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Wilmettes 75th Anniversary 1872-1947WILMETTE LIFEEdmondPresident Zipf P. DunsheeWas Leading FigureWas Debt Eraserin Civic ActivityElected president of the village inA prominent village official after1917, Edward Zipf served four terms,ihe turn of the century was Ed-retiring in 1925. Finding the villagemond P. Dunshee. Serving as Vil-iieavily in debt, Mr. Zipf quicklylage Clerk from 1898, until his resig-established a modern accountingnation in 1903, Mr. Dunshee alsosystem for the village books, di-held the positions of Superintendentrected measures which put the mu-of Public Works and Justice of thenicipal treasury on a cash basis andPeace.Hpushed through a number of civice was Police Magistrate fromimprovements, including the laying1917 to his death, August 17, 1918.Appointeof a new water main, the purchased Village Collector and Of-of the village green site, the con-fice Manager on August 1, 1918, healsostruction of a second story on the occupied these posts until thevillage hall, and new equipment fortime of his death. In addition, Mr.Dunshee was at one time clerk ofthe fire department.the Board of Local ImprovementsandDuring his administration, the clerk of the Board of Educa-electric street-lighting system re-Thinkstion. RomanticMrplaced the old gas lamps. All these. Dunshee was born NovemberUrge8projects were handled on a cash, 1852, in Twinsburg, Ohio. At the Impelledagebasis, and upon Mr. Zipfs retire- of two he moved with his fam-ment, the village had a surplusPioneersily to a farm near Waupun, Wis., Arrival;>ndsufficient in the treasury to operate when he was 13 years old theymoved to Charles City, Iowa, wheremunicipal functions for almost a"I think my father had his eye onyear.Anhe lived, except for slight intervals,n Marie Hoffmann when he cameuntil September 1887, when he cameoverIt was during his administration from Germany with the Bar-to Wilmette.tholmeusthat the Village of Gross Point was Hoffmann family in 1844,"He attended Wayland Academyremarked Paul Nanzig when askedannexed to Wilmette in 1924, ex-at Beaver Dam, Wis., and highabout his fathers immigration totending the village limits as farschool at Charles City. He startedthis country.west as Illinois road. Also, whileWhethestudying at the Iowa Agriculturalhe was in office, in 1920, the Palmr Miss Hoffmann was thecollege at Ames, but the death ofsoleSunday tornado struck the central reason for Reinard Nanzigshis father ended his educational ca-comingbusiness district. Mr. Zipf directed to America is not known,reer.but he did marry her in 1849.the rehabilitation work.His first job in this country, ac-WDayunreing a short residence in Ft.Mr. Zipf was president of the Wil-, Ind., he met and marriedcording to his son, was with a shoe- Imette board of education from 1912makinEmerine H. Hurd. They had fourg business in Chicago. Afterchildren Estherto 1917, and it was during his term A., now Mrs. Lorinhis marriage, however, he openedA. Bower, 1216 Ashland avenue;that the Byron C. Stolp school washis own shoemaking shop in theZilpha R., who was drowned in Lakebuilt.front room of his new home at 335Michigan in 1896; Marion E., nowRidgFounder of the Zipf Brothers Coale road. (Story of historic house ia resident of Houston, Tex., andOLDEScompany in 1904, Mr. Zipf was pres-T HOUSE The oldestis found elsewhere on this page.)Robert, who now lives in Waldport,ident of the concern at the time ofhouse in Wilmette, dating backReinard Nanzig was a prominent IOre.his death, August 26, 1940, at the age98 years, is the Paul NanzigGross Point village official and heldFor the first few years of hisof 76 years. He was president ofhome at 335 Ridge road. The topseveral jobs in the township. For a Iesidence in Wilmette Mr. Dunsheethe Chicago Coal Merchants asso-picture shows the house as itnumber of years he was New Trierwas engaged in the real estate busi-ciation in 1920.ilooked in about 1909, and thetownship clerk, holding this positionness with the Drury Brothers. Helower photo as it appears today.from 1855 to 1853, 1860 to 1865, 1874was a member of the First Con-A native of Kankakee, heto 1876, and 1878 to 1882. He wasgregational church.attended Naperville college.Constructed in 1849, for Reinardtownship assessor from 1870 to 1874Nanzig and his bride, the formerand township highway commissionerMiss Ann Marie Hoffmann, thefrom 1852 to 1853.house still rests on its originalThe first village clerk, of Grossbeams. In the front room, ReinardNanziPoint, Mr. Nanzig was also one ofg conducted his shoe-makingthe three directors of the originalbusiness and maintained a postschool buard of Gross Point. He heldoffice for Gross Point settlers.the position of school clerk on thisThe upstairs was not finishedboard, of which Maternus Schaeferwhen the structure was first built.and Poler Reinart uilso townshipSince then the house has been re-highway commissioner, 1858-59) weredecorated and remodeled severalalso members.times, as can be seen in the lowerMr. Nanzig died in 1882, and Mrs.picture. The present kitchen wasNanzig in 1910.the old wood shed. The room nowused for dining was Reinard Nan-zigs living room and kitchen.Charles McDaniel WasEarly Sidewalk BuilderSpelled Towns NameCharles McDaniel, son of Alexand-Wronger McDaniel, was one of the villages But Proved aearliest carpenters. About 1890, heGoodlaid a wooden walk along Lake ave- Prognosticatornue from the railroad west to Ridgeroad. He also built walks in other"Wilmett," according to the Sun-improved sections of the village.day Times (Chicago) of May 4, 1873,These walks were always staked to"is the next station beyond Evans-the ground to prevent "floatington, and about 14 miles from theaway" in the spring.city. The major part of the town,"GROSS POINTS FIRST POST OFFICE Standing in exactly thethe article goe;_ in to report, "wassame pluce (the northeast Corner of the Paul Nanzig home. 335 Ridgeonce the property of Alexander Mc-built. Since then it has enjoyed aro;idi thai ii did about 8S years ajjo in Reinard Nanzigs shoe shopDaniel, an old ". -ishman, who stillI steady growth, and more prosper-is the old Gross Point post office. Pictured with the historic boxexercises a sort of paternal vigilanceous days are in store. A union churchare Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nanzig, son and daughter-in-law of theover the locality.is now building at a cost of $6,000,pioneer shoe-maker. Also shown is the old Gross Point ballot box,"The depot at this place is quiteand will be completed in a fewused for both school and village elections.a pretentious affair, and said to bemonths The schools are reportedthe finest on the entire line of theequal to the average.Early Gross Point settlers cameHIGHWAY OFFICIALroad. The general lay of the land"Property in bulk is valued at $500to Nanzigs shoe shop with and forPaul Nanzig, 335 Ridge road, wasis fair, and averages about 30 feetper acre, while that divided into lotsabove the lake.sells at prices ranging from $5 toWtheil rrmieattil just as pioneer settlers oftownship highway commissionere went to Alexander Me-"The town census claims 300 in-$10 a front foot, within a reasonableDanitlfrom 1902 to 1914. The street nows real estate office for mailnamed Central Park was formerlyhabitants, and the vigilant reportor-distance from the station. Thirty newservice. As village clerk and schoolial eye discerned about 60 pleasantlyhomecalled Nanzig avenue in his honor.s are now in course of con-trustee, Reinard Nanzig also usedFor 40 years Mr. Nanzig was asituated residences. The town wasi struction, and others will no doubtthe post office as a file for his of-1laid out in 1871 (1869 is the more be begun and even completed beforeficialwholesale florist until his retirement papers. i Photo by Harveyaccurate date), when the depot wasthe building season is over."Steffens)several years ago.