The History of Prince Castle Ice Cream Shops (1931-1954) and Cock Robin, (1954-2008).

Prince Castle

A boy points to a billboard touting the One In A Million milkshakes sold at the Price Castle ice cream shop in Naperville, which later became Cock Robin.

Quite a bit of ice cream was once produced in Naperville and enjoyed at the Prince Castle/Cock Robin shops found in Chicago-area communities.

Childhood friends Walter Fredenhagen and Earl Prince formed a partnership more than 90 years ago when they decided to try their hand at selling ice cream directly to customers rather than selling what they produced to other shops.

Each had experience in the business. Fredenhagen — a Downers Grove native with a law degree from Northwestern University — owned an ice cream plant called Frozen Gold in Naperville. Castle’s ice cream plant was in Rushville.

1931, the pair joined forces to open a Prince Castle ice cream store chain. Naperville was the first, followed by Downers Grove, LaGrange, Glen Ellyn, and Elmhurst locations.

Four employees of the first Prince Castle ice cream shop in Naperville, (Left to Right) Jo (Pickell) Weymouth, Elaine (Auner) Schum, Lois Johnson, “Vange” (Whitehead) Gieske, eating cones in front of the Washington Street business in 1931. The photo was provided to the Chicago Tribune in 1999 by Rita Harvard, daughter of Walter Fredenhagen, who co-founded the ice cream store chain.

As befitted the name, the design of the shops made them look like small castles, and with a nod to the changing modes of transportation, each had a parking lot.

The partners then formed two separate chains using the same name. Prince’s operations were south of Chicago, while Fredenhagen’s shops were north and west of the city.

Walter’s wife, Grace, oversaw the selection and training of managers and had supervisory responsibilities.

With ice cream being a seasonal food, they added hamburgers and fries to the menu in the 1940s.

Ice cream was produced at a factory at 38 W. Chicago Avenue in Naperville using cream delivered by tanker trucks from dairy farms in Wisconsin. The sauces for sundaes were made with fresh fruit and shipped from Washington state.

The meat processing plant making the company’s “Castleburgers” was located in Naperville at 36 East Fifth Avenue.

Innovations included ice cream cabinets, square ice cream containers, and square-shaped ice cream scoops. The partners invented and patented the Multi-Mixer device, the first used to make malted milkshakes, powered by a one-third horsepower motor.

The square-shaped ice cream scoops were used by Prince Castle and later Cock Robin. The top of the cones were square to snugly hold a scoop of square ice cream. The double scoop cone was a side-by-side square shape.

It produced the “One In A Million” malted milkshake, which they made with a patented formula so thick that its claim to fame was it nearly clogged the straw.

Ray Kroc, who would go on to found McDonald’s, once sold Multi-Mixers out of the Prince Castle’s sales division in Chicago. Fredenhagen and Prince trained Kroc in the business.

At its height, there were more than 20 Prince Castle ice cream shops around the Chicago area. The company sold more than one million gallons of ice cream each year, and there were recipes for 100 flavors.

For a while, the company was the second-largest employer in Naperville.

The partnership between Fredenhagen and Prince came to an end in 1954. Fredenhagen changed the name of his shops to Cock Robin in 1955, creating the motto: “Cock Robin: Where Memories are Made.”

Eventually, the castle style of Fredenhagen’s shops gave way to a more modern look. The makeover of the Naperville store on Washington Street took place in 1967.

In 1980, there was a shift in the Cock Robin business model. Store managers became dealers, leasing their stores and buying their products from the company.

Fredenhagen retired in 1985 after he sold the ice cream business to Petersen Ice Cream.

The last of three Naperville stores closed on Washington Street in 2000. Walter Fredenhagen’s children, Ted Fredenhagen and Rita Harvard sold the land on which it sat to the city for $10 with one proviso to be used as part of the Riverwalk. Fredenhagen Park was dedicated in May 2004.

As for Naperville’s signature Cock Robin sign — the one featuring a robin dressed in a top hat and tuxedo — it can be seen on a wall in the beer garden of Irish Times, 8869 Burlington Avenue , just west of the former Cock Robin location.

COCK ROBIN

Skokie Boulevard, a couple of blocks north of Oakton Street, Skokie, IL.
This was my local Cock Robin Store. 

For a long time mentioning Cock Robin ice cream brings back days when ice cream cones cost 12¢ and lines wound out the door and around the building on hot summer nights.

After a date at the movies, a couple would go to Prince Castle and buy a pint of ice cream with two spoons or the signature One in a Million, the first thick shake of its kind. “We would take our dates down to the theater and have a sundae or soda after that, and then walk up to the girls dorms before their 10 o’clock curfew,” said Jack Koten, 70, of Barrington, who was a student at Naperville’s North Central College in the late 1940s.

After nearly 70 years of serving square-dipped ice creams and malted milkshakes, Naperville’s Cock Robin, home of the original Prince Castle store and ice cream factory, closed its doors.

