January 29, 2024 • 32 mins
Mokena’s first post office opened February 10, 1853 and served our newly formed train depot of a town. With the railroad splitting through town, it made Mokena a prime mail location, with mail coming via the passing trains, to and from Chicago. The post office was a vital organ in the life of the new town and many took up the role of Postmaster, until 28 year old Margaret M. Maue is takes the position. She served as one of Mokenas' longest running Postmasters or Postmistresses, serving the role for thirty four years.
Margaret Maue, (later Margaret O'Brien), held the post on March 2nd, 1937, when the Post Office was robbed in the dark of night. The Office suffered a significant loss and Matt shares the story of the search to catch the bandits and what was recovered from the theft. In addition to the story of the theft, Matt paints the picture of what the Post Office meant to the residents and how it helped Mokena grow into a hub along the route to and from Chicago.
Read Matts blog post that this episode is based on HERE.
The History of Mokena: A Journey Through Time - 1831 to 2010
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Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Israel (00:01):
Welcome to Mokena's Front Porch.
A Mokena History podcast withMac Galik and me, israel Smith.
Matt (00:08):
This institution is almost as old as the village itself,
tracing its founding to February10th 1853, when our town was
less than a year old.
Six males a day will have to behandled.
In addition to hanging mailpouches on mail cranes twice
daily, a team of men went insidemaybe four or five of them and
(00:29):
be lined for the offices safe in800 pound colossus In no time
flat.
Two inspectors showed up intown who sealed off the premises
, allowing no one to come or go.
Israel (00:42):
This story we're going to talk about was the 1937 heist
of the Mokena Post Office, and,matt, you posted this on March
10th of 2023.
Oh, wow, and a reallyinteresting article for one,
because I think you reallyhighlight the importance or how
the post office kind of grew upin town and how important it was
(01:03):
, you know.
But one thing I was wonderingabout, and maybe you can speak
to us, what the effect was whenthe post office moved off of
Front Street.
Did it affect downtown at all?
Matt (01:18):
That's a good question, Not that I've ever really picked
up on.
That was a relativelyrelatively recent occurrence in
Mokena's history.
I believe the current postoffice on Wolf Road was built in
and opened in at least we'llsay opened in 1980, I want to
say, but yeah, I don't think ithad any kind of negative effect
(01:42):
or anything.
Israel (01:43):
And did it have a consistent?
You know, were there businessesin that?
They were in there consistentlyafter they left?
Matt (01:51):
Yeah, as far as I know, yes, there was After the post
office left, where it had beenon Front Street, which is where
the oh, what is the name?
Noz, yeah, noz, noz, where Nozis now on Front Street after the
post office left.
I believe there was a pool hallin there.
Briefly, really, yeah, yeah,from what I hear, it was kind of
(02:16):
attracting nefarious characters, as they're probably usually
usually do.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
And then then, after that, fdprinting moved in, which was
there for quite a long time.
For, let's see, when I was wasgrowing up in the 90s, the early
(02:38):
90s, it was already there andthey finally shut down well into
the 2000s.
When was that?
That had to have been around2015 or 16.
Thereabouts, but there couldhave been other short-lived
businesses in there.
Israel (02:57):
But, and then I don't remember anything until you know
it'd been a while until Noz wasthere.
Matt (03:03):
It's empty, right.
It did sit empty for quite along time, yeah, until Noz
finally moved in.
Israel (03:08):
Yeah, it was a great little job there.
The Noz resale for rescues yeah, they're always good.
They have a little bin of toysthat the kids you know going
with my son.
He likes to look around andthey always let him pick
something free out of there.
Oh cool, nice little place.
Matt (03:21):
Yeah it is.
Yeah, it's a cool business tohave on Front Street, for sure.
Israel (03:24):
Yeah, yeah, so before we get into that story, we are
rounding out the beginning of2024 and it's almost February,
and so I was looking throughthis really cool the timeline of
Mokena that Mr Quinn did aswell.
As you said, you helped him outwith organizing this, is that
(03:47):
right?
Matt (03:47):
Yeah, there were a few of us that were that.
Put that together.
Israel (03:51):
Yeah, yeah.
Very cool and if you haven'tseen it, we're, I'll post.
I'll post a link to this.
I think the village has itlisted, posted on their website.
But really interesting and justkind of bullets, you know, the
kind of historical highlightsfor the village through each
year.
So I wanted to just point out acouple of those, so from a
(04:14):
hundred years ago.
So I thought you know, look atboth 1923 and 1924, we're still
kind of in the new year.
So 1923, Herman Schweizer haselected Mokena's first fire
chief.
Yeah there he was.
And Albert Helmuth moves hisshop out of the Cooper and
(04:35):
Hoster garage building andleaves the old drugstore
building and leases the olddrugstore building which some
sources say was located on thesoutheast corner of front and
Mokena Street.
Yes, yeah, that was the one.
And then it also says Alberthas expanded his business to
include auto top repair andmaking side curtains for
(04:56):
roadsters and open top towingcars, touring cars.
Matt (05:01):
Yes, he certainly did yeah .
Israel (05:03):
And then in 1923, we also have in March a large
truckload of illegal beer isintercepted at the corner of
Front Street and Wolf Road,which is something we've talked
about before in our episodes.
That was done by the WillCounty deputies Walter Fisher
and John Frisch, who should bevery well known toward listeners
.
Matt (05:22):
Yeah, definitely they will be.
Israel (05:24):
During questioning, deputy Fisher saves the life of
Deputy Frisch when the truckdriver attempts to shoot him and
the shipment had come from Gary, indiana.
And then we talk about StJohn's and Reverend William Cris
.
With the assistance of numerouscommittees and subcommittees,
st John's Congregation completesconstruction of a new church on
(05:47):
its property At what is now a111, 00 seconds treated a cost
of $60,000.
And again we did a wholeepisode on this at the
anniversary last year.
Really, really interesting Withabout the booklet that you
wrote really goes into depthabout the process they went
through and and how much moneythat really was Compared to you
(06:13):
know, today's it was a yeah,huge it was yeah it was quite an
undertaking.
It is because of thisaccomplishment, as well as the
60th anniversary of St John'scongregation, that the year 1923
is declared the church'sJubilee year.
On April 15th, the new churchis dedicated, and the 60th
(06:34):
anniversary celebration is oneof the biggest events to occur
in Mokena up to this time.
And Then just a couple pointsfor 1924.
Mokena State Bank is robbed ofover $4,000 and the perpetrators
are never apprehended.
That's right and a major momentin our history.
(06:54):
Fred and Carrie Yonkerpurchased the McGovney farm from
the estate of Elijah McGovney,who's the youngest son of the
first settlers, john and NancyMcGovney.
So this is the first.
This is where the Yonkers kindof come into the picture.
Yeah, that's what happened yeahin town.
