By Ricky Rieckert
(Part 4)
Dear readers,
This week I’ll begin with part four of, what I think will finish with part five as the grand finale, of this informational article from my memory archives. Hope you totally enjoy the rest of this historical and factual article.
Let’s continue with organizations I missed.
The first one is the Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) #1606, Aurora, which was downtown, originally, until they moved to Hill Avenue and 6th Avenue, in an old motorcycle dealership.
They gutted the inside and in the front built a large bar with seating, tables, game room; and a meeting/banquet room in back, along with a hallway in the middle, with rest rooms and offices.
In addition, they built an outside pavilion, south of the building, for parties and picnics.
The Aurora Eagles Club closed in the early 2000s, and is now Hills Banquet.
The other club is the original Knights of Columbus #736, which was on E. Galena Boulevard, (Main Street) and Lincoln Avenue, in the former McCarty Mansion building.
They were the only K of C in Aurora, where all the Roman Catholic parishes in Aurora, had representation. The requirements to join is to be a practicing Catholic man, 18 years or older.
The Knights had their first floor bar in the former McCarty Library, with a back room for meetings, and restrooms. The second floor was used as a banquet room with a bar and restrooms. Downstairs in the basement was a large bar and seating area with carpeted floors, a kitchen, and restrooms.
They would serve dinner to 350 individuals on Friday nights, with steak, shrimp, and a large variety of fish, such as red snapper, catfish, perch, and scrod, along with specials. Baked scrod with butter, was my favorite.
In the 1950s, Dr. DeBartolo left K of C #736 to open Cardinal Bellarmine Council #4849, out of Holy Angels, on the west side of Aurora.
In the 1970s, Jack Simmons was instrumental on leaving K of C #736 to open a Council at Briar Hall in Oswego.
Jack kept the Council in the Rockford Diocese and the Fourth Degree Knights in Rockford’s Marquette Assembly 188.
Knights of Columbus #736 closed the doors of their building in the 1990s, then moved to St. Mary’s, the Italian American Club, Industrial Motor, (John Bonk’s), and St. Therese’s, before settling in at Annunciation Church, where they are today.
The Knight’s building on E. Galena was sold to the Warehouse Church, which is still there today.
There are several parishes with K of C’s, throughout Aurora, including: St. Joe’s, Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Therese, and St. Rita’s.
The last social club I missed last week, was the Kickers Soccer Club, started in an old white schoolhouse on S. Douglas and Rt. 34 (Ogden Avenue), on the northeast corner.
It was a soccer clubhouse for men of German and Hungarian descent to have a beer, meet up after soccer games, and to support the under 21 and the old timer’s (21-35 year old) teams, along with the annual Octoberfest held in the outdoor pavilion.
The Club went from Aurora to Montgomery and then Oswego. They sold the corner and purchased property on Harvey Road in Oswego, where they presently reside.
I already have mentioned some facts and stories about all of the social, fraternal, and nationality clubs of Aurora in the four parts, so far.
Next week will be part five, where I will talk about the remaining service clubs in Aurora and finish up, hopefully, about Luxie’s.
Have a great week!