Shortly after moving in we interviewed several people in the Village of Huntley concerning the history of our building, and the following represents, as best as we can determine, a fairly accurate history.

The building was erected in 1893 by a Dr. C. E. Cook, who constructed it to house both his medical practice as well as the original bank in town (the Farmers' Exchange Bank until its reorganization as the Bank of Huntley in 1901). Dr. Cook's brother, a Mr. Edward H. Cook, went into business with him in 1895. Dr. Cook died in 1904.

In the early days the group of commercial buildings along Main Street was known as the "Cook block". Dr. Cook must have contracted for the construction of most, if not all, of the original buildings on the block, hence the name.

Ed Cook (affectionately known as "Uncle Ed" around town) owned the building and managed both a pharmacy and the bank until his death in 1951. Ed was also the town's undertaker.

A Mr. Dick Dwyer, who resides nearby on Woodstock Street, told me he remembers the building's second floor (which was burned in a fire and demolished during the early '60s) having a showroom, a "sales floor", if you will, for Mr. Cook's caskets. The embalming was not done on the premises, according to Mr. Dwyer, but he is not certain exactly where it was done. During most of the '50s and early '60s (before the aforementioned fire) the second floor of the building was partitioned into a couple residential apartments.

Here is some further information about Ed Cook, excerpted from the front page of The Woodstock Republican, June 15, 1917, Vol. 4, #5:

Druggist and Undertaker

Has conducted his present business since the death of his brother, Dr. C. E. Cook, in 1904. Mr. Cook carries a full line of drugs and supplies, also confectionery, cigars and tobacco, ice cream and sodas of all kinds. He serves the famous Rockford Allen ice cream. Mr. Cook moved to this city with his family in 1895 and entered business with his brother. They also conducted the Farmers' Exchange Bank until it was reorganized into the Bank of Huntley in 1901.

Mr. Cook was born and raised in Franklinville in this county and graduated from the high school at Marengo. He attended the Northwestern Pharmacy School in Chicago and the Worsham Undertaking School of Chicago. He was married at Marengo in 1887 to Miss Myrtle Sisson. Mr. Cook taught school five years before coming to Huntley, 2 years of which were in the Goodridge, 2 years the Franklinville district and one year the Fuller district. Since coming to Huntley he has acted as clerk of the Village Board 4 years and was postmaster for twelve years.

According to another account of his life contained in the Huntley Centennial Yearbook (1851-1951), "Ed Cook was born February 10, 1863, in Seneca Township.

On July 3, 1887, he was married to Myrtle Sisson. Mr. Cook was prominent in the business circles of Huntley as postmaster, druggist and later as coroner of McHenry County. He and his wife were members of the Congregational Church and he was affiliated with a Masonic Lodge in Elgin with which group he also played in the band. Mrs. Cook, always a gracious hostess, opened her home to many community affairs. On July 3, 1937, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. On May 29, 1951, he died in Marengo".

We also spoke with a Mr. Tom Conley, a fourth-generation Huntlian who resides nearby on Woodstock Street. Tom produced a picture of downtown Huntley taken from the water tower around the turn of the century. He pointed out that in the rear of the building there was actually an outhouse on the second floor. Rather interesting plumbing arrangement, wouldn't you agree?

Sometime following Mr. Cook's death in 1951, the pharmacy was closed, and the Bank (the State Bank of Huntley, which is now known as Harris Bank Huntley) took over the entire building.

The Bank was located at 11715 E. Main Street until 1977, at which time the Bank moved to its permanent location on Route 47 on the north side of town.   DFC Transportation (Dean Foods) housed its general offices at 11715 E. Main Street from 1977 through 1981. Woodstock Memorial Hospital (Centegra Health Systems) then purchased the building, housing the Huntley Medical Center there until the spring of 1996. After being vacant for more than a year, my wife, Pam, and I purchased the building in August of 1997, and the entire 2,850 square foot facility was then gutted/rebuilt to our specifications.

The only structure which remains intact in our building following the buildout is the original Mosler safe vault, which for several, what I consider to be rather obvious, reasons we chose to maintain as part of our architectural plan.

Benico, Ltd.'s offices have the following facilities in our permanent location:

* Foyer/Reception Area
* General work area
* Two handicapped-accessible restrooms
* Conference room with multimedia
* One private executive office
* Four other private offices
* Copier & supply room
* Break room for employees
* Extra private bathroom