Mission
The mission of the Highland Park Historical Society is to preserve our community’s past, to inspire an appreciation of our history and culture and share with the community and scholars the rich history of Highland Park, Illinois.
The Society is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is administered by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Society’s archives and research collections are housed in the Highland Park Public Library.
Museums
The Highland Park Historical Society maintains and preserves two historic structures: Francis Stupey Cabin and Robert G. Robinison Bandstand. Click on each image below for more information on each site.
Exhibits and Education
Throughout the year, the Society hosts lectures and educational events at our historic sites as well as throughout the community. Educational Field Trips are conducted throughout the year and Teacher Toolkits are available by appointment.
Research Center
The Highland Park Historical Society Archives and Research Center holds approximately 700 cubic feet of research materials. The repository’s collection documents the distinct, diverse community of Highland Park, Illinois and its citizens. The Museum houses a wide variety of items. Some collections of note:
- Highland Park City Records; and local collections documenting business, progressive and vocational education in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cultural life, and photography.
- Architecture records of J. Marion Gutnayer and Robert Arnold
- Jesse Lowe Smith Photographic Botany Collection
- Highland Park Woman’s Club
- Ravina Festival programs
- Ravinia Artists
- Photographs of Highland Park and environs
- 100 years of Highland Park High School Yearbooks
- Oral Histories
- Local Artifacts
In 2010 the Society became the recipient of an $86,000 Basic Processing and Preservation Planning Project matching grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the granting agency of the National Archives and Records Administration. This grant has allowed us to focus on organizing, preserving and making the Collections accessible to the public online.
CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE CATALOG
Archives and Research Collections
Available to serve researchers during Library Hours.
Highland Park Public Library
494 Laurel Avenue
Highland Park, Illinois 60035
Library hours are:
Monday-Thursday 9 am-9 pm
Friday 9 am-6 pm
Saturday 9 am-5 pm
Sunday 1 pm-5 pm
Please contact Information & Reader Services: 847-681-7031 or hppla at hplibrary.org for further information.
To contact the archivist directly: email nwebster at hplibrary.org
To contact the Highland Park Historical Society
Please phone 847-432-7090 or email: archivist at HighlandParkHistory.org
Highland Park Historical Society
PO Box 331
Highland Park, IL 60035
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Rob Rotering
President
Julie Ehrlich, Esq.
Jeff Stern
BOARD MEMBERS
Brad Holland
Catherine Lambrecht
Larry Pasquesi
Jeanne Vella
EX OFFICIO
Joan Arenberg
Dean DiBrito
Stephennie Freeman
Alyssa Knobel
Rhoda Pierce
Laurie Reinstein
ARCHIVIST
Nancy Webster