In a deal struck with the city, the land where the Cock Robin store and the original creamery stand were gifted to the City of Naperville in October 2000.

The store and creamery will be razed and replaced with Fredenhagen Park on the 1-acre site along Washington Street just north of the Riverwalk.

A visitors center, with an area recalling the history of Cock Robin, is proposed for the site.

Nearly everyone who grew up in Naperville, it seems, remembers going to Prince Castle and later Cock Robin.

“My cousin lived right next door on Ellsworth Street. In the summertime at night, we would walk down Washington Street to get ice cream,” said Ruth Hageman, 70, a life-long resident of Naperville who was a waitress at Prince Castle as a teenager and young adult.

“You had regular customers, and you almost knew what they were going to order,” Hageman said.

Koten said that three or four times a week, he walked down the hill from the college with his roommate to get a pint or quart of ice cream as a late-night study break.

“I had never gone to an ice cream place with so many different flavors,” Koten said. “A pint or quart was in a square box. It was just sort of a novelty. We could have a different flavor every night for a month.”

The ice cream was made from scratch in the brick creamery behind the store for years. In addition to the standards, there would be cinnamon- or pumpkin-flavored concoctions, depending on the season, said Rita Harvard, 70, daughter of the store’s founders, Walter and Grace Fredenhagen.

In the late 1920s, Walter Fredenhagen teamed with a boyhood friend, Earl Prince, with an idea to manufacture ice cream.

“It was rather innovative,” Harvard said. “In those days, no one manufactured the ice cream and then sold it.”

Both opened 25 stores in the Chicago area and shared the limestone castle design of the shops and the ice cream formulas. Fredenhagen’s first Prince Castle store opened in Naperville in 1931.

Everything was homemade. Fredenhagen opened a dairy nearby to pasteurize the milk for the ice cream. Chocolate was bought from Holland to make the hot fudge, and Harvard said that Fredenhagen’s daughter Jeanne Moen ran a strawberry farm in Seattle and shipped the fruit to Naperville for the ice cream and toppings.

Fredenhagen bought a factory in Downers Grove to efficiently construct square ice cream cans that fit snugly in the store’s display cases.

When the partnership with the Prince family split during the 1950s, Fredenhagen renamed his stores Cock Robin and his son Ted took over the business. Over time, the family stopped making their own ice cream.

The last Cock Robin store was in Brookfield and closed in 2008

After Fredenhagen died in 1993, the family left the ice cream business. The remaining Cock Robin stores–in Brookfield, Melrose Park, River Grove, and Wheaton–were sold over the last decade.

CLICK TO READ THE 1852 STORY.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

What Happened to all the Alewives in Lake Michigan?

Alewives are small fish native to saltwater but migrate to freshwater rivers and streams to spawn. They are also called River Herring, Sawbelly, Gaspereau, and Kyak. Alewives are a type of herring similar to Atlantic herring and are a good source of protein and omega-3s.

Small Alewive (Herrings) Quickly Grow to Maturity.

Alewives, a non-native species, entered the Great Lakes through canals, lacking natural predators, allowing their numbers to explode.

In the 1960s, the government began a program to restore the balance of the Great Lakes ecosystem. With the intentional introduction of predators to control the exploding alewife population, non-native salmon species like Coho and Chinook were introduced into the Great Lakes. These salmon preyed heavily on alewives, bringing their numbers down significantly.

Alewives primarily fed on zooplankton. A reduction of zooplankton populations in Lake Michigan due to invasive zebra and quagga mussels also contributed to their decline by limiting their food supply.

Eventually, the alewife population reached a more balanced level within the Lake Michigan ecosystem. While die-offs still can occur, they are far less frequent and much smaller than the massive beaching events of the 1950s through the 60s.

Alewives are sensitive to sudden temperature changes. Cold weather snaps following warmer periods could shock massive numbers of fish, leading to die-offs. 

Thousands of alewives cover a beach near downtown Chicago after being washed ashore by Easterly winds. Migrants from salt water, the fish pack Lake Michigan. After they spawn, they die. Chicago Park District crews have the messy, smelly job of clearing the beaches and freshening the air.

The sheer vastness of their population meant that these die-offs resulted in millions of dead fish washing ashore, creating a foul-smelling mess on Chicago's beaches.

Alewives are still present in the Great Lakes but in much lower numbers.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The New Cook County Flag, Explained. (2021)

In celebration and recognition of the 190th anniversary (2021) of the founding of Cook County, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to create a contest to redesign Cook County's flag in December 2019.

The Flag Advisory Panel received nearly 300 submissions from students at 40 schools throughout Cook County and narrowed the field to 25 semifinalist teams in 2020.

The top 25 semifinalist teams were selected by an appointed Flag Advisory Panel. In December 2020, semifinalist teams were paired with volunteer professional design mentors to clarify and refine the students' artwork, symbolism, and descriptions. The Flag Advisory Panel selected the top six finalist flag designs based on composition and representation in July 2021. 

