Passionate preservationists are preventing history from repeating itself in McHenry County, at least when it comes to preservation failures. They have formed the Joint Council of Historic Groups to exchange information about preservation projects, with the goal of learning from each other’s mistakes — and successes.
Nancy J. Fike, museum administrator of the McHenry County Historical Society in Union, co-founded the organization in fall 1996 with Gloria Mack, then a member of the McHenry County Historic Preservation Commission in Woodstock. (Mack has since moved to Wisconsin but still participates in the council.)
“We had been active in the preservation movement in McHenry County and realized that so many of the problems that were being faced in various communities were resulting from the spurt of growth that we had been experiencing out here,” Fike said. “All of our problems were similar, yet we rarely communicated with each other.”
Fike noted that in her position, she is in contact with people from many towns in the county, “but they weren’t talking to each other and . . . didn’t realize they were dealing with the same issues.”
It became apparent that a networking group could be beneficial because “the concept of historic preservation is an education issue,” according to Fike.
The council meets twice a year. “It’s very informal,” Fike said. “There are no dues or anything like that. There’s no president. It’s open to the public. Individuals can come to this and learn.”
Although any member of the organization can suggest a speaker, Fike is responsible for contacting that person and defining the issues that will be addressed at the meeting. Gail Drabant of Richmond, who serves as chairwoman of the McHenry County Historic Preservation Commission, a county board-appointed commission that administers the county preservation ordinance, helps with publicity and is responsible for mailing information to members about coming events.
Diana Kenney, chairwoman of the Dole Mansion Preservation Society in Crystal Lake, echoed Fike’s concern about isolation faced by local preservation groups.
“We’re well (informed) on other projects going on in Crystal Lake itself,” she said, “but we really knew little about what was going on throughout the rest of the county.”
Kenney, whose group is raising funds for the restoration of an 1860s Italianate structure, has attended each of the council’s three meetings. “It’s been a wonderful experience to meet people who understand the trials and tribulations that we’re going through,” she said.
Kenney also appreciates the opportunity for “sharing ideas on fundraising, sharing ideas on restoration progress, how to get volunteers, things like that.”
The gathering in February at the Algonquin Historic Village Hall was hosted by the Algonquin Historic Commission. The featured speaker was Mike Ward from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency in Springfield, who talked about the importance of local historic preservation ordinances.
Jeff Jolitz, chairman of the Algonquin Historic Commission, noted that being part of a combined group “gives us more opportunities than we would have dealing individually. For us to contact Mike Ward and have him come up from Springfield and address a group of five people is a little bit different than it is if he’s coming to address a group of 70.”
Drabant emphasized the networking, noting that one group often is trying to accomplish something already done by another group, whose members can offer advice about obstacles. For example, the Lake in the Hills Historical Society has taken advantage of that benefit in order to learn the fundamentals of preservation, according to society president Helen Jost. Jost reported that although Lake in the Hills officially has been a village for less than 50 years, residents are concerned about holding on to its history.
“Jeff Jolitz from Algonquin has come to speak to our group and help us out to learn what you go after and how you do it,” she said.
Crystal Lake also approached the Algonquin Historic Commission for help, Jolitz said. “We just went through several years of doing a very extensive historic survey of the architecture in every structure in town,” he said. “Crystal Lake wanted to do one too, so they came to us and said, `Hey, Algonquin, tell us how you did it.’ We kind of learn from each other’s mistakes and get ideas from one another.”
Mary Thennes, chairwoman of the Crystal Lake Historic Preservation Commission, has attended all three meetings. “When you get together, you get ideas from what other communities are doing,” she said. “Every community has either a harder time or an easier time than you do. You learn from each other.”
The council has taken several steps to foster communication among members, in addition to the twice-yearly gatherings. “We have now a published contact list of people,” Fike said. “And we have started putting together a list of the most endangered structures in the county.”
“Since McHenry County is really a growing area, there’s always a danger of buildings being razed to make way for new buildings and subdivisions,” said Lynn Nielsen, commissioner of the Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission, which enforces the town’s historic preservation ordinance.
Members of the council include the Algonquin Historic Commission, Cary-Grove Historical Society, Cary Cemetery Society, Crystal Lake Historic Preservation Commission, Dole Mansion Preservation Society in Crystal Lake and Crystal Lake’s Polly Crandall Questers, a group that awards plaques to people who maintain historic homes.
In addition, the Greater Harvard Historical Society, McHenry County Historical Society, McHenry County Genealogical Society, McHenry County Historic Preservation Commission, City of McHenry Landmark Commission, McHenry County Old House Support Group, Richmond Architectural Commission and Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission also belong. Individuals from the Lake in the Hills Historical Society; Hain House, a preservation project in Lake in the Hills; Village of Greenwood and Village of Huntley attend meetings. Other individuals come from Ringwood, Marengo and the Spring Grove area.
The next meeting of the joint council will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 in Cary Station Antiques and Museum, a private museum in Cary’s old firehouse at 22 Spring St. The program is still being planned.
Although exchanging information is the primary purpose of the council, co-founder Fike said there are additional benefits.
“When you work with other people who are involved in the same type of thing, you get a jolt of energy and you reinforce your commitment,” she said. “It’s a good way to keep yourself current and active and interested.”
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For more information on McHenry County’s Joint Council of Historic Groups, contact the McHenry County Historical Society at 815-923-2267.
