The Tale Of The Sage Family
Growing Up In McKinley Woods
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Canal Stories, a series brought to you by the Canal Corridor Association to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the communities that were shaped by its legacy. In the setting of this week’s story, the barracks at McKinley Woods had stood empty for more than a decade. They had once housed hundreds of workers for the Civilian Conservation Corps (or CCC), who were employed by the federal government to combat the Great Depression through construction improvements to America’s vast parklands. By 1942, the program had ended, but the buildings remained at McKinley, abandoned, forgotten, and frozen in time. That is, until one local man was named caretaker of the preserve. Today, we’re taking a look at the fascinating tale of the Sage family, a Channahon household that called McKinley Woods home for nearly two decades. This story comes to us from the Forest Preserve District of Will County.
In 1957, Arthur Olin Sage, a farmer in Channahon, was hired by the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Superintendent, John Jevitz, to serve as custodian of McKinley Woods. He was also deputized as a Will County Sheriff’s police officer, giving him the authority to deal with any situations that might arise in the preserve. His daughter, Luann Sage Nash, recalls that her father was paid $60 a week for his service, and the family was provided housing in one of the CCC barracks.
Arthur and his wife, Lucille, had seven children. Two of their daughters had already married and settled elsewhere, while the remaining children – Don, Marilyn, Arthur Jr., Nancy, and Luann – moved into the wooden building with their parents. At the age of 3, Luann was the youngest, while her sisters were ages 7 and 14, and her brothers were 10 and 17.
The accommodations were sparse, to say the least. The family lived in the front part of the barracks, as a large room in the back, as well as several rooms in this area, had deteriorated over the years and were blocked off. The front door opened to a kitchen, and behind that was the family living room. A hallway led to rooms on both sides, which served as the bedrooms for the parents and the girls. The boys slept in the living room.
In the beginning of their time in the barracks, the Sage family did their cooking on a coal stove, until the Forest Preserve installed a propane gas stove some years later. A second coal-heated stove warmed the living room. The family did have a television, though reception was often interfered with by the location of the building, situated at the bottom of a steep hill, and by traffic moving outside the preserve.
The only running water in the building was cold. Getting hot water required heating it on the stove. Despite the austere living conditions, the Sage children were able to make many fond memories during their time growing up in the preserve. In the winter, the nearby I&M Canal Tow Path would overflow and create a frozen pond, which the children would turn into their own private ice rink. These memories were particularly dear to Luann, as she states, “You know, we kids did not have much to do for fun.” She also recalls that once or twice a year, a church picnic was held at McKinley Woods, where the Sage siblings would get ice cream and soda. These were rare, special treats for the children.
Luann was aware, even as a young girl, that her father was supplied with very little to perform his day-to-day tasks, like grass cutting and painting. Arthur Sage often had to use his own tools, which he brought over from his farm. Eventually, the Forest Preserve provided him with a lawn mower, which was used and well past its prime. It left such a narrow cut that Luann is still amazed that her father was able to accomplish the task of mowing so much land.
In those days, not many people visited McKinley Woods, even though the preserve was open to the public. While it wasn’t often that the family encountered visitors, Luann does remember that motorcycle gangs would come down from Chicago to party in the preserve. Her father would have to approach these groups to remind them of the park rules and closing time.
The most terrifying experience the family faced at McKinley Woods occurred in the early morning hours, when Luann was just four years old. She stepped out into the hall, to make her way to the bathroom, when she was stopped in her tracks. One of the walls appeared to be on fire. Luckily, the family soon discovered that it was not their wall but the neighboring building that was ablaze.
Luann vividly remembers fire trucks arriving to fight fires at several of the buildings. This was an act of arson, and although there were suspicions as to who set the fires, no one, to Luann’s knowledge, was ever arrested for the crime. The only reference to this fire in the minutes of the Forest Preserve District of Will County Board of Commissioners’ meeting for December 18th, 1958, was the following: “Moved by Commissioner Liberty and seconded by Commissioner Meyer that the board allow the Channahon Fire Department the sum of Fifty ($50.00) and the Minooka Fire Department the sum of Twenty-Five ($25.00) for services rendered at the McKinley Woods fire, August 15th, 1958.”
The Sage family faced other dark moments during their time on the preserve. Luann recalls how her father was once on the roof of the building, cleaning out the chimney, as the danger of fire was always a concern. The roof collapsed beneath him, and he fell to the floor below. He was hospitalized and would suffer back pain for the rest of his life.
A more gruesome incident occurred when Arthur was using a saw to make picnic tables. The saw slipped in his hand, slicing all four of his fingers. Doctors were able to save the fingers, but his hand was never the same.
In 1973, Arthur Sage retired at the age of 75. By this time, Luann, both of her brothers, and one sister had married and moved away. The Sages vacated their home of 16 years, and Arthur, Lucille, and their daughter, Nancy, moved to Shorewood.
The children of the Sage family had the unique experience of growing up in a monument to the past. While this chapter in their lives has faded into the realm of memory, the story of their family will forever have a place in the complex and fascinating history of the McKinley Woods Forest Preserve.
That concludes today’s Canal Story. Thank you so much for joining us as we continue our journey through the history of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, pass it along to your family and friends, be sure to leave us a like or drop us a comment, and we’ll see you again very soon.