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7wonders

Please vote for Seven Wonders of Mount Prospect

The ten finalists are:

Stop by the voting stations located at the Mount Prospect Public Library,  Midwest Bank,  Finance Department of the Village of Mount Prospect and the Dietrich Friedrichs Museum. Anyone can vote; you just put some change or a dollar or whatever amount you would like into the container for the wonder you would like to support as often as you like!  The seven wonders that raise the most money will be named the Seven Wonders of Mount Prospect for 2008.   Winner will be announced at Back to School fundraiser at Bogies on August 22, 2008.  If you are unfamiliar with any of the choices, see descriptions below:

 

Randhurst Shopping Center

“Randhurst”, located at Rand Road and Elmhurst Road lies in wait for its newest revitalization as a lifestyle center. Looking at it now, the average person would only see a small, quiet mall. It was built on one of the last pieces of farmland in the area which was owned by Henry and Martha Burmeister (Diane Hahnfeld Hecht). The land was purchased through George L. Busse and constructed by Carson Pirie Scott Company.  An average person would never guess that in its first month of business, in 1962, it had attracted over one million shoppers. Or that, this mall has also brought celebrities like Robert F. Kennedy, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the Incredible Hulk (Lou Feringo) as well as other cast members from the original “Planet of the Apes”.

Randhurst was not only the first in-door mall to be built in the area; it was the start of the shopping mall phenomenon across America. This was the first truly modern mall in the county and regardless of what you think of malls today, they all trace some part of their history to Randhurst. When it opened, no one had ever seen something like it. People came from miles and miles just to walk in Randhurst. This sleeping landmark of Mt. Prospect holds more history than meets the eye. 

From when it first opened until the 1980s, Randhurst was considered one of the places to be, as it hosted many fashion shows, children’s fairs and education programs. In 1976-1977, Randhurst had even hosted a three-ring circus. The up coming renovation will be its biggest since the 1980s when the upper-level food court among many other additions was put in place.

Columns in the lake of the Huntington Commons

Located in the lake, in front of the Huntington Commons, just off highway 83, south of Golf, stand two pillars that would appear more in place in ancient Rome. These pillars “look like old ruins emerging from the lake” said this potential Wonder’s nominator. They “seem to be pieces of a sunken temple.” she continued. However, these are not part of a lost temple but actually a much more interesting building.

Believe it or not, these may be some of the most architecturally significant objects in town. They are from the old Federal Building in Chicago. This building was built between 1895 and 1905 by the federal government in part to acknowledge Chicago’s position as the main city of the American West. It was designed by the renowned architect Henry Ives Cobb (1859-1931) and was considered one of his masterpieces. Cobb was born in Massachusetts and educated at MIT before he moved to Chicago. He built numerous buildings around Chicago in the Romanesque and Victorian Gothic styles. He designed buildings in the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair: The Colombian Exposition, as well as a number of buildings at the University of Chicago.

The Chicago Federal Building was demolished between 1965 and 1966. The pillars were installed in the lake at Huntington Commons at some point around 1971 by the development company, Kenroy, Inc.

S-curve

The buildings are not the only elements of Mt. Prospect to hold historical value. Between Main Street and route 83, drivers will know they are in Mt. Prospect by the way their cars move in an S formation. This particular curve has proven to be as much a part off the town as the buildings inside.            

The S-Curve takes route 83 from Elmhurst Road to Main Street and thereby takes drivers into the center of Mount Prospect’s downtown. Without this vital curve, the road would simply run north of the downtown. There are various stories of why this curve was built. Some say the creation was made necessary because one land owner’s refusal to sell the land to extend the highway. However, this curve was built in the 1920s, while William Busse was Mayor, a Cook County Commissioner, and the biggest name in town. It seems more likely that he wanted to make sure that the highway went through downtown and along Main Street, which would mean past his bank, Buick dealership, and dry goods store.

Regardless of why it was built, this unique part of highway is clearly visible particularly by air and thousands use it on a daily basis. Everyone who lives or works in Mount Prospect has at some point given directions or told a story that involves mentioning the S-Curve.

St. John Lutheran Church

Located at 1100 Linneman road. St. John holds a history, through over 150 years. St. John Lutheran church stands as the oldest church in Mt. Prospect being founded in 1848, by the Linneman and Busse families. Through those years, St. John Lutheran has earned the pride of its surrounding community, having been kept alive through its pastors. This beautiful church stands out historically as well as being part of the community.

