Roscoe Township Historical Society shining spotlight on historic preservation

The Roscoe Township Historical Society  was established in 2018  as a non-profit (501-C3) organization created to study, preserve and share the local heritage of Roscoe Township. 

Articles of incorporation were finalized on Nov. 13, 2018.

Bernard Sunstead was RTHS's first president. Laura Zwart is serving as the current President. Zwart works alongside a dedicated Board of Directors.

Laura (McAfee) Zwart has special ties to Robert Cross and the homestead. Her father was born in that house. An addition was constructed in the 1940's.

To make the best use of  the Cross property a partnership was formed between Roscoe Township Historical Society and Roscoe Township to develop the property into a public-use space. 

The Township has a well utilized community center, nearly a mile of paths, and a multi-use outdoor shelter/pavilion.

Active restoration of the Robert Cross Home which sits at 4562 Hononegah Road is one of the RTHS’s main projects. 

The property where the homestead sits was purchased by Roscoe Township who leased the home to the Roscoe Township Historical Society for $1 a year. Seventeen acres were purchased on the Cross Homestead.

The home was built in 1842 and remained in Robert Cross’s  family until it was purchased by the Hulburt family in 1942, before Roscoe Township acquired it.

Zwart reflects, “When the Cross family moved out the house had no power, and  no indoor plumbing. 

The Hulburt family put in plumbing and power after taking ownership.”

Great progress has already been made with more projects on the horizon.  

“It has been two to three years since the  paint came off of the exterior of the house.  It was discovered that the exterior is in good shape,” Zwart said. 

A lot of the  windows have been replaced.  The indoor structure has had walls moved as well as other changes. 

Another room is  an add on to the original house which is  being used for displays and  for meetings. 

This space is very new and the house is distinctively  separate. 

A Quonset hut that sits on the property is hoped to be used for Ag. related items in the future. Currently it  is being used for storage. 

Plans are in place to  remove the old carpet. It is believed that there might be hardwood floors under the carpeted areas. 

Also needed is coordination of some of the pieces of furniture. 

Period appropriate wall paper was on display at an open house last May. Visitors were allowed to vote on a favorite style of wallpaper to be used on the house walls in the future. 

A larger room was likely to once have a pot belly stove in it and may have been used as a main living room. 

To keep things as authentic as possible the original trim in the home will be mimicked.  

Warnings are always given when heading up the stairs where the bedrooms exist. 

“This year we partnered with Roscoe Gardening Club. Roscoe Gardening Club 

assisted in planting a period specific garden around the Cross House.

The RGC  researched and  planted a garden of herbs and flowers specific to the time period of the house, or approximately what one would find in a home garden in the 1840s.

“They spent a lot of time looking for historic things to plant and we are very grateful for them,” Zwart said.

History of Robert Cross

Robert Cross  was the first non-indigenous settler who came to Roscoe in August 1835. 

He ventured into northern Winnebago County from Coldwater Michigan and bought a claim from one of Stephen Mack's French Canadian employees. This claim became known as “Cross Grove” in the southwest quarter of section 32 of Roscoe Township, presently known as Edgemere Terrace. 

The farm was two miles northwest of Roscoe and lies on both sides of what is now known as Hononegah Road. The claim that Mr. Cross made was the first in the town for the purpose of a permanent settlement and cultivation.

Cross assisted at the origination of Winnebago County. He was a member of the election board for the first election to ever be held in Winnebago County. At their first meeting he was elected by County Commissioners as County Treasurer.

In 1841 the Winnebago County Agricultural Society was organized and Robert J. Cross served as the Vice President.

Cross was elected by the Whigs as a representative to the General Assembly. He was also a delegate to the convention that framed a new Constitution of the State of Illinois. In 1849 Cross wrote a letter to then Congressmen Abraham Lincoln of Illinois.

In 1869 he was unanimously nominated by the Republicans for a member of the convention that formed the present Illinois Convention. Later he was elected as one of three members from Winnebago and Boone Counties to the General Assembly. He was chairman of the Board of Supervisors for several years, until the time of his death.

Cross was also the Township School Fund trustee for over 30 years. During that time the Township never suffered from a loss of funds being loaned on insufficient securities, unlike other Townships in those days.

Cross was also one of the founding members of Roscoe United Methodist Church. 

Expanding education and community outreach

Educational programs give greater insight to people, places and actions that have happened over time.

RTHS has honored long local time Roscoe businesses with the Heritage Enterprise Award, starting the 2021. 

Recipients who were honored with this recognition include: Bud and Sue  Severide of Bud and Sue’s Market, The Harlem Roscoe Fire Department, The McCurdy family of Top Die Casting,  Fred and Wendy Young of  Forest City Gear, and Doris Deschler,  owner of the Whiffle Tree and the Roscoe VFW. 

In September of 2024 the RTHS launched a Memorial Brick campaign, creating one of the most meaningful ways to honor a loved one and to support the RTHS. 

These bricks lay beautifully on the patio at Founders Park, between the community center and the Cross home. 

Details on  brick sizes and pricing options can be found by  going to Cross Homestead renovation website. 

More information on the memorial brick campaign  can be found in future posts on Facebook, on the RTHS website and at upcoming events.

To help reach goals on the Cross House the RTHS will be hosting the 5^th annual  antique sale at Founders Park.

Find unique one of a kind collectibles or interesting items the weekend of Sept. 26 and 27  from 9 a.m., until 3 p.m. 

Family fun is also happening on Sept. 27 during the antique sale. Try your luck at Bingo, and  test your brain on Roscoe Trivia. Kids can take part in a coloring contest.  

Donations of antique pieces in the sale which will feature antiques with anything that is over 50 years old fitting this classification. 

Arrangements can be made for a drop off of donations for the upcoming sale, or for permanent use in the home.   

RTHS Historian, Tracy Terry is seeking memorabilia on people, places, events, businesses, or organizations of Roscoe from the years of 1835-2024 to be used in a New Roscoe History book. 

Terry shares, “This will be an extension of the books that have already been written. This includes what happened to some of the original settlers, businesses that people may have never known existed here, debunking widely held myths or legends, schools, cemeteries, fire and police departments, tragedies and much more. “

Contact Terry at jandbtmom@gmail.com.

Volunteers are needed to help  any event . Call the Roscoe Township Historical Society at 815-828-6107 to donate or to volunteer. 

New members are always welcome to join. The society’s next goal is to  open up the house on a  regular basis to the public.