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Wilmettes 75th Anniversary 1872-1947WILMETTE LIFEFirst Lutheran Services WereLodge History IsConductedDated From Master in Village in 93Mason Meet in 08The beginnings of St. Johnsand marched in solemn processionLutheranDuring the summer of 1907 a church go back to 1893to their new house of worship.whepaper was left in the drug store ofn the first Lutheran servicesThe new church gave new impetusC. E. Renneckar for the signaturein Wilmette were conducted oy theto St. Johns growth. By 1933 itsRevof Master Masons residing in Wil-. J. D. Matthius, then pastor ofcommunicant membership had in-mette who were desirous of havingBethlehem Lutheran church, Evans-creased to 370. But in that yeara Masonic lodge in the village. Aston. After three years, his work wasSt. Johns was shocked with theresult, a small group of Mastercontinued by the Rev. F. Knief,death of its pastor. Although heMasons gathered together withassistant pastor of Zion Lutheransuffered a stroke the year before,Charles A. Coxe at his home onchurch in Chicago. The Lutheranshe tried to continue his completeJanuary 9, 1908, to determine if itof Wilmette and Winnetka wereduties as pastor. He had a secondwas advisable to organize a Ma-servedsonic lodge or club in Wilmette. in 1898 by Pastor B. Burfeindstroke on November 6, 1933, andwhoAll present agreed that there, because of advanced age, re-three days later the congregationwere enough Master Masons totired in 1902.laid him to rest. Today a stainedglass chancel window bears evi-form a local lodge and thus, theThe present organization of thedence of the esteem in which hisfirst real step was taken towardforming Wilmette Lodge 931, A.F.and A.M. Shortly after the firstmeeting held in the Coxe home, aMasonic club was organized for thepurpose of securing a dispensationas a loRev. Herman W. MeyerMdgaed from the Grand lodge.e Second AttemptThis club met periodically in theization. St. Johns called him to suc- Tones building but was unsuccessfulceed Pastor Meyer, and on Januaryin securing the required recommen-28, 1934, he was installed.dation from three neighboringBuilding: Planslodges. The club was reorganizedand through the efforts of GeorgeIt became necessary by 1938 toHess, waivers for a new lodge wererevive building plans to include asecured from Evans Lodge No. 524;parish hall to provide added roomA. O. Fay lodge in Highland Parkand facilities for the Sunday schooland Des Plaines lodge in Des Plaines.First St. Johns church dedicated November 11, 1906.and the church societies.Then on September 22, 1910, thisThe original plan for adding thesmall group of Masons, now en-congregation was not effected untilmemory is held by the congrega-parish hall to the west transept oflarged, petitioned the Grand Lodge1903. Pastor Matthius, then a mem-tion.the church had to be abandoned. Aof Masons of the State of Illinoisber of the Northern Illinois Districtmissiofor dispensation as a lodge, withnDuring Pastor Meyers illness thefifty-foot lot east of the church was board, met with 12 men inpulpit had been supplied by thepurchased in 1944.the result that Wilmette lodge,the Bogda home, 1423 Central ave-U.D., A.F. and A.M. was instituted,nuepresent pastor, the Rev. J. H. Gock-As soon as building conditions im-, on November 8, 1903. andOctober 28, 1910. The Master of theorganizedel, then an executive secretary atprove, work will be begun on the St. Johns.thelodge was Mr. Hess. international office of the Wal-parish hall, and the church towerFirst Resident Pastorther league, the church youth organ-will also be completed.Charter Is GrantedDuring 1904, St. Johns was servedNinety-seven names appeared onby a theological student, F. H.the petition for dispensation and 64Kretzschmar. Sunday school andnew members were added while theservices were conducted in Joneslodge was under dispensation. Onhall. During this year the congre-the petition for charter, which wasgation nourished to such an extentgranted October 11, 1911, there werethat it called its first resident142 names. A rapid growth of