Editing Wilmette, Illinois (section)

====Great Depression era====
In 1931 [[UOP LLC|Universal Oil Products]] co-founder Carbon Petroleum Dubbs was elected Village President. At the time that he took office, the village was approaching bankruptcy. To stabilize its finances, Dubbs cut the village's budget and refused his salary.<ref name=cbd1>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/02/04/depression-era-president-refined-wilmettes-finances/ |title=Depression-era president refined Wilmette's finances |last=Kening |first=Dan |date=February 4, 2004 |website=archives.chicagotribune.com |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref> In 1932, despite the onslaught of a national depression, Dubbs was able to finish construction on Lochmoor, his Phillip Brooks Maher-designed lakefront mansion located along Wilmette's Michigan Avenue. Construction of the residence cost him $200,000.<ref name=images/> On January 27, 1934, the village celebrated the opening of its own water plant<ref name=images/> that was completed largely due to Dubbs' commitment to the project.<ref name=bmptd/> The village had previously been purchasing its water from Evanston. Not only did Wilmette start pumping its own water, but by the year 1938 Wilmette was selling water to [[Glenview, Illinois|Glenview]].<ref name=images/> By the end of Dubbs' tenure as Village President in 1935, Wilmette had become fiscally solvent.<ref name=cbd1/>

During the depression, the [[Works Progress Administration]] program undertook a project in Wilmette to resurface brick streets. Bricks were removed and relaid upside-down, exposing a smooth non-weathered side.<ref name=images/> Another WPA project that was undertaken was the refurbishment of Wilmette pier, which is located just north of the mouth of Wilmette Harbor and had originally been built in 1906.<ref name=images/> An additional WPA project broke ground in 1936, beginning construction on a lakefront amphitheater at Gilson Park. The venue, now known as the Wallace Bowl (in honor of Gordon Wallace, Park District superintendent from 1936 until 1968), opened the following year.<ref name=parkdistrict/><ref name=bushnell/>

In 1931 [[Illinois Route 131|Green Bay Road]] was opened, supplementing Sheridan Road's role as a north–south arterial route through the North Shore.<ref name="shea"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n9jig.com/121-140.html |title=Illinois Highways Page: Routes 121 thru 140 |last=Carlson |first=Rich |date=April 15, 2005 |website=www.n9jig |access-date=May 2, 2006 |archive-date=May 16, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516175707/http://www.n9jig.com/121-140.html |url-status=live }}.</ref> A [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]] station was established in Wilmette Harbor in 1931.<ref name=images/> In 1933 the village restricted the use of unofficial beaches, such as the one at the foot of Elmwood Avenue.<ref name=images/> Despite this people still continued to visit the Elmwood beach until the village constructed a fence to block street access to it in the 1960s.<ref name=images/>

Among the residents that were affected by the depression was architect Benjamin Marshall, who was forced to sell his house to Nathan Goldblatt (of the [[Goldblatt's]] chain).<ref name=houses/><ref name=marshallgoldblatt1/> As a result of this change of ownership, the Sheridan Shores Club was evicted from their headquarters in the lower floor of the Marshall Mansion.<ref name=houses/><ref name=marshallgoldblatt1/> In 1937 the Sheridan Shore Yacht Club constructed a new clubhouse at Wilmette Harbor.<ref name=images/><ref name=shorelife/> The Goldblatt family offered to gift the former Marshall mansion to the village for use as a community center. However, the village declined their offer.<ref name=images/> The opulent mansion was ultimately demolished in 1949 and 1950.<ref name=images/>

The Depression halted most home construction for the first half of the 1930s. However, by the middle of the decade construction slowly resumed. The homes being constructed, however, were far more modest than those that had been constructed in the previous decade.<ref name=images/> Among the homes built in this period were several designed by [[George Fred Keck]].<ref name=images/> Much of the village's 'Kenilworth Gardens' subdivision was developed during this time.<ref name=images/> Much of the Indian Hills Estates was also developed at this time, with the assistance of federal loans.<ref name=images/>

In November 1934, Monsignor John Neumann oversaw the building of a new school for [[St. Joseph Catholic Church (Wilmette, Illinois)]]. It was the only building constructed in the entire Midwest that year. President Roosevelt sent a letter commending Monsignor Neumann and St. Joseph's for their courage in undertaking the large task during the Great Depression.

The Great Depression greatly impacted No Man's Land, forcing the closure of Vista del Lago. A fire that broke out in the Miralago on the night of March 8, 1932, severely damaged the building along with many nearby properties (such as the structures abandoned by the defunct Breaker's Beach Club and Vista del Lago), thus tolling the final death knell for an exuberant era of No Man's Land's history.<ref name="shea"/>