So and then Wanted to jump to asI had a little time on my hands
(07:19):
, and Jumped to 50 years ago.
So look at 1973, and that was aquiet year.
But the Citizens Club is formed, the senior Citizens Club is
formed, and we talked about theMokena original jail the Calabas
we've Taught referred to itvery frequently.
(07:41):
Definitely built in 1881 andconverted into Dick McGovney's
home in 1916 until 1558, isrelocated to the lock to
Lockport by the Will CountyHistorical Society when you can
still see it today and stillthere yeah and that's pretty
cool.
Yeah, in 1917, 1974 will lookwill.
(08:04):
Ocrest elementary school getsan addition at a cost of
$642,000.
What?
What would that been referringto?
Matt (08:14):
Yeah, will Ocrest basically is Part of MES,
nowadays Mokena elementaryschool will Ocrest.
How would I explain this?
Will Ocrest was the Southernportion of the school because
the school nowadays is a hugecomplex.
Israel (08:33):
And yeah, the elementary school was called will Ocrest
back then and the name went outof use and must have been about
1995 or so, yeah, and when theydid the connection Right, yeah,
so, and actually Dr Cohen gaveme a bunch of newspaper articles
and one of them was thededication of the, the
(08:55):
connection of those twobuildings together so they, but
did they do a second floor?
Matt (09:03):
addition is that where they added the second floor to
it to for the $642,000 in 1974there was not a second floor to
will Ocrest on which it additionexactly that refers to I'm not
sure off the top of my head,because that building, will
Ocrest, was actually added on toa few times over the years,
(09:23):
ever since it first opened inthe 1950s.
And then what was laterreferred to as Mokena elementary
school was built just a fewyards to the north, in the 70s I
believe, and then they were.
The two buildings wereconnected as one in the 90s.
Yeah, and then will Ocrest namefell out of use.
Israel (09:40):
Yeah, all right.
Yeah, also, in 1974, the Mokenavolunteer fire department
purchases a rescue vehicle, thepost office initiates motorized
mail delivery and up to thispoint residents were not
required to take Home delivery,so they're not required to take.
And you know what the story isthere that I don't actually yeah
(10:03):
, I don't know what, what thatis.
Matt (10:06):
Yeah interesting.
Israel (10:07):
Well, yeah, maybe if we get to talk to Mr Quinn, he'll
yeah, he'll definitely be ableto explain what that process was
there, yeah, yeah, sointeresting, and again, we'll
post the link I've.
I've tried to go through thisso many times.
I mean it's so long and there'sso much.
Every time I read it likesomething jumps out at you.
Matt (10:24):
Yeah, something new.
Israel (10:25):
So yeah, thank you for helping part.
You know, put this together.
Matt (10:29):
It's a great piece of history.
Israel (10:32):
I mean it's, it's a Great record of our Village's
history.
I mean, if this is all you hadto know like we get a really
good picture from this.
Matt (10:43):
It's, yeah, it's a really handy.
Yeah, it is.
Israel (10:45):
Yeah, I refer to it a lot myself all right, and one
more set of years, we go jump to25 years.
Oh yeah and so we go to 1998Seems like just a couple days
ago.
Yeah, Mokena's population is12,613.
The widening of 191st Streetfrom Route 45 to Harlem begins,
(11:08):
duplexes and old castle Woods.
South subdivision isestablished.
And Then 1999, st John's thisis a popular popular topic today
.
St John's yeah, st John'schurch hall, which was the
original Methodist EpiscopalChurch built in 1867, is
(11:28):
demolished.
That's right.
Yeah, st John's beginsconstruction of their Christian
Community Center, and this isthis what sits there now and
where we vote.
And yeah exactly have the BoyScout spaghetti dinners.
Oh yeah, a lot of, lot of usesthe forest view, subdivision is
established and where is forestview?
Matt (11:49):
I was just thinking the same thing.
I Somebody will correct me onthis if I'm wrong, but I think
forest view is the subdivisionon the south side of La Porte
Road.
How would I describe?
Israel (12:03):
this West of Lagrange.
Yes, West of the grain.
Okay, so behind like CVS.
Matt (12:12):
Yeah, that right.
Yeah, I believe that's whatthat is, but I'm not a hundred
percent sure on that.
It sounds right.
Israel (12:17):
Yeah, we'll go with that .
Yeah unless somebody provesthis different.
Matt (12:21):
Yeah, yeah no.
Israel (12:23):
on December 31st, Mokena brings in the new millennium
with a town celebration held atthe Mokena junior high school,
known today at Mokena, knowntoday as Mokena Intermediate
School, located on 195th Street.
Yeah, yeah it was a big deal.
So did you participate in this?
(12:44):
I did, yeah.
What do you remember about it?
Matt (12:47):
I wrote it's actually that's.
That's a good question.
Well, it was a huge deal there.
That was the where the town'sofficial millennium celebration
was, so there are tons of peoplethere.
It was this very happening,very alive and aside from the
fireworks at midnight and havinglittle pieces of cardboard and
(13:12):
stuff fall on us from thefireworks.
The biggest thing that sticksout in my memory right off the
bat is talking to a local guyyou know he's probably been
mentioned by us at some pointbefore, but Mokena guy by the
name of Bob Baker, who laterwould found Mokena's newspaper,
(13:32):
the Independent News.
That wasn't until about 2001 orso.
At this point, new Year's Eve99, he was still working for the
Herald News in Julia.
I believe that was the HeraldNews he worked for.
But I remember talking with himat the gym at the junior high
and him saying that he watchedthe New Year's Eve on TV in
(13:54):
Australia earlier that day andthat he was happy because
everything was working.
As some of us who are oldenough to remember will remember
, the Y2K.
Israel (14:03):
Sure.
So I remember similar thoughtsseeing.
I think it was Paris, I don'tknow Paris made it.
We're all right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Matt (14:11):
So yeah, I remember that was a big, big thing that day.
Yeah, I always remember him.
Israel (14:17):
But wow, very cool.
Yeah, that's a good memory tohave there.
Anything else that stands out,I mean from that night.
Matt (14:24):
Yeah, another cool thing from that night was that we got
to hear a performance of theMokena March in Two Step, which
was a, the march that waswritten by excuse me, by Mokena
Lady by the name of Emma Closein the earlier part of the 20th
century.
That must have been around,let's say it was around 1910 or
(14:47):
thereabouts, without having myfiles on her in front of me, and
she composed this march and gotit published into sheet music
and everything, and a copy ofthe original music was given to
me by a I believe it was agentleman from New Lenox who had
happened across it kind ofright before this, right before
(15:08):
New Year's Eve, and I believe itwas once again, if I remember
correctly, through the effortsof Bob Baker, who I just
mentioned, that he was able toget some copies of the sheet
music from me and have it playedthat night.
Oh, cool, and that stillremains the one and only time in
my life I've ever heard itperformed.
