The purpose of the Society is the collection, interpretation, preservation, and presentation of information and objects concerning the history of Arlington Heights and its surrounding area. 

Inside this Edition

• A Note From The President

• Happenings Around Our Campus

• Since The Spring Edition

• "Society Celebrates National Ice Cream Soda Day With Help From A Local Business"

• Then and Now

• Get Involved With The Society!

• "A Trip Down Memory Lane: The History of Beverly Lanes"

• 2024 Farmers Market Update

• Museum Administrator’s Report

• Volunteer Voice

• Celebrating Our Own

• Upcoming Events

• A Deep Dive into the Dunton Post: Windmills and Outhouses

A Note From Our President: Update on our Community Development Initiative

By Anette Curtis

AHHS President

This summer has been great. This year’s ‘Community Development’ focuses on building membership and community through member events, outreach, and local partnerships. Based on Board established goals, the Operations Manager developed and is executing a well thought out community outreach plan.

· Goal #1: offer new events. The lecture and learn, Let’s Play Ball with guest speaker Bruce Allardice was held on June 13, 2024. We then partnered with Kilwins and celebrated National Ice Soda Cream Day, with free soda floats. Please stop in to Kilwins to say “Thanks”, and mention AHHS.

· Goal #2: community outreach. Daily attendance at the Farmers Market consistently reaches over 3,000 visits. Guests enjoy live music, kids’ crafts, museum exhibits and, the Saturday morning 10:30am house tours has become very popular. In addition to the market, members from the AHHS Board were out at Picnic In The Park. It was great to connect with so many families through our pop themed prize wheel.

· Goal #3: increase Market sponsorship. Currently, there are 16 local businesses that have sponsored the market, almost double from last summer. All proceeds support AHHS operations.

· Goal #4: fundraising campaign. Have you noticed the giant Pop Bottle in the Market? In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the Society running the Market, we are working toward a fundraising goal of $10,000. Through requests, raffles and games (think dunk tank) we are aiming to “fill’’ the Pop Bottle.

· Goal #5: new exhibit. On May 1, our new exhibit Lights, Pipes, and a Coffee Pot opened. This exhibit focuses on the history of our village services. Make sure to stop and check it out.

Working together to provide the community with access to our shared history, is what we are all about. I would like to introduce two new board members, Jonathan Leeb and Steve Froehlich. Both quickly became active volunteers, bringing fresh ideas and helping hands to the Board.

When asked why they joined the board, Steve responded “I joined the Historical society because I was looking to contribute to the local community in Arlington Heights. When I attended an open mic event hosted by the society, I heard the stories people had about this town. About growing up or raising a family here. I could feel how much this town meant to them, how it was an important part of their lives. I wanted to be a part of that and contribute in some small way to making it better.”

While Johnny responded “Arlington Heights has a rich history, and I look forward to joining the Arlington Heights Historical Society Board to help preserve our local heritage and assist with events that strengthen our community. Together, we can ensure that future generations appreciate the wonderful history of Arlington Heights and its surrounding areas.”

All board meetings are open to the public, the third Thursday of the month at 7:00pm, in the Arlington Room.

See you there or at the Market!!

Happenings Around The Campus

Society Celebrates National Ice Cream Soda Day With Help From A Local Business

By Maggie Sraga

AHHS Operations Manger

Then And Now

THE ARLINGTON THEATER:

The Arlington Theatre showed films from 1925 to 1984. It started off with silent films and a capacity of 450 people. After the 1962 renovation it was able to sit 1,300, and bucolic murals along with an outdoor patio were added. By the mid-1980s, larger theatres with multiple screens had become more popular. The building was knocked down in 1986, but the area was rebuilt in the 1990s into what we see today!

THE VAIL-DAVIS BUILDING

In the mid-1920s there was a building boom in Arlington Heights, and the Vail-Davis Building came to town in 1928. The Tudor style is much different than the traditional frame-style structures that were built previously. Developers thought that they could draw more businesses into town, and it was a success as the building housed a hardware store, a house decorating store, and a hair salon. Since 1996, La Tasca has been serving up Spanish food from the address.

TRAIN STATION

William Dunton convinced the Illinois and Western Railroad to reroute their rail line to cross his property, and ever since the train has been at the heart of Arlington Heights. The first station was built in 1854, and it also functioned as a depot. In 1892 the station way rebuilt with a second line. To celebrate the bicentennial a new station was built in 1976, but by 2000 it was under construction again to create the station we use today. 

Looking for ways to get involved in your Community? Get involved with the Arlington Heights Historical Society. Check out these ways to get involved!

A Trip Down Memory Lane: The History of Beverly Lanes

By Steve Froehlich

AHHS Board Member

As one of the long established businesses in Arlington Heights, Beverly Lanes’ story begins with its founding back in 1955.

1950s

1955: On August 6 Beverly Lanes had its grand opening.

