This year the Spring Grove Community Engagement Committee held two events: a community-wide block party and a Trunk or Treat event to help our residents get to know each other and have some fun! We plan to offer more low-cost, family-orientated events next year and will be asking for your input to help us put together events you and your neighbors will enjoy coming to. A short survey will be sent in the coming days and we ask that you take a moment to give us your ideas. Thank you!
~ The Spring Grove Community Engagement Committee
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Landscape waste will be picked by Flood Brothers on your pickup day through Wednesday, December 1. Set out up to 8 bags/cans of yard waste per week, using biodegradable Kraft bags or 35-gallon waste containers (with a "Yard Waste Only" sticker on cans obtained from village). View more information here. See burning regulations here. Raking, blowing or otherwise allowing leaves or grass to be deposited upon or left on the streets or sidewalks of the village is prohibited by Village Ordinance.
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Basketball Registration for Grades K-8 |
Youth recreation basketball registrations are still taking place for grades K-8. They are also looking for volunteers for various positions. View the flyer and registration forms. Once filled out, you can e-mail the registration form to the Recreation Director here.
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Holiday Drive-Thru 2 nights! |
The village will be hosting a Holiday Drive-thru and Letters to Santa on Saturday, December 4 and Saturday, December 11 at Horse Fair Park from 5 - 6 p.m! Drive slowly through the park to see the beautiful holiday lights and displays. You can also bring letters to Santa for the elves to place in his mailbox, then wave to Santa and Mrs. Claus. Free event! Choose a Santa letter here, here or here, or make your own! View the flyer here. (Vehicles only, please. No walk-ups.)
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Toys for Tots Collection Locations |
It's time for the annual Toys for Tots "fill the box" toy drive! You can help less privileged children have a happy Christmas by dropping off a new, unwrapped toy or book for children of all ages at one of the following locations: Eclipse Hair Salon - 2020 Route 12 Suite U, the Spring Grove Fire House - 8214 Richardson Road and New Leaf Home Furnishings - 2449 Pierce Drive. Thank you!
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Kindergarten Screening & Registration |
Nippersink School District 2 encourages having all children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2022 to participate in screening which will take place on February 18 at the school your child will attend Kindergarten: Spring Grove Elementary or Richmond Grade School. On-line registration is also being completed at this time. Please call 815-678-6866 to make an appointment beginning Monday, November 29. The deadline to schedule is Friday, December 17.
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Photo of the Week
JJ Novak took this lovely photo of the sun setting behind the Schmitt family farm on Sunset Road in October. If you have a photo of Spring Grove you would like to share, email it here.
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The Jake Vinyard Foundation is hosting it's annual Food Drive to help and support families in need this Holiday Season. View the flyer with more information and drop off locations here.
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13th Anniversary Paw-ty at Nature's Feed |
Come by Nature's Feed this Saturday, November 20 and help celebrate their 13-year anniversary in Spring Grove! In-store raffles, exclusive sales from your favorite brands, and the first 40 customers who make a purchase will receive a free goody bag! (Limit 1 per household, please.) They are so grateful to be part of such a supportive community with such loyal customers & cannot say thank you enough. One-day-only exclusive sales will be posted on their Facebook page this week, so be sure to 'like' them and follow! Located at 2440 Westward Drive.
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Visit Theresa & Lance at T's Toffee Seventh Annual Open House Holiday Sale on Saturday, December 4 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. You can pre-order by phone or email and pick up on the day of the sale. Watch Facebook for updates. Located at 8815 Hidden Trail. View the flyer with more information here.
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Don't forget Small Business Saturday...the Saturday after Thanksgiving that is dedicated to supporting and celebrating community businesses and all they do for our community! Small businesses create jobs and help boost our local economy. Please support some Spring Grove businesses on November 27 and throughout the holiday season. Thank you to all the small businesses in Spring Grove for supporting and enriching our community! |
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If your lights have lost their twinkle, don't throw them away - recycle them at the Municipal Centre! Collection box located in the vestibule at 7401 Meyer Road, Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Click here to see which kinds of lights and cords are accepted.
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Blast from the Past - Glen Esh & Mary Bell |
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Glen in the Spring Grove Cornet Band c. 1902 |
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Esh Farm c. 1940 (courtesy Sharon Freund Wells) |
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Previously we learned about Robert & Sarah Esh and their son, Vyvian, who died at the age of 29. Vyvian’s wife, Bertha Bell, had to raise their newborn and 3 other children without him. But Bertha’s sister, Mary Bell, married Vyvians’ brother, Glen, so the Bell and Esh families were very close and supportive throughout the years.
Glen was the oldest Esh son, born in 1889 in Spring Grove, most likely in a room above the family’s grocery store at the southwest corner of Main & Blivin Streets. He helped in the store, attended local schools, and played in the Spring Grove Cornet band. After high school he attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison and studied Agriculture.
He and Mary had five children. In 1917 he wrote his occupation was “Creamery Employee, Artisan - Wieland Dairy” on his WWI draft card, (which the 1920 census taker later described as “tester at milk plant”). He soon became foreman at the dairy. The dairy collected, bottled, and shipped milk to Chicago, employing about 20 young Spring Grove men.
In 1923 he purchased a 40-acre farm at the northeast corner of Winn Road and Main Street. Always known at the “Esh farm”, it’s uncertain whether he himself ever farmed there or just rented the property out. In 1935 Joseph Freund and his wife, Julia Huff, moved there when another farm family moved out. In a strange turn of events in 1945, Louis Bell, the brother of Mary and Bertha, died on the Esh farm when he was helping Joseph fill his silo. Louis was standing in the wagon when the “evener” broke, the horses became frightened, and bolted. He held on tightly to the reins but was dragged to the ground and suffered a broken back. He had been living with Bertha for many years.
In the late 20s/early 30s, the dairy stopped bottling milk and just sent the collected milk in tank cars to Chicago where it was bottled, and then closed the dairy here after merging with Borden Dairy. Glen was transferred to Watertown, WI to manage a dairy there. Unfortunately, all the Spring Grove workers moved with the operation to Chicago or Watertown. Old-timers said once all the young men left, the town of Spring Grove started going downhill.
In 1940 the family was living in Barrington and Glen was working as a dairy inspector for the Borden-Wieland Dairy. He was employed with the dairy for 41 years, retiring in 1956. He died at age 79 in 1968 while Mary lived until 1984.
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