August Dates in Wheaton's History

Wheaton IL

29 July, 2021

10:14 AM

Description

August 1, 1843Birth of Robert Todd Lincoln, eldest child of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Robert Todd Lincoln was a member of Chicago Golf Club and served as its president. He was a frequent visitor to Wheaton. August 2, 1913David Foulis, golf professional and golf course designer, received a patent (Patent # 1,069,776) for the golf hole cup liner/ golf flag support. August 2, 1939Birth of Wes Craven, filmmaker and graduate of Wheaton College. He was considered a pioneer in the genre of horror slasher films. Folklore has it that his "Nightmare on Elm Street" was inspired by Wheaton's own Elm Street. August 5, 1987Death of Dr. P. Kenneth Gieser, a 1930 Wheaton College graduate, ophthalmologist and founder of the Wheaton Eye Clinic, which opened in 1942. He is buried at Wheaton Cemetery. August 6, 1863Birth of Jarvis Hunt in Weathersfield, Vermont. Hunt, a member of the Chicago Golf Club, was a noted architect and creator of many of the Wheaton Golf Colony cottages as well as the current Chicago Golf Club clubhouse. August 15, 1927Death of Judge Elbert Henry Gary, Wheaton leader; co-founder (with his uncle, Jesse Wheaton) of the Gary-Wheaton Bank; served two terms as a Du Page County judge 1882 to 1890; lawyer; president of US Steel Corporation; namesake of Gary, Indiana. He is buried in Wheaton Cemetery August 20-27, 1959Wheaton celebrated its Centennial. Activities took place over the course of a week, consisting of merchant bargain day, model airplane contest, parade, crowning of the Queen, Centennial ball, garden walk, burial of a Historical Time Capsule, performance of "The Wheaton Story – A Little Town Grows Up", and a baby contest. The most beautiful boy and girl babies under 18 months old were participants. One of the judges was actor Forrest Tucker, stage performer in the Music Man. August 22, 1871Birth of James Foulis, Jr. in St. Andrews, Scotland. He was an early golf great, inventor of the mashie-niblick (7 iron) and golf course designer, and winner in 1896 of the second US Open held at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, NY. August 23, 1930Edwin Hubble, famous astronomer and scientist, appeared on the cover of Time magazine. The Hubble Space Telescope is named for him. It 'circles 380 miles above the earth, searching the outer edges of the universe, sending back magnificent pictures." Edwin along with his family moved to Wheaton in 1900. He was a graduate of Central School, now the site of Longfellow Elementary. August 24, 1912The Chicago Golf Club main building, the clubhouse which was the old Patrick farmhouse, burned to the ground in 60 minutes. The dormitories and cottages were saved. A new clubhouse (current building) was designed by Jarvis Hunt. August 25, 1902Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Railway began service from Aurora to 52nd Avenue (Laramie) in Chicago. The first Wheaton station, a wood building between Main and Hale Streets, opened. It would be outgrown in ten years and replaced by a large brick structure at Main and Railroad Streets (Liberty Drive). August 30, 2015Death of Wes Craven, filmmaker and graduate of Wheaton College. He was considered a pioneer in the genre of horror slasher films. Folklore has it that his "Nightmare on Elm Street" was inspired by Wheaton's own Elm Street. "He is probably best remembered for his work on as the writer and director of a Nightmare on Elm Street (and its terrifying antagonist, Freddy Krueger)." These dates were provided by the City of Wheaton Historic Commission. If you have any comments, corrections or additions to the list, please contact us at:[email protected]. Thank you!