Images: #TBT Gallery looks back at Wauconda
Wauconda's first settlers Justus Bangs, his wife Louisa, and their family arrived in Lake County in 1836 and built the first log cabin on the southern bank of a lake that now bears his name.
According to stories, Wauconda comes from an Indian word meaning "Spirit Water" in honor of a young Indian Chief buried in the southeastern part of town, near the shores of Bangs Lake. The name, Wauconda, was adopted in the 1840s after a petition was initiated and circulated by Justus Bangs.
In 1840, the Andrew Cook family, who were related to Bangs, settled in the area purchasing 380 acres of farm land for $1.25 per acre. The Andrew Cook House is still standing along Main Street in Wauconda and now houses the Wauconda Township Historical Society. Thanks to them for providing these neat gallery photos.
Wauconda was very popular throughout the 1900s as a summer resort and cabin community for people vacationing from Chicago. Bangs Lake became an attractive draw, and many hotels and restaurants were built to accommodate the summer guests.
Wauconda remained a popular vacation destination into the 1980s, and its beaches at Sunny Hill Beach and Phil's Beach were memorialized in 1979 when parts of the movie "The Blues Brothers" was filmed and actors John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd met some of the locals.
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Justus Bangs and his second wife, Caroline Cole, whom he married in 1852. Bangs' first wife, Louisa Oakes Bangs, died in 1851. Caroline died in 1877 and Justus passed in 1895. This picture was taken in 1875. Photo provided by Neville Carr
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
From around the turn of the last century up through the teens, many of the boys around town made ice boats from scratch. The local blacksmith, Mr. North, would forge the runners and the boys would reciprocate by doing odd jobs as payment. When the ice was right these boats could attain speeds of twenty to thirty miles an hour. Some of the boys would also skate with hand held sails. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
Ice is scored as cakes of ice are floated to shore at Kuebker's Landing and up onto the sledge where it is delivered to North Main Street and "Dad" Grantham's barn. James Carr remembers one time when one of the horses fell into the lake and could be seen swimming under the ice. The horse survived with no ill-effects. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The beach was located at the foot of East Mall Street down where Spencer's Mill had been. Local entrepreneur Bud Sowers developed Willow Bend beach and cottages in the early 1920s. The last commercial beach here was known as Gus and Mary's Resort after the owners, Gus and Mary DeBuck. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The Wauconda Women's Club in 1936 as they celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Wauconda settlement.Standing left to right: Caroline Pratt Einhorn, Fannie Wells Gilbert, Unknown, Nina Pratt Tomisky, Winnie Pratt Murphy, Frances Kent Banks, Mary Murphy Lueder, Justus Bangs' great-granddaughter, Gerrie Smith, Lil Tidmarsh. Seated is Fannie Bangs Pratt, the daughter of Justus Bangs at 81. Seated on the ground is an unknown woman and next to her is Alice Kennedy Carr. Einhorn, Tomiskey and Murphy are granddaughters of Justus Bangs. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The Methodist Church was built in 1856 located across the street from the First Baptist Church of Wauconda. The church was the result of the efforts of a community task force and it was used on alternative Sundays by the Methodists and the Baptists. The building was moved in 1929 and attached it to the Baptist Church creating the Federated Church of Wauconda. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
A Wauconda Camp during World War I around 1916. WWI began on July 28, 1914 and ended on November 11, 1918. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
A welcome home celebration for local soldiers after World War I sometime in the summer of 1919. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The Wauconda Volunteer Fire Department in 1950. Department officers are in white include Clarence Gainer, left, Chief Froehlke, Charlie Davlin, John Billings, and kneeling, Glenn Blackburn. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
Ten cows died as neighbors from the town came to help with the Matthews dairy herd after the April 11, 1965 storm. The surviving animals were relocated while a replacement barn was built. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
This is the home at 26460 S. Main St. in 1912. At one time this was the club house to a golf course that covered much of where Timber Lake is today. The depression ended its run. Phil Sherrer lived here with his family. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
A Cook farm in 1950.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
With only a few cars in town, the horse-drawn sledge was the best way to get around on Main Street in Wauconda in the early 1900s. Present-day Bulldogs Grill is in the foreground. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The Cook family on a picnic holiday. Webb Cook, left, I. Cook, Ellen Brooks Cook, Ray Cook, Susie Brooks, and Mildred Underwood Kronenberger. Mildred was the sister of Edwin Underwood, longtime high school custodian and good golfer. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The old Transfiguration Church building built in 1877. It was beautiful with lots of stained glass. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
Lee Brown with his first car in 1914. Brown joined with Art Boehmer to sell cars. First known as Brown and Boehmer, the firm later became Boehmer Chevrolet and then Boehmer Automotive. It was one of Wauconda's longest running family businesses until it closed at the end of June 2013 after 100 years. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The Wauconda Train Station on the Palatine, Lake Zurich & Wauconda Railroad in 1916.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
Wauconda Township Hgh School basketball champions of 1936.Front row: Lorraine Turnbull, John Shipman, John Pence, Rollin Brown, and Don Stadtfeld.Back row: Ed Swanson, Mgr., Stan Smith, Earl Matthews, Russell Cashmore, Elger Berkley, Ken Kruger, and Harold Vasey.The coach: Earnest Brighthop. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
Workers for the Palatine, Lake Zurich & Wauconda Railroad dig out of the snow.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
Parade along Main Street for Wauconda High School homecoming in 1958. The queen's court is Louise Kittman Hartigan, left, Kathie Broughton Carr and Lynn Rodewald Prior. Denny Ciesil is driving and Jerry Neumann is in the foreground. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
A colorized postcard of Phil's Beach during the 1960s The lake provided hours of summer entertainment for locals and summer guests alike. The operation was established in 1926 and ended in 1989 when liability insurance became prohibitive. Postcard provided by James Bataille.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
The "Dizzy Lizzy" was a fun toy at the Village Beach. A similar one was at Phil's Beach. That circular table turned and the surface was slippery and wasn't easy to stay on. The colorized postcard is from around the 1930s. Photo provided by Neville Carr
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
Mary Beth Jachec talks with actor John Belushi as "The Blues Brothers" movie with characters, Jake and Elwood, was partly filmed in Wauconda in the summer of 1979. Both Phil's Beach and Sunny Hill were the focus of the beach scenes. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
This is the tower slide at Honey Hill Beach made famous in "The Blues Brothers" movie, a portion of which was filmed in Wauconda during the summer of 1979. Photo provided by Neville Carr.
courtesy of the Wauconda Township Historical Society
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