What's in a Groundhog Name?

From the McHenry County 2022 Visitors Guide.

We had Groundhog Day early last month.  The famous movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois, which is in McHenry County.  (County Seat)

The groundhog is an animal of many names.  Here are some:

woodchuck

wood-shock

groundpig

whistlepig

thickwood badger

Canada marmot

monax

red monk

land beaver

siffleux  (if you're French-Canadian)

How Much Wood Can a Woodchuck Chuck?  --CootHog

The Spanish Flu Comes to McHenry County, Illinois, in 1918-- Part 1: All That and WW I and TB Too

From the April 15, 2020, Northwest Herald "Learning from our pandemic past" by  Kurt Begalka.

"During these unprecedented times (Okay everyone, take a sip of the bubbly as every time we have a word put together with the "time" to describe these days, you get to take a drink) it is worth remembering that the world went through something just as deadly (much more deadly) in 1918 -- perhaps even more so considering the double whammy of World War I-related injuries and prevalence of tuberculosis.

"The September 26, 1918, edition of the Woodstock (Illinois) Sentinel noted: 'The Spanish influenza is said to be beginning a visit to this country.  Most things Spanish are not to be sneezed at, but the influenza is an exception."

Soon after, the newspapers were full of reports of illness and death in every corner of McHenry County -- alongside ads for "miraculous" cures such as  'Knock-A-Cold."

--Cooter

Dorr Township, Illinois-- Named for the Arrested Governor Who Wasn't From Illinois

In February I had a lot of entries about the 15th Illinois Infantry Regiment in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog.  The regiment had several companies from McHenry County where I live, including Company A that was mainly from Woodstock, Illinois, where our McHenry County Civil War Round Table meets every second Tuesday of the month.

We have a meeting this Tuesday, March 12 on Jonathan Letterman (no relation to David) who is credited as "The Father of Battlefield Medicine."

Anyway, I found a site that gave the residences of every member of Company A.  Most had Woodstock as their residence, and others had other McHenry County towns.  But. there were a few other places listed that after some research, I found to be McHenry County townships: Seneca, Greenwood Dorr and Hartland.  I had to look up the townships of McHenry County as I did not know most of them other than Burton, where we live, Richmond and McHenry.

When I looked up Dorr Township at its official site, I found it was named after Governor Thomas Wilson Dorr who had a "dramatically colorful record in the annals of American history, serving a jail sentence from which he was later acquitted by a Supreme Court decision."

Well, being from Illinois, I am well aware of the penchant for our governors finding themselves imprisoned.

So, I looked up Illinois' Governor Dorr.  Only, Illinois has never had a Governor Dorr.

The Plot Thickens.  --Cooter

Woodstock Theatre 90th Anniversary

From the Cinema Treasures Site

Woodstock Theatre, 209 Main Street, Woodstock, Illinois.

The Miller Theater was built on the site and opened November 8, 1927.  It featured a mix of movies and vaudeville shows.  It featured a Barton-Style 23 theater organ with six ranks.

It was renamed Woodstock Dollarodeon Theater in 1976 twin theaters were partitioned in 1979.

Classic Cinemas bought it in 1988 and a new marque was added in 1991.

In 2013, three adjacent buildings were demolished and the theater expanded to eight screens.

Woodstock Theatre Celebrates 90th Anniversary Today

I received notification from the General Cinema Corporation via e-mail that today they would be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Woodstock Theatre in Woodstock, Illinois, just off the historic Woodstock Square.

I will be leaving to go to it in just a few minutes.  This is a theater I go to a lot.

The mayor of Woodstock will speak at 11 a.m., and I imagine he will do that in the theater #1, with that magnificent recovered dome dating to the first theater at the site.

Afterwards, all day long they will be selling small popcorn and drinks for 90 cents.  That is a huge deal considering the usual cost, $5 and $4.

I will be seeing a couple movies.

And, the Woodstock theatre has been in the movies itself, serving as the scene in "Groundhog Day" movie where Bill Murray was dressed like Bronco Billy with his housemaid date.  Every year during the town's Groundhog Festival, they show free screenings of the movie.

Should Be Fun.  --Cooter

Illinois' Chain of Lakes-- Part 6: Aye, It's the Boating Life for Me

AUGUST 8, MONDAY

We boated over to Stormy Monday on Fox lake and were happy to find that they had a happy hour from 5-7 with $1.50 domestic bottles, $2.50 imports and $1 Miller High Lifes.  This place used to be a huge hangout for us back when it was Costello's Pub & Grub for many years, but not so often anymore.