Israel (15:28):
Wow, yeah, yeah, that's really cool.
Matt (15:31):
That was pretty cool, yeah , nate.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Israel (15:34):
Well, this story that we're going to talk about
tonight is a really, reallyinteresting story, like we said,
and it gives a lot of detailabout the post office and as
well as the town and aninteresting time you know in our
village and a very interestingcharacter you talk about.
Margaret Moe.
How do you say her last name,maui?
(15:56):
Maui, later O'Brien, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and really
interesting.
So be sure to listen, for whenMatt starts talking about her,
do we say the longest runningpostmaster, that that they call?
Matt (16:12):
it a post.
I don't know what that Backthen at least they would have
called her a postmistress.
Yeah, I say that, or would saythat sounds right that she was
the longest running because sheheld that office for a very long
time.
Israel (16:28):
Yeah, very cool yeah.
Matt (16:30):
So, yeah, she probably still holds that record to this
day.
Israel (16:32):
Very neat, so yeah, so let's hear it again.
This was posted on Matt's blogon Friday, march 10th of 2023,
titled 800 pounds of treasurethe 1937 heist of the Mokena's
Post Office.
Matt (16:50):
Mokena's story is a long and winding one, stretching back
nearly two centuries,containing countless moments of
mirth and buoyancy.
When we look back, these arethe times that first come to
mind, and rightfully so, as theyare what make our village feel
like home.
However, a close look upon therecord of the years will also
review nefarious bits as well.
(17:11):
These are things we aren'tproud of, but that, nevertheless
, any locale as old as ours willhave.
From the bone crushing riots ofthe 19th century, detailed
elsewhere in these pages, to theinfamous robbery of the Mokena
State Bank that is still talkedabout to this day, a hundred
years later, we have some highoctane events on our collective
(17:32):
timeline.
One case ranks up with the restof them.
One that is remembered byincreasingly few, the 1937 heist
at the Mokena Post Office, hasall but slipped into the cracks
of history.
This institution is almost asold as the village itself,
tracing its founding to February10th 1853, when our town was
(17:54):
less than a year old.
The same day, the honor ofcalling himself our first
postmaster was bestowed uponWarren Knapp Esquire, who, a
little over a year before,founded the first business in
what would become Mokena, at atime before the Chicago, rock
Island and Pacific Railroad wasfully completed.
(18:15):
A 26 year old man of New Yorkbirth, knapp, married into the
McGoverni family in 1850, whenhe took Nancy as his wife, the
younger sister of future firstmayor Azias McGoverni.
Where exactly Warren Knapp'spost office stood in the Newborn
Village cannot be reconstructedfrom the historic record,
(18:38):
although it's reasonable tothink it could have been in his
combined general store andresidence, a small stone
building that stood on the siteof today's 11124 Front Street.
That Mokena was a railroad townsince its birth gave us
excellent postal connections tothe world.
(18:58):
From the outset, it was the jobof the Rock Island agent and
his helper to bring sacks ofmail from the post office to the
depot, but a 1921 ruling passedby Uncle Sam changed this.
From then on, this would be thedomain of a new hire.
A blurb under the headline Doyou Want a Job?
(19:18):
It appeared in the November 2,1921 edition of Mokena's News
Bulletin, looked for bidders forthe position.
It's stating that applicantshad to be at least 16 and that
whoever takes the job will bepaid monthly, not to mention
that six mails a day will haveto be handled, in addition to
(19:39):
hanging mail pouches on mailcranes twice daily.
The final part of the sentencereferring to the wooden arms
that allowed mail bags to begrabbed via hook from
fast-moving trains.
Today we take it for grantedthat nearly anyone is a text
message away.
But in the days before thisrapid, instantaneous
communication, the arrival of afresh load of mail over the
(20:03):
rails was a much anticipatedevent.
Some sardonic pointers passedon by the postmaster of
neighboring Tinley Park in 1924give life to this fact.
Notice advice to patronspositively no letters will be
delivered until received.
If you do not get your letterthe day you expect it, have the
(20:24):
postmaster.
Look through all the boxes andin the cellar.
Also, it ought to be theresomewhere and he likes to look
for it just to please you.
If your friends don't write,curse the postmaster.
He is to blame.
If he tells you there is nomail for you, put on a grieved
expression and say there oughtto be some.
He is probably hiding your mailfor the pleasure of having you
(20:45):
call for it six or seven times aday and after every freight or
hand car, ask him to look again.
From its first days until thelean years of the Great
Depression, the Moquina PostOffice counted 20 postmasters
and postmistresses and washoused in a head-spinning number
of different locations in thevillage.
(21:05):
On June 18, 1934, ms Margaret MMaui received her commission as
postmistress at a time when thecommunity counted around 350
residents.
The 28-year-old local nativeoversaw an office counting three
employees, namely herself, herclerk and one rural mail carrier
(21:27):
.
At which time her charge waslocated in a small wing of an
old building that stood on thenorthwest corner of Front and
Division Streets.
Less than three years into herstewardship, an event transpired
that would stay with MargaretMaui for the rest of her days.
In the pitch black of Tuesdaymorning, march 2, 1937, front
(21:49):
Street stood quiet and still nota soul stirred.
At about four o'clock, a truckpiloted by unknown yags cut
through the pre-dawn darknessand ambled into town.
The conveyance was backed up tothe post office and the
nameless miscreants went on tocut a hole in the front door's
glass, whereupon one snaked hisarm in and opened the catchlock.
(22:12):
A team of men went inside maybefour or five of them and be
lined for the offices safe in800-pound colossus.
Using a lot of elbow grease andoomph, they lugged it from the
back of the post office andthrew the lobby, leaving gouges
on the floor, then outside andinto the truck.
Before they disappeared, one ofthe crooks tore open a package
(22:36):
addressed to Ben Tews but, uponrifling through its contents,
was not impressed with them andthrew the box aside.
The whole thing was just aseasy as that.
The thieves made their hastyescape, leaving tired tread
marks on the ground in front ofthe post office.
The entire time they were busy,they never had to worry about
being interrupted in their deed,as neighbors would later report
(22:59):
.
Having heard a truck idling inthose early hours but thought
nothing of it Flashing forwardto 5.30 that morning,
70-year-old Front Streetresident and local mail
messenger Julius Grafendtikturned up at the post office to
get started on the day's work.
To his horror, he found theoffice's door ajar and the safe
missing.
(23:19):
Using a chain of frenziedcommunication, grafendtik,
Mokena's sole veteran of theSpanish-American War, alerted
postmistress Maui, who in turnnotified federal postal
officials in Chicago.
In no time flat, two inspectorsshowed up in town who sealed
off the premises, allowing noone to come or go.
(23:40):
The whole post office wasdusted for fingerprints and
photos were extensively takenboth inside and out of the small
wing of the building that heldthe office.
