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Wilmettes 75th Anniversary 1872-1947WILMETTE LIFEGross PointSunday ClubWas Settled byStarted HereGerman Group32 Years AgoIncorporated in 1874,Met in CongregationalVillage Was Dissolved inChurch for Many Years;1923; Old Records MissingNow Includes All ShoreAs related elsewhere in this issue,The North Shore Sunday Eveningtheclub, founded by W. Frank McClure, area to the west of Ridgeroadwho has served as its president for was settled, in the 1840s, by aHOFFMANN BROTHERS used this cart and horse to deliver lumbergroup32 years, was organized in the fall of pilgrims seeking religiousabout 1900.of 1915, as the Wilmette Sunday Eve-freedom and economic opportunity.Many of them came from TrierWninilgm celtutb following a meeting at thee Womans club where Mr.(or Treves), Germany, a city whichMcClure suggested the idea of ahWahs eexisted since Roman times.Sunday evening forum. The Congre-n the township was organizedgational church was selected as ain 1850, it adopted the name of thatmeeting place because it then hadcity.the largest seating capacity.Bartholomeus Hoffmann, whoseSupported by free-will offerings,descendants are active in civic life,wathe club met at the Congregationals the leader of one such group ofchurch until November, 1935, whenimmigrants. Other settlers camethe group moved to New Trier Town-from Luxembourg.ship High school and became known* * *as the New Trier Sunday EveningIn those days the whole Northclub. In a few years it was enlargedShore area was called "Grossto take in all the territory from Chi-Point," (variously spelled Grossecago to the Wisconsin line and againPointe and Grossepoint) fromchanged its name this time, tothe point of land marking the1its present title, the North Shoresharp bend in Lake MichigansSunday Evening club. It is supportedshoreGROSS POINT HOME GUARD was organized by John J. Peters line north of Northwesterntoday by subscribers to nominallyvniversitys(standing at left) about the time of the Spanish-American war in campus.priced season tickets to cover ex-*which he served. Mr. Peters has been Wilmettes police magistratepenses only. * *Thefor a number of years. Village of Gross Point, fourthNations Great Among Speakersof the original five villages of NewTrier township, was incorporated inthe line was extended due north,In the early days the club was-1874.meeting Winnetka avenue, theassisted by Dr. Frank W. Gansaulus,Apastor of Central church, Chicago,t the first election, held thatextension of Hill road, at theyearand president of Armour Institute., Adam Bauer was chosen presi-IdentAlso appearing before the club in; Reinart Nanzig, clerk; andWndesiatenr Hill station of the Northn railway.its early years were Dr. NewellJoseph Bauer, Thomas Bohnen,* * *Dwight Hillis and Dr. S. Parkes Cad-John J. Bleser, Joseph Pasbach, andMaternuAt the time of its incorporation,man of New York. Other well-knowns Schaefer, trustees.the village had a population of*persons who have spoken or per- *about 450, and had no improve-formed for this organization haveThe territory embraced by thements other than the then-existingbeen the Hon. William Jennings Bry-village, including some laterhighways.an, Vice-President Thomas R. Mar-annexations, is now bounded byshall, the Hon. Calvin Coolidge, (thenHilThe village continued as a sep-l road, Winnetka, on thearate municipality until the votersVice - President), Jane Addams,north, the old township line atin 1919 voted to dissolve the localMaude Ballington Booth, Mrs. Theo-Central street, Evanston, on thegovernmentdore Roosevelt Jr., George Vincent,. This was done with thesouth, and *Locust road on thesaleEdgar Guest, Cornelia Otis Skinner, of the old village hall late inwest. The east boundary ran1923Gladys Swarthout, Jan Struther,.partlv alon? Ridge road; north*Gov. Harold Stassen, and many oth- of Elmwood avenue where Rid?eEarlers.y the following year anroad bends to the northwest,attempt was made to revive theAfter a Negro woman asked foreld village organization, but thepermission to come to the meetings,Sesterhennproject was defeated in a spe-the club emphasized that there Leadercial election. A few months aft-if no distinction as to color or creederwards (April, 1924), most ofof those who wish to attend. Thein Civic Affairsthe territory of Gross Pointclub is also non-sectarian. The Paul-Gangollying east of Illinois road votedist choir has entertained on threef Sesterhenn, a civic leaderoto join Wilmette. Much of thedifferent occasions and Rabbi Steph-f Gross Point, was born in thatnone of the old council minute-villagbalance was taken in, two yearsen Wise and Rabbi Louis Mann havee on April 22, 1857. Besideslater.books or other official volumes.often spoken before the group. Whenserving as vil- *Father Flanagan of Boys Town camelage clerk for anumberAs shown in a sketch elsewhere of years,Amonbefore the organization, 3000 peopleg the village presidents,Mrin this issue, small portions of thefilled the high school gymnasium. Sesterhennhowever, were Joseph Heinzen, Johnwasold village were annexed by Evans- also villageBleserand in addition 1,000 were on the, Maternus Schaefer, andoutside waiting for admittance.collectorton, Kenilworth, and Winnetka. One, schoolJohn J. Huerter.directortract, around the Indian Hill Coun- andLong after the villages along theOrganize Junior Clubclerktry club, remains unincorporated to, villagelake had voted for local liquor op-A junior Sunday Evening club,comptrollerthis day., andwation. Gross Point remained "wet".representing young people of the 17s townshipLast president of the village wasBut it wasnt a case of being aNorth Shore churches, has beenclerk from 1888Edward Zeutschel, who was re-"wide-open" town.formed, with the adult club furnish-to 1914.elected in 1919 on a platform to dis-Hsolve the village government.It was unlawful to sell either cig-ing four speakers each year.e was mar-In those days, national womensarettes or cigarette papers.Pioneers in the establishment andried to BarbaraHausensuffrage had not come into force,program of the Sunday Evening, daugh-but Illinois had granted them theter of a tailor,PARKclub have been the late Edward An- OFFICIALSderson, the late E. R. James, G. T.Nicholas Hausen,Gright to vote for a number of offices,. Sesterhennand they were given separate bal-onWSilimnceet tits organization in 1908, theHelmuth, John D. Roth, and Herberte park district has had November 14,1878B. Mulford.. Three oflots by the election clerks. The tab-three attorneys: George Hess (1909-t heCirh ricshtiialdren live in this vicinityulation of the annexation vote inThe members of the present ex-n at 2117 Wilmette avenue.I 1019 showed that a majorit1930), A. C. Wenban (1930-1934),y of theecutive committee are Mr. McClure,Nicholas in Morton Grove, and Petermeboth of whom also served at variousn were against the proposal toPaul M. Pair, William S. Nordburg,times as village attorney, andin Evanston.dissolve the village but that theHenryHenry A."Gardner, John H. Thorn- J. Brandt (since 1934). TheA member of St. Josephs church,women rolled up an overwhelmingdistrict has had only two treasurers,burn, and Benjamin Bills.Mr. Sesterhenn belonged to thetotal in favor of it.Frank J. Scheidenhelm (1909-1936)The North Shore Sunday EveningCatholic Order of Foresters and to and F. Dewey Anderson (sinceclub has achieved nation-wide atten-St. Josephs Library and Sick Bene-Only1936). Harry Hopp (1809-1930) and fragmentary records oftion, with the result that similarfit association. He died in SeptembertheL. E. Solem (since 1930) have been old village remain. A searchenterprises have been established in1815.othe secretaries of the district.f over a year has turned upmany communities.