This color postcard was produced between 1902, when the separate office and gateway was built in front of the original factory building, and 1906, when a large addition was erected on the eastern side of the factory.

The photo is clear enough to see the 250' long and 80' wide addition put on the original building in 1903. There were 515 employees when this was under construction, many of them looking for housing. The expansion was adequate enough for only a few years. Newspaper stories in 1905 highlighted the 3000 machine backlog and noted that they were making 102 machines every 10 hours.

The photographer took this photo at nearly the same angle as the Oliver Typewriter Factory in Winter 1905 photo. There is no information about either the photographer or the postcard series.
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An article in Time magazine, December 28, 1936, tells the best version of the story.
"Singing Mouse"
"Inmates of the Chicago Industrial Home for Children at Woodstock were convinced last fortnight that a canary was loose somewhere in the building. Day after day they heard it chirp and trill. Day after day they searched for it high & low without success. Then one day the school manager heard the piping behind him, turned and beheld its astonishing source--a small, grayish brown mouse.
Captured, placed in a glass jar and named Mickey, the singing mouse became the wonder & delightof school and neighborhood. Even newshawks admitted after an audition that it actually sang. When Assistant Director Robert Bean of the Chicago Zoological Park called, it faild to perform. Nonetheless Director Bean, who had heard of singing mice before, offered $150 for it. Dr. Wilfred H. Osgood, zoology curator of the Field Museum of Natural History, also said that he had heard of singing mice, though he had never seen one. Declared University of Chicago's Dr. Maud Slye, famed cancer experimenter: "I have had 160,000 mice and I never had one that sang. If there is a singing mouse, I am open to conviction."
To the mouse, renamed Minnie after examination by Zooman Bean, came a supreme test one evening last week. Up to a microphone in NBC's Chicago studios stepped the master of ceremonies of the NBC Jamboree to announce "the phenomenon of the century...the only mouse in the world who actually sings." Into the studio marched the Industrial School's tall, gaunt Manager Oscar Alva Allred, carring Minnie in a wire-fronted box. Holding the cage before the microhone, Manager Allred poked a small piece of insulated wire through a hole in the box top, tenderly prodded Minnie's belly. As the visible audience of 400 listened raptly, out over a national network went faint, wavering chirps and trills. It sounded as much like a cricket as like a canary, but that Minnie really sang there was no doubt. After the broadcast a cage was fashioned of glass and cardboard, its bottom strewn with strips of cloth and paper for mousy nesting. Press and newsreel photographers crowded around, snapped perky, self-assured Minnie until midnight. A Chicago hotel matched the Zoo's offer for her. Manager Allred held out for $1,000, hoped to get it from Walt Disney, whose singing mouse escaped a few months ago.
How & why mice sing is a scientific mystery. Dr. Slye thought Minnie might have a respiratory condition similar to human rales. In 1932 Zoologist Lee R. Dice of University of Michigan suggested in the Journal of Mammalogy that all mice may sing, but on a pitch too high for the human ear unless the mouse has unusual vocal equipment. In other words, perhaps Minnie was a basso mouse.
Dr. Dice, president of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts & Letters, secured a singing mouse in 1926, has bred many descendents without producing another real songster. Last spring he reported to the Yale Institute of Human Relations the mouse's superiority to the canary as a musical pet. Observed he: "The musical mouse can be heard only 25 feet, so that the song is less irritating to the nerves and can be escaped easily by moving out of range."

The Woodstock Sentinel followed the story with several articles. It turns out that there were two singing mice, Minnie and a daughter. On September 15, 1938, both were on exhibition at the Methodist Church as part of the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Children's Home. Unfortunately, just a little over a month later, Minnie died at the age of two years, two months.

The caption on the back of this photo identifies the event as Minnie signing her contract for a year of appearances on an unspecified "radio chain." Herbert Gensch is on the left and Robert Kendall from the radio chain is on the right.

In the Woodstock Archives, the file folder is labelled "Woodstock--Biography--Mice, Famous."

]]> Acme Newspapers, Inc.]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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File Cabinet 6 Photos
In Photos 1921 - 1950 notebook]]>
Looking at the landscaping, this photo was taken soon after.

A. S. Wright Druggist is printed on the front. He was in business from 1880-1840.

Auburn Post Card Mfg. Co. started in business in 1913 but changed its name to Auburn Greeting Card Company in 1929.]]> Auburn Post Card Mfg. Co]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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Auburn Post Card Mfg. Co., Auburn, Indiana 1913-1929]]> Auburn Post Card Mfg. Co]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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In Postcards notebook]]> Austin Nord]]> Babcock, Betty]]> Cooney, Karlen]]> Mansfield, Joan H.]]> IN COPYRIGHT - EDUCATIONAL USE PERMITTED]]> The dome is obscured by smoke from one of the chimneys. A television antenna and two small enclosures show the working side of the building. The crown that was originally on the dome is missing.]]> Beatrice Pond]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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in Photos 1970-2002 notebook]]> Other buildings rarely photographed are along Jefferson St and back up to the Square:
122 S. Jefferson: St. John's Lutheran church (burned down in 1990 while it was being used as storage for Bohn's Ace Hardware)
118 S. Jefferson: Sherman Apartments built in 1905
116 S. Jefferson: (rear of Woodstock Dry Goods building)
114 S. Jefferson
Adjacent to the Odd Fellows building is the side of Sherman block: M. Sherman jewelers & instruments

Oddfellows]]> Bradford & Co, St. Joseph, Mich]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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Leander Young was a life-long resident of Woodstock. Born in 1851, he became a grocer as a young man and then expanding his store to include hardware. He was the Fire Marshall in 1898 and was a People's Life Insurance agent in 1914. He died in 1929.