Arlington Heights was in the midst of a post WWII suburban growth spurt. That growth was transforming the rural town into one of Chicago’s largest suburbs. The population was 15,000 at the time. For comparison the current population is around 75,000 (according to census.gov )

Brothers Ed and Al Sander along with Wally Schwaller bought the 16-lane facility located at 8 S. Beverly Lane. They decided to call it Beverly Lanes after the street. Bowling back then looked a bit different than it does today.

The new Beverly lanes bowling center center featured automatic AMF pinspotters and underground ball returns. In the mid-1950s such technology was truly state of the art. No pinboys were needed. Beverly Lanes was on the cutting edge of a new era of mechanization.

Manual pin setters (picture is not Arlington Heights) carefully setting up pins in between bowling rounds. These jobs were historically filled by young boys who set the pins and returned the bowling balls to the players before the invention and adoption of automated pin spotters. Pin setters were common in the earlier part of the century.

Around the time of the opening the cost to bowl at Beverly lanes was 30 cents for each game bowled. For comparison a bottle of Coke-Cola was 5 cents, the average house in Illinois was $8500 during the same time frame.

1960s and 1970s

1961: 8 new lanes were added to the facility. Lanes 1 - 16 are original 17-24 are the added lanes.

1968: Les Zikes joins the Professional Bowlers Association.

1969: Les Zikes wins his first tour title the following year at the Waukegan Open.

1970: Zikes continues his professional bowling career while overseeing operations at Beverly Lanes.

1979: Ed Sander sold ownership title to Les and Mary Cay Zikes.

The 1960s and 1970s intertwined Beverly Lanes with the Zikes family. The transfer of ownership from Ed to Les and Mary made Beverly lanes a family owned business. Something that holds true to the present day and is a point of pride for the owners. Through the success of Les Zikes in the professional bowlers association the lanes enjoyed a connection to the pinnacle of the sport. It is a relationship that will deepen over the years.

1983: Les Zikes election to the USBC (then ABC) Hall of Fame. Named among top 100 bowlers of the 20th century by Bowlers Journal Magazine

1989: installed AMF’s HPL-9000 system and thick laminated lane panels

1996: The lanes go electronic by installing AMF’s Excel 500 automatic scoring system

The 80s and 90s saw Les Zikes reach the peak of his bowling career. Beverly lanes riding that success gained a focus toward more serious bowlers and less on recreational players. The updates to the scoring system and the lanes themselves kept the overall bowling experience moving with the times.

2000s - Present

2001: Beverly lanes started hosting the PBA Senior tournament each summer.

2003: The venerable bench seating, a popular staple of bowling centers in the past, was replaced with an updated set-up of chairs, countertops and tables

The 2000s saw the new generation of Zikes children get involved in their father’s bowling tradition. Les’ son Lyle became a PBA regional bowler. Daughter Lauren was the Mid-Suburban League’s high average bowler during her high school career. Granddaughters Roxanne Brod and Cathy Kipp have each recorded sanctioned 300 games. Lyle eventually started taking on more responsibilities at Beverly Lanes. Laying the grounds for Les’ retirement.

Future

The field of bowling has changed over the last few decades toward a more recreational focus. The industry is dominated by two heavyweights, AMF and Brunswick who bolster dizzying lights and large food and beverage assortments that feel more like entertainment than sport. As a contrast to that Beverly Lanes remains focused on league play and catering to the more serious bowlers. Their lanes reflect that focus with no complicated light shows. The lanes intentionally keep the lights on and bright in your lane when you bowl ensuring plentiful light for lining up your strike.

Beverly Lanes has been an important part of the history of Arlington Heights. Their continued focus on the serious local bowlers gives them a dedicated group of players who keep coming back for more.

For anyone interested in learning more about league or recreational play, Lyle says the best way is to stop by and ask.

They are located: 8 S Beverly Ln, Arlington Heights, IL 60004

And Online: www.beverlylanes.com

2024 Farmers Market Update

A Special Thanks To Our Sponsors!

Museum Administrator’s Report

By Dan Schoeneberg

Museum's Administrator

It’s hard to believe that summer is already well under way! We’ve already welcomed many kids through our Summer History Camps, had several successful Lecture and Learn programs, and a new soda order come in! As we look ahead, there’s even move exciting things on the horizon! Our summer campers are getting ready for more learning, growing, and having fun with such themed camps as Soda Pop, History Apprentice: Dirty Jobs, Adventures in Art, Pioneer Adventures, Hometown History, and so much more!

We continue to grow our Hands On History Program, with fun activities happening every Saturday on our grounds during Farmer’s Market. You can try your hand at making a corn husk doll, candle, or try your hand at pioneer chores, or games!

Be sure to come on out to the Museum August 9 and 10th when the Arlington Heights Park District hosts not one, but three events in one weekend! In two days Irish Fest, Heritage Fest, and BBQ, Bands and Brews! Bring family and friends for food, fun, music, culture, art, and BBQ!

