Libertyville has done a wonderful job of maintaining a downtown main street (Milwaukee Avenue) that reflects the past, but some buildings, on Milwaukee Avenue and elsewhere, have fallen into disrepair and been demolished. This is the first in a series of posts that will tell the stories of some of the buildings of Lost Libertyville.…
Entertainment in the early part of the 20th century was different from our experiences today. Fairs and festivals offered a type of communal and collective form of entertainment unknown in the present. During the 1900s to the mid-1920s the circuit or tent Chautauqua, a cross between a traveling show and a lecture series, offered a…
Major floods were never a problem in Libertyville until 1938 (see previous post). After that, all was relatively dry in town until, within a two-year period in the early 1960s, Libertyville again was hit by major flooding. Although different areas throughout the village were affected by the flood waters, the damage seemed to be the…
For many years, Libertyville’s biggest problem was probably flooding. Natural bodies of water such as lakes and rivers are often fun or picturesque. However when the conditions were right they could quickly turn into a terrifying site, enveloping roads, businesses and homes. The Libertyville area is known to have approximately 50 floods, ranging from minor…
Despite its close proximity to Chicago, Libertyville had retained its small town charm and has a close-knit community. It’s only fitting that the first hospital built in Libertyville was put together by the donations of its citizens. During its early history, the city of Libertyville never had a hospital. Town doctors were capable and provided…
In October I delivered a presentation entitled “1914: Libertyville 100 Years Ago”. At that program, an audience member asked me if the Libertyville One-Mile Track was in operation during the time. It was, but there were not many articles in the newspaper about the race track in 1914, so I had not included it in…
In the early 20th century, between the years of 1904 and 1927, Libertyville saw three of its churches destroyed by fire. In a relatively small, yet growing village, the loss of a church is a huge blow to the community. The people proved to be tough and in most cases the buildings were insured and…
A crew of six men had set out and successfully stopped the train running the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul Line on the night of June 12, 1924. Consisting of a well coordinated strategy, some stolen cars and some inside information everything had been going according to plan. Using the railroad staff as labor, the thieves…
Most people aren’t aware that one of the most audacious train robberies in the history of the United States actually took place just a few miles east of Libertyville. On June 12, 1924, just outside the small town of Rondout, robbers made off with between 2 and 3 million dollars worth of cash, liberty bonds…
Arthur Frederick Sheldon was born and educated in Michigan, but by 1900 he was making his presence known in the Chicago business community. An up-and-coming businessman, Sheldon joined the fledgling Chicago Rotary organization and was responsible for coining its motto, “He Profits Most Who Serves Best.” Building on his past experience as a sales manager,…
