Founded in 1839, the Marshall Cemetery is home to many of Mokena's founders, with names like Marshall, McGovney, and Jones. It is also the resting place of numerous war heros from the Civil War, and more. Matt gives us a walking tour as we cover only a few of the families buried here.

The setting is a quiet country road, a little busier than it was in the 1800's, but it still maintains a charm of yesteryear, where you can still feel a little of what it felt like back in the early days of Mokena. We hope you enjoy this walk through of the historic, Marshall Cemetery!

There is a full video of our walk on our YouTube Channel. You can find that by clicking here!

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Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

On a beautiful April evening, Matt and I (Israel) took a walk down Mokena's Front Street, talking history. This is the audio only version so you have to imagine standing at the South East corner of Wolf Road and Front Street and walk along with us!

Matt is a wealth of information when it comes to Mokena and this was a lot of fun! We plan to do more of these throughout the summer. I think this was a fun conversation and we hope you enjoy it too!

Be sure to follow our YouTube page and our website, www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

You can find the YouTube Link HERE.

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Mayor Joe Werner cared deeply about Mokena and its people. He served as both Village Trustee and Mayor and made many lasting contributions to Mokena. He sadly passed away on Christmas Eve of 2023 after fighting brain cancer. I am honored that we get to share some of Mayor Joe’s story and all he did to make our Village a better place.

If you would like to share your thoughts or stories about Mayor Joe on our podcast, you can call and leave a message with your thoughts and memories at 872-255-9259. Be sure to leave your message by the 4th of July, 2024. At that time we will release an updated episode with those messages included in the episode. It will be a great community tribute to Mayor Joe Werner.

Please support The Veterans Garage! www.VeteransGarage.com
And the Mokena VFW! http://www.vfwpost725.org/home.html
Be sure to follow Matt’s Blog, Matt’s Old Mokena https://oldmokena.blogspot.com/

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Since the early days of Mokena, 11116 has been a place where the community gathers to drink, socialize, shop and eat. For more than a decade now this property has sat vacant. The property is now undergoing a renovation and will be host a new restaurant, The Dock on Front Street! I asked Mayor Frank Fleischer about the restaurant and got his thoughts on what this can do for Front Street.

Mokena is excited about the future of this building, but if you really want to enjoy and appreciate what this property will become, you want to understand where it has been. Matt wrote this great article in 2001, detailing the rich history of this place.

Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for our full video tour of the property as well! It’s pretty cool! Matt's blog post that this article is based on can be found by clicking HERE.

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

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Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Israel got to sit down with Suzanne Helwich, the Executive Director of the Curtain Call Theatre, as well as Ken Czechanski, who is a theatre board member as well as one of the stars of their upcoming March 2024 production, The Runner Stumbles.

The setting for our conversation was at the foot of the stage as they were preparing for the production. It was two hours before the first practice when the cast is expected to know their lines without their script. With that pressure, Ken was still nice enough to share some of his story, and talk about the improv nights he introduced and hosts.

When the lights go down, this 70-seat venue makes you feel like you're in a downtown Chicago neighborhood theatre. What was once a longtime neighborhood pharmacy, is now a hub where the magic of storytelling comes alive, fostered by the tireless efforts of volunteers.

This is a great community organization that is putting on some great productions and giving people a chance to live their dream of acting. I hope you enjoy our conversation and I hope you will go check out their shows!

The Curtain Call Theatre website can be found HERE!
https://www.ccctheatre.com/default.asp?iId=HILHG
The Emily McCabe Childrens Theatre Program Info HERE!
https://www.ccctheatre.com/default.asp?iId=LDJMK

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Mokena's first modern subdivision has a name that goes back to the early days of our Village. The Mineral Springs neighborhood sits just south of the train station and at one point was the source of healing waters that were being pumped from below ground. This healing well was so popular that it eventually ran a pipeline closer to the tracks to be able to fill tanker cars directly.
Matt shares the story of the first time it was sold by an early Mokenian and also shares of the transformation from "truck farm" to Mokena's first modern subdivision, that was built post World War 2.

You can find a link to Matt's article that this episode is based on HERE!

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Mokena’s first post office opened February 10, 1853 and served our newly formed train depot of a town. With the railroad splitting through town, it made Mokena a prime mail location, with mail coming via the passing trains, to and from Chicago. The post office was a vital organ in the life of the new town and many took up the role of Postmaster, until 28 year old Margaret M. Maue is takes the position. She served as one of Mokenas' longest running Postmasters or Postmistresses, serving the role for thirty four years.

Margaret Maue, (later Margaret O'Brien), held the post on March 2nd, 1937, when the Post Office was robbed in the dark of night. The Office suffered a significant loss and Matt shares the story of the search to catch the bandits and what was recovered from the theft. In addition to the story of the theft, Matt paints the picture of what the Post Office meant to the residents and how it helped Mokena grow into a hub along the route to and from Chicago.

Read Matts blog post that this episode is based on HERE.
The History of Mokena: A Journey Through Time - 1831 to 2010

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Our Village was founded around the Rock Island Pacific Railroad coming through the middle of what is now downtown Mokena. In 1852 those tracks came through the north end of the McGovney (Yunker) farm. By the mid 1870's, Mokena had 8 saloons, more per capita than any other town in Will County. One of the significant motivators to incorporate was for control of how many liquor licenses would be allowed and who those fees would be paid to. Matt shares how many times they attempted to incorporate before it was finally approved by the voters in 1880.
There are still a few remnants and reminders around town of those first elected officials, including the Front Street home of our first mayor, Ozias McGovney and the location of the first official meeting place of the new board of trustees. Matt shares some great stories and interesting facts about the process and some of the first laws they passed.
We hope you enjoy this episode about an extremely important event in our Village history!
Here is a link to Matt's blog post that this is based on!

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!