In the meantime, Mokena lawmanGeorge Bennett posted himself in
the doorway and handed out themail to any villager who came
for it.
Ms Maui tallied up her losses.
(24:01):
The biggest were the $1300 ingovernment savings bonds, worth
around $27,000 in today's money,and the $400 in stamps that
disappeared.
Along with them were cashedmoney orders representing $82,
then $198 in cash, $60 in checksand two books of blank money
(24:23):
orders.
To add insult to injury, all ofthe post office's record books
were in the $50 safe and none ofit was insured.
The next chapter in the sagaplayed out six days after the
heist.
In the morning of Wednesday,march 10, a traveling attorney
spotted what was described as apile of junk along the old Monee
(24:47):
Road four miles southwest ofChicago Heights.
Whatever it was, it wasbattered beyond repair and upon
closer inspection it turned outto be a safe, or at least what
was left of one.
Nearby, a set of railroad toolswas found cast aside,
consisting of a pick, two sledgehammers and others.
(25:07):
It was deduced that these hadbeen used to smash it open.
Rightfully finding all thisfishy, the lawyer notified the
police.
Sure enough, with the help ofpostal authorities, direct safe
was traced back to Moquina.
Interestingly, most of thecontents of the safe from the
post office were found.
Along with it, only the $400 instamps and $198 in cash were
(25:33):
missing.
Most Mistress Maui was able toget the rest of the documents
back to town, but the historicrecord is unclear as to what she
did with the broken safe.
Curiously, that same morningyet another wrecked safe,
complete with railroad tools,was found abandoned two miles
east of Frankfurt, determined tobelong to a grocery store in
the county seat.
(25:53):
It was surmised that this wasthe handiwork of the same gang
that attacked the Moquina postoffice.
Life kept going in Moquina theSecond World War came and went,
the baby boom started and thevillage enjoyed a period of
prosperity.
In June 1952, there was yetanother robbery of the post
office, in which a large numberof money orgurs were looted.
(26:15):
In any case, the whole eventwasn't as high-profile as the
case 15 years earlier and thewhole thing has been forgotten
by history, much as the 1937heist has.
Postmistress Margaret Maui, oneof the most intrepid young
women in our community's history, took Frances O'Brien as her
husband in 1941 and held heroffice in Moquina until 1968.
(26:37):
Her 34 years running our postoffice is, as far as anyone can
tell, a village record thatstill stands to this day.
Perhaps the crowning moment inMargaret O'Brien's career was
the dedication of the new postoffice in 1960, a building which
still stands at 11134 FrontStreet.
(26:58):
The Moquina Post Office is acommunity institution that goes
back almost to the day ourvillage was born, as the great
robbery of 1937 proves.
Its history isn't all sortingletters and stamping cards.
Israel (27:13):
So it ended up being about $600 in losses in the end.
So I don't know what that worksout to in today's money, but
not insignificant, but not whatit started with being at $1,700
between savings bonds and stamps.
You have a really good picturehere from the blog post of it
(27:36):
shows the post office in 1925.
But really great highlights.
You even have it circled wherethe post office sat there.
So just kind of a small, not areal big building at all there?
Matt (27:50):
Not at all.
It was just a little tiny wingof that building which held the
Moquina Hardware Company.
Israel (27:57):
So it was attached to the hardware store here.
Matt (28:00):
Yeah, it was just attached onto the side of the building,
onto the western side.
Israel (28:05):
And that has to have been one of the coolest looking
buildings that was on FrontStreet.
I mean that is such a neat withthe second floor, second story
balcony kind of going on there.
Matt (28:17):
Yeah, it was a cool building and unfortunately, that
building burnt down in itsentirety in 1974.
And that's what happened tothat.
But that was.
Israel (28:26):
Yeah, and we've talked, I think, some about that here
and there.
But I know you have anotherarticle on that building as well
.
That I do.
I'm sure we'll be soon to cover.
So March 2nd 1937 was the dateof the robbery and they're never
found, we don't?
We never hear anything moreafter that.
Matt (28:47):
Yeah, as far as anything that's turned up on the
historical record.
No one was ever prosecuted forthis and there were no suspects,
at least not that were publiclynamed, Aside from that other
smashed open safe that was foundoutside Frankfurt where it was
kind of deduced that this wasmaybe the same group of people,
(29:07):
but yeah, no good suspects everreally came up for that.
Israel (29:11):
So our first post office was opened in February 10th
1853.
Matt (29:17):
So not too much going on in town back at that time, Not
really Just before the railroadcomes through, yeah, it was just
just after the railroad andthere were only just a tiny
handful of buildings in Moquinaat that time.
But it was decided to open apost office here and it has been
in just a million differentplaces all over town.
It was kind of one of thosethings where the postmaster
(29:40):
could ultimately decide where heor she wanted to put the post
office, so it was up and downFront Street.
Israel (29:48):
Do you know where the decision comes?
To decide that you know Moquinaneeded a post office?
Matt (29:55):
I don't know, I don't know who ultimately made that
decision.
So Warren Knapp, the firstpostmaster his commission was
signed by.
I believe that was PresidentPierce at the time.
Franklin Pierce, I believe, waspresident in 1853.
So ultimately he probably I'msure he didn't think about oh
(30:18):
Mokena, illinois, here's hispostmaster.
He probably was just signingpapers that were coming across
his desk.
But I know that his WarrenKnapp's brother-in-law, ziaz
Magovny, was very prominent ingetting the effort started to
get the post office because Ibelieve he had to collect a
certain amount of signatures orshow that there were a certain
(30:40):
amount of people who would beusing the post office.
So he was, he was prettyprominent in that and collecting
the signatures and convincingthe right people and all that
kind of stuff.
Israel (30:51):
And that had to be significant to the growth of the
town, the early village, thento know that you could get
everything taken care of there,business-wise, getting things
shipped to you, sent to you bymail, for a business that was
running and selling goods andbesides the train.
And pretty much everything wasbrought by train, then Is that
(31:15):
right?
Matt (31:15):
More or less.
Yeah, Even from any kind ofdistance.
Yeah, would have come over tothe Rock Island, Very
interesting.
Yeah, absolutely.
Israel (31:23):
It's something we really do take for granted, especially
when you know most people haveAmazon stopping at their house
you know two, three times a day.
Matt (31:31):
Yeah, right, right.
Israel (31:33):
You know we don't think about the process.
Went through 100 years ago or100 plus years ago.
To you know, send a letter orget a package to you, yeah,
absolutely Great.
Well, thanks for sharing thestory, man this is another great
one.
Matt (31:45):
You're welcome and we'll see you next time.
Israel (31:47):
Matt and I both really hope that you're enjoying the
podcast and that you enjoyedthis episode.
We would really appreciate itif you would share our podcast
with your friends or family, aswell as leave us a review on
Spotify or Apple Music orwherever you hear our podcast.
