The town of Harlem, which was incorporated in 1884, included today’s Forest Park and areas of River Forest. The Harlem Post was a local German weekly newspaper for Harlem’s German population. According to the publisher, a German weekly was necessary, because Harlem, based on its population at the time, “is considered one of the most German settlements in Illinois, because the large German papers do not reach this area, and because most residents are not able to understand the English weekly papers.” Its first edition was published on Sept. 12, 1895.
The Nov. 21, 1895 edition contained the following “brief news”:
- John Gaden is organizing a prize bowling tournament for ducks and geese during Thanksgiving week.
- On Sunday, the 17-year-old sister-in-law of Wm. Maier, residing on Lathrop Avenue, arrived in Harlem from Bremerhaven.
- The night from Friday to Saturday, Mrs. Schick of 42 Lathrop Avenue bore her husband a strong son.
- Undertaker Drechsler in Oak Park got a new funeral car last week. It is built by Rock Falls Manufacturing Company in Sterling, Illinois and cost $2,000.
Translated by Uli Leib