Union, Illinois

John Smith invited people to his home for years to see his model train set up before donating it to the Illinois Railway Museum. He still has a setup in his McHenry garage and invites families to see it.

The McHenry County Historical Society and Museum has a challenge to draw people to tiny Union. Its new director, replacing someone who left after a new months, aims for new programs.

Four months after Chief of Police Juanita Gumble was forced from office, the Hebron Village Board this week confirmed the appointment of Peter Goldman, with Village President Robert Shelton breaking a 3-3 tie.

Find an apple orchard in and around Geneva, Oswego, Plano, Woodstock, Plainfield, Aurora, Yorkville, McHenry, Union, La Salle, Mt. Morris and Rock Falls.

A pool of mosquitoes in Huntley tested positive for West Nile, the first in McHenry County this year; an owl was earlier found with the virus.

A Woodstock woman was taken to the hospital after her car crashed into a moving freight train, officials said.

Explore the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum in Union from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Friday for the Night at the Museum event.

The Illinois Railway Museum had opening day Saturday, in attendance was the Easter Bunny

Here's what will you pay in sales tax if a McHenry County-wide Mental Health Board sales tax referendum and Marengo local sales tax referendum are approved.

The McHenry County Museum and Historical Society's new director, Wayne Duerkes, talks about need for additional space and love of northern Illinois history in the 19th century.

McHenry County copes with extreme heat.

Heat indices on Wednesday are set to climb to 110 to 115 degrees, and the warning notes some areas may see heat indices higher than that.

Temperatures are once again climbing into the triple digits in McHenry County this week.

McHenry County farms are opening up for the fall season. Apple picking, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches await

A Union man admitted Thursday to “peeping” into the windows of unsuspecting women on two separate occasions in Woodstock and was sentenced to the max of three years in prison.

This week's 5 things to do in McHenry County include the return of Tulip Fest in Spring Grove, the Woodstock Farmers Market, the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum and Mini Links at the Woodstock Library, as well as Arbor Day celebrations in Huntley and McHenry.

McHenry County, Johnsburg, Huntley McHenry, Crystal Lake and Woodstock are all readying for summer 2023 construction projects.

Egg hunts and other Easter activities – both traditional and not – are planned for this weekend in Cary, Crystal Lake, Huntley, Fox River Grove, Lake in the Hills and Woodstock.

Egg hunts are planned in Algonquin, Cary, Fox River Grove, Lakemoor, Marengo, Spring Grove and Union. Looking for something else to do? There are craft fairs in Algonquin and McHenry and a 5K in Huntley.

This week's 5 Things to Do in and around McHenry County include opening day at Randall Oaks Zoo, a story time with miniature therapy horses, a hike to the McHenry Dam, historical Chicago buses on display, and a performance by Jim Messina.

The Illinois Railway Museum in Union, a majority volunteer-run effort with no government assistance, is seeking volunteers to work at the largest rail museum in the United States.

Egg hunts – by flashlight and not – are in the works this Easter season in Algonquin, Cary, Fox River Grove, Huntley, Lakemoor, Marengo, Spring Grove, Union and Woodstock.

The Illinois Railway Museum in Union is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, which began with a North Shore Line Day and Cabin Fever Day this past weekend.

Among this week's offerings in McHenry County are social dancing and Taste of Sri Lanka in Crystal Lake; eagle viewing in McHenry, Algonquin and Carpentersville; North Shore Line Day at the Illinois Railway Museum; and the Woodstock Community Choir.

McHenry County Historical Society & Museum will turn off the lights on its holiday display after Friday, administrator Kurt Begalka writes.

Mark the new year in McHenry County with comedy, music, parties, an oak rescue and a vintage Christmas display.

A list of those who are running for school board across McHenry County

Surveyors will be out in or near the communities of Harvard, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood, Marengo and Union as part of a study to help local communities identify areas of high flood risk.

Santa Claus will be popping up more places around McHenry County, including the Happy Holiday Railway rides at the Illinois Railway Museum, the Christmas hut in Woodstock and the Volo Auto Museum.

The McHenry County Historical Society will hold its annual Holiday Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 6422 Main St. in Union.

With the polls now closed in Illinois, the count can begin to see which candidates will take the 18 open seats on the McHenry County Board.

The race for Illinois governor won’t be the only one on Tuesday’s ballot. With the redrawing of the state’s political maps, the make-up of the entire McHenry County Board and both the U.S. and Illinois houses of representatives will be determined, along several other races.

The McHenry County Historical Society and Museum will use a newly acquired grant to hire a collections assessor and building assessor, the organization said.

This year’s event includes the circumstances surrounding a fatal train crash in 1958, the death of a Harvard couple in the 1903 Iroquois Theater fire, a dead man found floating in Crystal Lake and the discovery of the remains of a dismembered woman found outside Crystal Lake.

A McHenry County grand jury indicted these people on the following charges the week of Sept. 26.

So many festivals on tap in McHenry County this weekend, including the Woodstock Ale Fest, the Spring Grove Storytelling Festival and Cider Fest at the McHenry County Historical Society and Museum in Union.

A Union man accused in four separate criminal felony cases of ‘peeping’ through the windows of unsuspecting women in Woodstock — charges for which he has previously been convicted — will be under strict conditions should he bond out of the McHenry County jail, a judge said.

The 45th annual Cider Fest will return to the McHenry County Historical Society and Museum with demonstrations from skilled artisans, a turn-of-the-century cider press, children’s activities, music and vintage items for sale.

These plenty of fun lined up for this weekend in McHenry County with fireworks in Johnsburg and Fox River Grove, Rockin’ Ribfest in Lake in the Hills, McHenry’s Fiesta Days and McHenry County Historical Society and Museum’s 35th annual Heritage Fair.