We'd love to hear your showideas or your questions so you
can send us an email at podcast,at Mokenasfrontporch.
(32:10):
com, or on Facebook throughMessenger, or through our
website, which isMokenasfrontporch.
com.
You can send us a message there.
We have a link in the shownotes to Matt's blog post that
this episode was based on.
We have some great thingscoming up and we're really
excited to share with you.
So thanks for listening andwe'll see you next time on
(32:32):
Mokinasfront Porch.
Welcome to Mokena's Front Porch.
A Mokena History podcast withMac Galik and me, israel Smith.
Matt (00:08):
This institution is almost as old as the village itself,
tracing its founding to February10th 1853, when our town was
less than a year old.
Six males a day will have to behandled.
In addition to hanging mailpouches on mail cranes twice
daily, a team of men went insidemaybe four or five of them and
(00:29):
be lined for the offices safe in800 pound colossus In no time
flat.
Two inspectors showed up intown who sealed off the premises
, allowing no one to come or go.
Israel (00:42):
This story we're going to talk about was the 1937 heist
of the Mokena Post Office, and,matt, you posted this on March
10th of 2023.
Oh, wow, and a reallyinteresting article for one,
because I think you reallyhighlight the importance or how
the post office kind of grew upin town and how important it was
(01:03):
, you know.
But one thing I was wonderingabout, and maybe you can speak
to us, what the effect was whenthe post office moved off of
Front Street.
Did it affect downtown at all?
Matt (01:18):
That's a good question, Not that I've ever really picked
up on.
That was a relativelyrelatively recent occurrence in
Mokena's history.
I believe the current postoffice on Wolf Road was built in
and opened in at least we'llsay opened in 1980, I want to
say, but yeah, I don't think ithad any kind of negative effect
(01:42):
or anything.
Israel (01:43):
And did it have a consistent?
You know, were there businessesin that?
They were in there consistentlyafter they left?
Matt (01:51):
Yeah, as far as I know, yes, there was After the post
office left, where it had beenon Front Street, which is where
the oh, what is the name?
Noz, yeah, noz, noz, where Nozis now on Front Street after the
post office left.
I believe there was a pool hallin there.
Briefly, really, yeah, yeah,from what I hear, it was kind of
(02:16):
attracting nefarious characters, as they're probably usually
usually do.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
And then then, after that, fdprinting moved in, which was
there for quite a long time.
For, let's see, when I was wasgrowing up in the 90s, the early
(02:38):
90s, it was already there andthey finally shut down well into
the 2000s.
When was that?
That had to have been around2015 or 16.
Thereabouts, but there couldhave been other short-lived
businesses in there.
Israel (02:57):
But, and then I don't remember anything until you know
it'd been a while until Noz wasthere.
Matt (03:03):
It's empty, right.
It did sit empty for quite along time, yeah, until Noz
finally moved in.
Israel (03:08):
Yeah, it was a great little job there.
The Noz resale for rescues yeah, they're always good.
They have a little bin of toysthat the kids you know going
with my son.
He likes to look around andthey always let him pick
something free out of there.
Oh cool, nice little place.
Matt (03:21):
Yeah it is.
Yeah, it's a cool business tohave on Front Street, for sure.
Israel (03:24):
Yeah, yeah, so before we get into that story, we are
rounding out the beginning of2024 and it's almost February,
and so I was looking throughthis really cool the timeline of
Mokena that Mr Quinn did aswell.
As you said, you helped him outwith organizing this, is that
(03:47):
right?
Matt (03:47):
Yeah, there were a few of us that were that.
Put that together.
Israel (03:51):
Yeah, yeah.
Very cool and if you haven'tseen it, we're, I'll post.
I'll post a link to this.
I think the village has itlisted, posted on their website.
But really interesting and justkind of bullets, you know, the
kind of historical highlightsfor the village through each
year.
So I wanted to just point out acouple of those, so from a
(04:14):
hundred years ago.
So I thought you know, look atboth 1923 and 1924, we're still
kind of in the new year.
So 1923, Herman Schweizer haselected Mokena's first fire
chief.
Yeah there he was.
And Albert Helmuth moves hisshop out of the Cooper and
(04:35):
Hoster garage building andleaves the old drugstore
building and leases the olddrugstore building which some
sources say was located on thesoutheast corner of front and
Mokena Street.
Yes, yeah, that was the one.
And then it also says Alberthas expanded his business to
include auto top repair andmaking side curtains for
(04:56):
roadsters and open top towingcars, touring cars.
Matt (05:01):
Yes, he certainly did yeah .
Israel (05:03):
And then in 1923, we also have in March a large
truckload of illegal beer isintercepted at the corner of
Front Street and Wolf Road,which is something we've talked
about before in our episodes.
That was done by the WillCounty deputies Walter Fisher
and John Frisch, who should bevery well known toward listeners
.
Matt (05:22):
Yeah, definitely they will be.
Israel (05:24):
During questioning, deputy Fisher saves the life of
Deputy Frisch when the truckdriver attempts to shoot him and
the shipment had come from Gary, indiana.
And then we talk about StJohn's and Reverend William Cris
.
With the assistance of numerouscommittees and subcommittees,
st John's Congregation completesconstruction of a new church on
(05:47):
its property At what is now a111, 00 seconds treated a cost
of $60,000.
And again we did a wholeepisode on this at the
anniversary last year.
Really, really interesting Withabout the booklet that you
wrote really goes into depthabout the process they went
through and and how much moneythat really was Compared to you
(06:13):
know, today's it was a yeah,huge it was yeah it was quite an
undertaking.
It is because of thisaccomplishment, as well as the
60th anniversary of St John'scongregation, that the year 1923
is declared the church'sJubilee year.
On April 15th, the new churchis dedicated, and the 60th
(06:34):
anniversary celebration is oneof the biggest events to occur
in Mokena up to this time.
And Then just a couple pointsfor 1924.
Mokena State Bank is robbed ofover $4,000 and the perpetrators
are never apprehended.
That's right and a major momentin our history.
(06:54):
Fred and Carrie Yonkerpurchased the McGovney farm from
the estate of Elijah McGovney,who's the youngest son of the
first settlers, john and NancyMcGovney.
So this is the first.
This is where the Yonkers kindof come into the picture.
Yeah, that's what happened yeahin town.
So and then Wanted to jump to asI had a little time on my hands
(07:19):
, and Jumped to 50 years ago.
So look at 1973, and that was aquiet year.
But the Citizens Club is formed, the senior Citizens Club is
formed, and we talked about theMokena original jail the Calabas
we've Taught referred to itvery frequently.
(07:41):
Definitely built in 1881 andconverted into Dick McGovney's
home in 1916 until 1558, isrelocated to the lock to
Lockport by the Will CountyHistorical Society when you can
still see it today and stillthere yeah and that's pretty
cool.