The Linneman family immigrated to America from Germany with the intent on building a “country church.” Like the Busse family, they did not come to America seeking the economic fortune but rather looking to preserve their traditional religious practices. Unlike many nineteenth century migrants to other parts of America, the people who founded Saint John Lutheran Church were often land owners in Europe. They came to establish a traditional Lutheran community and between the years 1853, and 1859, the population grew to a point where a second, newer St. John Lutheran’s was built and the older one was used as a school. Since then, the church has adjusted with the coming ages.  In 1922, St. Johns begin to give sermons in English, to draw in non-German parishioners. Many other changes and additions were made thanks to the efforts of its pastors and the members of its community. In this sense, St. John is not only a wonder for its history, but for what it stands for the people of Mt. Prospect 

Keefer’s Pharmacy

Keefer’s is a family owned Pharmacy located at 5W. Prospect Ave. There, the employees are friendly and know their customer’s names, greeting them with a smile. Keefer’s has even gone the distance of sending a get well card to one of its favorite customers, Gertrude Lamac, when she broke her hip. Such sincerity and kindness from a pharmacy in this world of chain stores is a wonder in itself.

This friendly store has been part of the community since Jack Keefer, a World War Two veteran, opened the pharmacy in 1949. Keefer’s had come in time to see the great suburban boom in the 1950s. Since then, the store has become as much a part of the community as it has served the Village of Mt. Prospect. The store may have different owners today, but Keefer’s Pharmacy remains much the same, serving and being involved with the neighborhood.

Mount  Prospect Public Library

The Mt. Prospect Library glistens in the sunlight with its beautiful futuristic architecture. Books, media of all types and electronic resources aside, the setting is an attraction, having been called a “cozy setting” and the staff has been praised as being friendly and welcoming. The Mount Prospect Public Library’s peace sculpture has become a landmark in the Village. 

This award-winning local Library stands in the same location as it had when it first started. Looking at the Library today, it’s hard to believe that it started as one cart of books kept in the Central School, a one room school house back in 1930. Supported by the efforts of the women’s club, the library consisted of a mere three-hundred, second-hand books which sat on a single tier of shelves. This tier was wheeled out every Thursday. It has been growing over the years and in 1943 it became a tax supported organization. The building that houses the library today was built in 1975 and has had a major addition added to it

Indian Street Names

You might notice a few streets with names like “Natawa”, Hiathawa”, “We-go”, or “Wapella” Such names were picked by the organization, “The Potawatomi Campfire Girls”. This organization was known by this name since1927 and specialized in American Indian lore. It is said that these are words that the Potawatomi Indians used; a tribe that had lived in the area.

 The Campfire Girls convinced the developer of this area to allow them to name the streets in this subdivision in the late 1920s. They named these streets using American Indian words to convey something of the tribes that had lived here before them. However, it’s more accurate to say these roads are named after American Indian Chiefs.  Aptakisic road, for example, was named after an American Indian leader who moved his band of Potawatomi’s in 1831from Indiana to what is now southern Lake County. Similarly, the word “Wapella” is not a term but a name; another Potawatomi Chief. Shabonee was another Potawatomi chief and nephew to Pontianc, an Ottawan chief. Hiawatha Avenue was named after a legend retold by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In this sense, each street name then has a separate story to tell and remains part of Mount Prospect.  

Central School

On May 28th 2008, The Central School made its big move from the corner of Wille street and Thayer Street to 103 S. Maple Street, next door to the Mt. Prospect Historical Society. This was done recently to make the school house available to, and be used by the public. This white, one-room, 112-year-old schoolhouse stands as one of the oldest buildings in Mount Prospect.

Since 1896, when it was first built, originally where the Public Library stands today, it has been not only the first school but the beginning point of many different organizations. Those organizations are The Woman’s Club, Boy Scout troop 23, the Mount Prospect Fire Department, The Mount Prospect Public Library, Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, Saint John’s Episcopalian Church and School District 57. As it was used for multiple purposes, so will it continue to do so in its new home at 103 S. Maple Street.

Officer Bill Roscop

Not all wonders of Mt. Prospect are streets or buildings. Bill Roscop, sometimes known as “Officer Friendly” has worked for the Village of Mount Prospect for twenty years.  He is well known not just by the children but all residents because of his extensive community involvement.  Always willing to help and always with a smile.

Bill has volunteered for the Historical society in the annual cemetery walk where he is very popular and the joint Chocolate Mania event with the Library Foundation. 

Mount Prospect Historical Society Campus

The museum campus includes the restored Dietrich Friedrich house museum, a carriage house, an education center building, the Central School, historic garden plants and a garden for the visually impaired. .  The house museum demonstrates a family’s life in Mount Prospect during the 1920s.  The Central School when restored will showcase school life at the turn of the century.