A Brief History of the Village of Oakwood Hills
(Originally prepared by the 40th Anniversary and Village Trail Dedication Committee December 1999)
The Village of Oakwood Hills
A very interesting progression of history has taken place over the centuries and decades to bring us to where we are today: the Village of Oakwood Hills.
We start with the formation of the Northwest Territory and the formation of Illinois from this territory.
Illinois was originally part of the state of Virginia. Patrick Henry, the Governor of Virginia, appointed John Todd to govern this wilderness region. Virginia at the time extended to the Mississippi River until 1783 when the Articles of Confederation were ratified. These articles forced all the states to give up their claims to these lands. This vast unclaimed area then became the Northwest Territory and included what is now Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.
Settlers eventually came seeking land for their own where an acre could be purchased for approximately $1 under the Northwest Land Ordinance of 1785. The Northwest Land Ordinance provided that when a region had 5000 white males it would become a separate territory and would be appointed a territorial governor. In 1809 Illinois reached this population, was recognized as a territory and appointed a territorial governor named Ninian Edwards. After reaching a population of 60,000 and drafting a state constitution, Illinois was granted statehood in 1818.
McHenry County was then carved out of a part of northeastern Illinois. The Samuel Gilliam family, said to be the first white settlers of McHenry County, arrived in 1834 to established a farm midway between Cary and Algonquin (present location of Camp Algonquin). Six years later, in 1840, the first census of McHenry County was taken showing a population of 2,576.
The southeast part of McHenry County was originally two towns: a resort area around Crystal Lake and a small suburb called Nunda two miles away along the railroad right of way. The town of Nunda lasted 53 years ending in 1908 when it was merged with unincorporated Crystal Lake. Nunda Township, as we know it today, was first named "Brooklyn" by William and Cameron Goff. In 1840, the name was changed because the township population of 150 voted against the name "Brooklyn" as it was a place in New York!
First settled by William D. Cary in 1843, the village of Cary, Illinois was incorporated on Jan. 9, 1893. Cary remains an important link to Oakwood Hills as we continue to share postal services, fire protection, library services, commuter rail service and other amenities.
About 1915, Edwin and Minnie Anderson came to the Cary area with their two children, Arthur and Martha, to live and work on a farm, owned by Charles S. McNett, located on east West Rawson Bridge Road. Current location of Charles Hills and Chalet Golf Course). One of only two round barns in the county, still remains there today. As a young man, Arthur worked on the Hertz farm (Trout Valley today), which was also called Leona Farms. He also worked on the Curtis Breeding Farms in Cary, but moved on to work in Chicago and become the successful owner of the accounting firm Arthur D. Anderson & Company.
In the 1920s, Arthur Anderson purchased property adjacent to the McNett farm on which his family had previously worked and lived. This purchase included the areas now known as Lake Killarney and Silver Lakes / Oakwood Hills. His son, Arthur Jr., ran the Anderson farm named "Lake of the Hills Farm and Dairy." In 1927, he hired Joe Homola and his father-in-law, Frank Minczek, to excavate a trench from the then Silver Lake (now called Lake Killarney), to drain water into a lake he called Anderson Lake. They also constructed an earthen dam to contain the lake water. Sometime later, another farmer tried to divert the water to another area. A lawsuit was filed and Anderson was granted an injunction that insured a permanent supply of water to this lake. This was vital to his dairy operations.
In the late 1940's to early 50's, the farm was sold to Max Green, a developer. Green split the area into two parcels. The southwest parcel being the current subdivision of Lake Killarney, and the other parcel is the subdivision of Silver Lake / Oakwood Hills.
The Ladd Brothers Construction Company bought the southwest section of property and, being Irish, changed the name of the property and the lake from Silver Lake to its current name, Lake Killarney. Because the remaining parcel was subdivided as Silver Lake / Oakwood Hills, Anderson Lake was renamed Silver Lake.
