Dawn Milarsky

Dawn Milarsky, Hebron Township

Dawn grew up in the Ramapo Mountains region of northern New Jersey in a town named Ringwood. The town was founded in 1740 and became the home of the first blast furnace.

When the Revolutionary war broke out, The Sterling Iron Works Company in Ringwood, NJ, played a huge role in creating the Great Chain across the Hudson River to West Point, commissioned in 1776 by General George Washington, to block the passage of British War Ships from ascending the river to Albany, New York.. The massive chain weighed 65 tons and took 4 days to install. Parts of the links are proudly displayed at the home of the founder of the iron works furnace owner, Robert Erskine, in Ringwood, NJ.

It is this rich history that sparked Dawn’s love for historical properties. Finding her way to Illinois in 1996 with her two daughters, while attending the College of Lake County, Dawn worked in social services for the college's Women's Center. She served on the Women's Center Board Of Directors and the CLC Health and Safety Board for 12 years.

In 2014 she moved to McHenry County and became a full time artist, farmer and small business owner. She continues to be active in local charities and grassroots organizations. In 2022 she began her career creating the Hebron Historical Society and as an elected official in the Village of Hebron. She is a board member of the Linn Hebron Cemetery and the Hebron Cemetery and she is also training to be a Cemetery Sexton.

Dawn enjoys educating the public about the early settlers of McHenry County through local cemetery walks and sharing histories on her local social media.

“Time will tell the stories we will make. It is my goal to both learn and teach the future generation how we got here.”