(Ed's Note: Extracted mostly from the Manhattan Centennial Book published in 1986. As the first American generation of the Kestel family grows up, the Kestels of Will County become the Kestels of Manhattan)
"No roads, no bridges, a few rods of rail fence and open, rolling prairie", were the words used to describe Manhattan in the 1850s, the decade George Kestel and Michael Fuch came to Will County. About the only permanent road was a mud route to Joliet, which would eventually become today's State Route 52. A few wagon trails followed the section boundaries, but more often they cut across sections to shorten travel lengths. George and Michael purchased there first property in July, 1866, and would have used SR 52 and Delaney Road quite frequently coming to and from Joliet, the market place, their church and a robust and growing community.
Prior to 1850, some of the earliest settlers had left. Some lost their land to non-payment of taxes, others went west to the gold fields of California. Many of them were tired of living from hand-to-mouth on the open prairie. Even though times were hard, newcomers were here to stay. Cattle raising was dominant in the Five Mile Grove (centered around SR 52 and Baker Road) area. Hay was plentiful; all a farmer had to do was cut a swath of unclaimed area to feed livestock. Pigs ran untended and damaged anything in their way. The market for crops was limited, and very little sod had been turned to grow crops. Most residences were log cabins, a smattering of frame house were appearing.
In early 1850, Will County passed the Township Organization Act. Since there were not enough voters in Manhattan for a township, the county included the land within within Green Garden and Manhattan boundaries and called the union Trenton Township.
In 1851, the Illinois Central Railroad gained a charter, which provided significant job opportunity and led to the largest percentage of population increase in the area. The charter detailed a completion within six years, dictating a massive construction effort. Thousands of immigrants and laborers poured into the effort. Illinois Railroad sent agents to Europe to encourage people to come to Illinois. The Irish and Germans came in waves. From the East, from Ireland and from Germany they came. A large contingent of laborers came up from the St. Louis area. By 1853, the rails had been laid through Will County and some families took their hard earned money, bought land and settled down. Census of the period details a large German and Irish population.
Trenton Township had many projects to get under way in the 1850s. Road and bridge construction were the highest priority. The township directed surveys for new roads along the most traveled sections. After the first Board of Trustees met in 1852, two schools were built, one within current Manhattan Township boundaries, called Five Mile Grove School, and the other within Green Garden Township. They were one room schoolhouses constructed with native oak and walnut logs with shingled roofs. The schools taught the 'Three Rs' and served also for public gatherings and township meetings.
Early in 1953, Will County split Trenton Township to form Green Garden and Manhattan Townships. Manhattan gained it's name from Manhattan Island, New York.
Manhattan Township held their first meeting in 1853. Review of the meeting notes detail the highest priority, which appears to have been encroachment of property by livestock, especially pigs. The trustees passed fence construction code, livestock herdsman rules, liability for property damage caused by free running livestock, and rules for livestock impound procedures.
In 1855, the trustees taxed the community for bridge and school construction. They divided the township into 8 school districts with schoolhouses located so no student would be more than two miles from the closest school. They were one room schools, 20' by 30' frame buildings heated with a wood stove. Construction started in 1855 and continued through 1870.
For the balance of the decade, nothing out of the ordinary happened in the township. The township continued to survey and build roads, bridges and drain some swamp and lowland areas, and pass more livestock grazing ordinances. The area was ready for more settlers.
As the 1860s came and went, the population of Manhattan Township nearly tripled. Farmers income had increased as they supported the Civil War with demands for corn and wheat. But roads were still mud and difficult to pass during the Spring rains. The Township was isolated because of the lack of quality roads. The township was without a village, boasting only a general store, a blacksmith shop but no post office. A long and tedious wagon ride to Joliet or New Lennox for mail and staples were the only options for the area.
During the next decade, little changed in Manhattan. Barbed wire was becoming the fencing material of choice replaced timber and hedgerows for livestock control. Around 1875, a post office was moved westward from Green Garden Township on the Manhattan-Monee Road just inside the Manhattan Township boundary serving both townships. A significant increase in land cultivation for crops as noted in the assessor's records, probably the result of better farm implements and demand provided through rail lines to get products t diverse markets.
The event in 1879 which reshaped Manhattan Township was the coming of the railroad. This event would also provide the lane for the Kestel and Resch families to meet and form future bonds, but that's another story. As railroad dealings go, a certain amount of wheeling and dealing occurred, with the outcome being of tracks laid of 90 miles in length across Manhattan Township connecting the tracks of the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad located just south of Chicago and Strawn, Illinois, southwest of Manhattan. The sole purpose of this venture was to was to give the Wabash Railroad track rights into Chicago.
The first train came through Manhattan in 1880. At this time, Joliet Road and Monee Road were the two main arteries for travel in the township. It was near the intersection of these two roads that the railroad established a depot, water tower and coal yard. The only other structures in the area were the blacksmith shop and two houses. Land owners in close proximity to the depot saw opportunity and subdivided acres. A boarding house sprung up along with Manhattan's first post office. A tile and brick factory opened in 1883. In 1884, a saloon opened but required a license to sell liquor, but since the area was unincorporated, no license could be issued. Since the size of the population in the area in close proximity to the railroad depot did not warrant incorporation, the area was increased in size to meet the population requirements. In December of 1886, a vote was taken and not only did Manhattan Village establish itself, they also gained a liquor serving saloon.
In 1884, Manhattan became a Mission of St. Mary's Church in Joliet and was cared for by the Reverend Maurice Burke. When St. Mary's Parish was divided, Sacred Heart Parish was established, and the Mission at Manhattan shared in that parochial life. In 1889, The Reverend Christopher Foster was appointed as pastor of Sacred heart Church, and responsible for building the first Catholic Church in Manhattan. On December 28th, 1890, he offered the first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in a small wooden frame building.