The Spring Grove Community Block Party was a success!
I would like to thank everyone who came out on the beautiful late summer day. The committee and volunteers deserve kudos for putting on such a great event. There were a lot of fun games for kids and adults and everyone enjoyed climbing on all the fun vehicles and equipment. Watch me losing a game of gunny sack race against village trustees here. See more photos and our YouTube channel with more fun clips.
Thanks goes out to the following:
- Committee Members: Mike Lee, Helena Hernquist, Jamie Horvath, Salli Renz and Mike White
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Volunteers: RBCHS National Honor Society students, Julie Gajewski, Vicki Lee, Sandi Rusher and Bob Walczak.
- Vehicles and equipment: Point Ready Mix, Schmitt Family Farm, Spring Grove Fire Department, Spring Grove Police Department and Spring Grove Public Works
- Demonstrators: The Spring Grove Flying Dragons and their students
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RJ's BBQ and Tropical Chill Ice Cream
The committee will work on a new date and time for next year that we hope will work for many more families to come and enjoy. The next planned outing is Trunk or Treat at Horse Fair Park so watch the eNews for details.
Internet Update:
Recently, I attended a group meeting with McHenry County Chairman Michael Buehler, County Administrator Peter Austin, and the Village Presidents of Richmond, Ringwood and Hebron. The meeting was with a Comcast representative to discuss the needs of our communities. The lack of cable internet reliability and lack of competition were some of the subjects discussed. At the end of the meeting, Comcast asked what portions of our areas need or would like service extended to them and we all responded everyone.
I don’t want anyone to get their hopes up too much, but the village will continue to keep pushing for a better, more reliable service from Mediacom and Comcast. We are very grateful for our country board chair and administrator for their help and concerns about what small communities face in McHenry County.
Don’t believe everything you see on social media sites, the village has no control or contracts or owns any equipment to provide internet service to our village. These providers are like any other utility company, they are private and have a right to use our easements. We welcome any provider to our community. I have been advising people, if you work from home please consider Mediacom for your high speed daily usage and Frontier for your backup. The money you save in gas alone will pay for the peace of mind of having a backup source.
Lastly, please shop local and understand so many of our businesses are understaffed. Please have patience when waiting and be thankful to the staff for their services.
Enjoy the fall colors and stay safe.
Mark
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Get Ready for Trunk or Treat |
Residents and businesses are invited to decorate their cars, trunks or tables and have fun passing out candy! Trunk or Treat will be held at Horse Fair Park on Saturday, October 30 from 1 - 3:00 pm. Please register by October 28. Registration and admission is free! Brought to you by the Spring Grove Community Engagement Committee. View the flyer here.
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Eagle Scout Project at Hatchery Park |
Boy Scout Ian Campbell with Troop 340 has been fishing at Hatchery Park since he was a young boy, so for his Eagle Scout Project he wanted to do something to benefit the pond. He decided to build and introduce eight artificial fish habitats made out of PVC and PEX tubing.
Artificial habitats will not deteriorate like trees that fall into the pond and are very hard to catch a hook on. They allow fish to congregate and protect them from predators. This will help to increase the bass and bluegill population. The habitats were sunk in the area of the south and west piers in the big pond. View more photos of his project and how he built them here!
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The Spring Grove Fire District is hosting a Pancake Break during Fire Prevention Week on October 10 from 8 a.m. - noon at the Fire Station. Proceeds help Fire Explorer's, who are young adults interested in becoming firefighters, to attend training introducing them to to hands-on firefighting skills. View the flyer here.
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Photo of the Week
Debbie Schleiffer took this pretty photo in August on one of her many walks around the Hatchery Park pond. If you have a photo of Spring Grove you would like to share, email it here.
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It's harvest time, so we need to share the road the next few months with harvesters, tractors, and other slow-moving farm vehicles. Please slow down, be patient, and cautious when passing. . |
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2021-2022 vehicle stickers are on sale now. Mail in your form with payment, drop the envelope in the Municipal Centre drop-box, make a payment at the PD website here, or visit the PD window at 7401 Meyer Road. All vehicles kept in the Village, whether used or stored, must have a current sticker displayed prior to October 1.
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Have you seen any old cement silos with a diamond pinnacle at top in northern Illinois or southern Wisconsin? Those are Frank May silos, who was a past Spring Grove resident, and the diamond is his signature. His granddaughter, Marianne, is doing a research project documenting locations of these silos which were built from 1900 to 1955. She has a list of 85 so far and it keeps growing! If you know the location of one, please contact Marianne May by text at 561-346-2663 or e-mail with an address or approximate location. Thank you!
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Slater/Thompson Monument in 2012 |
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Slater Monument missing finial the finial |
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Slater/Thompson Monument today with finial reattached |
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Hannah Hoffman died in 1918. This stone was reattached and cleaned |
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Joseph Hoffman, son of Hannah died in 1860 at age 9. The hand symbolizes gone up to heaven
This stone was straightened and cleaned.
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Spring Grove Cemetery is maintained by Burton Township and I would like to thank the township board for their foresight in hiring a professional cemetery service this summer that straightened stones and monuments, fixed footings, replaced stones on their bases, and reattached finials which had fallen off due to the steel rods that held them in place rusting away. These rods were drilled out, new stainless steel rods inserted and the finials reattached. The stones were also cleaned with a special biological solution that does it's job over time.
Cemeteries are memorials not only to the dead, but to our past and they add much to understanding our history. As such, it is our responsibility to preserve and maintain our cemeteries, not only for today but for future generations. The dead speak to us through their simple stones or great monuments, with symbols, motifs and text inscribed to tell their story.
The Slater/Thompson monument in the first photos is the resting place for Margaret Blyth, her first husband James Thompson, and her second husband William Slater. Margaret and James came to Burton Township in the 1840s, both having emigrated from Scotland. The 1850 census lists James' occupation as farmer but the 1860 census says "gentlemen", which must mean he was retired. He died in 1864. A couple of years later Margaret married William Slater who was also a farmer. The marble monument was made in 1892 by H. Miller & Son. The company also made a similar monument for Fannie & Robert Tweed, which was erected at the same time close by. Both monuments lost the finials on top (found on the ground) and both were replaced this summer. That was the year William died so Margaret ordered the stone and had both husbands names engraved along with hers.
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Margaret Blyth Thompson Slater |
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