HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 9/3/1985 - Landmark Commission � �.
v � RECEIVED
SEP 6 1985
`-- Cll� D.E NcMENRY
MINLITSS OF THS MESTING OF THE
CITY OF 1�lcHENRY LANDIHARR COMMISSION
3 September 1985
Phyllis J. Bauer, Secretary
The meeting was cal led to order by Chairman Nancy Fike at 7 : 33
p.m.
New member of the Commission David Gelwicks was introduced.
Other members present were Adele Froelich, Earl Walsh, Joe Etten,
Frank Gans, Marya Weber, Dick Rabbitt, Charles and Mary Vycital.
Absent were Don Howard and Dorothy Uttich.
Guests Tom Hopkins, Bob Conway and John Smith were introduced.
Bob Conway and John Smith are civil engineers and have been
working on determining the exact location of the first courthouse
for McHenry county as referred to in the description of the
original plat of the village of McHenry. The description is
written in metes and bounds using references such as "burr oak
trees", etc. which makes it very difficult to reconstruct at this
`- time , one hundred-fifty years ago.
According to the village description there is supposed to be a
stone with the letter "S" carved in it at the south-east corner
of the "pub 1 ic square" which i s now Pear 1 S t. Park. It wi 1 1 be
necessary to dig up the sidewalk at that corner to see it this
stone can be found in order to ascertain the exact location of
the courthouse. Permission to dig up the sidewalk to find this
stone will be sought from the City of McHenry.
Another landmark mentioned in the legal description was the
"N. S. Hates dwelling house" which Mr. Conway and Mr. Smith have
determined was probabl y on the west side of the middl e of the
business section on Riverside Dr. Phyllis Bauer will search the
Deed Books at the Recorder of Deeds Office to see if the Hates
property description can be found as this would be of help in
determining the location of the courthouse, as based on where the
north-west corner of the N. S. Hates dwelling house was.
Ear 1 Wa 1 sh wi 1 1 check to see if the present owner s of the "Town
Club" tavern have an abstract of their property. The "Town Club"
is reputed to be the location of the first courthouse,
Adele will check with the present owner of the Barbian building
on Riverside Dr. to see if they have an abstract of their
� property, as that is where Mr. Conway and Mr. Smith have
determined the Hates house was prabably located.
Chairman Fike was unable to contact Architect Robert Coffin to
schedule his slide program of Northern Illinois Architecture.
�, She wil 1 continue to try to contact him, hoping to schedul e him
to give his program to the public on the first Thursday of
October.
Local architect Thomas Hopkins has revised the survey form for
use by those on the survey team. He has simplified it and made
it easier to use by those not throughly acquainted with architec-
tural types , etc. The motion was made by Mary Vycital and
seconded by Adele Froelich to accept the survey form.
Dick Rabbitt announced that he had recruited about 10 students to
work on the surveying of the city"s structures. Other members of
the commission hav e also recruited some persons to act as
surveyors. The survey routes were reviewed.
All persons acting as surveyors must attend the orientation
meeting on September 26, 7:00 p.m. at the Library. These persons
will be given identification badges so the public will know what
they are doing. These badges wil 1 be provided by the City
Clerk�s office. Publicity in the local newspaper will also help
to inform the public about the survey program.
The purposes of the Landmark Survey portion of the Landmark
Commission were reviewed once again. Chairman Fike restated the
purposes of doing the survey which is to establish which struc-
tures were built prior 1910; where they are located; whether they
�- have architectural or historical significance to the community.
The Landmark Survey is also for the purpose of fostering and
promoting the development of historic landmark preservation with
the City of McHenry. This can not be done if the landmark
structures hav e not been identified --- thus the purpose of the
survey of structures.
The need for a source for the plaques to be used in the Plaqueing
Program portion of the Landmark Commission. Dick Rabbitt will
check with Joe D�Angelo of McHenry Specialties and Nancy will
check with sources used by other historic preservation commis-
sions.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. with a motion by Dick
Rabbitt, seconded by Frank Gans .
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