1900-1920 notebook]]>
Keefe, Jim]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9
In Keefe Photos (original photos)]]>
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Keefe, Jim]]>
NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]>
File Cabinet 9
In Keefe Photos (original photos)]]>