Yeah, in 1917, 1974 will lookwill.
(08:04):
Ocrest elementary school getsan addition at a cost of
$642,000.
What?
What would that been referringto?
Matt (08:14):
Yeah, will Ocrest basically is Part of MES,
nowadays Mokena elementaryschool will Ocrest.
How would I explain this?
Will Ocrest was the Southernportion of the school because
the school nowadays is a hugecomplex.
Israel (08:33):
And yeah, the elementary school was called will Ocrest
back then and the name went outof use and must have been about
1995 or so, yeah, and when theydid the connection Right, yeah,
so, and actually Dr Cohen gaveme a bunch of newspaper articles
and one of them was thededication of the, the
(08:55):
connection of those twobuildings together so they, but
did they do a second floor?
Matt (09:03):
addition is that where they added the second floor to
it to for the $642,000 in 1974there was not a second floor to
will Ocrest on which it additionexactly that refers to I'm not
sure off the top of my head,because that building, will
Ocrest, was actually added on toa few times over the years,
(09:23):
ever since it first opened inthe 1950s.
And then what was laterreferred to as Mokena elementary
school was built just a fewyards to the north, in the 70s I
believe, and then they were.
The two buildings wereconnected as one in the 90s.
Yeah, and then will Ocrest namefell out of use.
Israel (09:40):
Yeah, all right.
Yeah, also, in 1974, the Mokenavolunteer fire department
purchases a rescue vehicle, thepost office initiates motorized
mail delivery and up to thispoint residents were not
required to take Home delivery,so they're not required to take.
And you know what the story isthere that I don't actually yeah
(10:03):
, I don't know what, what thatis.
Matt (10:06):
Yeah interesting.
Israel (10:07):
Well, yeah, maybe if we get to talk to Mr Quinn, he'll
yeah, he'll definitely be ableto explain what that process was
there, yeah, yeah, sointeresting, and again, we'll
post the link I've.
I've tried to go through thisso many times.
I mean it's so long and there'sso much.
Every time I read it likesomething jumps out at you.
Matt (10:24):
Yeah, something new.
Israel (10:25):
So yeah, thank you for helping part.
You know, put this together.
Matt (10:29):
It's a great piece of history.
Israel (10:32):
I mean it's, it's a Great record of our Village's
history.
I mean, if this is all you hadto know like we get a really
good picture from this.
Matt (10:43):
It's, yeah, it's a really handy.
Yeah, it is.
Israel (10:45):
Yeah, I refer to it a lot myself all right, and one
more set of years, we go jump to25 years.
Oh yeah and so we go to 1998Seems like just a couple days
ago.
Yeah, Mokena's population is12,613.
The widening of 191st Streetfrom Route 45 to Harlem begins,
(11:08):
duplexes and old castle Woods.
South subdivision isestablished.
And Then 1999, st John's thisis a popular popular topic today
.
St John's yeah, st John'schurch hall, which was the
original Methodist EpiscopalChurch built in 1867, is
(11:28):
demolished.
That's right.
Yeah, st John's beginsconstruction of their Christian
Community Center, and this isthis what sits there now and
where we vote.
And yeah exactly have the BoyScout spaghetti dinners.
Oh yeah, a lot of, lot of usesthe forest view, subdivision is
established and where is forestview?
Matt (11:49):
I was just thinking the same thing.
I Somebody will correct me onthis if I'm wrong, but I think
forest view is the subdivisionon the south side of La Porte
Road.
How would I describe?
Israel (12:03):
this West of Lagrange.
Yes, West of the grain.
Okay, so behind like CVS.
Matt (12:12):
Yeah, that right.
Yeah, I believe that's whatthat is, but I'm not a hundred
percent sure on that.
It sounds right.
Israel (12:17):
Yeah, we'll go with that .
Yeah unless somebody provesthis different.
Matt (12:21):
Yeah, yeah no.
Israel (12:23):
on December 31st, Mokena brings in the new millennium
with a town celebration held atthe Mokena junior high school,
known today at Mokena, knowntoday as Mokena Intermediate
School, located on 195th Street.
Yeah, yeah it was a big deal.
So did you participate in this?
(12:44):
I did, yeah.
What do you remember about it?
Matt (12:47):
I wrote it's actually that's.
That's a good question.
Well, it was a huge deal there.
That was the where the town'sofficial millennium celebration
was, so there are tons of peoplethere.
It was this very happening,very alive and aside from the
fireworks at midnight and havinglittle pieces of cardboard and
(13:12):
stuff fall on us from thefireworks.
The biggest thing that sticksout in my memory right off the
bat is talking to a local guyyou know he's probably been
mentioned by us at some pointbefore, but Mokena guy by the
name of Bob Baker, who laterwould found Mokena's newspaper,
(13:32):
the Independent News.
That wasn't until about 2001 orso.
At this point, new Year's Eve99, he was still working for the
Herald News in Julia.
I believe that was the HeraldNews he worked for.
But I remember talking with himat the gym at the junior high
and him saying that he watchedthe New Year's Eve on TV in
(13:54):
Australia earlier that day andthat he was happy because
everything was working.
As some of us who are oldenough to remember will remember
, the Y2K.
Israel (14:03):
Sure.
So I remember similar thoughtsseeing.
I think it was Paris, I don'tknow Paris made it.
We're all right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Matt (14:11):
So yeah, I remember that was a big, big thing that day.
Yeah, I always remember him.
Israel (14:17):
But wow, very cool.
Yeah, that's a good memory tohave there.
Anything else that stands out,I mean from that night.
Matt (14:24):
Yeah, another cool thing from that night was that we got
to hear a performance of theMokena March in Two Step, which
was a, the march that waswritten by excuse me, by Mokena
Lady by the name of Emma Closein the earlier part of the 20th
century.
That must have been around,let's say it was around 1910 or
(14:47):
thereabouts, without having myfiles on her in front of me, and
she composed this march and gotit published into sheet music
and everything, and a copy ofthe original music was given to
me by a I believe it was agentleman from New Lenox who had
happened across it kind ofright before this, right before
(15:08):
New Year's Eve, and I believe itwas once again, if I remember
correctly, through the effortsof Bob Baker, who I just
mentioned, that he was able toget some copies of the sheet
music from me and have it playedthat night.
Oh, cool, and that stillremains the one and only time in
my life I've ever heard itperformed.
Israel (15:28):
Wow, yeah, yeah, that's really cool.
Matt (15:31):
That was pretty cool, yeah , nate.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Israel (15:34):
Well, this story that we're going to talk about
tonight is a really, reallyinteresting story, like we said,
and it gives a lot of detailabout the post office and as
well as the town and aninteresting time you know in our
village and a very interestingcharacter you talk about.
Margaret Moe.
How do you say her last name,maui?
(15:56):
Maui, later O'Brien, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and really
interesting.
