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BISHOP MCNAMARA CATHOLIC SCHOOL ~ A One Hundred Year History
$60.00View bookThe 100-Year History book of “Bishop McNamara Catholic School - A 100-Year History,” is a “significant contribution to the history of the area,” according to former editor of the Kankakee Daily Journal, Phil Angelo. It is more than the history of one school. It is a history of Catholicism in the Illinois counties of Kankakee and Iroquois which lie 40 miles south of metropolitan Chicago. At one time this highly Catholic area had forty Catholic Schools. Today, there is one – in three locations – covering education for students from Pre-K 3 to 12th Grade. Four years in the making, the story was drawn from over 450 interviews, and information from the archival records of multiple Dioceses, including the Diocese of Joliet, area churches, schools, religious Orders, publications, and Bishop McNamara Catholic School yearbooks. The hardcover book is in two volumes totaling 1,095 pages and over 2,000 photos. The history of every parish that ever existed in Kankakee and Iroquois Counties is contained in the book. Stories of every Catholic school and religious Order that ever graced the two-county area—leading to the present day school—is told. McNamara’s impact on the community and the legacy of its academic, athletic, and performing arts success over the years is also documented. The complete history of the school’s fund-raising initiatives, including its first major fundraiser called “Madcaps,” tells the story of the work of thousands of religious and laity who kept Catholic Education alive in the area. Special sections such as teenage styles and fads in each decade, and a detailed analysis and review of the Shamrock, the school’s yearbook, are included. But the book is more than “a big yearbook.” Author McNulty has woven the school’s story with local and worldly events that shaped and impacted the entire community and the school. Over 10,000 individuals graduated from McNamara, which started in 1922 as St. Patrick High School and blended with the last all-girls high school in the area, St. Joseph Seminary in Kankakee, to form Bishop McNamara Catholic School. The narrative is written as a story rather than a chronicle as an exception to how many institutional histories are done. Author Kevin McNulty is known for his history books that read like novels utilizing the stories of real people who he interviews and quotes from the past. For the McNamara book he interviewed over 500 individuals over a four-year period adding to this informative Multiple diocesan, religious, as well as religious and secular records are also cited. In 2025, the two-volume work was named as one of the top-three books judged at the Midwest Book Festival in the category of historical documentaries.
GOOD SHEPHERD MANOR - A MISSION OF COMPATIONATE CARE
$40.00View bookGood Shepherd Manor – A Mission of Compassionate Care by Kevin McNulty, Sr, tells the story of the first fifty years of Good Shepherd Manor in Momence, Illinois. This home for developmentally disabled men opened in 1971, under the direction of the Brothers of the Good Shepherd. The story of the Manor reveals the unique approach the Brothers brought to the care and nurturing of the disabled, playing a significant role in changing how the disabled are viewed and, most significantly, how they should be treated. This official 50th Anniversary History tells the story of how families with developmentally disabled men came together with the Brothers of the Good Shepherd, to provide a lifetime home for their loved ones, how timely circumstances brought them to the small town of Momence, Illinois and how life for the men of Good Shepherd Manor extended well beyond expectations of an earlier time. This dynamic story shows how love, initiative, caring and raised expectations have brought a life of fulfillment for the men of Good Shepherd Manor. The work of The Brothers of the Good Shepherd is a dramatic response to Christ’s call to help those in need. It is a specific response to families and their sons who find joy in the things of life that others overlook. Their ministry is a real-life fulfillment of the mission set by their founder, Brother Mathias Barrett, to respond unconditionally. His is a call for “charity with no limit.” The profound demonstration of how deeply moved people are by the good works of others is realized in the words of families and others who speak about Good Shepherd Manor in Momence, Illinois. In response, they have created, supported, and sustained Good Shepherd Manor for fifty years. The Brothers of the Good Shepherd have been making life wonderful for the special sons and brothers of these families. The love and support of the Brothers, families, and friends is a true testament to Christ’s implicit call to care for others. In preparation for this book, family members shared their stories of their loved ones. Many of these stories appear throughout this book. It was clear, after hearing them speak, what strong love they had for their family member from the start, and through the years at “Good Shepherd,” as they most frequently call it. Their sons call Good Shepherd, “home.” Admiration and love for the Brothers of the Good Shepherd and the amazing staff who care for the residents of the Manor were part of every conversation. Many expressed that Good Shepherd Manor “has been part of our entire family for years.” The love for Good Shepherd Manor extends to others. Friends of the family, neighbors, relatives, and people who have never been to Momence, Illinois, but have helped in the background in many ways, are all part of this remarkable story.
