Island adventures: Former mayor recalls childhood escapades on Fox River

There’s nothing quite like an island to stir a youngster’s imagination or have an adult pondering its potential uses.

We have all sorts of examples along the Fox River.

Geneva has Island Park and an even smaller island under its State Street bridge, while Batavia has Clark Island nestled along the river.

Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva has an island that creates the need for two pedestrian bridges to get from one side of the forest preserve to the other.

St. Charles has had Boy Scout Island for generations, but the city also has an interesting little island just south of a pedestrian bridge that was initially built in 1904 for workers on the east side of the Fox to get to the Cable Piano Factory.

After chatting with former St. Charles Mayor Fred Norris a few weeks ago about his childhood adventures on that small island, I was going to touch base with local historians to get more information about the island and the pedestrian bridge, both south of the Illinois Street bridge.

Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley saved me a phone call when it emailed a history newsletter that provided the needed information.

The newsletter cited comments from the late Mike Dixon, a local architect and historian, who noted that Thure Johansen, the first superintendent of the piano factory, built the island so employees could enjoy picnics on the river.

Over the years, historians note, the island was called Johansen’s Island, but also Fox Island and Charlemagne Island.

This island, smaller now and with grown trees on it, is supported by a concrete base in the middle of the Fox River. But 80 years ago, it was also a haven for kids using their imagination to build a fort on it to thwart off “pirates” and other imaginary invaders.

“As kids, we would wade out to that island because the river was not too deep there, and we would fish and play,” Norris said. “Our family came into the community in 1936, so this would have been in maybe the late 1940s.”

Workers at the factory, the Howell Company factory at that time, could see the kids playing on the island from their office windows or outside the plant. Because everyone knew everyone in a St. Charles of between 4,000 and 5,000 people, some of those workers could alert Norris’ father as to what the kids were up to.

“When I would get home, my dad would ask what I was doing that day,” the 88-year-old Norris said. “I said, oh, we built a fort. And he would ask, ‘In the middle of the river?’

“Turns out, he was getting hourly reports from the guys in the plant, making sure we were safe and staying out of trouble.”

Norris, who splits his year between St. Charles and Florida these days, had another funny story to share about his youth near that part of the river.

When in his late teens, he said a friend couldn’t muster up the courage on a dare to drive his Model A Ford across the pedestrian bridge as a prank. Norris offered to do it in exchange for $5.

Oh, what kids did for fun — and money — back in those days.

“I drove it very slowly, with all of the other guys in the car’s rumble seat, because there wasn’t more than an inch between the car and the side of the bridge, on either side of the car,” Norris recalled.

When he got to other side, he said, assistant police chief Maury Regelbrugge was there waiting for him. So, workers at the factory likely called police when seeing a car crossing that bridge.

“Right away, he asked, ‘What is your old man going to say?’” Norris laughed. “And, boy, did I get chewed out when I got home. But I got the $5.”

Water Wall efforts

After mentioning the sculptures at Mount St. Mary Park last week, it has come to my attention that the St. Charles Park Foundation is raising funds to construct a Water Wall Sculpture for the park.

For those not familiar with these structures, just think of sitting in a sheltered part of a park and listening to a light rain shower on the grounds. We all know that is one of the more calming sounds that nature provides.

The Water Wall Sculpture features a constant flow of water that creates what the park foundation notes is “a soothing rain-curtain effect that captivates the senses and transforms any space into a serene oasis.”

The foundation has “A Night on the Fox” fundraiser set for Friday, Aug. 1 in Pottawatomie Park, featuring riverboat cruises at 5:30 and 7 p.m. and an option for “land lovers” to stay in the park.

Cost is $50 per person for those opting for the riverboat cruises and $35 for those staying shoreside. All will be able to enjoy live music, appetizers, desserts, drinks, raffle baskets and other activities. Tickets are available at stcparkfoundation.org/events.

Appliances on the way

An empty storefront just east of the Sierra clothing and outdoor gear store in Batavia should be filled soon.

Signs on the retail spot’s windows indicate a Grand Appliance store is “Coming Soon” to that retail strip along Fabyan Parkway near Randall Road.

Grand Appliance did not return my calls inquiring about a potential opening date or timeline.

Mostly, it will be good to see that spot in this busy retail area have a suitor.

With Walgreens, Trader Joe’s, Sierra and the Dollar Tree leading the way with shopper traffic, and Lume’s and Taco Dale being popular eateries, all businesses in that location seem to fare well.

Extend that Bunker

Those who use the LaFox Metra station west of the Tri-Cities, or even those who would find the future extension of Bunker Road to be useful in their travel patterns, should be happy these days.

It’s not because they enjoy the sight of signs stating “Road Work Ahead, Expect Delays,” when traveling to the train station. It’s more about realizing that the crews and earthmoving equipment are out in force to create a Bunker Road extension from the train station north to a merge with LaFox Road.

As one reader noted, “Excavation of the long-awaited extension of Bunker Road from the LaFox Metra station to LaFox Road is in full-swing.”

The county still has plans for a roundabout at Keslinger and Bunker roads to the south, and work on that should be made easier if the county transportation crews wait until the Bunker Road extension to LaFox Road is completed.

Under that scenario, northbound traffic on Bunker could be diverted from construction taking place to build the roundabout, yet commuters could still get to the train station from a LaFox-Bunker merge.

Those who use the LaFox Metra station also can look forward to a new parking lot on the north side of the station as part of this overall project.

Some more parking

Anyone who noticed some work being done in front of the former Geneva Public Library location on James Street might have thought the city had made some type of arrangement to use that empty library site.

Well, not anyone. That’s just what I thought when glancing at the work that appeared to be along the sidewalk in front of the building.

Turns out, this work was simply part of the city’s project to add more parking spaces for downtown Geneva along the north side of James Street between and First and Second streets.

“This project should hopefully be wrapped up this month,” Kevin Stahr, Geneva’s communications coordinator, said.

Just so no one else gets confused, Stahr also noted the city “has not made any determination” on the future use of the former library building.

Did you know?

In the summer of 1990, construction work on a second church for the St. Patrick Church parish in St. Charles began on Crane Road, northwest of the longtime downtown church on Cedar Street.

It was to be an important addition to the parish, which had more than 2,000 families registered at that time, as a site to alleviate crowding at the downtown church.

The estimated cost for the new church was $5.5 million, of which parishioners donated more than $3.5 million, then pastor Father Thomas Dempsey said that year.

A month or so after opening its doors, a “Mass of Dedication and Celebration” was held Dec. 8, 1991, at the new St. Patrick Mission Church.

A downtown St. Patrick Church has been part of St. Charles since 1851, making it 174 years for the city’s Catholic population to worship in the heart of downtown.

The first St. Patrick church was built on North Fourth Street by a fellow named James O’Connor and his brothers. They had some experience in the church-building business, having constructed one in Ottawa prior to the St. Charles venture.

The church on Cedar Street was built between 1910 and 1911 and opened in 1912.

dheun@sbcglobal.net