Your say - Northern Towns: Reader-submitted essays

We asked you what made your community special. Here's what readers had to way about Richmond, Spring Grove and Johnsburg:
 

Johnsburg speaks to camaraderie

Since Johnsburg is a small town, everyone feels close, and the camaraderie between everybody in Johnsburg goes without saying.

We’re there for each other through thick and thin, whether it’s good times or bad times. That’s what a little town community is about.

Rose Smith
Johnsburg
 

People brought together

Our family has been in the Johnsburg community more than 30 years, and it is just that, a community.

It’s a community that’s bonded by a sense of belonging, a fellowship. The schools bring people together. The churches bring people together. The community club brings people together. There’s just a very supportive relationship that occurs because of it.

Rob Gough
Johnsburg
 

Spring Grove shows caring side

Our family moved to Spring Grove 12 years ago.

At that time, we had two little boys and a baby girl on the way. After considering many options, we chose Spring Grove to raise our family because of its unique charm and beauty, as well as its small-town, friendly atmosphere. At least, that’s what we thought at the time. We had no idea that God was carefully planting our family in a loving and caring community that was going to help us through the most difficult time of our lives. 

In January 2003, our 8-year-old son, Randy, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain stem tumor. Through this difficult tragedy, the people of Spring Grove showed us what “community” is all about. Neighbors and friends showed heartfelt support by providing meals for our family and offering babysitting during hospital visits. They came to help us with cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and snow shoveling. Neighbors cleaned up our flooded basement after our washer overflowed. Friends sent gift cards for gas and stores and restaurants. At Christmastime, a family surprised us with a beautiful Christmas tree, and a local church group decorated our entire front yard for the holidays – then returned after New Years to clean it all up.

A few days before Christmas of that year, more than 100 people filled our driveway, with candles in hand, to sing Christmas carols to Randy as he watched from his wheelchair with a smile on his face. A gigantic box filled with gifts was left on our front porch on Christmas Eve with a simple gift tag attached that read “To: The Palya Family / From: Friends.”

After Randy’s death, his soccer team and his brother’s basketball team created a beautiful memorial at a nearby park. The school created another touching memorial. On Mother’s Day, friends filled our front yard with beautiful spring flowers. At school, friends dedicated their art projects and their Young Author books to Randy. The principal created a plaque in memory of Randy to display the names of all future Young Author winners.  

We truly feel blessed and very proud to be a part of the Spring Grove community. 

The Palya Family
Spring Grove
 

School helps with bond

This is my third year in Johnsburg, and what I like about being a part of the community is the community completely wraps its arms around school.

The support is unbelievable, better than anywhere I’ve ever been. We constantly run into parents who want to do more. They want to know what can they do to help, what can they do to make a difference. It’s pretty impressive to have a strong backing behind me, and whenever I need any kind of help, I can count on them supporting us.

Travis Lobbins
Johnsburg
 

Came to Richmond to for family

I moved to Richmond from Chicago because I wanted a safe, clean and open environment in which to raise my son. 

Richmond also has great schools, which was a main concern at the time. They have consistently rated high for McHenry County.

I was born and raised in McHenry, and I wanted that same life for my son. I like the eclectic mix of shops and businesses in Richmond. It is not quite as saturated with big-name stores and restaurants, and I like that. I like the one-of-a-kind aspects you can find here. I hope Richmond continues to grow and evolve into a one-of-a-kind town, not a cookie-cutter subdivision.

If I need to access bigger stores, I can drive a mere 10 minutes in either direction and hit Fox Lake or McHenry. Richmond has a unique look architecturally, too, with all the Victorian homes and Main Street Broadway. 

There is lots of open land to access with walking, biking, snowmobiling, horseback, etc., to do any outdoor activity. Nippersink Creek runs through and around the township and provides a tranquil setting, along with all the peaceful conservation land.

