Where History Is Happening

Links to some upcoming events:

The History of the Pickle
Norwood Park Historical Society

Wednesday, May 26
7pm
The pickle was in its heyday in Chicago in the late 1800s. Important Chicago firms including Clausen and Libbey had large farms in the area which ended with the Great Pickle Blight of 1911.Learn about this history from pickle expert, David Leider. The free event will be held at the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House and is open to the public.Pickle "treats" will be available to attendees.

I do! Chicago Ties the Knot
Chicago History Museum
Opens Saturday
May 22
The exhibition explores an array of wedding traditions through costume and tells how some of those traditions were standardized by Chicago retailers to create the wedding industry we know today.

Wedding from the Past
Kline Creek Farm
Friday through Monday May 21- 24
10am until 4pm
Learn about wedding traditions, and see the farmhouse in preparation for a wedding. Free. Registration not required.

Vintage Wedding Gown Display
Western Springs Historical Society
Opens May 29
Saturdays
10am until 12pm
Thursdays
4pm until 6pm during the French Market
The Western Springs Historical Society will feature a new exhibit of vintage wedding dresses and accessories from its collection, donated by Western Springs' residents through the years. Dresses featured cover the period between 1855 and 1945.
Volunteers researched the dresses and their wearers, as well as repaired the dresses for the show. Unique and touching stories about the brides and grooms, particularly around World War II, will be part of the exhibit.

May Is Heritage Month in Naperville

Learning more about the founding families of Naperville is especially pleasant during these beautiful spring days as there are so many out-of-doors places to see their influences.

Certainly there is the Naper Settlement living history museum, but that's not the only place to view history. Just down the street from the Settlement is Naperville Cemetery where you will see headstones bearing the same names as many of our streets.

The cemetery used to be north of downtown, so some of the earliest settlers were moved along with the cemetery in the mid-1800's. The oldest markers can be found on the south end nearest Washington Street, but do explore further for other interesting remembrances like the pyramid, the elephant and the stone cowboy hat.

Much of the downtown area has been rebuilt over the years, but you can still see glimpses of the past, carefully preserved. One way to learn about the town's landmarks is to take a walking tour. You can pick up complimentary tour brochures at the Pre-Emption House or download them from the Settlement's website.

Naperville is unique in that it was "colonized." That is, a group of families chose to settle together with the intent of creating a town rather than individual homesteaders eventually banding together.

Joseph Naper drew the plat for the town and gave it his name, but the settlement also included the families of his brother John, his sister Amy and a few others. Some families settled down along the DuPage River. Others fanned out into Wheaton, Lockport and Chicago.

Some families already homesteading in the area, like the Hobsons and the Paines, also became part of the Settlement, while new families arrived on a regular basis, pushing the western frontier ever farther.

Although the earliest settlers were New Englanders, mainly from Scotland and Ireland, a large population of German immigrants arrived soon after. At one time, Naperville was well-known for its beer-brewing! Underground tunnels were constructed that kept the beer barrels cool and later served as mushroom-farming rooms.

The cultural make-up of the city continues to change today. For instance, the Park District now runs a Cricket league for the enjoyment of the many Naperville residents from India.

When Joe Naper and his neighbors relocated, it took them over a month to sail from Ashtabula, Ohio to Chicago. They would be mighty surprised to hear how little time it takes to fly from India!

President Abraham Lincoln Buried 145 Years Ago Today on the Fourth of May

In the last edition of this newsletter we mentioned that 145 years ago to the day, Abraham Lincoln was lying in state in Washington, DC. Today, May 4, was the day he was finally laid to rest in the temporary tomb in Springfield, Illinois. For the two weeks between those dates, Lincoln's funeral train traveled 1,700 miles across the country so thousands of citizens could pay their respects.

USAToday has an interesting animated map that shows the train's route and shows how many people were in attendance at each stop along the way.

On a side note, Keene State College in New Hampshire recently held a screening for the sole surviving copy of an early Lincoln film -- that is, a film about Lincoln not a film of Lincoln!

The 30-minute movie, called "When Lincoln Paid," starred Francis Ford, the older brother of John Ford who directed "The Quiet Man." The 97-year old motion picture was found when a contractor was clearing out an old barn.

To read more about the film and view clips of "When Lincoln Paid," visit Keene College's website.

Where History Is Happening

Links to some upcoming events:

Heritage Month in Naperville
Throughout the month
In celebration of Heritage Month, various activities for folks of all ages will be available sponsored by the City, the Park District, Naper Settlement, the DuPage Children's Museum and North Central College. See their website for a list of the events.

Civil War Days at Naper Settlement
Saturday and Sunday
May 14 and 15
10am until 4pm
More than 300 Civil War re-enactors camp on site, providing a living view of the past. When the bugle sounds each day at 2:30 p.m, troops from the North and the South charge into battle with cannons booming. Afterward, see the work of the Civil War surgeons as they demonstrate 19th century medical techniques.
$12 adults, $11 seniors, $8 youth (4-17)

Elmhurst Museum Day
Sunday, May 16,
11am until 5pm
Enjoy free activities, admission to Elmhurst's four Museums and a trolley ride to each museum in celebration of the important role museums play in the community. All ages welcome.
At the Elmhurst Historical Museum, tour the exhibit, "Dwellings: a Study in Residential Architecture", and see a magic-themed video presentation. Enjoy a family craft activity and complimentary refreshments.
At the Theatre Historical Society of America, children are invited to complete a crossword puzzle highlighting famous theatres to win a prize. Adults may view a new exhibit featuring vintage usher uniforms.

Chicago Speakeasy Tour
Wednesday, May 12
6pm until 8pm
Join Preservation Chicago for "Drinking in Your History," with author Sean Parnell at the Green Door Tavern. Tickets are $25 and available only in advance.
Ticket price includes 2 drink tickets, light appetizers, a copy of Parnell's new book, "Historic Bars of Chicago," AND a one-year membership to Preservation Chicago.
The building housing the Green Door Tavern, one of the most historic in Chicago, was built in 1872, one of the first constructed after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and one of the last wood-frame buildings allowed to be built within such proximity to the Loop.

More Winners from April's Author Events

With National Library Week occurring this month, Kate's been busy at several events meeting readers and writers of all ages. Many of those readers and writers dropped their name into the basket for a chance to win a family pass to the Naper Settlement living history museum and we have winners!

Congratulations to Helen of Bolingbrook and Jovanka of Chicago! Your family passes are in the mail so you can take advantage of this gorgeous spring weather to walk around the Naper Settlement grounds.

Highlights of this month's author events included:

• A stretch limo which ferried the authors from a satellite parking lot to the Fountaindale Library making every author feel like JK Rowling!
• Meeting another author who went to the same parties Kate went to while in college
• Meeting other writers and illustrators at the Creative Chicago Expo
• Hearing fellow authors read from their works at the Bellwood Library

While many schools, libraries and community groups don't schedule author events over the summer, fall will inevitably come again. If your group is looking for a presentation on Illinois history or the writing process, consider Kate as your next speaker. For topics and availability, see Kate's presentation web page.