About St. Charles

• Preface
• Native American History
• Early Settlement
• Building a Community
• Philanthropy & Tourism

1870-1920: A Growing Community

Aftermath of the Civil War: "Mrs. May"

St. Charles experienced a stunt in growth from about 1850 to 1870 due to several factors inside and outside of town. Natural disasters, such as floods and epidemics, the Civil War, and the loss of the railroad contributed to the lack of expansion.

Spiritualists, clairvoyants, or mediums were on the increase after the end of the Civil War due to the thousands of grieving survivors trying to connect with lost loved ones. It was so much accepted, that by the 1880s, the Universalist Church in St. Charles was converted into the hub of the Spiritualist movement in Northern Illinois.

A very popular spiritualist, Caroline Howard, owned the Howard House Hotel. Mrs. Howard had long been "noted" for her psychic abilities, such as her role in the recovery of a lost corpse during the Richards Riot of 1849. The Howard House was a very lively hotel in its day and had frequent guests from all over the country. In 1871, a guest registered by the name of "Mrs. May" quickly became the talk of the town. According to local legend, "Mrs. May" was actually the grieving Mary Todd Lincoln and her purpose in St. Charles was to consult the "most noted medium," Caroline Howard. Years later in 1936, eye-witnesses retold the story and cited specific details in the St. Charles Chronicle, "When Mrs. Lincoln Came Here to Consult Most Noted Medium." The article states that:

...Mrs. Lincoln had come west to Chicago, in 1871 with her son Robert. The tragic death of her husband, and later, her son..."Tad" who died in 1871, had so broken her heart that she was ready to accept any circumstance which would put her into contact, as she believed, with her loved and lost. What contacts she made with the spirit world she made, or what comfort she received was never divulged...

The article does not explain any of the details of the trance-like state that Mrs. Howard would induce. Supposedly, she would receive messages from beyond and help to settle the minds of those who asked for help. Perhaps Abe himself sent a message through Caroline Howard to make his presence known. Unfortunately for Mrs. Lincoln, her son, Robert, institutionalized her in the Batavia Asylum shortly after the visit to St. Charles.

During her time in town, she stayed in close contact with some community members. Several families are stated as receiving mementos from Mrs. Lincoln. ...During her stay here, Mrs. Lincoln became friends with Mrs. Sarah Bunker, a daughter of Mrs. Howard and gave her a number of presents which were prized. She also made Mrs. Joel Goodell a gift which is still a prized memento in the family.
The late Geo. Minard frequently mentioned to the writer, his recollections of Mrs. Lincoln while here. His father, Ira Minard, had been in legislature and knew the Lincoln family at Springfield. He overheard his father and Mrs. Lincoln in conversation as she would stop to talk to him in front of the Minard home... Apparently, although there is no existing evidence, it is safe to say that Mrs. Lincoln did in fact visit a medium in St. Charles and did stay at the Howard House.

A Burst of New Energy

After 1870, St. Charles was rejuvenated by railroad, new industry, and more emigration. The village of St. Charles was incorporated into a city in October of 1874 and K.J. Lewis was elected the first mayor. Improvements to provide valuable community services to the people of St. Charles included telephones by the 1880s, a library by 1889, a newspaper by 1881, a new highschool (Haines) in 1898, gas mains by 1901, free mail delivery by 1904, city water mains by 1906, and city sewers in 1912.

Transportation means and methods became more widespread after the 1870s. In addition to the railroads, trolley cars, stagecoaches, boats, and horseback were used more frequently. A trolley car linking the east and west sides of town was built in 1895.

Securing a St. Charles connection with the Northwestern Railroad was the result of General Farnsworth and O.M. Butler after the close of the Civil War. By 1871, the town experienced a renewed growth and prosperity. The line was constructed at a cost of $45,000, well worth the amount in growth. The train ran as many as eight times a day in and out of the old stone station.

In 1885, a freight train line called the Chicago Great Western Railroad began to run through St. Charles on behalf of the efforts of T.E. Ryan and C.D. Wing.

In 1874, Main Street bridge "was as strong as a wooden bridge could have been," wrote Pliney Durant. However, after over thirty years of use, it collapsed in a terrifying accident on July 1, 1902. It was late morning when a northbound streetcar crossing the bridge from West to East forced the bridge to collapse. Luckily, the crash was a slow, easy drop rather than a dive. This was revealed by the fact that there were no deaths, few injuries, and little damage to the car.

