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Minooka Real Estate and Community Information
History
Minooka came into existence in 1852, when the Chicago, Rock Island and Peoria Railroad came through the area on the recommendation of surveyor, Randall Gardner. Mr. Gardner had purchased 500 acres of land along the proposed route of the Rock Island Railroad. The Village of Minooka was incorporated on March 27, 1869.
George Comerford, an Irish immigrant whose family had come to the area earlier is also credited for bringing the railroad to Minooka. His family bought land in Aux Sable Township and Mr. Comerford became a railroad surveyor. He was also involved in the actual construction of the Chicago, Rock Island and Peoria Line and became the first agent at the Minooka Depot.
Comerford was also instrumental in establishing a post office in 1853 and served as its postmaster for nine years.
Dolly Smith, the wife of Gardner's agent, Leander Smith, is credited with naming Minooka. Mrs. Smith was familiar with the Potowatomi language and named the town Minooka, which means contentment or good land. Prior to that time railroad workers named the village "Summit", because it was the highest point in Illinois on the Rock Island Line. The town was also called "Anoka" for a time. Mrs. Smith also named many of the streets in the older part of Minooka.
Leander and Dolly Smith built a home on the northwest corner of Wabena and St. Mary's Streets. This home had a large bay window in the front, where in her later years Mrs. Smith would sit and reminisce about the beginnings of Minooka. The stories say that Chief Shabbona would often come on the train from Morris and they would sit and speak in Potowatomi about the "good old days".
In 1858, C.V. Hamilton built a number of buildings for businesses. Among which, was a hotel that was known as the Hamilton House. This building stood on the southeast corner of Wapella and Wabena until the early 1960's. In 1866, a grain elevator was built by A.K. Knapp. The 1860's saw a building boom in Minooka which resulted in an increase in businesses. One of those merchants was the R. Gardner & Co. This department store employed a dozen people and was managed by Leander and Frank Smith. Later it would be run by George Colleps and Del Newell. Other businesses in Minooka include:
- Groceries and Liquors - Kinsley and Keough, George Comerford and George T. Smith
- Saloons - John Miller and Able Hyncliff
- Blacksmiths - Elihu Trask and S. S. Ward
- Boot and Shoe Makers - Jacob and Abel Gedelman
- Tin and Copper Smith - Henry Peddleton
- Meat Market - John Bulmer
- Saddlemaker - John Shroeder
- Cooper - Phillip Gedleman
- Pumpmaker - Lyman Carrier
- Station Agent - William R. Tupper
- Carpenters - T. J. Sadler, E. Allen, Thomas Shiek, Curtis Damon, and Jacob Lutz, Sr.
In 1864, the first St. Mary's Catholic Church was built. It was located just to the east of what is now St. Mary's Cemetery. Before 1864, Minooka was considered an out-mission and the priest was brought from Morris by handcar and Mass was said at the home of George Comerford. From 1864 until 1869 the church was serviced as a mission by the Morris Priest. In 1869, Father Peter Sheedy was appointed the first resident pastor. This church was struck by lightening and burned to the ground in 1903. In 1904 the present structure was dedicated.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1856 with 19 members. The first services were held in Ferguson's store which was located on the corner of Osceola and Mondamin Streets. A church building was erected on the site of the present United Methodist Church in 1866. In May of 1917, a tornado destroyed the church building. By December of 1917, a new brick building was ready for occupancy. In 1960, a classroom edition was added and the building was completely remodeled in 1982.
The first school house was built on Mondamin Street. It stood where the Walnick Developers building is in now. This building burned in the Great Fire of 1887. The next school was built on the site of the present Junior High. It was replaced by the present Junior High in 1925. The present Grade School was built in 1961 and the High School was built in 1971.
The present Minooka branch of the Three Rivers Library was originally built as a Masonic Hall in 1924. This building was knocked down by a tornado shortly after it was built and prior to 1924 the Masons had a one story building on this site. This building was divided into two areas, one being rented out as a store and the other as the Masonic Temple. The Masonic organization began in Minooka in 1867 and received its charter in 1868.
The EJ&E Station c 1900
In 1888 the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad built a branch line, which ran from Gardner to Plainfield, where it joined the EJ & E. This railroad was used to carry coal and freight from the coal mines south of the Illinois River to the Steel mills in the Joliet and Chicago area. This station stood just north of Minooka on Wabena, just past I-80. These are the tracks that run along side of the schools
The Interurban Station c1955
In 1909, the Chicago, Ottawa and Peoria Electric Line, commonly known as the Interurban, was begun between Joliet and Depue, IL. This was a quick and cheap means of transportation for people and for freight between the towns on this line. Trains ran daily, stopping in each town along the line, and sometimes in between towns of too if requested. Extra cars were put on the trains on Sundays, when crowds would come to Minooka to watch horse racing at the racetrack on the south edge of the village, where the high school is now located. In the photo, notice the three story building in the background, this was the Union or Hamilton House Hotel that stood at the corner of Wabena and Wapella from 1858 until the early 1960's.
Mondamin St. c 1910
Looking west toward the corner of Mondamin and Wabena. The original water tower was installed in 1906 and was constructed of redwood. The grassy area where the photographer was standing is now Veteran's Park.
Looking north from Wapella, c 1910
There is no hill by the train tracks! Minooka was and still is the highest point in Illinois on the Rock Island Line. Early railroad workers called Minooka "Summit". The tracks were lowered in the 1920's so trains could make the grade into Minooka. Before the tracks were lowered, there were businesses on both sides of Mondamin. In the lower left-hand corner of the picture, a cow is grazing in the open lot.
The Rock Island Station c 1910
In 1852 the first train entered Grundy County as what later became the Village of Minooka. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, as it was known in its earlier days initiated Minooka's founding and growth. This station stood by the tracks, after the tracks were lowered, the station was moved up to the area known as Veteran's Park.
Minooka's Toboggan Slide
During the mid 1880's A.K. Knapp built a toboggan slide for the people of Minooka and the surrounding area. Knapp was a prominent businessman in town, owning a bank, the grain company and the lumberyard. Each fall the slide was erected on Osceola St. beginning at the top of the hill towards the elementary school driveway and extending south along the street. The slide was taken down in the spring and stored. The condition of the slide deteriorated over the years and after Mr. Knapp's death in 1904, it was not replaced.
Demographics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minooka,_Illinois