BARNS OF WILL COUNTRY
$30.00View bookThe Story of rural Will County is one of an encroaching suburban sprawl and the fading presence of the family farm. It is not an uncommon thing to see in the Midwest particularly in areas at the fringe of a major American city like Chicago. Will Country has many things that shape its landscape, today. While most of the northern areas of the country such as Bolingbrook and the southern reaches of Naperville, are congested suburban towns, a second area around the country seat of Joliet has its roots in the merger of the waters of the Des Plaines and Kankakee Rivers which pour into the Illinois and in turn arrive at the Mississippi at the Quad Cities. The history of the Joliet area is one of commerce and industry, going back to when the rivers were the sole means of transportation. Today, commerce continues at the mouth of the Illinois River where the two feeders merge. But a new modern merging of rail lines and interstate highways make Will County a staging area for “closer in” buildings of distribution that feed the metropolitan area and spread east and west to other Midwestern states. The year 2020 will always be remembered for the COVID-19 virus. It changed the activities of the entire planet. In the United States, millions were kept from jobs, schools, stores, festivals, places of worship, and family gatherings. When it hit, many people worked from home or stayed home to avoid any possibility of catching the air-born disease. Kevin McNulty, Sr. began driving the roads of Will County, Illinois, taking pictures of farms and the rural landscape. Much of this southern region of Chicago, has given way to suburban sprawl. Land developers and the rise of corporate farming have changed Will County from its origins. While Its northern townships are filled in with suburban living and the western edge of Joliet still teams with industrial and logistics activity, the southern region, which begins a few miles south of Interstate 80, still looks like Will County once did. But there are signs. Aside the many fields of corn, wheat, and beans one observes signs put there by land developers, eager to sell acres of land. But family farms can be found. And the pride of the earth-bound inhabitants of rural Will County can be easily found. Take a one-year journey through rural Will County and discover the beauty that still exists just beyond Chicago’s suburban sprawl.
BARNS OF KANKAKEE COUNTY
$20.00View book"Barns of Kankakee County" is a pictorial essay about the barns and structures built by original farmers who settled in Kankakee County, Illinois. The photos were taken over a two year period in 2008 and 2009 by the author. It is the first pictorial book by Kevin McNulty Sr of the agricultural region south of Chicago that continues to transform from family farms to corporate farming. What is left behind are old, dilapidated farm buildings one use by individual family farms. The book is divided into themed sections including red barns (Red Pride), White Barns (Bleached Gray), barns covered with overgrown vegetation (Nature’s Vail), small structures (Limited Duty), and a collection of unique barns discovered during the photographing of remaining old structures in the county. Many of the photographs depict structures over hundred years old, in disrepair or abandoned. The photographs with accompanying reflections are intended to reveal the aesthetic nature of these structures and their link to their original owners. The book is primarily of barns in a dilapidated state as corporate farms began to replace old family farms and dairy farming nearly evaporated. Left were old run down corn cribs, dairy barns, silos, and abandoned equipment buildings. The original idea for the book came after the author’s mother, who grew up on the farm in Kankakee County in the 1930s, asked if her son might take a photo of her grandparents barn in the St. George area. After McNulty took photos of his ancestor’s barn, he found it interesting and continue to fine other barns “on their last legs.” All photographs were taken by the author with a 35mm Canon Camera over the period during 2008 and 2009.
A Kid from Momence - Growing up After the War
$22.00View book"A Kid from Momence - Growing Up after the War" is an overview of the long-lasting effects of World War II on the Baby Boomer Generation, on generations since, and on American and foreign countries across the globe. Based on the life experiences of a small-town Midwestern kid who first became a high school teacher, the book describes how McNulty left education to become an association executive, CEO of two major trade organizations, and a co-owner of a global company doing business in Europe and mainland China. He launches his book-publishing company just prior to retirement and, in fact, never truly retires. Kevin McNulty Sr. navigates the evolution of American industry, societal changes, global business, politics, music, media, and education in his life over seventy-plus years since the end of the war. The book serves as a primer for any young manager seeking to find a pathway to management. Experienced leaders in any field will find an expanded view of today’s conditions. It is a remarkable story of how a young man leaves his career in his late thirties and scratches his way to the position of a CEO in the business world by fifty years of age. The scope of the work includes small town Americana, big city machine politics, global business, faith, family, the power of music and how American society has changed since the demise of industrial America and the rise of the technological age. McNulty's view of the global economy and how it shapes American life today is perfect for the layman interested in how business works around the world and here at home. The author’s experience in China over ten years between 2004 and 2014 provides a unique explanation for China’s rise, its current challenges, it’s weaknesses, and its impact on American choices. McNulty believes that America’s challenge is to capitalize on the highly connected, virtual world, while, at the same time, insulate the country from destructive economic and social invasion. It is the challenge for the current generation those taking control over the next decade. A reflection for all War Babies, “A Kid from Momence – Growing up after the War” is an artful, detailed, and often humorous explanation of the post-war years. The book puts today’s unpredictable world in a manageable context for The Greatest Generation, The Baby Boomers, Millennials , and Generation Zs who are on the brink of taking the baton.
