Mayor Meyn guided the village through Great Depression

The son of Mount Prospect's first blacksmith went on to become the village's second mayor.

Herman F. Meyn followed in his father John's footsteps, and also was trained and began working as a blacksmith and wagon maker in 1914 on the 200 block of South Emerson Street. He bought his father's business on Northwest Highway in 1924 and had an active foundry business when he became mayor in 1929.

As the village grew and changed with the times, he expanded his business to include farm implements and eventually lawn mowers, a business he operated for 41 years until his retirement in 1955.

Herman Meyn was one of the first people born in Mount Prospect in one of the village's first residences, which was built by William Wille. At the time of his birth in 1889, the town was what we think only as downtown today. There were three shops - a flour and feed business operated by John Moehling, a grocery and tavern run by John Bauer, and William Wille's creamery.

With his six brothers and sisters, the Meyn family made up a large percentage of the town's population. When the sharp switch away from horse and buggy occurred after World War I, Herman pumped gasoline from one of the first "filling stations" in front of his father's house on Northwest Highway.

In 1911, Herman married Ida Deeke. They had two daughters, Vanetta and Elvira, and lived at 21 S. Maple St. in a house Herman built in 1912. The couple celebrated their golden anniversary with 75 relatives and friends at Salt Creek Country Club in Itasca.

Herman was involved with many aspects of the community. He was a charter member of the Mount Prospect Volunteer Fire Department and served on the force for many years. He was the fourth fire chief in Mount Prospect, holding that position for nine years, from 1922 until he became mayor in 1929 at the age of 40.

Even with the added responsibility of leading the village board for eight years, he remained active in the fire department throughout his term, putting in a total of 17 years on the force. He was also an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and its school board.

Soon after Herman Meyn became Mount Prospect's mayor, the U.S. economy went into its longest and most severe recession, the Great Depression. Meyn was mayor through the entire crisis. In that time, Mount Prospect became known as one of the most responsibly run communities in Illinois. It was one of very few communities in the area that remained solvent throughout the 1930s.

Meyn was even able to make some civic improvements during these difficult times. In 1935, he oversaw the construction of a water reservoir to better serve the community's needs.

He was also instrumental in the widening and paving of Northwest Highway, coined Mount Prospect's "front yard" at that time.