The "I Will" flag, designed by Drew Duffy and Martin Burciaga, has been named the official new flag of Cook County. It's a representation of our lands, culture, history, and the core values that bring us together — different from a depiction of the physical boundaries that separate. The flag ensures that we reflect on the past while focusing on what we will build moving forward and continue striving to make the best County we can.

Looks Great!

The "I Will" Cook County flag. Blue symbolizes the County's great lake and rivers, green for natural lands and riverbanks, red for social change, and the blank canvas of white for the innovation that has thrived and is to come. 

The central "Y" shape highlights the regional rivers joining at Wolf Point while harkening back to the original County Seal, and the "Y" symbol of the municipal device of Chicago is used throughout Chicago to promote pride in the city.

Each of the seven points on the star represents each County region, the city of Chicago, and the Forest Preserves, which join together to symbolize residents' unity. The six stars represent six foundational moments marking who we are. The founding of Cook County. Our commitment to health care through the founding of Cook County Hospitals Stroger and Provident. Defeating disparities through the founding of the Cook County Department of Public Health. The preservation of national lands through the founding of the Cook County Forest Preserves. Cook County's historic efforts in family and juvenile justice reform and local business partnerships.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Scam email about Mammoth and Mastodon Ivory Sales in Illinois.

I'm writing this article, which includes a screen capture of the email below I received as a preemptive warning to Illinois residents and readers from other states.

With the poor spelling and bad English, it is most likely a scam.

Paleo-Indian artifacts are the remnants of tools, weapons, and other objects left behind by the first humans known to inhabit North America, dating from roughly 15,000 to 7,000 years ago. These fascinating objects offer invaluable insights into the lives and technologies of these early peoples despite the challenges of studying such ancient remains.

Mammoths were bigger and heavier compared to their predecessors, the mastodons, and closer in appearance and constitution to elephants today. Mastodons had cusps (grinding bumps) on their molars, which mainly distinguished them from mammoths and elephants with ridged molars.

There's currently no definitive evidence that Paleo-Indians in North America carved mammoth and mastodon ivory as artworks. While some tools and utilitarian objects made from ivory have been found, they lack clear artistic intent or decoration.

Types of artifacts:

Stone tools: These are the most common artifact type, as stone was readily available and durable. Tools include:

Clovis points: Large, lance-shaped spear points with distinctive flutes (grooves) running down the base are iconic symbols of the period.

Other projectile points: Different styles like Folsom, Scottsbluff, and Dalton points reveal regional variations and adaptation to changing environments.

Scraper tools: Used for processing hides, wood, and other materials.

Knives and blades: Employed for cutting and slicing tasks.

Non-stone artifacts: While less common, these offer valuable glimpses into other aspects of life:

Bone tools: Awls, needles, and ornaments made from animal bones suggest various practical and symbolic uses.

Fire hearths and cooking features: Evidence of controlled fire use, crucial for warmth, cooking, and toolmaking.

Rock art and engravings: Rare but potentially offering insights into spiritual beliefs and communication.

Several states have banned the sale of all "Ivory," meaning any tooth or tusk composed of ivory from any animal, including mammoths and mastodons. As of 2024, these states include ILLINOIS, California, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oregon, and Hawaii. Other states may restrict the sale of ivory depending on the item's age, origin, and value.

Since the sale of ivory in Illinois is illegal, reporting it is crucial to protect endangered elephant populations and combat wildlife trafficking. 

Illinois General Assembly: 815 ILCS 357/ Animal Parts and Products Ban Act.

Here are some resources to report the sale:

1. Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR):

Online Reporting: You can file a complaint online through the IDNR's Turn in Poachers Website: https://dnr.illinois.gov/lawenforcement/target-poachers.html

Phone: You can call the IDNR's Conservation Police hotline at 1-800-252-8934.

2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS):

Online Reporting: You can file a report through the USFWS's National Wildlife Service Tip Line: https://www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips

Phone: You can call the USFWS's Division of Law Enforcement at 1-800-847-7353.

3. Wildlife Crime Stoppers:

Online Reporting: You can submit an anonymous tip through Wildlife Crime Stoppers' Website: https://wildlifecrimestoppers.org/contact-us/

Phone: You can call Wildlife Crime Stoppers at 1-800-642-WILD (9453).

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

A Brief History of Alphonse Francis “Sonny” Capone Jr.

Alphonse Francis “Sonny” Capone Jr. was born December 4, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Al Capone and Mary "Mae" Josephine Coughlin with congenital syphilis, a serious mastoid infection, passed on from Al. He survived the required brain surgery for the disease but was left partially deaf.

Sonny Jr. did not share his father's first name. His full name was Albert Francis Capone.

Al Capone had money, power, and prestige in Chicago, New York, and Miami. He sent his son to the best schools available, among them Saint Patrick’s High School in Miami. 

