05/01/2026
April 21, 2026
President’s Message
Spring has brought a nice bit of energy with it this year, and it’s been good to see so many familiar faces—and a few new ones—along the way.
Back in March, Elizabeth and I spent a Saturday morning at the Barrington Library with the Signal Hill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. I did a presentation on the history of Lake Zurich, with a few side trips into Cuba Township and Signal Hill Road. It went really well except for me exceeding the time limit slightly. Still, no complaints and everybody said they enjoyed it. We were even given a thoughtful donation, which is always appreciated.
Then on April 11, a few of us—Julie, Nancy, Elizabeth, and myself—set up at the Lake Zurich Chamber’s “Everything Expo” over at the Foglia YMCA. We had a good spread of materials and items to share, and while we weren’t right in the main room, that quieter space worked in our favor. People came through steadily, we had some great conversations, and overall it felt like a very worthwhile day.
Just recently I was able to purchase a rare 1852 One Dollar bill from Seth Paine’s Bank of Chicago, aka “The Spirit Bank”. In 1852 Seth Paine, considered to be the founder of Lake Zurich, opened what was probably one of the strangest banks in US history. Seth believed in spiritualism, and employed mediums to communicate with spirits, such as Thomas Jefferson, for important banking decisions. His bank soon became known as The Spirit Bank, and only operated for five months before being shut down. I have been deeply interested in Seth Paine’s story for several years, and was tickled to be able to get this bill. The bank also issued Two and Three dollar bills.
One of the bigger updates is that we now have a new website up and running at elahistory.org. Mark did a fine job helping us get everything moved over. It’s all there—memberships, donations, event information—and now we can start shaping it into something even better over time. Along with that, we’ve set up a new email, [email protected], which will serve as our main point of contact going forward.
We’re also starting something new with the website—a monthly “President’s Message.” It’s just a simple way to keep everyone in the loop about what we’ve been working on and what’s coming up. Nothing fancy, just a regular note to stay connected.
Behind the scenes, there’s been plenty going on.
History Day is coming together nicely, with a strong group of vendors already lined up (and yes, the food truck is coming back). Displays in the museum have been refreshed and rearranged, including some nice additions from recent donations.
And as always, there’s ongoing work to preserve the stories that make this area what it is. The barn project continues to move along, with time spent documenting and adding history while these places are still standing. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t always get a spotlight, but it matters.
As ever, none of this happens without the steady help of volunteers and supporters. Whether you’ve been with us for years or are just getting to know us, you’re part of what keeps this going.
We’ll keep at it—and we’ll keep you posted.
Ray
