Dairy Mart, Eight Homes Earn 2011 Historic Preservation Awards

Huntley’s landmark Dairy Mart and eight local residences recently were honored with the third annual Pride in Preservation award from the Huntley Historic Preservation Commission.

The awards are given each May in conjunction with National Historic Preservation month. The honor is bestowed in recognition of properties that have been historically maintained, “thereby making a valuable contribution to the preservation of the historical, cultural and architectural heritage of the neighborhood and the overall community.”

Huntley Dairy Mart, an ice cream and burger business, was built by Joe and Helen Barrett in 1955 along Route 47. The red and white striped building instantly became a popular hot spot for local teens.  

Howard and Mildred Ruth bought the business in 1960 and it became known as H & M Dairy Mart. The Ruths enlarged the building, raised and lengthened the parking lot and expanded the menu to include a greater variety of food items.   

Among the Ruth’s employees was Dorothy Dammyer, who with her husband Charles, became the next owners of the Dairy Mart.   

Over the years other owners have included Ruby and Helen Rehberg, Glen Mobley and Marjean Ackman Mobley, and, in the 1970s, Barbara Brunschon and Bonnie Swann.   

During the 1970s, Steve Grechis worked at the Dairy Mart as a teenager, as so many other Huntley students have.  In 1985, Grechis and Ruth Schultze, the mother of a friend, bought the business together. Since Schultze’s death, Grechis has continued to run the iconic village establishment, which continues to be popular with Little Leaguers, soccer teams and family members of all ages.   

The eight homes honored with the 2011 Pride in Preservation Award include:

--The Alejandro residence at 11300 Dean Street, which was built in the 1920s and served as St. Mary Church rectory until 1931.

--The Pena residence at 11704 Third Street, built in the early 1900s and owned originally by John and Clara Schlupp, who ran a tavern on Main Street.  

--The Stroupe residence at 11903 Woodstock Street, built by John Weltzien and bought in 1918 by Henry and Carrie (Mackeben) Williams.   

--The Wohlhart residence, a dark green home at 11513 East Main Street, built in 1910 and owned by John and Margaret Hadley, Walter and Florence (Hadley) Kreutzer and later by Robert and Louise (Brunschon) Kreutzer.  

--The Manning residence at 11909 West Main Street, a Cape Cod style home built in 1940 by Elmer and Bernice Tobin Rudy. Elmer Rudy managed Patterson Lumber Company, which was located across the street. Blanche and Herbert Stumpf were the home’s second owners. Francis and Mary Hemmer Manning purchased the home in 1957 and continue to reside there.  

--The Pump home at 11620 Second Street features a Dutch colonial influence.  It was built in 1907-08 by local carpenter Henry Heinemann. It was later owned by Charles and Hazel (Hadley) Lazansky. Charles was a long-time postal carrier for Huntley.   

--The Rocks residence at 11614 Second Street was built in 1908-09 by Charles Mason. It was first owned by Clarence Hoy who named the home Shadow Lawn. It later was owned by school superintendent B. A. Streeter, and still later, by teacher and school namesake Hannah Martin.  

--The Bowser residence at 11604 Second Street was previously owned by William and Frieda Bartelt and John and Barbara Lohneis. The Lohneis’ son, Andrew, was killed in action in World War II.      

The honored homes along Second Street will be among those featured in the Historic Preservation Commission’s self-guided walking tour map and flyer. The tour map will be available at Huntley’s first Farmers’ Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, in conjunction with McHenry County’s Look at Local History Month.   

Those interested in touring Second Street and viewing notable homes from the sidewalk can pick up a guide that morning at the commission’s booth in the town square or at any time in the lobby of the village hall at 10987 Main Street.