There is a feeling of fellowship with the townspeople, too. Everyone waves to me when I’m biking in my neighborhood or driving by in my car. My son and I have had wonderful experiences with groups such as RGSB baseball and soccer, Cub Scouts, our church members and other recreational and social organizations. They’re all good role modeling for my child. 

We just love it here in Richmond and plan on staying for a very long time. 

Daureen Willy
Richmond
 

All small things great

We appreciate Spring Grove’s small-town atmosphere, the generosity and caring of our neighbors, and the high quality of our schools.

While we might not have all the amenities of larger villages, the pace is a little slower and people take a little more time and care toward others’ needs – at the post office, village office, and of course, our new Jewel.

Small business owners take part in village events, like the Fourth of July parade, which has elements of parades I watched when I was a kid. Our schools might not have every piece of new technology, but my children are given extra care and, dare I say, affection in their educational lives – something that I think is missing in schools that have 30 kindergarten classes.

We moved to Spring Grove for the wide-open spaces, the schools and the community. We don’t regret it. One good thing about the downturn of the economy is that our wide-open spaces will stay a little longer and avoid the developers for a little more time.

Michelle and Chris Carter
Spring Grove
 

Nature, parades, scenery

There are many things that make Spring Grove special, among them: The McHenry County Conservation District’s Glacial Park, almost 3,300 acres (and growing) of nature just down the street; the small-town Fourth of July parade and picnic; the annual fall Storytelling Festival; and beautiful scenery that I enjoy while driving to shopping/school, etc.

Ron Rafe
Spring Grove
 

Agritourism ‘alive, well’

There are any number of things which make Spring Grove a special place to live.

Among them is the dichotomy of being a town with spacious, modern homes built among the remaining farms, including one, Richardson’s, that was one of the first pieces of land settled in Burton Township.

Robert Richardson came from England and settled on land north of Spring Grove. He was a mason and traveled to Milwaukee, hauling brick back by ox cart. Their landmark home is occupied by another Robert Richardson. Along with his brother, George, their farm has evolved from cows to pigs to “The World’s Largest Corn Maze,” and thousands of cut-your-own Christmas trees. Agritourism is alive and well in Spring Grove in 2009.

Gene Kattner is the latest of the Kattners to occupy their home at 801 Main St. He and his brother, Ed, were the third generation of Kattners to milk cows on land that was originally settled by the Hatch family. Lewis Hatch once owned more than 1,000 acres in Burton Township. His son, Fred, returned from the University of Illinois and convinced his father to build a silo that would hold feed. Little did they know that it would be the first upright silo built in the United States. Remnants of that silo still can be seen near the octagonal barn built in the late 1800s. It is reported to contain beams from the Blivin’s Mill, the original name of Spring Grove.

Yet the town has a modern feel. Recent additions of Jewel and Walgreens complement the many smaller strip malls. Intermatic Inc. was once the largest employer in McHenry County. Responsible for such devices as Malibu Lighting and specialty timers, it sports more than 5 acres under roof on Winn Road. Just north of Intermatic, there is the corporate offices of Scot Forge. Millions of pounds of metal, iron, steel, copper and some specialty metals have been forged, treated and polished as part of their multi-state employee-owned corporation.

Most of all, Spring Grove is about the people. Some of the early families remain. There are new residents who find this community to be just the right mix of history, community and family. So much has been done with volunteer hours, from the fire department to the Scouts and youth sports. It is what makes Spring Grove special.

Rich Tobiacz
Spring Grove
 

Crickets, stars the best lifestyle

The thing I love the most about Spring Grove is that on a warm summer’s evening, we get to sit in our backyard and listen to the crickets singing instead of hearing the rushing of cars racing down the road.

We get to watch the fireworks from our backyard instead of the flashing lights of the squad cars. We get to stare at the beautiful bright stars in the night sky instead of the blaring lights of the 24-hour fast food joint across the street.

Lori Smith
Spring Grove