Sketch from menu of Willoway Manor when it was a restaurant.
Heatherton during its gracious days.
Dining outside on a warm summer’s evening is a fleeting pleasure for Chicago-area folk. One favorite spot is the patio at Meson Sabika on Aurora Road.
Originally, the restaurant was a private home. At one time it was known as Willoway Manor, lending its name to the adjoining Wil-O-Way subdivision. The illustration above is a menu from when the manor first operated as a restaurant. But when William Ransdell Goodwin lived there, it was called Oakhurst Farm. Apparently people liked to eat out-of-doors even during the Goodwins’ time. A Chicago Tribune article from June 2, 1909 tells of Mrs. Goodwin’s garden party for 400 women who sipped pink lemonade while seated on camp chairs under the trees.
William raised Berkshire swine, Buff Leghorn fowls and Indian Runner ducks at Oakhurst, as well as Angora cats, but he was also an “ardent automobile enthusiast” and a well-respected writer for the Breeders’ Gazette, according to his obituary: “He was buried Tuesday afternoon, April 8, 1919, in the village cemetery at Naperville, his shaft within sight of Oakhurst's pillars. No stone can ever symbolize the imperishable monument he holds in the hearts and minds of American breeders.”
Oakhurst Farm was considered to lie outside of Naperville, but William’s brother had an estate within the city limits. John Samuel Goodwin partnered with William to breed Aberdeen-Angus cattle and they were both members of the Saddle and Sirloin Club. John also served as a judge in Chicago, although he lived at Heatherton, his gracious manor here in town.
John built Heatherton on the site of Lewis Ellsworth’s house who in turn built on the site of Fort Payne. Joe Naper and the other settlers erected the fort in 1832 for protection during the Black Hawk War, but it was never actually used and was eventually dismantled. North Central College’s athletic fields fill much of the estate today.
Heatherton went up in flames on March 14, 1920, and in an eerie coincidence, Goodwin, who was staying at the Palmer House in Chicago, died of a heart attack just two hours before the fire that destroyed his home .
A couple of additional facts. Many years after William Goodwin passed the Oakhurst was purchased by a family who ran a dairy called Wil-O-Way which is the actual name of the subdivision. The Restaurant Willoway came a few years later. The story that all the neighbors know is that John Goodwin was shot and killed by his wife who found him in a hotel room with another woman. Goodwin knew his wife knew about his philandering ways and had previously told his personal servant that if his wife ever killed him that he should burn the house down. The fire started that night and was put out by the volunteer fire department. Later on in the night it started up again and burned most of the hose to the ground. Some of the columns remained and were used in houses near the north side of North Central College.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these interesting details to the story!
DeleteI worked as a busboy for Willoway Manor in the mid 60s. They had a green room, gold room, red room and I think a blue room. Very upscale and posh ambience abought it. I was able to pick an item off the menu for free, when I worked Sunday. Great food.
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful! Did you ever run into the ghost?
DeleteI worked as a busboy at Willoway Manor as well, in the early 70s.
DeleteI also recall the food option. My favorite was baked potatoes drenched in butter and covered with sour cream. Yumm.
At the time, we were told that an earlier building at the Willoway manor site had served as a stop in the Underground Railroad. Anyone know if that was true?
I have heard that rumor, too, but haven't looked into it. The Wrights bought the property in 1844 and the house itself was built in 1847, so it's possible.
DeleteDefinitely a blue room. We had our rehearsal dinner in the blue room 40 years ago ...
DeleteMust have been lovely! Have you been back since? (Also Happy Anniversary! We just celebrated our 40th as well!)
DeleteMany times ... we were just there yesterday for lunch to celebrate my middle daughter's birthday. We liked Wiloway Manor (which is what it was when we had our rehearsal dinner), but really like Meson Sabika which has been there since 1990.
DeleteUntil recently, we lived within walking distance of Meson Sabika. LOVE their potato salad!
DeleteThis article continues the story: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-05-16/news/9002120202_1_band-concert-town-popcorn It's an interview with Phyllis Benson whose father was a herdsman with the Wil-O-Way Dairy Farm.
ReplyDeleteWe had my sister's reception there in 1979
ReplyDeleteSo that was not only before the banquet hall, but before the banquet tent as well, wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteI am a researcher for St James Farm Forest Preserve part of the Dupage County Forest Preserve District in Warrenville. A tid bit. When Wil-O-Way was a dairy farm own by the Polivka (George & Dorothy) they raised Guernsey dairy cows and sold the milk to area businesses and families. The Polivka's purchases Guernsey cows from Marion and Chauncey McCormick who lived on and raised and bred this breed on St. James from roughly 1928 to 1947. Just a tidbit on local history. Chauncey was cousin to Col RR McCormick of Cantigny.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding to the (hi)story!
DeleteIn 1973-4 when the Environmental movement was starting The
ReplyDeleteManor gave away a large bumper sticker that said" Eat A Beaver Save A Tree" The Manor at Willoway Naperville. I still have mine.
What a strange slogan for a restaurant! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete