Armistice Day in Libertyville

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the Allied Forces and Germany signed an armistice – an agreement to stop the fighting that had raged across Europe the past four years. That day, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of World War I.

When the news reached Libertyville at about 2 a.m. on that Monday morning “almost immediately pandemonium broke loose” [1]. People were still rejoicing as the start of the business day approached. Stores opened, but as the morning went on it became clear that this day would be special. Businessmen agreed among themselves to close and school was dismissed at Noon in order to take part in an impromptu celebration. The Foulds Macaroni and the American Wire Fence factories also closed for the day.

At 2 p.m. a parade was organized at the corner of Milwaukee and Cook Avenues. The Libertyville village band, students, teachers, the fire department, and citizens at large joined the parade on foot and in cars. The Home Guard, a volunteer local defense unit, and the “farmerettes” from the Woman’s Land Army training farm north of town, also joined the procession. Flags and bunting lined the route as the parade moved west to Brainerd Court, north to Lake Street, east to Milwaukee Avenue, and south to the City Park (today’s Sunrise Rotary Park – Cook Park was still the private property of Emily Barrows Cook) where “stirring addresses” were given by local leaders [2].

For the almost 18 months of the United States involvement in the Great War, Libertyville served and sacrificed. Over 200 men served in the military while others joined the Home Guard [3]. Local Red Cross chapters raised money and made surgical dressings, sweaters, mufflers and socks which were sent to soldiers overseas [4]. Food and fuel restrictions and new taxes implemented to fund the war effort impacted all residents on a daily basis [5]. But on this November 11th, over 100 years ago, there was joy in Libertyville and hope for the future.

In November 1919, President Wilson pronounced that November 11 would be commemorated as Armistice Day to honor those that had died in the Great War. The day became a legal holiday in 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor veterans of all wars [6].

Sources:

1.  Libertyville Independent, 14 November 1918, p.1. 
2. Ibid.
3. Libertyville’s World War I Veterans – Part 2 – Cook Memorial Public Library District (cooklib.org), Libertyville During World War I – Cook Memorial Public Library District (cooklib.org)
4. “Lake County Chapter of Red Cross Doing Great Work.” Libertyville Independent 17 Jan 1918, p. 1; “Toll-gate stopped autoists as they hit town.” Libertyville Independent 30 May 1918, p. 1.
5. Libertyville During World War I – Cook Memorial Public Library District (cooklib.org)
6. History of Veterans Day – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (va.gov)