Klink's Wagon Shop
(Antiques Market II)
301 W. Main Street

Click to enlarge image.

This Italian Renaissance building, built on the location of Klink's Wagon Shop, was built around 1900. Louis Klink came to St.Charles in 1854. A carriage and wagon maker by trade, Klink built a two story business and residence on the former Valentine Randall property at the corner of Third and Main Streets, in 1866. The brick building had a second story entrance with a ramp that allowed workers to easily roll finished products down to the street below. On the first floor of the building there was a blacksmith shop. Not only did Klink repair wagons, he also provided fugitive slaves with a place of refuge. Needless to say, partaking in this activity was dangerous for both himself and the slave--the Fugitive Slave Law enacted in 1850 brought penalties against those who aided slaves in their attempts to reach freedom. Klink concealed his activities by hiding the slaves in deliveries of straw. Once safely at the wagon shop, Klink hid the fugitives until it was safe to move on to the next station of their journey

The Blue Goose Supermarket occupied this location from 1943-1964. The grocery store, which had been established by Nancy Lencioni at 205 W. Main Street in 1928, moved here and expanded its offerings. In 1963, the store moved to 164 S. 1st Street, where it remains today.

This building is now home to Antiques Market II.

Klink's Wagon Shop

Altonn's Television Shop (1966)

For additional photographs, see these sources, more fully described in the Bibliography.

St. Charles Illinois p 58
Then and Now

Also see...

Collins House
Norris Funeral Home

Sources

• Architectural Survey, St. Charles Central District. St. Charles: St. Charles Historic Preservation Commission, 1995.
  
• Cairo, Alice. Then and Now. 197?.
  
• Davis, Alice. The Settlement and Growth of St. Charles. 1940.
  
• Davis, Ann W. "City Reaps Fruit from Blue Goose's 65 Years." Kane County Chronicle 25 March 1993, History Edition:1.
  
• Digitizing History in St. Charles - Digitized collection of the library's local history books, maps, newspapers and photographs.
• Price, Stephanie. "Many Viewed Friends of Slaves as Radical and Insane Group." Kane County Chronicle 23 Mar. 1993, History Edition.
  
• St. Charles Historical Society Bus Tour, 1860-65: Civil War People and Places in St. Charles. St. Charles: St. Charles Historical Society, 1987?.