Sonny in 1934

There, Sonny befriended a young Cuban expatriate by the name of Desiderio Alberto Arnaz and graduated in 1937. Arnaz was the bandleader and I Love Lucy star and creator who later gained lasting fame as Desi Arnaz. 

Sonny attended the University of Notre Dame but eventually completed his studies and obtained his degree at the University of Miami. Sonny maintained a simple life after completing his schooling.

After attending the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Sonny Capone transferred to the University of Miami, earning his bachelor's degree from the institution in 1941. In one of his first big career choices, he found he couldn't escape the criminal element entirely. While working as a used car salesman in Florida, he found out his boss was changing the numbers on vehicles' odometers, a seedy and illegal practice. So, Sonny quit and switched gears to printing, where he served as an apprentice before deciding on a couple more profession changes. In addition to trying tire distribution, the younger Capone ran a restaurant in Miami with his mother. According to Capone: The Man and His Era, Sonny attempted to use his underworld connections to secure a loan, asking the Chicago "Outfit" for $24,000 to expand the business. It refused.

He had four daughters with Diane Ruth Casey, whom he married in 1941. Veronica, Teresa, Barbara, and Patricia Capone-Brown. Diane and Sonny divorced in July 1964, and Sonny remarried twice. Albert was married to a woman named America "Amie" Francis. It is not sure if it was his second or third wife, but she was listed in his daughters' obituary as step mother. We assume she was his third wife.

Mae Coughlin and her son, Albert Francis Capone, purchased Ted's Grotto in Miami in 1956.

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Ted's Grotto started in the 1940s as a small, unassuming diner on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami by its namesake, Ted Bowers. Ted's Grotto became a regular hang-out for Entertainers like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Judy Garland. They'd swing by after their gigs at the Fontainebleau or the Eden Roc hotels, drawn by the intimate atmosphere and enjoying a good time. The Grotto wasn't just for entertainers, though. Politicians, athletes, and yes, even mobsters rubbed shoulders at its red booths, creating a unique Miami cocktail of glitz and grit. Ted's Grotto's reign as Miami's hottest spot didn't last forever. By the late 1960s, the city's nightlife scene had shifted, and the Grotto began to lose its luster. The restaurant closed its doors in the early 1970s, leaving a legacy of good food, music, and even better memories.

Mae Coughlin and Sonny injected Ted's Grotto with a much-needed dose of glamour. The restaurant expanded, the soup and sandwich menu got much fancier (Oysters Rockefeller, Lobster Thermidor, Tournedos Rossini, Steak Diane, Baked Alaska, and Crêpes Suzette), and the clientele shifted towards celebrities and socialites. 

On August 7, 1965, Albert Francis Capone was nabbed by the police for a petty crime. A store clerk from the Kwik Chek market in North Miami Beach caught him pocketing two bottles of aspirin and some batteries worth $3.50 ($30.60 today). from the Kwik Chek market in North Miami Beach. "Everybody has a little larceny in them," Sonny quipped upon his arrest. He pleaded no contest to the charge of shoplifting and was sentenced to two years' probation. 

When he went before a judge, he got two years of probation but shrugged off his crime by saying to the judge that “everybody has a little larceny in them.”

Following his arrest, he changed his name to Albert Francis Brown in 1966. According to his lawyer, Sonny Capone did so because he was “just sick and tired of fighting the name.”

On July 8, 2004, Albert Francis Capone died in the tiny California town of Auburn Lake Trails. His wife, America “Amie” Francis, told a reporter that Albert Francis Capone was much more than his family name.

“Al Capone has been dead a long time,” she said. “His son had nothing to do with him. Let him rest in peace, for crying out loud. He suffered enough in his life for being who he was.”

After changing his name, Albert Francis Capone, aka Sonny Capone, aka Albert Francis Brown, lived a quiet, law-abiding life. He married three times and is survived by numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The Tunnels of Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), Chicago, Illinois.

NEIU HISTORY
The University traces its history to Chicago Teachers College (now Chicago State University), which, as Cook County Normal School, was founded in 1867 to train elementary and high school teachers. The Chicago Teachers College (CTC) established the Chicago Teachers College (North Side) branch in 1949. The school relocated to the present site at North Park, Chicago, in 1961 and changed its name in 1965 to Illinois Teachers' College: Chicago North, when control of CTC passed into the hands of the State of Illinois.

In 1967, the Illinois Legislature acted to remove the title of "teachers college" from all state colleges and universities, and the college became Northeastern Illinois State College.

Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 North St. Louis Avenue, North Park Community, Chicago, Illinois.

In 1971, the school became Northeastern Illinois University after it was granted university status and was given a mandate by the Illinois Legislature "to offer such courses of instruction as shall best serve to qualify teachers for the schools of the State; and to offer such other courses of instruction, conduct such research and offer such public services as are prescribed by the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities or its successor."

In January 1996, Northeastern Illinois University established its own board of trustees.

