Related Records

1. 346 East Prospect - 346 East Prospect Avenue Solomon Thatcher, Jr home Built as an 1877 Camp Meeting model. On the north side is the tack house at 508 Gurney. The home was built for Solomon Thatcher, first president of the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. This is a 75 foot lot, with the house on the westerly 50 feet. The other 25 feet can't be built upon, as it was established as an equestrian right of way, owned by the Village, and continues to the ravine.

   Slide #354 346 East Prospect

   Record Type: Photo

   
2. 346 East Prospect - 346 East Prospect Avenue Solomon Thatcher, Jr. home. Built as an 1877 Camp Meeting model. On the north side is the tack house at 508 Gurney. The home was built for Solomon Thatcher, first president of the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. This is a 75 foot lot, with the house on the westerly 50 feet. The other 25 feet can't be built upon, as it was established as an equestrian right of way, owned by the Village, and continues to the ravine.

   Slide #320 346 East Prospect

   Record Type: Photo

   
3. 346 East Prospect - 346 East Prospect Avenue Solomon Thatcher, Jr. home Built as an 1877 Camp Meeting model. On the north side is the tack house at 508 Gurney. The home was built for Solomon Thatcher, first president of the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. This is a 75 foot lot, with the house on the westerly 50 feet. The other 25 feet can't be built upon, as it was established as an equestrian right of way, owned by the Village, and continues to the ravine.

   346 East Prospect Avenue

   Record Type: Photo

   
4. 346 East Prospect - 346 East Prospect Avenue Solomon Thatcher, Jr. home Built as an 1877 Camp Meeting model. On the north side is the tack house at 508 Gurney. The home was built for Solomon Thatcher, first president of the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. This is a 75 foot lot, with the house on the westerly 50 feet. The other 25 feet can't be built upon, as it was established as an equestrian right of way, owned by the Village, and continues to the ravine.

   Record Type: Photo

   
5. 346 East Prospect - Solomon Thatcher, Jr. 's home North West corner East Prospect Avenue and Gurney 346 East Prospect Avenue Built as an 1877 Camp Meeting model. On the north side is the tack house at 508 Gurney. The home was built for Solomon Thatcher, first president of the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. This is a 75 foot lot, with the house on the westerly 50 feet. The other 25 feet can't be built upon, as it was established as an equestrian right of way, owned by the Village, and continues to the ravine.

   Slide #376 346 East Prospect Solomon Thatcher home

   Record Type: Photo

   
6. 346 East Prospect Avenue - An Architectural and Historic Survey of the Camp Meeting Area of Lake Bluff that was completed in 1998. Additional information about the property is available at the Lake Bluff History Museum. 346 East Prospect Avenue Solomon Thatcher, Jr. house

   346 East Prospect Avenue

   Record Type: Photo

   
7. 4th of July with Thatcher Home in Background - River Forest 4th of July celebration - in the background, the back of Solomon Thatcher's house at 518 Keystone can be seen.

   4th of July with Thatcher Home in Background

   Record Type: Photo

   
8. 508 Gurney Avenue 508 Gurney Avenue - 508 Gurney Avenue Also included are Multiple Listing Sheets (MLS).

   508 Gurney

   Record Type: Photo

   
9. 518 Keystone after 1920 - Photo of Solomon Thatcher's home at 518 Keystone in River Forest after the exterior was renovated in 1920 by John Higgins.

   518 Keystone after 1920

   Record Type: Photo

   
10. A Lake Bluff Christmas - Advertisment for A Lake Bluff Christmas, put on by Lake Bluff Park District - this was their Sixth Annual Winter Festival of Fun. Grace United Methodist Church had a booth at the school - where the event was held - and the Church had baked goods and crafts. On the reverse is a State of Grace from Frank Townsend talking about all the fun that he had at the centennial celebration.

    Doc 2049

    Record Type: Archive

    
11. a letter from Grace Cloes Kurtz - An excerpt from a letter from Grace Cloes Kurtz, probably written in 1948 when Grace Church was celebrating its 60th Anniversary. Grace talks about her father traveling west to California to join the gold rush as well as of the Camp Meeting era in Lake Buff.

    a letter from Grace Cloes Kurtz

    Record Type: Archive

    
12. A Summer Resort - This newsletter provides information about Lake Bluff's days as a popular summer resort and the beach's progression to what it looks like in modern times.

    A summer resort

    Record Type: Archive

    
13. Details on the Thatcher Family - Correspondence between Elmer Vliet and T. Reed Chunn Jr. regarding the history of the Thatcher family. Vliet refers to an article about General Ulysses S. Grant, which is also attached. 1912 obituary for Mrs. Gussie P. Thatcher, source unknown. 1917 obituary for David W. Thatcher, source unknown. Several charts showing the history of the Thatcher family during the 19th Century. Another, later correspondence between Vliet and Chunn Jr regarding the Thatchers. Includes more documentation of the Thatcher ancestry.