His son Bart Colton Young, after graduating from Woodstock High School, became a stenographer. He was so skilled, that when Eugene Debs was incarcerated in the McHenry County Courthouse for six months in 1895 for contempt of court, he hired Bart as his clerk. After that, Bart worked for Oliver Typewriter Factory. His wedding anouncement in the Woodstock Sentinel describes the groom in glowing terms: "Soon after the Oliver factory came to Woodstock, Mr. Young was employed by the typewriter company, and through his strict attention to the detail work of turning out a perfect product, he has risen importance in the company's business until he now holds the foremanship of the aligning department and stock room, two of the most important departments in the whole factory." [Woodstock Sentinel, Sept. 21, 1905]

331 S. Jefferson
Frank A. Daniels was a "Popular pharmacist and manager Of Hoy's Drug Store for many years. Woodstock never had a finer gentleman or more progressive citizen than was Frank Daniels. Died Oct. 10, 1917." [Woodstock Sentinel March 13, 1937, Section 6 page 4]]]> Bradford & Co. St Joseph, Mich.]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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There is also a rare view of the Montgomery Ward department store before the addition that doubled its original size.

At the rear a team of horses are backed up to the building. Across Throop St. several billboards can be seen: "Car of Value Pontiac V-6" and "Redfern Co."

Two men stand in front of the building and in front of a car although one man looks like he might be a ghost.]]> Bransby Bros.]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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Good view of the building that used to be at 131 W. Van Buren. In the 1935 City Directory, the listing was for the Double Dipper--ice cream with your hamburger.]]> Bransby Bros.]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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Also shows a clear view of the rear of Chauncy Hill's Blacksmith Shop 110 W. Calhoun (as well as 125 Van Buren)]]> Bransby Bros.]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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In Photos 1921-1950 notebook]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> ]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]>

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The geothermal vents draw from this consistent heat from within the earth's crust to assist in cooling and heating the building.

For example, if the heat vented into the building measures at a stable 50 degrees fahrenheit, the Heating/ Air Conditioning system only needs to contribute to keeping the building at room temperature between the range of 50-68 degrees Fahrenheit.

This process saves money on energy usage by using a naturally-occurring source of heat to provide a baseline temperature. ]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]>
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]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm]]>
]]> IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED]]> 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

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Keep your eye on THE FRONT WINDOW
Don’t fail to be at J. J. Stafford’s afore at 7:30 o’clock sharp Wednesday night and witness the novel fete of hypnotizing over the long distance telephone by the Great Mack of the Mack’s Hypnotic Comedy company. The Macks have a national reputation and are people of the highest moral and literary entertainers, whom to meet and to know is a real pleasure. The spectacle to be witnessed at the opera house has never been witnessed in this city before. No such artists In this line of work have ever visited this section. That the theatre will be turned into a merrymaking place as well as a school of instruction cannot again be said. All the tests and experiments, especially the comical ones, are the embodiment of entertainment. [Woodstock Sentinel Sept. 5, 1912]

C.R. Childs published the postcard, numbered G245. Charles R. Childs was a prominent Chicago photographer and post card manufacturer from about 1906 until the 1950s. He sent photographers out on the interurban trains to various towns in the Midwest to capture views that would be saleable. He specialized in "real photo" postcards.]]> C. R. Childs]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

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In Keefe Postcards box in Keefe file cabinet]]> C. Walker and CO.]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY]]> Carroll, Barbara]]> Hansen, Ron]]> IN COPYRIGHT - EDUCATIONAL USE PERMITTED]]>
Cyrus Durfee was a physician who practiced in Woodstock until 1874, then his name appears in the Chicago business directories until his death in 1901.

The house became the Always Inn sometime between 1903, When Thomas and Gertrude Shackell were married, and when this postcard was printed. The hotel was first known as Always Inn, but the name was listed as Hotel Hillcrest in the 1914 city directory. The Shackell’s ran the hotel until their deaths in 1950. He died on February 28 and she died March 13. It was still a hotel in 1960 (called The Crest), but was vacant for most of the 1960s. The house was divided into apartments around 1968.

Note the spelling ALLWAYS Inn on the concrete step near the sidewalk]]> CE Wheelock]]> NO COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

]]> Digital Copy Only]]> Click here for Full-Text article]]> Chicago Tribune]]>

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]]> By Messrs. Van Osdel & Bauman

Hotel at Princeton, $20,000.
Grundy County Courthouse, Morris, $20,000.
Collegiate Institute at Marengo, $20,000.
Catholic Church at Bridgeport, $16,000.
Three dwelling houses at Dubuque, $32,000.
Odd Fellows Hall, $34,000.
Episcopal Church at Dixon, $4,000.
North Western University and two dwelling houses at Evanston, $11,000.
Courthouse at La Porte, $20,000.
Bank and residence at Lafayette, $35,000.
Baptist Church and residences at Bristol, $6,000.
Hotel at Joliet, $15,000.
McHenry County Courthouse, Woodstock, $36,000.

]]> Click here for Full-Text article]]> Chicago Tribune]]>