FINDING PAT O'BRIEN
$25.00View bookThis book presents detailed evidence, photos, documents and newspaper clippings used as a basis for the novel "Lt. Pat O'Brien," by Kevin McNulty, Sr., (KMC Publishing Company). O'Brien was an American World War I pilot who flew for the RAF before America had an air force. O'Brien was shot down behind enemy lines, escaped from German hands by jumping from a moving prison train. He walked seventy-two days through Germany, Luxemburg, and Belgium to the Holland border and freedom. He was welcomed by the King of England in a one hour private audience at Buckingham Palace one week after his escape. He wrote a bestselling book about his escape and was the most sought after speaker in America in 1918, speaking in nearly every major venue in the United States. His fame led to a silent film role, status as a celebrity among the most famous and he became a rich man. O'Brien met an untimely death at age thirty and the nature of his death has been debated for years. He was found dead in the Hamilton Hotel in Los Angeles with a bullet to his head at age thirty. His death was declared a suicide, a fact flatly denied by his closest friends and family members for years. New evidence uncovered for the McNulty book adds serious doubt to the suicide contention. Research by the author and Marcia Tedford revealed previously unknown facts about O'Brien's life, his death and the existence a daughter born to his betrothed. Neither O'Brien nor any member of the O'Brien family knew of the child. This book includes details and previously unknown photographs of Pat's child and his grand children who came forth upon hearing of the historic novel by McNulty. "Finding Pat O'Brien" documents the findings of the author, Mrs. Tedford, family members and various interested parties in United States and England.
Lt. Pat O'Brien
$30.00View bookThe amazing true story of a nearly forgotten World War I flying ace from the United States who flew for the British before America joined the war is told in this significant historical novel by Kevin McNulty Sr. Fatherless at 15, Pat O’Brien left his home of Momence, IL seeking to learn to fly at a time when aeroplanes were mere kites. He was among the very first pilots of the Army Signal Corps to test early Curtiss flying machines in 1916 on North Island at San Diego. North Island is now the U.S. Naval Base. Impatient with America’s slow acceptance of the aeroplane as a weapon of war, he left the Corps to join the Canadian Force being trained in Toronto to replace thousands of British pilots who were losing their lives in France at the hand of the advanced Hun flying machines. Shot down over Belgium in 1917, he crashed from 8,000 feet and survived. German doctors removed a bullet from his throat in a dilapidated field hospital. One month later he jumped from a moving prison train and escaped. He was the first British pilot to escape The Germans in World War I. He walked seventy-two days, over 250 miles behind enemy lines to freedom at the Holland border where he dug under a nine-foot electrified fence and escaped. Arriving in London one week later, he visited King George in a private audience that lasted nearly one hour. During his six months recovering in London, he penned a best-selling book about his escape and spent all of 1918 speaking all over the United States, replacing William Jennings Bryant as the top speaker that year. He later crashed a second time from 2,000 feet in Dallas, Texas and survived again in a demonstration for new U.S. recruits. Unsatisfied with his contribution to the war, he returned to France one month before Armistice to join the U.S., British and French Legion but was denied. He, therefore, pursued Russia, going undercover to assist the American Expeditionary Force in Siberia in President Wilson’s effort to remove Czechoslovakian troops and other “pro-White” forces from the advancing Red Army during the Russian Revolution. Home again in late 1919, his betrothed who had asked him to married her and not go to Russia, had become impatient with his constant pursuits and left him, sending the Lieutenant into the whirlwind of the Roaring ’20s where he starred in a Hollywood silent film as the leading man in Shadows of the West, an anti-Japanese film that warned of America’s next threat. This film was one of the first projects of the newly-formed American Legion in 1919. Pat was a natural choice as the leading man since he was already famous.. Rejected by his fiancée upon returning from Russia, Pat mysteriously married his young leading lady in Havana, Cuba in 1920 after only a three-week engagement. She had conspired with Sara Ottis a woman from Springfield, Illinois to capture his wealth and take advantage of his fame. Sara had followed Pat during his touring years. Ironically, she was the wife of Dr. Daniel M. Ottis, who was indeed a top regional physician and a highly influential figure in the World War I military medical response. The two women followed Pat through his tour of America and when he moved to Hollywood in 1920 with half a million dollars in the bank, both women followed. Busy with the film, Pat did not see how his new wife and Ottis were spending