Silver Lake / Oakwood Hills began as a resort area because of the rolling hills, giant oak trees and beautiful, clean lake. The route from Cary was an extremely dusty and bumpy ride to the cottages and weekend get- a- ways. People came from Chicago to swim and fish in the lake and escape from the city. These cottages were never intended to be permanent residences. Stone pillars once marked the entrance into Silver Lake / Oakwood Hills at Silver Lake Trail and Crystal Lake Avenue. The roads throughout the area remained a slippery clay and gravel; a real challenge to navigate.
During the 1950's, young married couples began to take up permanent residence in Silver Lake / Oakwood Hills. The grade school, Prairie Grove, consisted of two rooms and a basement until 1957 when 4 new rooms were added for the growing influx of children from the new subdivision. The local high school was Crystal Lake (Central) until 1961. At that time, the school boundaries were changed. Oakwood Hills was served by the new high school - Cary Grove. School buses were unable to enter the village, due to the poor condition of the roads. Children had to meet the bus at the corner of Woodland and Rawson Bridge Road or at the corner of Crystal Lake Avenue and Greenview. These were also the locations of all village mailboxes since the mailman dared not attempt the roads.
These and many other factors prompted the need for improved roads. Throughout the fifties, residents tried many methods to maintain the roads, including oiling to keep down the dust, a truck drawn grader to smooth out the pot holes or just about anything they could think of to maintain passage to and from their homes. Some residents took it upon themselves to pool their resources and seal coat portions of their streets. Toward the end of the 50's, a group of determined residents decided that the only way to finance the cost of lasting, permanent road improvements was to incorporate into a village. Thus, in 1958 they organized and formed the Village of Oakwood Hills.
The Village was organized on August 11, 1958 and certified on September 8, 1958. The first village board meeting was held on December 18, 1958. It was not incorporated until February of 1959. At this time, the village population was 212.
The first Village President was Hugo Fischer, who served from 1958 to 1962. Elected within on the first Village Board were Trustees Paul J. Eickoff, John Slechta, Josephine Coleman, Eugene Nelson, Brennan Johnson, and Douglas Robinson. The first village clerk was Marion W. Peterson who served until 1964.
These were difficult but exciting times. Village meetings were held at a local residence. A special assessment was passed in 1961 that raised the funds to grade the roads and seal coat them for the first time. There was not always complete agreement about these projects and many heated debates took place over the "need" to have new roads. Where they should go, and "where" they should stop! A resident on Lakewood Drive, who did not agree with a certain tree being removed to make room for the new road, climbed up the tree and held a large bull dozer at bay for hours until she could be coaxed down. Other residents who did not want a village at all refused to pay the special assessment for many years. But soon the village began to take on its own roots with village picnics, Halloween parties and Christmas gatherings, bringing the small village together.
In the first years the village established a police department consisting of all volunteer officers. The first police chief was Charlie Hotovy, who still resides in the Village. The first police car was obtained in 1959 and was a 1958 Ford.
A building department was established. A building code was written to regulate the types of houses that were built in the newly formed village. This helped create a standard above the small government subsidized housing that was becoming prevalent in the area in the latter part of the 50's. This set a precedent for a strong building and zoning standard that still stands today. Charlie Hotovy was also the first building commissioner and served from 1959 through 1974.
The original Village Hall, located on Woodland Drive, was purchased in 1968. It had previously served as a dairy farm for the Andersons, a real estate office for Max Green and Betty Teater's convenience store and now would serve as a village hall and police station for 31 years. During those years, the hall was remodeled many times, mostly by volunteer labor, adding lights, air conditioning and offices. The hall served as a meeting hall for the local Boy Scout Troop, the Lions Club, and the Jaycees and as a polling place for federal, state and municipal elections.
Between 1960 and 1971 the village grew twice through annexation. The first annexation took place in 1961. This annexation took in the west side of the lake along Lake Shore Drive. A second special assessment was passed to raise the funding for the road improvements within the newly acquired areas.
The second annexation took place in 1971. This annexation took in the balance of the west side of the lake to Greenview Road on the west and to North Park Road on the north. It should be noted that North Park Road did not extend to Valley View Road at that time.