THE TUNNELS OF NEIU

The basement tunnels that connect Lech Walesa Hall to the Student Union and other buildings on campus make traveling easier at NEIU. Students and staff can access specific tunnels to skip the cold walks between buildings.

Discovering the tunnel connecting Lech Walesa Hall (LWH) to the cafeteria took half a semester. The first time we attempted to go through the entrance, we turned right back around. We'll admit to being afraid of walking through the unknown space and getting in "trouble."

A Tunnel at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), Chicago, Illinois.

One occasion, we saw a group of students walking to the tunnel entrance. We were very blatantly following them. Despite this, our curiosity to discover where the tunnel led was stronger.

The offices and lounge area became apparent in the distance when we reached the first crossroad. It was like we had discovered another world. The cafeteria came into view as we walked and passed the second crossroad.

Since then, using the tunnel between LWH and the cafeteria has become a part of our daily routine.

The best way to travel through the tunnels is with an expert or a buddy. Our expert, Catherine Duffy, NEIU's Program Administrative Assistant, was more than willing to give us a tour of the tunnels. We met Duffy while walking through the tunnel closest to the cafeteria and into the Office of Student Employment hall.

We also met Beverly Projansky, Staff Clerk in the Office of Student Employment. Projansky, an NEIU alumna from the graduating class of 2000, recalled the blizzard of '99. "It was great for students if you figured out the tunnels," she said. "You would cross from Lech Walesa Hall through the Student Union to avoid going out."

Most students have become familiar with the shortcut during the harsh winter months.

Duffy walked us through the LWH tunnels leading into the cafeteria. The first connection is uninterrupted until you reach the first crossroad. On the left, you will see a short hallway with some organization offices; on the right, you'll see the maintenance hall. "It's not a good idea to mess around in the tunnels. Even contractors get lost," said Duffy.

If you continue straight, the Student Health Services office is on the right, and the leadership and organization offices are on the left. The lounge is just ahead, and more student organizations and media offices are tucked inside.

Although most tunnels contain storage and electrical rooms, Duffy gave us helpful hints. From the basement of Building C, students can ascend the building by taking the elevator or going up the stairs. "The elevator stops working after 5:00 PM," said Duffy. "And there is a receptionist on every floor."

The opposing tunnel of the Office of Student Employment holds the mailroom, shipping and receiving center and the Production Technical Services. On the first floor, you would find yourself in buildings E and F near the Art Gallery outside FA and by the Stage Center Theatre.

Students Erica Vergara and Jennifer Alvarez visited NEIU before their admittance.

"I knew about the tunnels since high school," said Alvarez of her past high school visits to the University.

Walking through the tunnels is quite the experience. You'll notice a change in temperature and tunnels that become narrow from protruding vents. If you travel through the tunnels, notice the signs outside doors and hallways. Signs that read "Authorized Personnel Only" should be respected.

The tunnels are convenient to those who already use them, so become acquainted with the tunnel system, save time, and follow them.

By Natalie Sanchez and Viviana Serrano

OTHER PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL SYSTEMS

University of Minnesota: named the Gopher Way. The University's tunnel system began in the 1920s when the first one connected the Nolte Center and Northrop Auditorium. SEE MAP. 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Their tunnel system, officially established in 1954, is extensive and well-documented, connecting many campus buildings.

Purdue University: Their tunnel system, developed primarily in the 1960s, became integral to campus connectivity and even includes a "tunnel tour" program.

University of Massachusetts Amherst: Construction of their tunnel system began in the early 1960s, expanding over time and becoming a prominent feature of campus life.

Chicago Pedway: The Loop's Underground Pedestrian System began in 1951.

https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-pedway-chicagos-loop-underground.html

Edited by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Solomon Miller's Kosher Mulligan Stew Recipe, the first Jewish Scoutmaster in America.

I first tasted Miller's Kosher Mulligan Stew at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, in the mid-1970s, during one of many weekend trips with my Sunday school. You'll love it too!

The First Jewish Boy Scoutmaster and Troop was in Chicago, Illinois, (1920).

Mulligan's stew recipe is a Kosher Irish Beef Stew adaptation. Initially, the ingredients were added into a large coffee tin and heated over a fire to cook it. Mulligan stew ingredients varied depending on what was available. Feel free to substitute vegetables. If you add more vegetables — add more stock.

SOL'S KOSHER CAMPFIRE MULLIGAN STEW RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons oil

3 pounds cubed kosher beef OR 2½ pounds cut-up kosher boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 peeled and small diced yellow onions

128 ounces of kosher beef stock (4 x 32oz liquid boxes or equivalent ounces in powder form)

7 peeled sliced large carrots

7 medium celery stalks, sliced

1 pound trimmed green beans

4 pounds peeled and "large diced" russet potatoes

3 cups corn kernels

2 cups white or red beans or a mix

3 cans of 15oz or 1 x 28oz + 1 x 15 oz cans crushed tomatoes

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

reminder

Beef broth may contain a lot of salt. Make it from scratch or shop accordingly.