    Details on the Thatcher Family

    Record Type: Archive

    
14. Francis Willard - A letter to Anna Cram from Elmer Vliet asking Cram about the Solomon Thatcher family, specifically if Thatcher Sr. came from California. Also a four page Xerox excerpt from the book National Statuary Hall in the Nation's Capital showing a full length statue of Willard with a brief write up by Senator Albert Hopkins, 1905. An article from the Chicago Tribune dated September 11, 1978 of a woman asking if there are bicycle clubs for the novice rider. The response includes a few quotes from Willard's 1893 Tribune series who called bicycling an act of grace, if not of religion. A write up from the Northwestern Alumni magazine on the discovery of Willard's journal, found around 1982. Frances Willard was one of the founders of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union WCTU and served as it's national president from 1879 - 1898. She also helped to organize the Prohibitionist Party. Willard was also a close friend of Clara Thatcher, Solomon Thatcher's wife, and a regular visitor to Lake Bluff Camp Meetings. the cottage at 710 East Scranton Avenue (structure has been replaced) was her home during her visits.

    Francis Willard

    Record Type: Archive

    
15. Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association - Notes from a Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association meeting

    Doc 2020

    Record Type: Archive

    
16. Notes on Frances Willard - Several handwritten notes by Elmer Vliet about Frances Willard, James Hobbs, Solomon Thatcher taken from various books. Frances Willard was one of the founders of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union WCTU and served as it's national president from 1879 - 1898. She also helped to organize the Prohibitionist Party. Willard was also a close friend of Clara Thatcher, Solomon Thatcher's wife, and a regular visitor to Lake Bluff Camp Meetings. the cottage at 710 East Scranton Avenue (structure has been replaced) was her home during her visits.

    Notes on Frances Willard

    Record Type: Archive

    
17. Notes on Solomon Thatcher Jr. - Elmer Vliet's notes on Solomon Thatcher Jr.'s accomplishments

    Doc 2026

    Record Type: Archive

    
18. Solomon Thatcher - Correspondence between Elmer Vliet and various relations of Solomon Thatcher, Jr. about the history of the Thatcher family, in particular Lake Bluff and River Forest. Letters to Anne Thatcher Cram about Camp Meeting days in Lake Bluff; genealogy of the Thacher family Vliet's letters between Jim Getz, and Mr. Chunn. The letters were written between 1973 and 1978, when Vliet was gathering information for his book Lake Bluff : The First Hundred Years A Xerox copy of two articles the Thatcher's in River Forest. Vliet's typed notes : Thoughts on the Thatcher family. Elmer was clarifying the Thatcher line, as well as handwritten notes. Solomon Thatcher, Jr. (1833 - 1894), purchased land in Lake Bluff from the Gurnee heirs and from Ben Cloes for the future Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. According to Vliet's book, Thatcher wrote of his desire "to create a resort where 'during the heater term people might rest from the tumult and excitement of city life. . . '" The Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association (LBCMA) was formed in 1875, with Thatcher as its president. Also a Xerox four page Centennial River Forest program from 1936. A Xerox Second Annual Report for the LBCMA. Two postcards: One to Elmer Vliet from Anne Cram and another to Janet Nelson from Alma Koppedraijer, author of the monograph, Dwelling for Solomon Thatcher, Jr. An unpaged monograph by Alma Koppedraijer about the history of the Solomon Thatcher, Jr. house on 518 Keystone Avenue River Forest, Illinois and family history and genealogy. Koppedraijer says Thatcher was directly involved in the establishment of the first River Forest Methodist church in 1871. He was a real estate developer and in 1875 became president of LBCMA. The monograph shows photos and drawings of the Keystone Ave home. A 4.5 x 6 illustrated color program, from The River Forest Literary Society dated November 23, 1883. Thatcher was the treasurer. A small brochure for The River Forest Literary Society, May 22, 1885

    Solomon Thatcher family

    Record Type: Archive

    
19. Solomon Thatcher - One of the founders of the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. He bought 160 acres South of Judge Blodgett's farm and 40 acres of Benjamin Cloes lake front property. He paid $9,000 for the 160 acres and $6,000 for the 40 acres. Vliet Book, pg. 43.

    Solomon Thatcher

    Record Type: Photo

    
20. Solomon Thatcher, Jr. - A Polaroid copy of a sepia photo of Solomon Thatcher, Jr. Thatcher (1833 - 1894), purchased land in Lake Bluff from the Gurnee heirs and from Ben Cloes for the future Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. According to Vliet's book, Thatcher wrote of his desire " to create a resort where 'during the heater term people might rest from the tumult and excitement of city life. . . '" The Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association (LBCMA) was formed in 1875, with Thatcher as its president.

    Solomon Thatcher, Jr.

    Record Type: Photo

    
21. Solomon Thatcher, Jr. - Photo of Solomon Thatcher, Jr.

    Solomon Thatcher, Jr.

    Record Type: Photo

    
22. Thatcher Home, 518 Keystone - Photo of Solomon Thatcher Jr's house at 518 Keystone in River Forest between the 1860s and 1920, when the exterior was renovated.

    Thatcher Home, 518 Keystone

    Record Type: Photo

    
23. The Spirits of Lake Bluff Return - This newsletter explains and promotes the annual Ghost Walk and the donated Ice Truck.

    Spirits of Lake Bluff

    Record Type: Archive