The residents on the West Side voted to join the village for the protection that the Police department could offer and to insure their property values with the building code that was in place. These annexations expanded the new village to a population of 1255. The village boundaries would remain this size until the acquisition of the park in 1981.
During the 1960's the lake was the focus of many discussions and arguments. In 1961, the North and South beaches were obtained from Max Green via a quit claim deed. This allowed the village to regulate and clean up the areas which had fallen into disrepair. Volunteers brought in sand and playground equipment and constructed diving rafts.
In the late 60's the lake water level became an issue on many occasions. The newly developed "Lake Killarney" subdivision began to withhold the water that was flowing from the connecting creek that had been constructed many years ago. Soon the lake level dropped dramatically. The water level on the south beach had fallen to the point that tree stumps, hidden under water, 60 to 100 feet out into the lake, were poking above the surface. The area known as the "Back Bay" was dry. The local children could ride their bicycles across the 6-acre bay where today stands four feet of water! After some negotiations and a stern letter referring to a court injunction obtained many years prior, Lake Killarney relented and opened the baffles on their spillway allowing water to flow into Silver Lake once again.
After the water level began to rise, the village board had to reestablish the lake level. Many heated discussions ensued. Some folks wanted to retain their newly acquired land while others wanted back their lake front property. On the north end of the lake is a concrete spillway. The spillway had removable plates, which could raise or lower the entire lake level. The baffles were moved up or down so often by the village officials or private citizens, that an ordinance had to be passed establishing a permanent lake level. After passage of an ordinance, the baffles were "welded" into place to prevent any further tampering. The lake level has remained stable since then with only an occasional trough affecting the level.
During the 1970's the Village experienced a dramatic change in population. New homes were being built at a rate of about 30 per year. The empty lots that served as playgrounds in the past began to fill up with new homes. The children who had grown up in the village were returning to raise their own families. The new growth spurred concern for the added burden on the grade school and the disappearing areas for the children to play.
The Village Board came up with a relatively new solution for these problems. They passed a "builders contribution fund" ordinance. This ordinance caused the builders of new homes to deposit with the Village from $750 to $1000 for each new home built. The Board developed a formula to distribute these funds to the grade school, the fire protection district and the park fund. The ordinance did not allow for other uses of these monies. Oakwood Hills was a "pioneer" in this type of ordinance. Over the years these funds have purchased much of the recreation and park equipment we see today and offset the cost of fire protection and school expansion.
One of the other effects of the increased population was the need to upgrade the police department. The Village needed a full-time day officer to assist the citizens in their many needs. In 1978, the Board hired its first full time police officer, Frank Brubaker, who remained with the force until 1994. The board also authorized the purchase of its first 4-wheel drive vehicle.
In 1979, the Village began providing lifeguards at the beaches during the summer. The beaches were up graded with permanent restrooms; fences were erected to control entry to the beaches and fees were raised to fund these new services.
In 1981, the Commonwealth Edison Company offered to sell 42 acres of land that bordered the north edge of the village. The village obtained a cost-sharing grant from the federal government for $40,762. The Village had to provide $37,500 of matching funds. These funds were obtained by the sale of bonds. This parcel of land was designated for specific uses under the terms of the grant and became the beautiful park we have today. Approximately 15 acres of the park are dedicated to the Illinois Nature preserve. This area, known as the Oakwood Hills Fen, is one of only four fens owned by a village in the state. This Fen has permanent protection in Illinois as many of the plants found here are classified as either threatened or rare. In 1983, the Village entered its name and accomplishments into the Governors Home Town Award program and was selected as a recipient of the award. The Village celebrated its first 25 years in 1984.
Talks began concerning a development north of the village limits in 1987. Long time village resident, Chuck Walneck negotiated with Commonwealth Edison to purchase 93 acres adjacent to our northern border, the park and nature preserve. After many meetings and diligent research, the annexation of Fawn Ridge was approved in 1988 and construction of new luxury homes began. This was the first annexation of property outside the original subdivision's borders. The land on which the new village hall sits is 2 acres of the 16.5-acre Walneck Center at the extreme northwest corner of the village. This property was gifted, by the Walneck family to the Village, as part of the annexation agreements.
