Niles Centre, Illinois (Skokie) - Founding businesses within a one-block radius from downtown's center.

A pictorial history of the intersection at Lincoln Avenue (formerly called: Main Street) and Oakton Street in Downtown Skokie (Niles Centre, Incorporated 1888; Americanized to Niles Center in 1910; Renamed to Skokie 1940).

The name Skokie comes from the Potawatomi word for "Marsh."

In 1888, the community was incorporated as Niles Centre, then in 1910, the spelling of Centre was Americanized to "Center." 

However, the name caused postal confusion with the neighboring village of Niles. A village-renaming campaign began in the 1930s. In a referendum on November 15, 1940, residents chose the Indian name "Skokie" over the name "Devonshire."

During the real estate boom of the 1920s, large parcels of land were subdivided; many two-flat and three-flat apartment buildings were built, along with "Chicago" bungalows being the dominant architectural choice.

Large-scale development ended as a result of the Great Depression of 1929. It was not until the 1940s and into the 1950s that parents of the baby boom generation moved their families out of Chicago and into the suburbs. Skokie's housing development began again at a fever pitch. Consequently, the village developed commercially. (For example, Westfield Old Orchard was turned into Old Orchard Shopping Center.)

During the night of November 27, 1934, after a gunfight in nearby Barrington, Illinois (called the Battle of Barrington) that left two FBI agents dead, two accomplices of the notorious, 25-year-old bank-robber, "Baby Face Nelson" (Lester Gillis) dumped his bullet-riddled body in a ditch along Niles Center Road adjoining the St. Peter Catholic Cemetery, a block north of Oakton Avenue in the town. 

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Some of the businesses are by the intersection of Lincoln Avenue & Oakton Street in Skokie.

St. Peter Catholic School and Church, Established in 1868. Postcard, circa 1880

St. Peter Catholic Church Postcard, circa 1900

Peter Blameuser General Merchandise [Wines, Liquors, Cigars] circa 1870

Blameuser Building. 1895

Klehm & Sons "The Cheap Store" Building circa 1896 

Klehm Bros General Store circa 1900 

Klehm Bros General Store circa 1905

Fred Schoening Wagon & Carriage Maker and Dry Goods Store circa 1900
{Phone: Niles Center 16-W}

Schoeneberger General Store Interior, circa 1900

Robert Siegel Cigar Store circa 1905

Lincoln Avenue from St-Peters Church Steeple, circa 1890

Lincoln Avenue North of Oakton, 1890

Niles Center Theater, circa 1916

Lincoln Avenue North of Oakton, circa 1905

Lincoln Avenue North of Oakton, circa 1930

Aerial Lincoln Avenue and Oakton 1930

A. Kutz [Plumbing and Gas Fitting]

Alf's Hall [Dancing & Party Venue]

Bergman General Store

Charles Luebbers, Niles Center Tavern {Tel: Niles Center 84}

Freres Brothers Bakery {Tel: Niles Center 1013}

Hermann Gerhardt Horse Shoe Shop [Horseshoers & Wagon Maker]

Johanannes Schoeneberger General Store

Ludwig Luebbers [Wagon & Buggies Maker, Blacksmithing, Horseshoers]

Niles Center Bank

Niles Center Grocery & Market

Niles Center Mercantile [Studebaker Dealer, Farm Machinery, Seed] {Tel: Niles Center 26-J}

Tony Saul Tavern

Skokie Incorporated on November 15, 1940, changing its name from Niles Center.

1st National Bank of Skokie

A&P Grocery

Able Currency Exchange

Affiliated Bank

Albert’s Pizza

Alice Beauty Shop

Barney’s Place

Community Bakery

Consumers Millinery Store

Desiree Restaurant

Dieden’s Smart Shop

Florsheim Shoes

Heinz Electrical Appliance Shop {Tel: Skokie 598}

King Realtors

Krier’s Restaurant

Niles Center Coal and Building Material Co. [Lumber Mill, Building Material] {Tel: Skokie 600}

Nunn Busch

Oakton Drug

Rodell Pontiac Dealership

Schmitz Tavern

Siegal’s Cigars

Skokie Camera

Skokie Cleaners

Skokie Jewelers

Skokie Music

Skokie Paint

Urbanis Sinclair Gas Station

Village Inn Pizza

Walgreens Drug Store

Oakton and Lincoln Avenue looking West circa 1948

The intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Oakton 1946

Lincoln Avenue North of Oakton 1957

Oakton East from Lincoln Avenue, 1960

Oakton West at Lincoln Avenue, circa 1960

Lincoln Avenue at Oakton, circa 1960

Aerial of Lincoln Avenue from St-Peter Church Steeple, circa 1965

 Aerial of Lincoln Avenue and Oakton, circa 1973

Lincoln Avenue and Oakton 1991

Aerial of Lincoln Avenue South from St-Peter Church Steeple 1994

ADDITIONAL READING: Dr. A. Louise Klehm: Niles Center (Skokie) Illinois' First Lady of Family Practice.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

The Krauss Building, 209 W. High St, Freeburg, Illinois.

Located at 209 West High Street, this building was built by Andreas (Andrew) Krauss. Andrew opened a General Store in this building on November 1, 1878.