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of oil and cook the beef until browned OR Chicken until browned and cooked through, which takes about 4-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions to the pot and brown over medium-low heat while stirring every 1-2 minutes, which takes about 10 minutes.

Add the cooked beef or chicken back into the pot along with the beef stock and cook for 30 minutes over medium heat to help tenderize the meats.

Place in the carrots, celery, green beans, potatoes, corn, beans, and tomatoes and cook for 20-25 minutes over medium-low heat or until tender.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Finish with parsley.

Serve with a crusty French or Italian bread.

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I you make Miller's Kosher Mulligan Stew, please return and comment on this article.

Courtesy of Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Al Capone's Police Photo from New York City, December 26, 1925. The real story.

Twenty-six-year-old Al Capone's primary reason for being in New York was to bring his son, Albert "Sonny" Capone, to a specialist for a critical medical procedure. Sonny was suffering from a mastoid infection that threatened his life. The operation, thankfully, was successful and saved Sonny's life, although it left him partially deaf.

While Sonny was recovering, Capone took the opportunity to socialize and visit old haunts. He ended up at the Adonis Social Club in Brooklyn, a speakeasy with ties to his former boss, Frankie Yale. During the early hours of December 26, a violent altercation broke out involving the infamous Irish mobster Richard "Pegleg" Lonergan. Lonergan was shot and killed, along with two of his associates, in what some believe was a planned hit orchestrated by Yale and potentially carried out with Capone's involvement.

Following the Adonis Social Club incident, Capone was briefly detained by the New York Police Department. This was likely due to his proximity to the crime scene and his high-profile status. While in police custody, he was photographed as part of a lineup procedure, a standard practice for identifying suspects.

It's important to note that the exact details of the Adonis Social Club incident and Capone's role in it remain shrouded in some mystery. He was never officially charged with Lonergan's murder, but the incident undoubtedly added to his notoriety and cemented his image as a ruthless and powerful mob boss.

Copyright © 2024 Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Hope Shines in Chicago Amidst the Great Depression's Shadow.

Christmas in 1930s Chicago during the Great Depression starkly contrasted with today's festive holiday. The Windy City, once a bustling industry hub, was gripped by the harsh realities of economic hardship. Unemployment hovered around 50%, breadlines snaked around city blocks, soup kitchens overflowed, and families huddled in cramped, unheated apartments. Yet, amidst the despair, flickers of hope and resilience illuminated the season.

Chicago men wait in a soup line during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Christmas, in its essence, is a celebration of hope. And in the bleakest days of the Depression, that hope was more precious than ever. It was the hope for a better tomorrow, a job, a warm meal, a future where families could be together again.

A City of Contradictions:

Glittering department stores on Michigan Avenue displayed lavish Christmas wares, a cruel reminder of the unobtainable for many. Meanwhile, soup kitchens overflowed, and makeshift shelters emerged in abandoned buildings.

People rallied for jobs and in support of unions in Chicago in 1930.

Christmas spirit, however, refused to be extinguished. Families decorated trees with handmade ornaments crafted from paper chains, popcorn strings, and painted pinecones. Homemade carols filled the air, sung by carolers bundled in threadbare coats.

The hardships fostered a sense of community. Neighbors shared meager meals, bartered skills for goods, and organized charity drives. Churches, Synagogues, and charitable organizations became lifelines, offering food, shelter, and a sense of shared humanity.

Mayor William Hale Thompson posed next to baskets of Christmas cheer for the poor at Polk Street and Marshfield Avenue in December 1930. The baskets were donated by Joseph Savage and the 25th Ward Republican Club.

Gifts of a Different Kind:

With jobs scarce, time became a precious commodity. Families cherished moments spent together, playing games by candlelight, sharing stories, and listening to the radio.

Necessity became the mother of invention. Broken toys were mended, clothes were patched, and discarded materials were transformed into Christmas decorations and gifts.

Christmas, above all, offered a glimmer of hope. Despite the bleak present, people clung to the belief that better times were on the horizon. They sang carols of joy, prayed for brighter days, and held onto the promise of a new year.

The Christmas of 1930s Chicago was a testament to the human spirit's enduring strength. In the face of unimaginable hardship, Chicagoans found ways to celebrate, connect, and hold onto hope. Their story is a reminder that even in the darkest times, the light of compassion, creativity, and community can find a way to shine through.

Copyright © 2023 Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

The Great Kiss-Off at Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, Illinois. 1974

June 8, 1974, the rock group KISS made an appearance at the Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg, Illinois, to promote the “Great KISS Off” kissing competition.

The contest began June 8 at noon, with 11 couples from across the country competing. These couples had already participated in a preliminary round for radio stations near their homes and were ready to win the big prize. At stake was an eight-day cruise to Acapulco and a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

After more than 114 hours, Woodfield Mall finally had a winning couple. Vinnie Torro and Louise Heath, the kissing couple, successfully locked lips as part of the Great Kiss Off of 1974—and the rock band KISS, for whom the event was named, was happy to play their part.

