Meet 13 of Huntley's 'characters' on cemetery walk

The Huntley Historic Preservation Commission has planned a Halloween surprise to you -- a trip back in time to meet some very interesting local "ghosts!"

Coordinated by HHPC member Deb Waters, a cemetery walk is planned for Oct. 27 at the old Huntley Cemetery on Dean Street. From 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., costumed high school students will portray 13 prominent citizens from Huntley's past, telling their personal stories to all who pass by.

Featured "ghosts" include two former Woodstock Street residents: Charles C. Huntley, a Civil War veteran and son of the town's founder; and Theodore Ferris, a world-famous gladiolus grower, whose white Victorian house is now occupied by Waters and her family.

Another is Paul Heuer, a local carpenter and contractor, as well as the former mayor of Huntley from 1934 to 1938.

"That was during the time when Route 47 was opened through Huntley," says his granddaughter, Mary Ellen Moerke, a retired Huntley High School teacher who still lives in the family home on that same street.

"Before then, it was Vine Street and it was a dead end," she explained. "Then they opened it up through to the north, and my Aunt Elsie was the one to cut the ribbon."

The free cemetery walk is one of several downtown activities planned on Oct. 27 to celebrate Halloween and the end of a successful first season for Huntley's Farmers Market. The Farmer's Market and a downtown craft fair will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Huntley Area Public Library will host children's stories in the old village hall from 10-11 a.m.

From 9-10 a.m. in the old village hall, representatives of McHenry County Animal Control will present Bats in the Belfry, a free and seasonally appropriate look at how to keep your house free of bats and other scary critters.

High school play: Huntley High School's production of "Our Miss Brooks," a classic 1950s comedy, runs this weekend and next at the school's Performing Arts Center (PAC) on the Harmony Road Campus.

This lighthearted period piece follows the travails of a teacher who dreams of a Caribbean vacation, while thwarted by her students as she tries to produce … guess what? The high school play, of course!

Performances start at 7 p.m. today and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Performances are set for next weekend at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 and 3 p.m. Oct. 28.

The three-act comedy was first produced at Huntley High School back in 1951, and to celebrate its return, the PAC Theater is offering free admission to this Sunday's 3 p.m. show for anyone who attended Huntley High in the 1950s.

For the rest of us, ticket prices are $8 for adults and $6 for students or senior citizens, available at www.district158.org/pac or by calling (847) 659-6515. Some tickets will be sold at the door.

Health and fun fairs: The Huntley Park District will host a community Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Rec Center on Mill Street. District residents are invited to tour the facility's fitness center and learn about its health-related services. Thirty local businesses and organizations will host booths with information about fitness and health resources in the Huntley area.

The park district's Halloween Family Fun Day will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28, with games, prizes, hayrides (weather permitting) and a 5 p.m. costume contest. Most activities are free, with a small charge for games and hayrides. No registration is required.

Polka time: The Huntley American Legion will hold its Octoberfest Dance from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, with music by the River Bend Players. This Cary-based concertina band will keep the joint jumping with their horns, drums, and lively "squeezebox" style. Admission is $3 per person at the door, and the cash bar will be open. The Legion Hall is at 11712 Coral Street in downtown Huntley.

Help Teagan: Another fundraiser is planned this Saturday for the family of Huntley toddler Teagan Haniszewski, who is battling brain cancer at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "Picnic For A Princess" will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jewel Food Store at 150 E. Main Street in Barrington, with food for sale -- grilled brats, hotdogs, popcorn, nachos, chips, soda pop -- and games for kids. You can also purchase a princess tiara for your own little girl.

All proceeds will benefit the Princess Teagan Fund at Harris Bank, which is helping her parents deal with medical bills and personal income loss incurred during her illness.

Fall Fun Fest: The library will be bustling from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26, when the Friends of the Huntley Library host their free Family Fun Fest with stories, snacks, games, and a storybook costume party for children ages 3 and older and their parents. It's a small building, so attendance is limited. You can register for this event now at the children's desk at the library, 11000 Ruth Road.