his money. It all came to a head the night he was found dead in the Hamilton Hotel. Known to the rich and famous, and every man and woman in the United States, Pat O’Brien was found dead in December of 1920 in his hotel room with what appeared to be a suicide note and a discharged weapon. Newspapers nation-wide declared his death a suicide and the O’Brien Family buried his body in the Momence Cemetery—avoiding attention by not placing a stone on his burial site. He was buried at the foot of his father’s grave, Pat’s father Danial O’Brien was a Civil War Veteran. In 2007, local Momence residents, never believing Pat died of his own hand, formalized his grave with British military honors. Sometime around 2010, long-time retired Mayor of Momence Rex Rowe, himself a POW from World War II, asked local author Kevin McNulty Sr to “write the real story of Pat O’Brien. Rowe’s goal was to determine if Pat ever served in the U.S. Military. The challenge behind military records from World War I was that nearly all were destroyed in the great fire in St. Louis in 1957. A tenacious researcher, McNulty found the voting record of 25 pilots in San Diego who were testing aircraft for “military purposes” in 1916. O’Brien’s name appeared on this list—proving he was in the Army Signal Corps of the United States who were overseeing the experimental use of aeroplanes before the formation of an American Air Force. Find out why this world-famous hero was nearly forgotten until the few who remembered him in Momence, Illinois saw to it that his grave was marked with a Military Marker. The most remarkable story you’ll ever read, his life and accomplishments were nearly forgotten due to the circumstances of his death. Lt. Pat O’Brien by Kevin McNulty, Sr. is the first complete story of O’Brien’s life. It contains previously unknown facts about his life and his ultimate demise. McNulty and local Momence native Marcia Tedford spend six years finding Pat O’Brien. War, fame, love of two women, the exotic travels to Russia, Siberia, China, Cuba, Europe, and Japan—plus all the excitement of the early Roaring 20’s—comes alive in the Story of Lt. Pat O’Brien.
AROUND MOMENCE
$20.00View bookAs evidenced by the historic record of Burt E. Burroughs' book entitled Tales of an Old Border Town and along the Kankakee (published in 1925), the city of Momence owes its origins to the flow of the Kankakee River through eastern Kankakee County. This diverse tributary linked marshy areas in Indiana to the adjacent fertile fields on the Illinois side. Momence became a beacon, providing traders with the latest conveniences and a break from the frontier. Years later, the historic Dixie Highway crossed the river at Momence, assuring a modern era for the city. In her writings of 1983-1984, the great educator and historian Kay Hess revealed the community spirit, entrepreneurial zeal, and celebratory nature of Momence through the many personalities of this rural city. Today, as Momence approaches its 200th year, massive urban sprawl promises to possibly wash over this ever-changing community and add to its history. But not yet. Topographical maps reveal the marked change in the river once it arrives at Momence. There is twisted pattern it follows east of town, following even greater fragmentation upstream in Indiana, which was subsequently eliminated by channel work around 1910. Momence was the node between an agricultural prairie to its west and a luscious fish and game sanctuary to the east. Add to that the ability of traders to cross the river the shallow crossings at Momence it is no wonder that this area became attractive to the earliest settlers in northeastern Illinois. Author Kevin McNulty creates a pictorial history of the old river town from its crude beginnings to its wild fur trading days. Back then 250 wagons would park each night along the “Upper Crossing” where French Voyagers, traders, and the Pottawatomie exchanged valuable pelts trapped in the Wabash Valley of Indiana. The crossing was the most shallow portion of the Kankakee as traders worked north the Fort Dearborn to sell their trappings at present-day Chicago. McNulty gathered photos, many never seen before, to tell the story of how Momence became the first incorporated City in Northeast Illinois, before Chicago was formed. Rare photos of the marshland east of Momence show early hunters and fisherman drawing from the largest water marshland in the United States after the Louisiana swamps. Automobiles change the city and each post-war period took on a different look. Not fully dependent on a farm economy, the city continued to thrive until the economy changed in the 70s and 80s. The town has fully preserved its downtown. Today, Momence continues its passionate interest in history and its Gladiolus Festival started in 1938. Around Momence is a great way to understand the unique history of this “Old Border Town,” which got its name due to the Illinois farmland to its west and the old Marsh to the east—still present to the Indiana border In 2026, a luxury restaurant called “The Grand Marsh” was added to the interesting old city to complement with the five museums visited year-round by local cities and travelers.