So be sure to listen, for whenMatt starts talking about her,
do we say the longest runningpostmaster, that that they call?
Matt (16:12):
it a post.
I don't know what that Backthen at least they would have
called her a postmistress.
Yeah, I say that, or would saythat sounds right that she was
the longest running because sheheld that office for a very long
time.
Israel (16:28):
Yeah, very cool yeah.
Matt (16:30):
So, yeah, she probably still holds that record to this
day.
Israel (16:32):
Very neat, so yeah, so let's hear it again.
This was posted on Matt's blogon Friday, march 10th of 2023,
titled 800 pounds of treasurethe 1937 heist of the Mokena's
Post Office.
Matt (16:50):
Mokena's story is a long and winding one, stretching back
nearly two centuries,containing countless moments of
mirth and buoyancy.
When we look back, these arethe times that first come to
mind, and rightfully so, as theyare what make our village feel
like home.
However, a close look upon therecord of the years will also
review nefarious bits as well.
(17:11):
These are things we aren'tproud of, but that, nevertheless
, any locale as old as ours willhave.
From the bone crushing riots ofthe 19th century, detailed
elsewhere in these pages, to theinfamous robbery of the Mokena
State Bank that is still talkedabout to this day, a hundred
years later, we have some highoctane events on our collective
(17:32):
timeline.
One case ranks up with the restof them.
One that is remembered byincreasingly few, the 1937 heist
at the Mokena Post Office, hasall but slipped into the cracks
of history.
This institution is almost asold as the village itself,
tracing its founding to February10th 1853, when our town was
(17:54):
less than a year old.
The same day, the honor ofcalling himself our first
postmaster was bestowed uponWarren Knapp Esquire, who, a
little over a year before,founded the first business in
what would become Mokena, at atime before the Chicago, rock
Island and Pacific Railroad wasfully completed.
(18:15):
A 26 year old man of New Yorkbirth, knapp, married into the
McGoverni family in 1850, whenhe took Nancy as his wife, the
younger sister of future firstmayor Azias McGoverni.
Where exactly Warren Knapp'spost office stood in the Newborn
Village cannot be reconstructedfrom the historic record,
(18:38):
although it's reasonable tothink it could have been in his
combined general store andresidence, a small stone
building that stood on the siteof today's 11124 Front Street.
That Mokena was a railroad townsince its birth gave us
excellent postal connections tothe world.
(18:58):
From the outset, it was the jobof the Rock Island agent and
his helper to bring sacks ofmail from the post office to the
depot, but a 1921 ruling passedby Uncle Sam changed this.
From then on, this would be thedomain of a new hire.
A blurb under the headline Doyou Want a Job?
(19:18):
It appeared in the November 2,1921 edition of Mokena's News
Bulletin, looked for bidders forthe position.
It's stating that applicantshad to be at least 16 and that
whoever takes the job will bepaid monthly, not to mention
that six mails a day will haveto be handled, in addition to
(19:39):
hanging mail pouches on mailcranes twice daily.
The final part of the sentencereferring to the wooden arms
that allowed mail bags to begrabbed via hook from
fast-moving trains.
Today we take it for grantedthat nearly anyone is a text
message away.
But in the days before thisrapid, instantaneous
communication, the arrival of afresh load of mail over the
(20:03):
rails was a much anticipatedevent.
Some sardonic pointers passedon by the postmaster of
neighboring Tinley Park in 1924give life to this fact.
Notice advice to patronspositively no letters will be
delivered until received.
If you do not get your letterthe day you expect it, have the
(20:24):
postmaster.
Look through all the boxes andin the cellar.
Also, it ought to be theresomewhere and he likes to look
for it just to please you.
If your friends don't write,curse the postmaster.
He is to blame.
If he tells you there is nomail for you, put on a grieved
expression and say there oughtto be some.
He is probably hiding your mailfor the pleasure of having you
(20:45):
call for it six or seven times aday and after every freight or
hand car, ask him to look again.
From its first days until thelean years of the Great
Depression, the Moquina PostOffice counted 20 postmasters
and postmistresses and washoused in a head-spinning number
of different locations in thevillage.
(21:05):
On June 18, 1934, ms Margaret MMaui received her commission as
postmistress at a time when thecommunity counted around 350
residents.
The 28-year-old local nativeoversaw an office counting three
employees, namely herself, herclerk and one rural mail carrier
(21:27):
.
At which time her charge waslocated in a small wing of an
old building that stood on thenorthwest corner of Front and
Division Streets.
Less than three years into herstewardship, an event transpired
that would stay with MargaretMaui for the rest of her days.
In the pitch black of Tuesdaymorning, march 2, 1937, front
(21:49):
Street stood quiet and still nota soul stirred.
At about four o'clock, a truckpiloted by unknown yags cut
through the pre-dawn darknessand ambled into town.
The conveyance was backed up tothe post office and the
nameless miscreants went on tocut a hole in the front door's
glass, whereupon one snaked hisarm in and opened the catchlock.
(22:12):
A team of men went inside maybefour or five of them and be
lined for the offices safe in800-pound colossus.
Using a lot of elbow grease andoomph, they lugged it from the
back of the post office andthrew the lobby, leaving gouges
on the floor, then outside andinto the truck.
Before they disappeared, one ofthe crooks tore open a package
(22:36):
addressed to Ben Tews but, uponrifling through its contents,
was not impressed with them andthrew the box aside.
The whole thing was just aseasy as that.
The thieves made their hastyescape, leaving tired tread
marks on the ground in front ofthe post office.
The entire time they were busy,they never had to worry about
being interrupted in their deed,as neighbors would later report
(22:59):
.
Having heard a truck idling inthose early hours but thought
nothing of it Flashing forwardto 5.30 that morning,
70-year-old Front Streetresident and local mail
messenger Julius Grafendtikturned up at the post office to
get started on the day's work.
To his horror, he found theoffice's door ajar and the safe
missing.
(23:19):
Using a chain of frenziedcommunication, grafendtik,
Mokena's sole veteran of theSpanish-American War, alerted
postmistress Maui, who in turnnotified federal postal
officials in Chicago.
In no time flat, two inspectorsshowed up in town who sealed
off the premises, allowing noone to come or go.
(23:40):
The whole post office wasdusted for fingerprints and
photos were extensively takenboth inside and out of the small
wing of the building that heldthe office.
In the meantime, Mokena lawmanGeorge Bennett posted himself in
the doorway and handed out themail to any villager who came
for it.
Ms Maui tallied up her losses.
(24:01):
The biggest were the $1300 ingovernment savings bonds, worth
around $27,000 in today's money,and the $400 in stamps that
disappeared.
Along with them were cashedmoney orders representing $82,
then $198 in cash, $60 in checksand two books of blank money
(24:23):
orders.