Each couple was given a five-minute break every hour. They were also incentivized with a big kickoff for the event led by WCFL’s superjock, Larry Lujack. 

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The Legacy of Chicagoan David Kennison, Debunked.

RECORDED HISTORY

Most Chicagoans have likely never heard of David Kennison (aka Kinnison). And yet, when he died here in 1852, his funeral was the largest affair of its sort in the history of Chicago. The city officials paid for the funeral and donated two cemetery lots for a proper burial site, intending to erect a monument in his honor.

When he died, Chicagoans believed David Kennison to be the last Survivor of the Boston Tea Party. In addition to the honor of having such an important historical figure in their midst, early Chicagoans were also proud to claim Kennison as a Revolutionary soldier. To add to the fascination of this man, everyone knew he was old. Really old.

This boulder, honoring David Kennison, is located at the foot of Wisconsin Street at Clark Street. It was placed one city block north of the actual grave site.

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The plaque does not say that David Kennison had fought under General Washington nor that he was a soldier at Fort Dearborn (he avoided the famous massacre because he was a prisoner of the Potawatomi Indian tribe at the time). Furthermore, he claimed to have fought under General Cornwall at the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

The plaque on the boulder in Lincoln Park that commemorates the grave of David Kennison states he died at the age of 115, 3 months and 17 days. It doesn't say that people also knew he had been married four times and had twenty-two children.

The newer plaque also does not say that David Kennison had fought under General Washington and that he was a soldier at Fort Dearborn but avoided the massacre because he was a prisoner of the Potawatomi Indian tribe at the time. He also fought under General Cornwall at the Battle of Bunker Hill. These stories and more have accompanied Kennison's legacy, which was intact for over one hundred years.

DEBUNKING THE DAVID KENNISON STORY

If Kennison's birth year of 1764 is true, he was only nine years old at the time of the Boston Tea Party and twelve at the start of the Revolutionary War in 1776. His years would have precluded the possibility of his participation in the Tea Party and his enlistment in the Revolutionary War…

It is true that after 1812, Kennison gave his age in 1814 as 42 years; in 1818, he said he was 56, while in 1820, he claimed he was 79. Startling conclusions would emanate from these dates, and they would have necessitated his being born on three different dates, 1772, 1762, and 1741, respectively. When making the statement that he was 79 in 1820, he also said that he had a family of young children, 17, 14, 11, 7 and 5. years old.

Setting aside as unanswered whether or not it is remarkable for a man of this age to have so young a family, would it not be possible that the last vestige of memory as to birth year might have been obliterated from the mental tablet of this soldier, who received a severe hand wound from a musket shot, who had both legs below the knee, his collar bone and two ribs broken; and, too, who was wholly illiterate, having learned to read after he was 62 years of age?

Another point involving the question of correct birth data has evolved from anthropometry or the science of measuring the body by regions, but in this case, by stature. Documentary evidence shows that Kennison was 4'9" tall in 1781, while 33 years later, he was 5'6 1/2" tall. How was this done?

Up to about 15, girls grow tall faster than boys. From this time on to 22 and 23, boys sprint up to about the stature they retain for the rest of their days. A boy can increase his height by 9 1/2 inches between the ages of 17 to 23. These deductions are, with few exceptions, quite reliable. This would seem to be in favor of the birth year 1764. David Kennison died in 1852. Was he 115 years old or 88?

Although several gaps in the story are told of a certain soldier who died in Chicago at the age of 115 years, gaps a correct historian might wish were better bridged, nevertheless, after the late Fernando Jones, with others, had pointed out the spot of Kennison's burial place, as best they could, the following organization set up a monument to him.

In conclusion, the doctor said: "Even though metaphorically speaking, the accuracy of 1764 as the birth year would take away one glittering pearl from the crown of our hero, his unusual longevity, we have left two orbs that shine with great brilliancy – these orbs are his services in the war of independence and in the war of 1812. For these services, a grateful people clothe him with an armor that neither jealousy nor envy can tarnish, nor can the shafts of hate penetrate and efface the good work he did in helping to break asunder the throngs that were intended to bind a mighty people in servitude."

The David Kennison chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1921.

The original brass plaque in Lincoln Park, Chicago.

From that time through the 1950s, gatherings were held at the boulder to commemorate Memorial Day, Flag Day, George Washington's birthday, and the Boston Tea Party anniversary. David Kennison was consistently mentioned in various books about the Boston event and Chicago's Lincoln Park throughout this period.

After Kennison was cited in a 1959 Chicago Tribune article on the whereabouts of the remains of Illinois' Revolutionary War veterans, his name did not appear in that newspaper again until 1974. In an excerpt from a question to the Action Line column, someone wrote, "A special marker stone, complete with a bronze plaque, was placed near his grave near the Wisconsin Street entrance to the park. But look at it now! Vandals have stolen the plaque and spray-painted the rock with obscene graffiti. Is this how Kennison's grave should look for our nation's bicentennial?"

