A look back at summers in simpler times

During these waning days of summer, it's fun to take a nostalgic look at simpler times - and what folks back then did for amusement.

Several generations ago - before computers, iPhones and television, or even movies and air conditioning - the options were very different from today. Nevertheless, Glenviewites found plenty of ways to enjoy themselves while indulging in summer entertainment.

In the early 1900s, Glenview enjoyed watching their own "Boys of Summer" semipro baseball team. Their ballpark was located west of the river between Dewes Street and Glenview Road. It was a very popular destination for fans of all ages.

Dances were a favorite pastime for young and old alike. During the warm months, outdoor dances were the norm. The premier spot in town was the grove behind Bill Haut's saloon (on the northeast corner of Glenview and Waukegan). Within the grove stood a band stand and dance floor. It was said that music was provided by "oompah" bands which would "play until the wee hours or until they became inebriated." Another dance venue was located in a grove of trees just east of Dilg's Tavern (now the Glenview House).

Picnics sponsored by churches and civic organizations were a favorite way for people to socialize in an economical way. Of special note: These picnics sometimes included a way for the sponsoring organization to raise some money. Called a Box Social, it featured decorated cardboard boxes containing a picnic dinner for two. Ladies prepared the food in the boxes, and gentlemen would bid on the box of their choice; the successful bidder would then dine with the lady who had prepared the feast. Needless to say, this idea was of special interest to single young people!

Before Roosevelt swimming pool was built in the 1930s, local lakes as well as the river running through the Village's downtown served as the "old swimming hole." That river also was a popular place for fishermen to try their luck at catching dinner. Those who could arrange transportation might venture all the way east to the beaches of Lake Michigan for some fun in the sun.

Younger children enjoyed a level of freedom unimaginable today. They could roam the neighborhood and play with friends from morning until night. Traffic and neighborhood safety concerns that parents face today were not a "thing" in that era. Among their many pastimes were Pom Pom Pull Away, Run Sheep Run and countless others. Such games required little, if any, equipment and provided great exercise. It was not until they heard their mother ring the dinner bell that they had to call it a day.

Then just as now, nearly everyone concluded that the days of summers were over far too soon!

• For information about the Glenview History Center, 1121 Waukegan Road, call (847) 724-2235 or visit glenviewhistory.org.