Local History News

May = Local History Month

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May is designated as the ‘Local History Month’ and we’d like to pay homage with “The More You Know, the More You Grow!” You might know about the village of Huntley’s founding father, Thomas S. Huntley. Did you know he was not the first one to settle here? The Whittemore and Cummings families were generally … Read more

April’s National Poetry Month

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The ways we can celebrate Huntley’s history are vast and wonderful. This month we were inspired by the national designation of April as National Poetry Month as our topic of celebration. Hmm, how does poetry and Huntley’s history relate?

In the Local History department of our library, we have wonderful resources available for whatever your local history research may entail. For this poetry research, we used the Illinois Digital Archive (IDA) to review past editions of one of Huntley’s papers, The Farmside. We searched for any type of references involving Huntley residents as published poets. (We even discovered the beginning of Huntley High School’s writing club in 1972 called, The Scribes, who published a booklet of poems and short stories in their first year with community donations.) On our shelves, we discovered the endearing poem “In Huntley, Illinois” by Mrs. Anna Schachtner (pg. 143) from the book “At Home in Huntley 1851-2001.” We even found the inspiring poem, “The Evolution of a Patriot” by Charles H. Stephen in the “Huntley Centennial 1851-1951.” (Book covers are shown in featured image.)

We hope our findings and our examples of research tools inspire and encourage you to come into our library and explore the Local History collection. There are so many memorable treasures waiting to be rediscovered. Instant access can be obtained from your personal electronic device by going online to the IDA website at https://www.idaillinois.org – or better yet, come to the library and use one of our computers. If this posting inspired you to learn more about Huntley’s history or maybe to create your own poem about this friendly village with country charm – we are delighted. Please know that we are here for you.

A few more findings about local poets:

Judy Riedl had two poems chosen for publication in Treasured Poems of America in the Summer 1997 with the publisher Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum.

Sylvia Harmon published “Somehow My Love” in Women’s Household Magazine in the October Issue 1978.

Adam T. Hosteny published “The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight” in Day Break on the Land in 1997. At the time of publication, he was 7 years old according to The Farmside.

Road Trip from Huntley

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Please venture by our newest display in the Local History Department at the Huntley Area Public Library titled, “Road Trip from Huntley.” You’ll catch a glimpse of what a road trip might have been like featuring pictures and memorabilia from 1910 to 1940. Come and analyze an exact model of a 1929 chassis and engine … Read more

Huntley Yuletide Memories

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Yuletide Memories A charming poem written by a Huntley resident some 80 years ago gives a glimpse of Christmas past in our community. Marion Lawson Voss (1896-1976) wrote the poem “Yuletide Memories” in the 1940s. Voss grew up in Huntley and recalled the thrill of Otto Schmalz’s General Store at Christmastime when she was a … Read more

Deicke Park: Who Was Edwin Deicke?

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Are you enjoying Deicke Park this summer?    If so, you can thank Edwin Deicke, a philanthropist who donated the 28-acre wooded parcel to the Huntley Park District and the people of Huntley. Edwin Deicke (1896-1984) was a successful Wheaton businessman and, at one time, mayor of Lombard, IL. He made his money selling insurance, … Read more

Huntley High School Graduates Class of 1913

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Four students made up the entire Huntley High School graduating class in 1913. Their school was an imposing brick building on Main Street next to the First Congregational Church. The school, built in 1875, housed all grades from first through high school. Today, the site is part of the church parking lot.  Those who graduated … Read more

Farm Services Memorabilia on Display at the Huntley Area Public Library

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Farming was a huge industry in the Huntley area in the past. Providing feed for cattle and seeds and fertilizer for crops were necessary businesses. Enos Conley and Sons was one of the largest providers in the area in the early 1900s. Situated along the railroad tracks south of Main Street, the company later also … Read more

Margaret Donahue: Huntley Native and Chicago Cubs Executive

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First Woman Corporate Officer in Major League Baseball Huntley native Margaret Donahue didn’t want the job with the Chicago Cubs. But now, 45 years after her death, her name can still be found among Cubs’ history, on a Chicago park and in books on notable women. Through Margaret’s three nieces and in numerous news articles … Read more