The Lincoln Park neighborhood was in a housing slump in the 1970s, and the area was run down. This timeframe coincides with the downfall of the David Kennison legacy. On July 17, 1972, Chicago Daily News reported that "three bronze plaques had been torn from the granite boulder marking the burial spot." The boulder stood bare in the park for two and a half years. The original bronze tablet was replaced with an aluminum replica on December 19, 1974.

The Chicago History Museum's research center has an essay on file with the cataloged date 1973. The report, titled "David Kennison and the Chicago Sting," was written by Albert G. Overton. In this paper, Overton systematically discounts David Kennison's Chicago exploits by explaining, through various primary source documents, that he assumed other Kennison (and Kinnison) men's identities to tell his own story. In five written pages, followed by four pages of cited sources, Albert Overton presented information that historians accepted as the real David Kennison story. Early in the essay, after describing Kennison's funeral procession, Overton writes:

"Muffled drums beat a slow march for this magnificent parade was a funeral cortege to honor a well-known Revolutionary War hero. Actually, they were escorting the mortal remains of one of the most colorful imposters ever to take the City of Chicago."

After listing the battles in which Kennison asserted to have been a participant and citing another Kennison claim, Overton writes:

"Apparently, no one ever questioned his ability to attend the surrender in Yorktown, while at the same time, he was a captive of the Indians in upper New York State."

The charm of his story has endured over 123 years. His claims have never been challenged in all the articles about him, and only a few have suggested he might have bent the truth a little.

Overton then breaks down David Kennison's likely age and military history, citing many National Archives documents, including pension files, census records dating back to the first census of 1790, and Bounty Land files.

Albert Overton acknowledged that David Kennison spelled his family name Kinnison and traces the authenticity of his signature by the distinctively written "K." Overton chooses to refer to Kennison through the Kennison spelling as it had been the accepted name in which the man had been known. After listing dates, supposed ages, and summarizing mathematically, Overton concludes:

"He was about 7 years old at the time of the tea party, saw no Revolutionary War service, and was about 85 years old, not 115 when he died."

Overton continues his paper, parsing through the Kennison family genealogy. Acknowledging that although Kennison may have had four wives, he found documentary evidence for only four children. Of those four, only a daughter, Sarah B. Johnson, had specific documentation. The Overton paper concludes:

"Hopefully, this publication will sometime assist those who may be David Kennison's true descendants, be used as an example of what can be found through proper research efforts, and amuse those who will appreciate the humor of the little old man who conned his way into history and stung Chicago for a most valuable piece of real estate as his final resting place."

CONCLUSION

These stories, and more, have accompanied Kennison's legacy, which was intact for more than one hundred years.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Lillian B. Williams was Riverview Amusement Park's most popular freak show draw ever.

Unusual human beings have been exhibited in public since antiquity. The first traveling "freak show" appeared in 1738 in Europe. Curiosity is the motivating factor of the audience.

For over 150 years, carnival and circus freak shows were immensely popular in America. At one time, there were 105 exhibitions of human freaks traveling the United States, as well as many featured in amusement parks.

The most unusual people were those in the Palace of Wonders, later known as the Freak Show, owned by Ray Marsh Brydon. People would stare at the tattooed lady, a contortionist, a sword swallower, a fire eater, or the "Human Blockhead" who would pound nails into his nose. There was the "Two-Faced" man who was promoted on the outside banner with two separate and distinct faces. The real two-faced man had only one face. One side was normal, and the other side was significantly deformed.

Chicagoan Marshall Brodien (1934-2019) worked the Freak Show stage at Riverview Amusement Park as a "carnival barker," enticing people to buy tickets to the show. He was a professional magician and later played Wizzo the Wizard on Chicago's Bozo's Circus and The Bozo Show. Marshall Brodien, the inventor of the TV Magic Cards, opened a magic shop in Old Chicago Mall in Bolingbrook, Illinois, and would perform a magic show in Old Chicago amusement park. All that ended when Old Chicago closed in 1981.

But the most notable Riverview Park "freak" was Lillian B. Williams ("Betty Lou"), the world's only "4-legged" girl. Born on January 10, 1932, she was the youngest of 12 children born to sharecroppers in Albany, Georgia. 

At age two, Betty Lou began to be exhibited by Ripley's Believe It or Not. According to Ripley's pamphlet, an X-ray revealed a perfectly developed head inside her chest. 

Lillian B. Williams ("Betty Lou")

While still a teenager, she had become quite wealthy, earning a handsome living, $1,000 a week during her heyday. Betty Lou put all 11 siblings through college and bought her parents a 260-acre farm, paying cash. She was known as a generous person, perhaps too generous, as her fiancé absconded with most of her money. She died in 1955 officially of asthma, but, as her friends believed, she died of a broken heart. 

Betty Lou lived her 23 years with a parasitic twin embedded in her torso with two legs and one arm protruding.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.