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A slice above
Judy Link of Marengo received top marks for her blackberry pie. Abe Lincoln, as portrayed by Gary Cooney of Huntley, picked this year's grand champion based on appearance, taste and crust composition. Winners, by category, were: Berry – Judy Link; Fruit: Mary Argall, Union (peach); Other: Nora Wagner, Marengo (peach/raspberry). Special thanks to our judges (and past winners) Jean Turner of Huntley and Jim Ratway of Woodstock, as well as Mary Ann Miller of Crystal Lake. Helpers were Pam Althoff of McHenry and Mary Ann Enright.
Pistakee Panache
The McHenry County Historical Society marked its 55th museum year with an opening soiree Friday, May 4, at the museum.
The openiing featured a wine tasting, light refreshments, live music by the Corner Boys, a raffle basket (won by Gail Hayes!!) and an appearance by Bald Knob Hotel
proprietor Sven Mellin (as portrayed by Ed O'Brien) as we celebrate the second year of our fun-filled "Waterways and Getaways: Resort Life in McHenry County" exhibit.
Riverside was go-to destination
In the heyday of the Chain O’ Lakes, Pistakee Bay and the Fox River resort scene, the Riverside House in McHenry was at its epicenter.
“This was the destination in town for decades,” said Jay Bomberg, president of Bomberg Property Management, and new owner of the landmark hotel.
Historic Ag Day
More than 1,500 third- and fourth-graders visited the McHenry County Fairgrounds April 10, 11 and 12 to learn about agriculture's role in their daily lives – and the lives of their forefathers. The expo has been held on alternate yearss since 1988 and has reached more than 42,000 students.
Corn perfect fit for prairie
Despite winter-like temperatures, a full house listened intently to food historian Cynthia Clampitt April 16, as she delivered the last of four Sampler Series lectures.
Corn, which began as a weedy grass growing in Mexico, possesses a strange trait known as a “jumping gene.” Over time it transformed itself into a cereal grass that we’ve come to know as maize, and then as corn.
"From the time of the first contact, there have been more than 2,000 varieties of corn," Clampitt said. "It keeps doing stuff. It keeps mutating."
Large crowd marks state bicentennial, transportation hubs
As Illinois marks its bicentennial this year with predictable programs about Carl Sandburg and Abraham Lincoln, Norm Moline gravitated toward another subject: transportation.
Antiques Great Show
The McHenry County Historical Society & Museum hosted sixth annual Antique Appraisal Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at the museum, 6422 Main St., Union. Items included a piece of Teco pottery, several incredibly rare books, an extraordinary stemp collection and fragile flag. Appraiser Jim McArdle of Iron Horse Antiques estimated that this linen centennial flag owned by Mark and Sue Richmond of Algonquin is worth an estimated $1,000. The fragile flag is eight feet long and has 13 hand-sewn stars.
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