Sighs of relief turned to pointing fingers and public scolding concerning the condition of the bridge prior to the accident. The Chronicle stated that the Mayor, Aldermen, and the street officials were not excused for the blame. They called the action "little short of criminal carelessness," and demanded a new bridge. A few years prior, the city had planned on replacing the old bridge but funding problems kept progress at a standstill. Because the city could not afford to replace the bridge in its entirety, the bridge was temporarily repaired to the extent that it was safe to drive on. The City Council decided to allow railway companies to bid for the construction of a new bridge. The Elgin, Aurora, and Southern Traction Company built the bridge for $12,000. The new bridge was finally paved over in 1915.

Decline of Farming-Rise of Industry

Farming changed dramatically between the early settlement of St. Charles and the turn of the century. During the middle 19th century, over 90% of the country’s men were farmers. With the invention of the McCormick Reaper in 1878, there existed a need for larger, stronger horses to pull the heavier plow. With this in mind, St. Charles gentleman Mark Dunham set out for Europe to find a breed of stronger horses to bring back to the US.

Mark Dunham brought back his Percheron horses from France to Wayne, IL and successfully bred them at Oaklawn, the largest draft horse farm in the country. By 1883, the construction of Dunham castle was completed and the family had created a legacy. The height of its success came in the next forty years, when many wealthy and famous people graced the steps of Dunham castle, which became the equivalent to a high-class European estate.

Despite the success of the famous Oaklawn Farm, farming practices plummeted between the 1890s and the early 20th century. This was due to the changes in technology making it possible for a single farm to produce more crop than ever before. As farming became less available as a career, industry grew into a major workforce for the cities and towns.

By 1896, there were over eight mills, foundries, and factories located in downtown St. Charles. Many of these industries provided the bulk of jobs for the people living in town. Creameries which produced butter and cheese were very important, providing local farmers a close place to sell their products. Foundries in St. Charles made grinding stones, pumps, windmills, and irons, and melted over 1000 tons of iron a year. Grist, flour, and saw mills provided much needed modified resources for the growth spurt during this time.

Emigration-The Need for Laborers

Emigration was on the rise as more jobs were created in town. Most of the emigration was from Eastern Europe in countries which were undergoing political and social turmoil. Each of the ethnic groups which populated the town added their own cultural flavor to the shops, stores, and recreation.

Colson's clothing store opened in 1880 and operated for 112 years. During that time, it was the main clothier for the town with fashions and bargains. It was also during this time when they hired bi-lingual clerks to help with the ethnically diverse community of St. Charles. Belgian, Lithuanian, and Swedish-speaking clerks assisted the newly emigrated citizens of St. Charles.

Between the years of 1840 to 1884 a land shortage in Belgium made emigrating to the US necessary for survival. The Belgian community came to St. Charles from Moline, IL to work in the Moline Malleable Iron Company founded in 1893. There was even a section of St. Charles called "Belgium Town" in which most of the community lived. Belgians contributed in many ways to the town, one way being the game Rolle Bolle: a cross between horseshoes and bowling. Even today, you can still play at Ray’s Evergreen Tavern.

The Lithuanian community came to St. Charles around the turn of the century as a result of persecution from their violent homeland. They primarily worked as unskilled laborers in factories. The Cable Piano factory, moved from Chicago to St. Charles in 1901, was the world's largest piano maker. At a rate of 35 per day, the factory produced fine quality pianos and piano accessories until 1937. The Piano Factory employed the bulk of the population of Lithuanians. Many of the Lithuanians in Chicago at that time were Jewish, but generally they were Christian in St. Charles. The Jewish-Lithuanians in St. Charles would have practiced at the Elgin Synagogue, which was opened in 1896. Most of the Lithuanians lived near "Belgium town."

An example of a prominent German industry in town was the cut glass factory of the Heinz Brothers. It operated from 1905 to 1927 by Richard, Emil, and Otto Heinz. The factory was known internationally for its beautiful cut glass and expert craftsmanship. Heinz Cut Glass was among the finest cut glass in the world.

The Gartner Bakery was another important part of the history of St. Charles. Joseph Gartner, a native of Germany, opened an ice cream, bakery, and restaurant in 1890. This business soon expanded into a second bakery, and then closed in mid-1900s. Gartner’s was famous for its five cent dish of ice cream and twenty-five cent Sunday chicken dinner.

History of St. Charles
The First 100 Years
Written by Jeanne Schultz-Angel
The Heritage Center

St.Charles Cares

St. Charles Supports Our Troops

Website Sponsors:

Additional Resources: