Monthly Story - 02-2025
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Firing the Anvil A curious pastime known as firing the anvil," has been used throughout history to mark everything from weddings to mine cave-ins to St. Clement's Day. It's done by pouring black powder into a cavity at the anvil's base, and lighting it. The resulting explosion is both noisy and dangerous, and it’ s said that it was first done in America on July 4,1776. In Marengo, a group of citizens decided to celebrate the Union victory at Vicksburg in July 1863 with such an undertaking, with disastrous results. The anvil selected for firing was probably cracked, and the force of the explosion caused it to shatter. Shrapnel flew into the crowd gathered at the corner of State & Washington, killing Harris G. Otis and severely wounding a Mrs. Russell—she lost a leg. Mr. Otis left behind a young widow, Maria Sponable Otis, and four children.
A blacksmith' fires the anvil" by lighting the black powder at its base. Oil portrait of Harris G. Otis, who owned the grocery store at 127 S. State Street. He was killed by an exploding anvil in July 1863.
Early Newspaper Description of Marengo, October 11, 1855 The following was taken from a newspaper article provided by Ms. Alice Wagner. Marengo was described by a writer on October 11th, 1855 as follows: “The village of Marengo, McHenry County, Illinois, is situated in the south-east corner for the township bearing the same name. The Chicago-Galena Union Railroad passes through the northern part of the village, while Pleasant Grove, the largest and noblest of the many groves which adorn and enrich our county, skirts its southern confine. Kishwaukee Prairie lies unfolded in all its loveliness at its very feet, making a panorama of woodland, village and prairie unsurpassed in Northern Illinois for beauty. Nature has indeed been lavish with her gifts here, and the early settlers who cast their lots upon the banks of the Kishwaukee have ever boasted of possessing the ‘Garden of the County’”. |
