St. Charles in Kane County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Legend of Charlemagne
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 1, 2024
1. The Legend of Charlemagne Marker
You, my first born, are to be the guardian of the civic, the business, the industrial life of this community.
Education will become important in the life of this growing community. And you, my second son, are to be the guardian of this educational and cultural expression.
Soon after this community is settled, men will band together to worship, and you, my third son, are to be entrusted with the guardianship of this religious expression.
Amid this beautiful setting, it is only natural that recreation activity will flourish, and you, my last born, shall be the guardian of this natural recreation expression of man living in these surroundings.
As for me, I shall now leave you to join my Indian friends."
Finishing his talk, Charlemagne then bade farewell to his four sons and walked out of the den into the night and westward.
C.V. Amenoff 1919-1973
St. Charles Mayor 1969-1973
Editor, St. Charles Chronicle
this page online
Erected by Kane County Chronicle.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Arts, Letters, Music • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Believe It or Not series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1973.
Location. 41° 54.828′ N, 88° 18.827′ W. Marker is in St. Charles, Illinois, in Kane County. It is on Main Street (Illinois Route 64) 0.1 miles east of 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west. The marker is beneath the fox statue on the north side of the Fox River bridge. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3755 Main St, Saint Charles IL 60174, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 1, 2024
2. Fox statues
The Municipal Building is in the background behind the fox statues on the Fox River bridge. The St. Charles Dam can be seen on the far left side.
More about this marker. An identical statue and marker can be found on the other side of the Main Street bridge over the Fox River. The four bronze foxes were originally a gift of Herbert T. Crane, the son of Chicago business magnate Richard Crane and a resident of St. Charles.
Also see . . . The Man Behind "The Legend of Charlemagne", C.V. Amenoff. A history of the Charlemagne story from the St. Charles History Museum
Excerpt: "Out of all his career accomplishments, one particular contribution stands out: The Legend of Charlemagne and the creation of the prestigious annual Charlemagne Award.(Submitted on October 6, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
"Always the creative writer,The Legend of Charlemagne is an imaginative short story penned by Amenoff during his term as Mayor, which gave personification and background to the four prideful bronze fox statues on the Main Street bridge."Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 1, 20243. The Legend of Charlemagne Marker and Foxes statue
Credits. This page was last revised on April 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 523 times since then and 90 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 6, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