He came to Freeburg in 1852 at the age of 19, and had operated a store someplace else in Freeburg, but that location is unknown.

Andrew operated his new store on the west side of the building and the Post Office was located on the East side of the building. He lived on the second floor with his family and the third floor would be used as a meeting place for various organizations in town.

Business was good for Andrew in Freeburg and soon he wrote home (Germany) for other members of the family to come to America. His nephew, Philip Krauss arrived in Freeburg in 1865 at the age of 16, and began work in his Uncle's General Store.

Andrew retired in 1890 and turned the store over to Philip, who operated this business until 1915, when he too retired and sold the entire stock to Robert Browning & Arthur Reinheimer. They named the business The Freeburg Mercantile Company.

In January 1908, A. Rosinsky of Mascoutah, Illinois, moved his clothing business into the east side of the building after the Post Office moved to a new location in town. This business was called The St. Louis Shoe & Clothing Company. Later the name was changed to The Leader Clothing Store, and sometime later the business moved to the William Schiek building at the corner of Richland and High Street.

The space on the east side of the Krauss building was soon occupied by Gus Rauth, who on July 2, 1909, opened a saloon in the vacant space. On the west side of the building, Mr. Reinheimer had purchased the business interest of Mr. Browning and together with his sister, Mrs. Freda Reuter, operated the store. In March, 1917, a new sanitary counter was installed to ensure the keeping of meat. One of the biggest problems in the early years of grocery stores was keeping the flies and insects out of the meat cases, especially since AC was not yet invented.

In March, 1919, August G. Koesterer purchased the Krauss building from the heirs of Andrew Krauss. August was one of Freeburg's most successful retailers. After an extensive remodeling, he moved his stock of goods from his existing store into his new building and called his business The A.G. Koesterer & Company. One main changes he made to this structure was to remove the wall that divided the main floor into two sections. Sadly, in the fall of 1921, August Koesterer became seriously ill and died on November 26th from Meningitis at the age of 34. His brother Albert J. Koesterer, who had worked in the store, took over the business changing the name to A.J. Koesterer & Company.

By this time, the style of shopping had greatly changed. Instead of giving the clerk a list for your items, shelves and aisles were arranged so the customer could actually get their own product. The introduction of canned goods began to replace dry goods.

In December, 1929, A.J. announced he would be closing due to lack in sales. J.E. Atkins, manager of the Stovall Sales Company of St. Louis arrived in Freeburg to conduct a three day liquidation sale in which all stock and goods were sold.

In August, 1930, the Freeburg Commercial Club (later known as the Chamber of Commerce), purchased the building for the sum of $3,600 in an effort to attract a new business in town. In July, 1931, the George Newton Garment Factory of St. Louis moved into the building, sending George Kumbera to act as manager. He would later buy controlling interest in this company. This company first started out as a Rayon Factory but soon switched to a Dress Factory.

In June, 1935, a large addition was made to the building, adding more cutting tables, sewing machines and other machinery. At the height of this company's operation in 1938, there were more than 200 people, mostly Freeburg ladies, employed by the Freeburg plant. In May, 1940, Mr. Kumbera, manager of the Freeburg factory, sold his interest to his partner, Richard B. Croneheim of St. Louis. Mr. Croneheim soon made an announcement that the factory would be closing due to lack of sales.

Immediately the Forest City Dress Company purchased the building and business and all of its equipment, including the 130 sewing machines. A few changes were made to the structure and work continued. By 1944, a garment workers union had been formed with Ms. Angeline Zipfel serving as the first president. She was employed at the plant. Sadly, in 1956, and without much notice, the factory simply pulled out of the building. Large trucks were seen moving all of the machinery out of the building.

The Freeburg Chamber of Commerce quickly regained control of the building and in 1957, Ted Rehmer of Fayetteville, Illinois, would operate a tavern on the main floor of the building. Over the years, the Chamber would make several attempts to sell this building or to get another factory to show interest.

In September, 1964, Jacob Brinkman of Waterloo, Illinois, purchased the building for $12,000 with the intent of opening a hardware store. E. M Wiegman Company had been using much of the space for storage.

Once again, the building was extensively remodeled and a Western Auto Store moved into this structure. Jerry Miller, of Waterloo, Illinois, was the manager. Mr. Brinkman was an associate of the Western Auto Company. In 1966, the Western Auto was changed to a True Value Hardware Store still managed by Jerry Miller. This store would close in 1977.

In May, 1978, this building was purchased by Dave Favre, Ray Swyear and Howard Prater as a business venture. Nothing came out of this purchase. In June, 1979, John & Alice Rudy purchased the building and again after an extensive remodel, opened the Freeburg Bi-rite Grocery Store. Other businesses to occupy the building were: Watters Trading Post, opened in October, 1986, closed in April 1988. An arcade was operated here for a short time in a room behind the trading post.

Color & Create opened in April 1989 and is currently located in this building. Other business to operate here was Venezia Pizzeria, which opened December, 1988 and closed in June, 1999, and Jack & Jill's Cut. Freeburg Chiropractic opened in 2003 and is currently located in the east side of the building.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.