Make old village hall more than a memory
This month the new Mundelein Village Hall will be opening and it looks like a great move for the village with a new building, more space, modern conveniences, etc. My concern is what will happen the old village hall building.
Five years ago when I wrote the Arcadia-Images of America book "Mundelein" for the village's centennial, I learned a lot about the history of that ol' building. On July 2, 1929, Mundelein's new village hall was dedicated with a speech by Chicago industrialist Samuel Insull. The upstairs of the building was an open area that served as a banquet hall and community room.
The building housed the mayor's office, the village's police and fire departments with a bay for Mundelein's first fire truck, Old Number 1.
Walking through the old building today is like walking through time with its wood interior and creaking floors. I do hope that the village does decide to keep the old village hall for some kind of historical residence.
I ask the village board and the people of Mundelein to please try to keep that old building from becoming just a memory.
Shawn Killackey
Mundelein