St. Charles marks 175 years of history in 2009
Growing up in St. Charles was nothing short of an honor for a kid like Fred Norris.
So much so that, although he'd seen 48 states by the time he was 16, Norris never found a better place to call home. Eventually, he became its mayor. Now, he just loves thinking about where the city has been and where it's going.
"I can't think of a better place to grow up and raise a family," Norris said. "And I fully intend to end things here, too."
St. Charles celebrates its 175th Anniversary this year. The actual festivities are somewhat muted thanks to a sluggish economy and the corresponding need to pinch pennies. But 72 years of memories are in place for Norris. Those memories cover everything from building a fort on the Fox River as a boy to standing on the top floor of the new municipal parking garage to reflect on all the changes over the years.
"It's got a lot of history," Norris said. "A lot of good things have happened in the city over the years. I think it's been progressive without going way beyond what you should do. That's why the new population has been assimilated very well."
He said when he thinks about what makes St. Charles work as a city and community, he likes to think of Carol Stream.
"Carol Stream is now a community twice the size of St. Charles, and it came out of cornfield," Norris said. "Yet it doesn't have the character of a community like St. Charles."
Norris can still recall the days when people still arrived in town on a horse and buggy and tied up their transportation at iron rings secured to the curbs. He even remembers a blacksmith shop being a busy spot in the downtown. Now, cars pack Main Street at all hours of the day. Parking is a little bit tougher to come by than finding an open iron ring. But Norris said all the growth has been positive in moving the city into the next 175 years.
"It's amazing," Norris said. "When you think about it, it all started with a couple guys just arriving from Indiana on a dusty, old wagon."
Current Mayor Don DeWitte praised the city for a history of building on the natural resource of the Fox River to become a city that is attractive in many facets.
"St. Charles is a premier community known for its historic downtown, significant architecture, beautiful neighborhoods, vibrant business and commercial areas, and progressive, innovative government," DeWitte said in a written statement. "As St. Charles celebrates its 175th birthday, it is apparent to all that we are a community with staying power, as evidenced by our history and its prospects for future progress and success."
Key pieces of history still enjoyable today:
Hotel Baker
Tourism began to really take off in St. Charles by the 1920s as the city began to build a reputation as a resort community. Key to tourism were the local hotels, in particular, the Hotel Baker. The hotel was most popular as a romantic getaway destination, earning it the nickname of the "Honeymoon Hotel." Built on the site of the old Haines Mill, the hotel cost about $1 million to construct. The 55-room hotel was the dream of "Colonel" Edward J. Baker.
Arcada Theatre
Built by Lester and Dellora Norris in 1926, the couple worked closely with Elmer F. Behrens to design a theater with a Venetian-Spanish theme inspired by Norris' trips to Florida. Behrens designed the Tivoli and Chicago Theatres. Opening night at the theater was Sept. 6, 1926. At the time, the 1,000-seat auditorium was large enough to host 20 percent of the entire population of St. Charles.
City Hall
The municipal building was designed in white marble by R. Harold Zook. Zook was a prolific architect in the Chicago area in the 20th century. He designed the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, but is perhaps best known for the many homes he designed in his hometown of Hinsdale.
Main Street Bridge
The first Main Street bridge over the Fox River was built in 1836, but quickly swept away in 1839 when melting snow created a surge of water in the river. A second bridge was also destroyed in 1849 by either another flood of water, or an angry mob. The mob is part of the legend of the "Richards Riot," sparked when medical students from the Franklin Medical School robbed a grave in Sycamore for a fresh cadaver to practice on. More than 100 Sycamore residents stormed St. Charles to demand the return of the body. A third bridge was built, but once again fell because of rotting wood in 1857. An iron bridge was finally built in 1874. The city has had a lasting bridge over the river ever since.