The latest addition to Oakwood Hills was approved in 1991 when the Village Board voted to annex the Chalet Golf Course on its eastern border. The Chalet Golf Course was established on land that formerly was the McNett Farm along Rawson Bridge Road just east of Oakwood Hills. During the 1920's to the 1940's, the land went through a series of owners, including John Hertz of Hertz Rent a Car Company. In July of 1949, E. R. and Aileen Reineke sold the farm to George Bates, a Chicago stock broker. Mr. Bates raised cattle on the farm and had some riding horses for his own use.
Mr. Bates established a hunting and fishing club on a portion of the land. A lake was stocked with trout and the chief game consisted of pheasant and duck. In addition to a membership fee, members paid by the pound for any fish caught and a fee for each bird shot on the property.
On another portion of the property, Mr. Bates built a three-hole golf course for his own private use. In 1969, he enlarged the course to 9 holes and opened it to the public. The course was later enlarged again to 13 holes and still later to the current 18 holes.
After the annexation in 1991, during the next three to four years architect Ken Killian, who helped design the noted Kemper Lakes Course in Long Grove, initiated plans to rebuild the relatively unknown course, which had been a treasured secret among the locals. Chalet Golf Course is no longer a secret as the course hosted an LPGA tournament in 1998.
While the course was being rebuilt, developers began to construct the first of 100 + luxury homes on 1/2 to 1 -acre parcels adjacent to or near the course. A new club house has recently been constructed and opened to the public in the fall of 1999.
Facilities at the Village Park were greatly expanded and improved between 1994 and the present with the addition of ball fields, tennis courts, a large playground area, basketball courts, a gazebo and parking areas at each entrance in addition to the pavilion built 10 years earlier. The park is the site of many Village activities during each year.
Construction of a new Village Hall commenced on the property in Walneck Center in 1998 and was completed in August of 1999. This Village Hall has greatly increased the space available for administration of the Village. The Police Department facilities have also been enlarged to meet the demands of the growing community. Future plans include construction of a Municipal maintenance garage and, as needed, expansion of the entire Village Hall.
Carefully planned growth has made Oakwood Hills a desirable community where several generations of the same families have chosen to live and raise their children. We look forward to the future and the reservation of our fine village.
OAKWOOD HILLS - A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE!
Thank you to the 40th Anniversary and Village Trail Dedication Committee December 1999, and all those who participated in creating this outstanding piece of history.
Oakwood Hills Village Hall
DEDICATED DECEMBER 18, 1999
PRESIDENT: Mark Ingbretson
TRUSTEES: Chad Rider, Donald Krenz, Jr., Wendy Czyzewicz, Beth Theiss, Angela Berger, Kirk Lingner and Bob Bihun
VILLAGE CLERK: Judith Sutliff
DEPUTY CLERK: Carol Foust
TREASURER: Daniel Swanson
ATTORNEY: Bernard Narusis
GENERAL ARCHITECT: Sente and Rubel, Ltd.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Ephriam Carlson & Son, Inc.
40th Anniversary and Village Trail Dedication Committee
DECEMBER 1999
Wendy Czyzewicz, Rev. Bob Baker, John D. (Dave) Baker, Dan Nelson, Chad Rider, Rick Sommers, John Sutliff, John Switzer and Chuck Walneck
With special thanks to Carol Foust, Bernard Narusis, Dan Nelson, Eugene Nelson, Rick Sommers Tom Sutliff and Chuck Walneck
Sources: "Cary-Me-Back", copyright 1993 by Cary Historical Group • Cary Diamond Jubilee Booklet, Printed 1968 • Chicago Tribune "Sunday Magazine", October 30, 1988 • Chicago Tribune Home Guide, October 31, 1992 Historical Records - Nunda Township, IL • Historical Records - Village of Oakwood Hills • Personal Recollections: Bernard Narusis Eugene Nelson, Dan Nelson, Rick Sommers
(Note: This text reconstructs the original printed layout and wording as closely as possible from the provided scanned/document content, preserving typos, line breaks, and phrasing)