We got our Chain Crawl passport stamped here.

We then drove the car over to Half-Times in Johnsburg, close to the Fox River for half price appetizers and $1 20 ounce draft and then to Sunnyside.

AUGUST 9, TUESDAY

I went boating around Fox Lake and Mineola Bay and then drove to Woodstock, Illinois, (not on the Chain but not too far away from it) to see a movie, enjoy the historic 1850s square (where the movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed.  met some friends at Papa G's on the  for dinner and then went to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table.

Like I said, Plenty to Do Here.  --CootChain

The Woodstock and Sycamore Traction Company-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Back in April, in a Looking Back post I wrote that John Seymour, a contractor who constructed the Woodstock-Sycamore Traction Line was injured along with three men on a gasoline section car near Genoa.  on March 24, 1915.

The Woodstock and Sycamore Traction Company was a short-lived  interurban railroad that ran from 1911 to 1918 between Sycamore and Marengo.  It never did reach Woodstock as it planned.

The headquarters and repair shop were in Genoa, about half-way between Sycamore and Marengo.

--CooterUrban

Woodstock's Orson Welles Connection

From the Spring 2014 McHenry County Living Magazine "Woodstock Celebrates 80 Years of Orson Welles" by Peter Gill.

Orson Welles came to Woodstock, Illinois, as an eleven-year-old boy in 1926 and lived at the Todd School for Boys, a boarding school founded in 1847.  he left the town in 1934, embarking on an incredible radio/theater/film career which included the "Big Scare" of his 1938 "War of the Worlds" to what some consider the greatest film of all time "Citizen Kane" in 1941.

But, it was in Woodstock where he made his professional director debut at the Woodstock Opera House (still standing on the famous Square).

Welles was born in nearby Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1915.  His parents divorced and his mother died when he was just eight.  Three years later, his father enrolled him at the exclusive and rich Todd School.  This is where he met his teacher and mentor, Headmaster Roger Hill.  This man, more than anyone else, was the reason for Welles' success.

He graduated from Todd School in 1931 at age 16 and traveled abroad where he made his debut as an actor in Ireland.  He returned to Woodstock and began his career in earnest.

This year and next (Welles' 100th birthday), there will be many Orson Welles events in town to celebrate his life.

Stuff You Didn't Know.  --DaCoot

Old Courthouse Dome Cost Higher Than Expected

From the June 5, 2014, Northwest herald by Shawn Shinneman.

Costs are already $80,000 more than expected at the Old Courthouse in Woodstock, Illinois.  On Tuesday, the city council approved another $32,608 toward the original contract of $775,000.  The city had previously already upped its cost $50,000.

Complications have been found because the contractor wasn't able to get a closer look at the cupola before the scaffolding was installed.

Crews were finishing their installation of the copper covering this week..  After the scaffolding is removed, they will begin work on the roof itself.

Expected date of completion has been moved from June 30th to September 30th.

Always More Than You Expect.  --Cooter

The Old McHenry County (Il.) Courthouse-- Part 2

From Wikipedia.

The Old Courthouse of McHenry County, Illinois, was built in 1857 of an Italianate design to resemble that of the Cook County (Chicago) courthouse.

It was designed by John M. Van Osdel, the first licensed architect in Chicago.  The adjoining structure, the Sheriff's House and Jail were built in 1887.  McHenry County government was located there until 1973 when it moved north on Ill.-47.  It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Currently, it is empty, but at one time the Chester Gould-Dick Tracy Museum was located in it.  Chester, the creator of the comic strip Dick Tracy lived in Woodstock for fifty years.

--DaCoot

McHenry County Old Courthouse-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

There was a prominent picture of the cupola of the Old McHenry County Courthouse in the May 13, 2014, Northwest Herald under the headline "Restoration work continues" showing a man working amid the scaffolding surrounding it.

The caption under it reads "Renovations continue Tuesday at the Old Courthouse in downtown Woodstock.  Workers for Renaissance Restoration are installing copper on the roof of the dome.  City officials continue to talk with potential developers about the historic property."

There is also work being done on the front steps as well as a lot of the back of the building which I noticed when I drove by it.  It is located right on the historic Woodstock Square.

Right now, the building is vacant, but the town is looking to get someone in it to set up business and keep up with repairs.

A scene from "Planes, trains and Automobiles was filmed on the front steps of the structure.

