Welcome to Professor McGregor's Filmology of the Collar Counties or the Northwest Suburbs. A more accurate name for my area is the Fox Valley, named for the Fox River. For Part Deux of Garden Blogger's Geography Project, I have devised a quiz of places in my neck of the woods that have appeared in films. There will be no prizes.
But first, an explanation. The tagline to this blog states "Garden Musings from the Land Beyond O'Hare." My part of the world has been referred to as "The Land Beyond O'Hare" because O'Hare International Airport is usually as far northwest as visitors to the Chicagoland area get. I decided to do this second Geography Project post because of the unique character of this area which is not as well known as Chicago proper. Although I have indicated that my garden is in Northern Illinois, I must make clear that it is actually in the northeastern corner of the State. The northwestern corner, including Galena and Rockford, is a whole climate zone colder than my Zone 5 area. I grew up in the Fox Valley and have returned to it after living in more urban places. Contrary to popular belief, not all of Illinois is flat. The Fox Valley has a hilly terrain. While nothing comparable to the hill in "The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill And Came Down A Mountain," the hills here are enough to provide a kid with a tough bicycle climb to the top and a thrilling ride down.
And now, the quiz:
1. This town played a starring role in the movie "Groundhog Day," with the main action centered on the Town Square and its historic buildings. Where in Northern Illinois is this?
This is Woodstock, whose historic opera house once featured Orson Welles, as well as my aunt and my dad (not all at the same time). Woodstock was also the home of "Dick Tracy" cartoonist Chester Gould. In addition to the popular Mozart Festival in the Square, Woodstock also hosted an arts and garden show last summer, which my family attended to see the art work of my aunt, Anne Marie Cina.
While in Woodstock, the garden tourist can visit nearby Rich's Foxwillow Pines, the conifer enthusiast's Nirvana. Rich's has everything from giant trees to tiny witch's brooms, from the rare to the common, including some non-conifer offerings.
2. The beach scene with the car with the loudspeaker on top in "The Blues Brothers" was filmed at Phil's Beach on the shores of Bangs Lake in what former resort town in Northern Illinois?
Wauconda - yes that is me when I was much younger, taken around the time the movie was filmed, in 1979 or 1980. Sadly, Phil's and Honey Hill beaches have since closed, but there's still plenty of boating and fishing on Bangs Lake. Wauconda also was the site of the world's largest snowball fight a couple of years ago. While in Wauconda, why not drive to nearby Crystal Lake to visit the place that regularly empties my wallet, Countryside Flower Shop, Nursery & Garden Center? Although they have a printed catalogue, this nursery sometimes has unusual perennials normally only found at specialty mail order nurseries, and at reasonable prices, making frequent visits necessary. Also in Crystal Lake is the Raue Center for the Arts which features nationally known musicians in concert. If Chicago gets the 2016 Olympics, Crystal Lake is the probable venue for the rowing events.
3. The wedding in the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding" was filmed at the Cunio estate. Where in Northern Illinois is this?
The Cunio Mansion and Gardens, which are open to the public, are behind Hawthorn Shopping Mall in Vernon Hills, Illinois. The house is open for tours, but it is the Italianate garden that is the real draw for gardeners. In addition to the swimming pool garden, there is a tropical garden in the greenhouse, a small lake with swans and a fenced in area with imported deer.
4. The scene where Jude Law goes down in the movie "The Road to Perdition" was filmed in this town along the Fox River because of its authentic looking downtown. Where in Northern Illinois is this?
(Photo by pgOxd.)
West Dundee, Illinois, which used to have my favorite lunch break destination, Platt Hill Nursery. It has moved to a new, much larger site in nearby Carpentersville.
While suburbia continues its relentless march, many open, rural areas remain here. In addition to State parks and County forest preserves, there are hiking, biking and skating trails, including one from Dundee to Elgin which runs along the Fox River. Elgin has an excellent Symphony Orchestra and a fantastic historic district featuring mansions in the Arts and Crafts, Prairie, Italianate and Queen Anne styles.
(Photo by Elginite.)
It also has authentic Sears kit houses. Elgin holds a housewalk of the historic district every fall. While in Elgin, why not visit a microbrewery and the nearby riverboat casino? Although I don't gamble, I can tell you that the riverboat is a thing of beauty.
(Photo by Matthew Herndon.)
Okay, I admit that I'm biased. Before he retired, my dad's company did the painting and drywall for this project, and he used to stop in and visit me at work whenever he came to check on that job.
5. Local young independent filmmakers Marc Muszynski and Michael P. Noens set the ghost story films "The Legends of Cuba Road" and "Return to Cuba Road" here. Where in Northern Illinois is this?
The Barrington area, home of the horsey set. Local lore has it that there have been ghostly sightings around this cemetery on Cuba Road, including a phantom farmhouse, as well as feeling cold near it. Although I've passed this cemetery at night, I've never seen or felt anything. The only thing I'm afraid of on Cuba Road is getting a speeding ticket. It's hard to drive only 35 m.p.h. here.
While Cuba Road runs through Barrington Hills, with its mansions of the uber-rich and its horse farms, in the Village of Barrington are two historic sites. Buried under the snow here is a plaque commemorating the site where infamous gangster George "Baby Face" Nelson was killed in a gun battle with F.B.I. agents in 1934.
It's now part of Langendorf Park on Route 14. Recently acquired by the park district, Citizens' Park is on the site of the former headquarters of the Jewel Tea Company. After a battle with preservationists, the building, which used to stand here,
was torn down. It was historically significant because it was the site of the invention of the coffee break. Citizens' Park is connected by a walking trail to Cuba Marsh, one of several restored prairies in the Fox Valley area. Cuba Marsh is home to two types of heron, egrets, swans, Mallard ducks, Canada geese, crayfish, snakes, rabbits and deer (boo!), a black squirrel, and coyotes (yay!). There is a Great Blue Heron rookery on Baker's Lake in Barrington. An added attraction of the Barrington area is Pasquesi Home & Gardens.
These are only a small sample of the interesting sights and things to do in my area.