Photo 35-KOG-16

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Former Presbyterian Church in Holcomb. This was the only church in Holcomb, and a rather unusual Greek style. The building was stucco. This congregation merged with the one at Kings, IL and later they both dissolved. This building has a happy ending, it is now used by a Hispanic congregation and is beautifully maintained. Holcomb itself, does not have a cemetery, the Big Mound cemetery halfway between Holcomb and Davis Junction serves both villages. The road in front of the church is Holcomb Rd. and is the township line, so the the church is in White Rock Twp. Across the road is Scott Twp.

The house with the covered porch belongs to my fiance. He is owned it for about 7-8 years.

Thank you for the wonderful history about this photo. Based on your information I have updated the geolocation pin on the map, does this look correct?

As a youngster, our family lived in Holcomb and we attended the Presbyterian Church shown in the photo. Along with many kids in Holcomb. we sang in the Church Choir. Edna Snyder, who also was one of the two teachers at Holcomb Grade School, oversaw the Choir. She was an awesome, talented women. But, we as kids, were afraid to death of her; she ran a "tight ship". She lived in a house across from the Neidlinger Elevator.

I did not attend that church, but our 4-H club met in the basement throughout the '70s (perhaps they still do?) and I mowed the lawn a few times.

I didn't know Mrs. Snyder as a choir director, but she was my third grade teacher in the final year that the school was open (1970). This was 50 years ago now. But I remember her as being good with the kids. I only found out today that her family was hard hit by the Spanish Flu pandemic. It appears that she lost her mother, brother and sister all in 1920 due to the flu, leaving just her (8 years old) and her father.

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Do you have a connection to this photograph? Maybe you grew up here or know someone who did? What has changed in the 52 years since this photo was taken? Tell us!