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 History of Northlake > Rohde Honored |
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Meanwhile,
World War II had seen many service men of the area go on to fight, but sadly, a few of the men did not
come home.
Howard
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| Howard Rohde |
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Rohde, Coxwain USN, was officially listed as missing in action following a collision between two tankers
on the Atlantic seaboard. American Legion Post 888 at North and Roberta avenues is named in his
honor.
And
like so many other patriotic communities around the country, North Lake was doing all it could to assist
in the war effort.
Air
raid drills began, defense stamps were on sale, gasoline was rationed, the Civic Council organized
collections of materials like tin, a Victory Gardens program was organized and sugar ration books were
collected at Riley School.
When
the war ended, the debates to incorporate resumed.
A referendum
was held April 23, 1949 and this time it passed - 561 to 429. It was chartered by the state July 19 of
the same year.
Under
Illinois law, it had to be incorporated as a city and not a village because its initial area exceeded
two square miles.
Eventually,
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Eldon Hayes
Northlake's first mayor |
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the word North and Lake were officially merged. The name came from the City’s main thoroughfares,
North Avenue and Lake Street, which converge at a 45 degree angle at the western edge of the City.
Two
political parties raced in the election, the Northlake Citizens Party and the United Citizens Party.
Nearly
80 percent of the registered voters turned out to elect the City’s first Mayor, Eldon Hayes of the
Northlake Citizen’s Party.
The
eight aldermen and the Mayor had no City hall and met at various locations such as the Midland Company’s
offices, Roy School, the old fire house and a hardware store.
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