thepastor, the Rev. Victor Richter. Helodge ensued.was. installed on March 19, 1905,The lodge first convened in theand afterwards services were heldJones building on Wilmette avenuein the public library.at Green Bay road but later movedto the third floor of the Brown build-In 1906 two lots were purchaseding at 1159 Wilmette avenue, whereat Prairie and Linden avenues. Thethey found a meeting place for sev-cornerstone of a frame church waseral years. Then early in Septem-laid on September 2, and the churchber, 1926, the move was made towas dedicated on November 11.the Wilmette Masonic temple atPasto1010 Central avenue. The thought ofr Richter was called toSpringfielda temple, a true home for Masonic, Mo., in 1909, and theactivities, had been uppermost infollowing year the Rev. F. W.Muellethe minds of Masons in the villager became the pastor of St.since the inception of the lodge.Johns. During his pastorate theToday members of the Wilmettepresent parsonage was built ot 406Masonic fraternity meet regularlyPrairie avenue. Illness caused himin the temple on Thursday nightsto resign in 1912.throughout the year and the lodge isSt. Johns then called the manPresent St. Johns Lutheran church, built in 1923.flourishing. Over 100 new memberswho was destined to serve it forhave been added to the membershiptroll during the past five years.Whe next 20 years the Rev. Hermansettler adds, "the area was, and. Meyer. He was installed onApriToo Woody, Wet forstill is, so heavily forested thatl 13, 1913. Within three yearsORIGIN OF SKOKIEfarming was almost impossible."the membership had more thanFarming, Land WasThe Skokie marshes, which weredoubled. During World War I, Pas-Two ditches were later dug toturned into lagoons by the Civiliantor Meyer served as a chaplain atOnly Fit for Homes!drain the area and better thisCFt. Sheridan, continuing in thatmuddy condition. The KenilworthWoonrslervation corps just prior tod War II, took their name fromcapacity"Wilmette in the good old days until the removal of U. S.ditch was dug in 1855 to lower thethe Indian word for "tremblingGeneral Hospital 28 in 1921.was really a muddy place," relatesSkokie marsh and the "Big" ditch,marsh." Extending north of GrossDamagedone old settler who has heard many by TornadoByWduiglm estotuthwest from the presentPoint and west of Winnetka, theye harbor in 1860, was tolay along the upper reaches of the that year the frame churchstories of the muddy conditions ofdrain the land south of Wilmette andthree forks of the north branch ofand its facilities had become inade-early Wilmette.west jof Ridge avenue, Evanston.the Chicago river. Early recordsquate. The public library was again"Much of the time even the fullyshow that once the marshes con-rented for Sunday school andIn 1870 the "Big" ditch was wid-tained a long and shallow lake atsocietytimbered areas were under water," purposes. The tornado ofened and deepened from Central1920he continues, "and at times it wasall seasons of the year. In dry sea- had also damaged both churchstreet, Evanston, to the lake shore.andssons, peat bogs along the edge of parsonage. A building commit-Wo ilmmaertsthy between Gross Point andNeither one of these ditches wasethe marshes would catch afire. that it was impossible totee was therefore elected to planhighly successful. The Skokie marsh,aride horseback from one village tonorth of Gross Point and west of larger church.the other."! Winnetka, was finally turned intoFIRST TO SERVEGround for the new church wasTheI lagoons by the Civilian Conservation old settler also explains thatMrs. Donald Gallie, 1115 Elmwoodbroken in April 1923, and the corner-becauseCorps in the last decade. Eventually the region was so poorlyavenue, was the first woman to -stone was laid on July 8. On Decem-drainedthe storm sewer system had to be the land was hard to culti-serve as a director of the Wilmetteber 16, the members gathered forvateinstalled to drain the region prop- and the farmers had difficul-library, holding office from 1914 tothe last time in their old churcherly.ties in plowing. "Besides," the old1923.