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February Collections Spotlight

Last year, the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum celebrated 60 years of collecting, preserving, and sharing its county's history with the public.  Object #7 is a men’s horsehair coat from the 1930s.

This full-length chestnut horsehair coat with quilted lining was worn by William Priegnitz of Huntley.

William Priegnitz owned this horse before it became ill and had to be put down. With the aid of brothers-in-law Herman Schulz and Arthur Felgenhauer, the horse was skinned, and its hide was sent away to be prepared. The coat was worn regularly every winter. This included the winter of 1936 when milk was delivered to market by team and bobsled due to the terrible snowstorms.

William Priegnitz, Sr., a son of Christian and Fredericka Klasen Priegnitz, was born on his father’s dairy farm in Algonquin Township on July 6, 1895. He married Bertha Pinnow (1858 – 1959) in 1917. William spent his entire life as a general farmer in Grafton Township. He died in McHenry County in 1972 and is buried with his wife in the McHenry County Memorial Park in Woodstock, Illinois.

To commemorate our 60th anniversary, our featured exhibit, “60 Years, 60 Objects: Stories from McHenry County,” remains on display through October 2024. This exhibit highlights sixty artifacts from the historical society’s collection. Be sure to visit us to see the entire exhibit and our two new exhibits when the museum reopens on March 16, 2024.

2024 Museum hours will be Tuesday - Friday, 1 -4 pm, and Saturdays, 11 am - 4 pm, beginning March 16, 2024. 

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