McHenry's 'river town' heritage remembered as Country Club subdivision celebrates 80th

Away from the hustle and bustle of Route 120, past downtown McHenry, lies a thin road built for automobiles of old.

Its edges are cracked and wearing, but hold firm to its original path laid out in dirt and gravel in 1923. As a private drive decades ago, it wound through farmland to the McHenry Country Club golf course and the still-standing summer retreats of the famous names of the day.

John Road is the main artery of Country Club subdivision, a collection of bungalows and estate homes, some with roots dating to the 1920s. The history of the Country Club subdivision runs as deep as the thick bark of the oak trees dotting the landscape that slopes to the Fox River.

Those who lived that history say it must be remembered and preserved.

Communities like McHenry and other “river towns,” such as Algonquin and Fox River Grove – all easy drives from Chicago – became destinations for leisure activities, such as fishing, boating and golf.

Most of the homes occupying the Country Club subdivision bear the outline of their original constructions, but only a few remain nearly unchanged. Built in 1928, the Lilly family cottage, called “Happy Daze,” still is used as a summer home, and is owned by the same family of cousins.

Another such home is the Haack family cottage.

Built in 1935 by Lloyd and Edna Haack, the two-bedroom home bears an almost exact resemblance to its original construction. The log cabin-style home is made of cypress wood, known for its hardy composition, enduring generations of beach living.

“The house is a gem in our family,” said Peggy Haack-Neher, granddaughter of Lloyd and Edna. Peggy spent her summer vacations at the cottage during the 1950s with her parents, Ralph and Marian, and three younger siblings, Todd, Mary and Lance.

“It’s been in our family for five generations, and it has made us extremely tight-knit,” she said. “I feel so fortunate to have the family that I do.”

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Haack cottage construction – and to honor the legacies of its builders – Haack is hosting a June 20 get-together for family and friends. The invitation-only event will showcase the family home and the memories it holds.

“Our home and the memories the families from this neighborhood have capture a part of history, and we want to honor that,” Peggy said.

She remembers spending the warm days hunting for golf balls near the golf course and fishing in the river, always returning to the cottage at sunset for a family get-together of some kind. The generosity of her grandparents and parents is what has made the cottage like another member of her family, she said.

The original Country Club subdivision was designed by famous landscape architect Jens Jenson, who was responsible for many of the park designs in Chicago and Highland Park. The Country Club subdivision was one of only three such projects completed by Jenson in McHenry County.

The subdivision, and others like it in McHenry County, were borne out of more leisure time and spendable income of the newly established middle class in 1920s America.

With advances in industry and fewer Americans turning to farming careers, people found themselves willing and able to vacate city living for a few weeks.

“These homes remind us of a different time, when you never locked your doors, when everyone’s parents were your parents, when your neighbors were your family,” said Nancy Fike, a lifelong resident of Country Club and the former administrator of the McHenry County Historical Society.

Fike lived in the neighborhood during the late 1940s and 1950s. She remembers an “ideal” childhood spent swimming in the river and playing outdoors from sun-up to sunset. As long as each child arrived home in time for dinner, parents didn’t mind their absence.

She recalls her family’s friendship with the Haack family, who lived next door. The kitchen windows of both homes faced each other, allowing for many conversations between the two family matriarchs as they did the dishes.

But this idyllic scene has changed over the years. Beach bungalows, once considered luxury homes, are now dwarfed by newly erected, modern-looking mansions. Fike said she has no qualms with modernization, but maintains that history should have a place at the table when proper land-use is planned.

“History can provide knowledge upon which to make a decision,” Fike said, and this knowledge and respect for the past can prevent future tear-downs of these historic homes.

Fike said nostalgia for days gone by is only part of the importance of preservation.

Mature landscapes, affordable housing and visual diversity are also major benefits of honoring the rich history of the Country Club subdivision and others like it.