To add insult to injury, all ofthe post office's record books
were in the $50 safe and none ofit was insured.
The next chapter in the sagaplayed out six days after the
heist.
In the morning of Wednesday,march 10, a traveling attorney
spotted what was described as apile of junk along the old Monee
(24:47):
Road four miles southwest ofChicago Heights.
Whatever it was, it wasbattered beyond repair and upon
closer inspection it turned outto be a safe, or at least what
was left of one.
Nearby, a set of railroad toolswas found cast aside,
consisting of a pick, two sledgehammers and others.
(25:07):
It was deduced that these hadbeen used to smash it open.
Rightfully finding all thisfishy, the lawyer notified the
police.
Sure enough, with the help ofpostal authorities, direct safe
was traced back to Moquina.
Interestingly, most of thecontents of the safe from the
post office were found.
Along with it, only the $400 instamps and $198 in cash were
(25:33):
missing.
Most Mistress Maui was able toget the rest of the documents
back to town, but the historicrecord is unclear as to what she
did with the broken safe.
Curiously, that same morningyet another wrecked safe,
complete with railroad tools,was found abandoned two miles
east of Frankfurt, determined tobelong to a grocery store in
the county seat.
(25:53):
It was surmised that this wasthe handiwork of the same gang
that attacked the Moquina postoffice.
Life kept going in Moquina theSecond World War came and went,
the baby boom started and thevillage enjoyed a period of
prosperity.
In June 1952, there was yetanother robbery of the post
office, in which a large numberof money orgurs were looted.
(26:15):
In any case, the whole eventwasn't as high-profile as the
case 15 years earlier and thewhole thing has been forgotten
by history, much as the 1937heist has.
Postmistress Margaret Maui, oneof the most intrepid young
women in our community's history, took Frances O'Brien as her
husband in 1941 and held heroffice in Moquina until 1968.
(26:37):
Her 34 years running our postoffice is, as far as anyone can
tell, a village record thatstill stands to this day.
Perhaps the crowning moment inMargaret O'Brien's career was
the dedication of the new postoffice in 1960, a building which
still stands at 11134 FrontStreet.
(26:58):
The Moquina Post Office is acommunity institution that goes
back almost to the day ourvillage was born, as the great
robbery of 1937 proves.
Its history isn't all sortingletters and stamping cards.
Israel (27:13):
So it ended up being about $600 in losses in the end.
So I don't know what that worksout to in today's money, but
not insignificant, but not whatit started with being at $1,700
between savings bonds and stamps.
You have a really good picturehere from the blog post of it
(27:36):
shows the post office in 1925.
But really great highlights.
You even have it circled wherethe post office sat there.
So just kind of a small, not areal big building at all there?
Matt (27:50):
Not at all.
It was just a little tiny wingof that building which held the
Moquina Hardware Company.
Israel (27:57):
So it was attached to the hardware store here.
Matt (28:00):
Yeah, it was just attached onto the side of the building,
onto the western side.
Israel (28:05):
And that has to have been one of the coolest looking
buildings that was on FrontStreet.
I mean that is such a neat withthe second floor, second story
balcony kind of going on there.
Matt (28:17):
Yeah, it was a cool building and unfortunately, that
building burnt down in itsentirety in 1974.
And that's what happened tothat.
But that was.
Israel (28:26):
Yeah, and we've talked, I think, some about that here
and there.
But I know you have anotherarticle on that building as well
.
That I do.
I'm sure we'll be soon to cover.
So March 2nd 1937 was the dateof the robbery and they're never
found, we don't?
We never hear anything moreafter that.
Matt (28:47):
Yeah, as far as anything that's turned up on the
historical record.
No one was ever prosecuted forthis and there were no suspects,
at least not that were publiclynamed, Aside from that other
smashed open safe that was foundoutside Frankfurt where it was
kind of deduced that this wasmaybe the same group of people,
(29:07):
but yeah, no good suspects everreally came up for that.
Israel (29:11):
So our first post office was opened in February 10th
1853.
Matt (29:17):
So not too much going on in town back at that time, Not
really Just before the railroadcomes through, yeah, it was just
just after the railroad andthere were only just a tiny
handful of buildings in Moquinaat that time.
But it was decided to open apost office here and it has been
in just a million differentplaces all over town.
It was kind of one of thosethings where the postmaster
(29:40):
could ultimately decide where heor she wanted to put the post
office, so it was up and downFront Street.
Israel (29:48):
Do you know where the decision comes?
To decide that you know Moquinaneeded a post office?
Matt (29:55):
I don't know, I don't know who ultimately made that
decision.
So Warren Knapp, the firstpostmaster his commission was
signed by.
I believe that was PresidentPierce at the time.
Franklin Pierce, I believe, waspresident in 1853.
So ultimately he probably I'msure he didn't think about oh
(30:18):
Mokena, illinois, here's hispostmaster.
He probably was just signingpapers that were coming across
his desk.
But I know that his WarrenKnapp's brother-in-law, ziaz
Magovny, was very prominent ingetting the effort started to
get the post office because Ibelieve he had to collect a
certain amount of signatures orshow that there were a certain
(30:40):
amount of people who would beusing the post office.
So he was, he was prettyprominent in that and collecting
the signatures and convincingthe right people and all that
kind of stuff.
Israel (30:51):
And that had to be significant to the growth of the
town, the early village, thento know that you could get
everything taken care of there,business-wise, getting things
shipped to you, sent to you bymail, for a business that was
running and selling goods andbesides the train.
And pretty much everything wasbrought by train, then Is that
(31:15):
right?
Matt (31:15):
More or less.
Yeah, Even from any kind ofdistance.
Yeah, would have come over tothe Rock Island, Very
interesting.
Yeah, absolutely.
Israel (31:23):
It's something we really do take for granted, especially
when you know most people haveAmazon stopping at their house
you know two, three times a day.
Matt (31:31):
Yeah, right, right.
Israel (31:33):
You know we don't think about the process.
Went through 100 years ago or100 plus years ago.
To you know, send a letter orget a package to you, yeah,
absolutely Great.
Well, thanks for sharing thestory, man this is another great
one.
Matt (31:45):
You're welcome and we'll see you next time.
Israel (31:47):
Matt and I both really hope that you're enjoying the
podcast and that you enjoyedthis episode.
We would really appreciate itif you would share our podcast
with your friends or family, aswell as leave us a review on
Spotify or Apple Music orwherever you hear our podcast.
We'd love to hear your showideas or your questions so you
can send us an email at podcast,at Mokenasfrontporch.
(32:10):
com, or on Facebook throughMessenger, or through our
website, which isMokenasfrontporch.
com.
You can send us a message there.
We have a link in the shownotes to Matt's blog post that
this episode was based on.
We have some great thingscoming up and we're really
excited to share with you.
So thanks for listening andwe'll see you next time on
(32:32):
Mokinasfront Porch.
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