Hoping They Do.  --Cooter

Best Songs and Performances From Woodstock

Here is a list of the songs from the Time Magazine article:

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS--  Joe Cocker

I WANT TO TAKE YOU HIGHER--  Sly & the Family Stone

SOUL SACRIFICE--  Santana

THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER--  Jimi Hendrix

SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES--  Crosby, Stills & Nash

SOMEBODY TO LOVE--  Jefferson Airplane

THE LETTER--  The Incredible String Band

I PUT A SPELL ON YOU--  Creedence Clearwater Revival

SIMPLE SONG OF FREEDOM--  Tim Hardin 

JOE HILL--  Joan Baez

I sure would have liked to see that CCR song.

Definitely Not in  Woodstock, Illinois.  --Cooter

The McHenry County (Il) Courthouse-- Part 2

A seventy page architect's report has been made and it estimates that about $4.7 million is needed for improvements and repairs on he structure.  The City of Woodstock is recommending a five-year spending program to cover $2 million of it.  The rest will be covered by a private investor.

Immediate repairs are needed to stop the cause of all the water damage.  Also, the front steps are in bad shape as is the dome.  These last two are eligible for a grant to which the city has applied.

The courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.  There is also discussion as to when the building will be available to the private sector.  Mayor Brian Sager thinks January 2014 by the earliest, but perhaps 2015 more realistically.

Here's Hoping Things Will Work Out, But At Least No One Even Considers Tearing It Down.  That Would Be a Huge Mistake.  --DaCoot

The McHenry County (Il) Courthouse-- Part 1

From the September 5th Northwest Herald "Sights set on Old Courthouse" by Chelsea McDougall.

A former sheriff's garage located behind the old courthouse may be in jeopardy as a result of a joint City Council and Historic Preservation Committee meeting. The unsightly building has deteriorated significantly and has no roof and its windows are boarded up. Its structure also limits access to the water main, which is causing damage to the courthouse and needs replacing anyway.

The garage, however, has a bit of a history as it was built by jail inmates, including two members of the Dino O'Banion gang, Dapper Dan McCarthy and Heimie Weiss, who had been convicted of hijacking booze during Prohibition.

One Historical Preservation Committee member thinks that fact alone is significant and a good reason to save the structure.

More to Come. --Cooter

McHenry County, Illinois, Courthouse

From the Dec. 1, 2010, Crystal Lake,(Il) Northwest Herald "Old Courthouse Deal"

The City of Woodstock has agreed to accept the Old Courthouse as donated by and bring it up to code and work with private groups to take it over.  It will cost $261,000 plus materials to do it, plus, there are $125,000 in outstanding taxes, they don't call McHenry County Tax Land for nothing (I'll be reminded painfully on 9-11 when I have to pay my second half tax installment of $4800).  There are another $60,000 in legal fees and a $25,000 judgement against the last owner.

The structure, at 101 North Johnson Street was built in 1857 and is a National Historic Landmark.  The sheriff's house and jail were added in 1887.  McHenry County vacated it in 1972, when a new one was constructed north of town.  The courtroom was on the third floor and has been used for parties and receptions.  There is no elevator as I sorely found out when I took a job deejaying there one time.  I was beat moving all that equipment up those three flights of stairs. 

The Italianate structure closely resembled Cook County's (Chicago) Courthouse which was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire.  The architect was J.M. Van Osdel.

The Dick Tracy Museum was at one time in the building.  Dick Tracy's writer was from Woodstock and it can be seen several times in the backgrund of the Bill Murray movie "Groundhog Day."  The bar scene in the restaurant where they dank to "World Peace" was downstairs and when he got thrown into jail was also filmed there.

You Always Keep Your Old Courthouse and Find Some Other Use For It.  --Cooter

Answers to Yesterday's Quiz on "Groundhog Day"

I saw the "Awakening of the Groundhog" at the historical Woodstock Opera House, built around 1900 as city hall. This served as the Pennsylvanian House in the movie.

I then went to the Groundhog Day Dinner Dance/Bachelor Auction at the Moose Lodge. This is where the dance and auction took place in the movie.

Today, I watch the movie in the Woodstock Theatre which was the Alpine Theatre in the movie where Phil did his Clint Eastwood thing. Then its over to the Opera House for the annual chili cook off, the walking tour of movie sites, and a symposium on the movie back at the Opera House.

Answers from yesterday's quiz. I missed one.

1. a
2. a
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. a
7. a
8. b
9. d
10. d

Sure Love This Movie. --Cooter