Your say - Harvard: Reader-submitted essays

We asked you what made your community special. Here's what readers had to way about Harvard:

People of Harvard make town special

The people in Harvard are what make our city a great place to live. We have enjoyed getting to know them through our church, our work and through our involvement in the community.

Citizens of Harvard always are willing to reach out to people in need. We have experienced this firsthand and have been overwhelmed by their generosity.

We appreciate the many opportunities that our town and school offered to our sons. We are grateful to the school district for preparing our children for college and, eventually, their careers.

We also like the close proximity to larger cities. We have needed the medical facilities available in these larger cities. We enjoy the entertainment these cities provide as well.

Mark Dion

A great place to raise kids

I’ve lived in Harvard since 1990. On a snow-covered day in March, we moved into what we thought was a beautiful country town. The day we arrived, a man pulled up in a pickup truck, got out, and came to welcome us, making sure we knew we had moved into a fine city. As he walked away he said, “By the way, I’m Bob Iftner, the mayor.”

It didn’t take long until the entire community – from the chamber of commerce, area churches and community organizations – welcomed us and our growing family. We now have five children, which is not unusual around here. Harvard schools have provided wonderful opportunities for our children to grow academically and socially. Churches, community organizations, music and sports for our youth also provide many opportunities for our children to challenge themselves.

The beauty of agriculture and open conservation areas surrounded by Harvard provide much needed respite from the congestion of larger cities. We enjoy all of the services of larger cities, like hospitals, shopping, a great library, beautiful parks and a pool. But we don’t have the traffic or the lines to wait in. (More than three in line at the post office is considered a lot.) 

We have many fine businesses that call Harvard home. It is the many great people from the city clerks where we still pay our water bill in person to the store owners who greet you by name that make our community so different and so special.

The thing I believe that I value the most is the spirit of this community. Our churches and community organizations come together to get what needs to be done to benefit both the people and the community. Recently, both the young and old of our community came together to support a much-needed referendum to build a new school, even in the current economic environment. We are very rich in wisdom and history in Harvard, and it is wonderful that so many people are willing to share this wealth. 

We recently celebrated the 150th anniversary of the city of Harvard, and it’s still a great place to raise a family.

Sue Wright
 

Harvard brought many good things

I came to Harvard more than 20 years ago, met wonderful people, found the love of my life and married her, and advanced my career. I do not know what all that means, but it sure is good.
 
Dave Nelson
 

Diversity of cultural influences praised

I didn’t grow up here, but after 30 years, there’s not many people who I don’t know. I like the diversity. There are so many different kinds of people. ... There’s definitely a mix, different cultural influences.

On St. Patrick’s Day, I have so many people who I drop off corned beef and cabbage to. I make 25 to 30 pounds of corned beef and cabbage, and box it up for everybody. They know I make Irish stuff. ... It’s just one of those things you don’t plan on. It just sort of grows.

But people reciprocate so nicely, too. When you show interest in somebody else, it seems like it comes around.

Kathi Brady

Small-town charm, and variety

If you had to choose just one word to describe Harvard, that word would be diversity. Even though Harvard has a population of approximately 9,500 people and has the charm of a small town, it also has a wide variety of housing, businesses and job opportunities.

When it comes to the local economy, Harvard has built a strong economic base. Harvard has maintained and improved its traditional downtown while developing new commercial opportunities along Route 14. There are jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, warehousing, and if you are willing to commute or take Metra to the Loop, a person can live in small town Harvard and work in the suburbs or even work in the commercial centers in Chicago.

When it comes to housing, people living in Harvard or moving here can choose from a wide variety of housing types and costs. They can purchase a home in an established neighborhood or buy a home in a new subdivision. Because of this variety, if you raise your family in Harvard and if your grown children wish to raise their families in Harvard, they can find jobs and suitable housing.

This is how you build a strong community.

Terry Smith
 

Small town brings good way of life

I like the small-town atmosphere. No one is a stranger, really. You meet some people and start talking to them and they are all friendly. I just love that.

I was from a big city (Austin, Minn.) and didn’t care for that. I know a lot of people who moved out here from Chicago. They wanted to get away from the rat race. I wouldn’t say it’s a slower atmosphere, but it’s a good way of life.

It’s peaceful and happy and joyful, but things get done.

You look at today’s economy ... hey, Harvard is opening a new Walgreens and another store (Tractor Supply) at the end of February. You can’t beat that. We’ve had good leadership, too.

Wanda Marzahl
 

Longtime resident embraces changes

I’ve lived here for 34 years. I think the thing I like about it is Harvard has a hometown feel. It feels like a small town, yet it’s getting bigger.

I love what they’ve done with the downtown. I just hope it will lead to other businesses coming. We have a lot going on outside on Route 14, but the downtown kind of died.

I know [the residents] as people. When Jim and I got married, I had a teaching degree, but I didn’t care for living in Milwaukee. I grew up in Walworth, Wis. I’ve taught music at Central and Washington [schools] for 10 years. Before that I was a teacher’s aide and reading assistant. ... It just fit nicely into what I was doing. I have two kids.

Now I have the children of the children I once had – which makes me feel older than dirt.

Jo Carbonetti
 

Continuity is key to success

I love the changes I am seeing that show pride in the community and hope for the future: Passing a school referendum in the midst of a recession, beautiful updates in the downtown streetscape, the new library; new businesses in town.

The closing of Motorola was hard on the community, but I think we are finally turning the corner and seeing brighter days ahead.

I love the things that remain constant in Harvard:

• Red’s Pizza, where you can get the best pizza in McHenry County from Bonnie and Red, who have been in business there for 50 years! And I know almost everyone in the restaurant.

• Going to a home football game against Marengo, historically huge rivals, and seeing the booster clubs from BOTH schools working together on a fundraiser.

• Watching the bed races and all the other events involved in the oldest community celebration in the state of Illinois, Harvard Milk Day.

What I love most is the heart of Harvard, which is – of course – the people. They are common, goodnatured, hard working, neighborly people. They turn out in large numbers when one of their own need help, whether it be a casserole delivered to the home when someone has died, or a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for someone fighting cancer.

I was raised in the country outside Harvard. We all referred to it as the Dunham [Township] community, even though we were all farmers living miles apart. That community was something very special and still is to me. My 4-H leaders who taught me to sew were the neighbor women down the road, who also carpooled with my parents in taking us to church, school, and other events. They also turned out to help each other harvest their crops, especially when there was tragedy or death in the community.

I moved from the west side of town to the east side of town many years ago, but those folks are still my neighbors.

Some things have changed, but that innate goodness and neighborliness has remained.

Linnea Kooistra
 

People make the place

Harvard is a great place.

What makes Harvard a great place to live, learn, work and play is simple. It’s the people that call Harvard home. 

Families who settle in Harvard, whether it be multigenerational or recent transplants, recognize what makes Harvard special. The people here create the sense of community – with its cooperative spirit, optimistic views, great work ethic and family first values.

It is Harvard residents that pull together to make it a great place today and afford a bright outlook for our most valuable resource, our children. 

Mark Stricker