September will bring cooler weather, changing seasons, along with fun and events. Keep an eye out for a Doll Tea at the Museum, and exciting Lecture and Learn with the Memorial Library’s own Eddie Kristan who will be discussing the history of the Library and its impact on our village. We have activities for wee historians to learn about the past as well, with our Mini Historians program, and also Please Touch! This new program invites historians to get their hands on objects from the past, with staff encouraging the use of all five senses to experience history! Keep an eye out on our website, and in the Arlington Heights Park District Program guide for more information!



Thank you for your continued support of our efforts to collect, preserve, and share the stories of the history of Arlington Heights. We’re always happy to see you, our members, come out for a tour, a shared memory, or just a quick hello!

Volunteer Voice

Featuring Pat Fadz

This summer edition features volunteer Pat Fadz. Pat started volunteering with the Society in 2009. Over the years she has worn many hats while supporting the Museum. She has been a tour guide, helps at special events. and most recently has joined the Farmers Market set up crew. Thank you Pat for all you do for the AHHS!

Celebrating Our Own

Last month, we had a very special visitor join us at the Museum. Dale Peart, the great grandson of F.W Muller, celebrated his 94th birthday in a place that is very special to him. Dale and his family members joined the Museum staff on a tour of our historic homes and ended their afternoon with a birthday party complete with Arlington Club Soda. 

While here, Dale shared stories and memories of coming to visit family at the Muller and Banta home. After walking into the Muller home he said, “ It feels like my aunts, Addy and Marie, still live here”.  Dale also shared that at a young age his dad came to work at the pop factory so that we could be in eye sight of his future wife, Genevieve ( F.W. Muller’s granddaughter).

Thank you the Peart family for keeping the history of our campus alive. We were honored that you chose to celebrate this important family memory with us. Happy birthday, Dale! The Arlington Heights Historical Society wishes you many more years of happiness and health.

Upcoming Events

Windmills and Outhouses

By Margot Stimely, December 1995

Many of the lots in the older sections of Arlington Heights are quite deep to make room for the necessary outbuildings for chickens, pigs, horses, farm tools and wells.

Most houses had a “necessary” out back, and a few had windmills to pump water from the wells.

Mr. John Burkitt, Sr. erected most of the windmills in this part of the country. Unfortunately, there is no information about how many he built or where they were.

F. W. Müller’s Pop factory at Vail and Fremont streets needed a large supply of water, so in addition to the windmill behind the house, there was also a storage tower. The windmill now on the Museum property is an Aermotor. The company which made it was founded in Chicago in 1888 and remained until 1958 when part of the operation was moved to Argentina. There the mills were manufactured until 1981. The Museum’s model was made in Conway, Arkansas by Braden Industries, a division of Aermotor company.

At 506 N. Dunton, the Bray/Whipple house, built in 1896 had water lifted from a well at the south side of the barn and pumped to the 2nd floor of the house by a gasoline engine.

In 1865 James Shirra’s grist mill at the northwest corner of Wing street and State road was powered by a windmill mounted on the roof of the building.

A windmill provided the power to supply water for the trams stopping at the station and to water for the plantings in the parks nearby. In 1895 the fire department purchased a windmill for water power.

On the farms, windmills provided power for sawing wood as well as pumping water for the animals.

Outhouse, privy, Chic Sale, biffie, Mrs. Jones, Johnnie, comfort station, latrine - by what ever name they were called they were a common sight in early Arlington Heights. Usually located as far from the house as possible, they came in many variations: one-holer, two-holer and often with one seat, place low for the children, with a low window, so they could see out. The Architecture sometimes followed that of the house but more often it was a plain, utilitarian building, hidden behind a lilac bush. Some were wallpapered, curtained and provided with reading material. At one time a crescent cut into the door designated the building reserved for ladies. A star was for gentlemen.

These structures were called “character builders” because the tisers had to endure wasps and spiders, bitter cold and splinters

.

They even inspired poetry. James Whitcomb Riley wrote The Passing of the Old Backhouse. It begins :

When memory keeps me company

and moves to smiles or tears,

A weather beaten object looms

through the mist of years,

Behind the house and barn it stood,

a half mile or more-

And hurrying feet a path bad made,

straight to its swinging door.

A little book was published in 1929. Titled The Specialist, it was filled with advice on where to locate the “necessary”, how to dig the hole under it – “It’s a mighty sight better to have a little privy over a big hole than a big privy over a little hole”, why it’s better to have the door swing inward – “In case someone”s comin’ you can swing it shut with your foot”, and why it’s practical to paint the building bright red with white trimming – “so you can spot ‘er easy at night when you ain’t got much time to go scoutin’-around.” The author was Charles (Chic) Sale.



The outhouses are gone from Arlington Heights yards and it’s doubtful if anyone who ever had to use them would care to return to the time when they were the best facility to be had.

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