If you’re fascinated by local history and the photos of yesteryear, I hope you’ll enjoy our new mystery photo this week. There’s some history involved with last week’s mystery photo as well and we’ll reveal that winner in just a minute. But first, I want to share this week’s “history mystery” photo. It’s an image that the Barrington Area Library has in its archives. It’s a birdseye view of Barrington taken in the early 20th century. And if you can name name any of the streets or historic buildings shown in this photograph, you’ll be eligible for this week’s prize. Plus, there will be a special bonus prize for anyone who can guess where the photographer was standing when he took this picture!
I’ve asked a local Barrington historian to review today’s mystery photo and we’ll share her analysis when we reveal the winner on Wednesday of next week. We’ll also get to our new prize in just a minute. But first, let’s talk about last week’s winner. Just moments ago we drew the winning name and it is…
Thanks for your guess and congratulations, Stephanie. I’ll be emailing you this week with details about how to receive your $25 gift certificate to be used at the Ice House Mall in Barrington. Click HERE to view all of our guesses from last week’s photo contest. It is, indeed, a picture of the historic fire cart and horse currently on display at the Ice House Mall. The cart dates back to 1898 and it was the very first piece of equipment purchased by the Village of Barrington Volunteer Fire Department.
This Week’s Prize
There is a cool new prize for the winner of our this week’s “history mystery” photo contest here at 365Barrington.com. The Barrington Area Library will award the winner three advance copies of soon-to-be or recently published books that they have received from various publishers. They’ll be great additions to your at-home library or personal reading collection and it’s a special treat, courtesy of our favorite local librarians!
Here’s how it works:
- Please submit your guesses about any of the streets or buildings in today’s “history mystery” photo in the comments area for this post.
- You have until midnight on Friday to submit your guess.
- The following Wednesday, we’ll draw a name, reveal the winner at 365Barrington.com and contact the winner with instructions about receiving the prize of the week.
- Only one guess per person is allowed.
- Only guesses posted here on this website, not on Facebook or Twitter, will be entered into the weekly drawing.
- Your email address must be valid, so we can contact you if you win.
There you go! All you have to do is SUBMIT YOUR GUESS IN THE “COMMENTS” BOX BELOW. If you’ve guessed in our previous contests, please feel free to participate again this week! We’d love to see as many guesses as possible. We’re also working on finding more great prizes for future “Guess Where Wednesdays”. If you would like to offer one of our upcoming “Guess Where Wednesday” prizes, please drop me a note at Liz@TheLubyGroup.com. Good luck with your guessing and here’s one more look at this week’s Mystery Photo.
Main Street looking toward Hough.
The building with the Steeple is where the Bread Basket and Christian Bookstore sits
across the street you can see where Tom and Terry used to be and the Main street cleaners
Looking Northwest along Park Ave. at the interstection of Main & Cook. Photographer is standing on the water tank used by the railroad to refill the steam engine tanks.
The Old Train Station. To the left running alongside the Train Station is Park Ave. Cook St. intersects to the left with the First National Bank on the corner facing the Train Station. To the Left of the bank is “Liposkys” Dept. Store. To the right of the bank would be Rexall Drugs, Ben Franklin. Main St. runs in front of Rexall/Ben Franklin with Bob and Betty’s clothing and Dee’s restaurant across the street.
It seems as though the photographer is standing by where Grove Ave and Park St. come together, probably on top of some storage building on the Train Station property.
Of course that is the Barrington train station (now the Metra station). The street on the left is Park Ave. The street that is crossing the train tracks is Main Street (County Line Rd -or- Lake-Cook Rd) — Geez, could it have any more names!
The street going off the left edge of the picture (just beyond the horse and buggy) is S. Cook Street. (Where my wife’s bead/jewelry store currently is: Beaded Elements).
I am not sure what the photographer is standing on….but I am going to guess its the signal tower for the trains, or a water tank.
–Tony
The street on the left is Railroad Street ( now it is called Park Avenue) and it intersects with Cook Street and then Main Street. Main Street is the street that crosses the Railroad tracks at an angle. The photo is looking northwest.
The store at Cook and Railroad with the pointed roof I think is Plagge’s Department store. Lipofsky’s 2nd store ended up just to the left of that building, but probably was not there when this picture was taken.
As far as where the picture was taken, I remember in the 1950’s there was a water tower at that location, so maybe there was one back then.
My mom’s real estate office was right there on Park Avenue so I knew that area well.
South Spring Street