Events & Exhibits

Stupey Cabin Concert: Dennis Stroughmatt et l’Esprit Creole

A medley of music, language, stories, and culture secreted away in the Missouri Ozarks now has a voice in the tapestry of this world. With the blessing of the Creole people of the Midwest, Dennis Stroughmatt et l’Esprit Creole are its passionate ambassadors, expanding interest and excitement in a region that has been, in may ways, ignored by the history books. What many have considered to be long lost is alive and kicking. It’ll make your soul jump, your head spin, and your heart glad to know that it is still here. As they say in the hills, “On est toujours icitte: We are still here!!

Plains Indian Wars … Generals George Custer and Philip Sheridan and a Fort Sheridan connection

Fort Sheridan resident Steve Draska has researched and walked sites from Little Big Horn to the Pine Ridge Massacre, and with his sense of history resides at Fort Sheridan. Native Americans were brought to Fort Sheridan as prisoners, but were soon released to live on Fort.

Betwixt and Between: Lea Demarest Taylor and the Chicago Commons Settlement House

Dr. Alicia Schatteman will talk about Lea Demarest Taylor (1883 – 1975) as leader of the Chicago Commons Settlement House from 1922 to 1954 and her family’s connections to Highland Park. This research contributes to our understanding of the evolution from the progressive social reformer movement to the second generation of nonprofit social service agencies.

The Bonds of War

Diana Dretske will present on her recently published book, The Bonds of War: A Story of Immigrants and Esprit de Corps in Company C, 96th Illinois Volunteer Infantry (Southern Illinois University Press), which is a finalist for the 2021 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards. The book is a collective biography inspired by a portrait in the collections of the Bess Bower Dunn Museum of five immigrants from Britain and Ireland, who served in the American Civil War. The presentation will include her research to identify the men in the portrait and the significance of their voluntary military service and desire to be recognized as American citizens.

Community Survey, Complete by May 7, 2022

The Highland Park Historical Society is planning for the future. We would like your perspective as someone who may have attended a program, visited any of our online, indoor or outdoor exhibits, such as the Stupey cabin, or benefited from our research.  This is a blind survey with nothing to connect to your response unless you choose to voluntarily identify yourself. We will use this information for our planning needs, and none of the information we gather will be shared with any other organizations. The survey will close at midnight on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Thank you for the gift of your time. This survey should take less than five minutes unless there is more you choose to offer. We welcome the opportunity to listen and learn from you. Board of the Highland Park Historical Society

Tour of Adlai Stevenson II’s Historic Home

Learn about this Illinois governor and ambassador to the United Nations as you tour his home, a National Historic Landmark. Hear about this influential American statesman known as ‘the man from Libertyville’ as you take in the setting where he wrote speeches, reflected on world events and found solace in the landscape. The tour begins with a video introduction to his life and career, followed by a walking tour of the home and ending in the service building with original horse stalls and exhibits.

The Man from Libertyville: Adlai Stevenson II

An influential figure in the political history of the U.S., Adlai E. Stevenson II was Governor of Illinois, ran twice for President as the Democratic National Candidate, and served as Ambassador to the United Nations. Though he lost both presidential campaigns, it was Stevenson’s ideas that are his real lasting legacy. Join us for a virtual presentation about Stevenson’s life and career, broadcast from his study, with time at the end for questions and examining some of the artifacts at the site more closely.

Destination Heartland

The history of the Midwest is remarkable and often surprising. Fortunately, people realized early on that it was worth preserving. Cynthia Clampitt will take us on a tour of destinations and events across the Greater Midwest that reveal how a region famed for supplying food actually supplied so much more, including iconic images, legendary individuals, and inventions that would change the world. From prehistory to present, Wild West to Wright Brothers, hear the tales and “visit” the museums, living-history venues, archaeological sites, historic towns, vintage farms, reenactments, and even restaurants that make the Midwest’s past accessible—and fun.

Highland Park’s Contributions to Lake County History Symposium, 2022

Highland Park Historical Society will host Highland Park-centric presentations from ‘The Built Environment: Architecture and Landscape in Lake County’, on Wednesday March 9, 2022 at 7:00 pm via Zoom. Daughters of the American Revolution’s late 19th century project to document log cabins and where was Inventor Elijah Gray’s Factory really located?

The Inky Sea: Tattoos and the Navy

Naval history is rich in the culture and tradition of tattoos. Tattoos have been a part of the Navy for centuries and each one tells a story. Sailors get them for different reasons, at different places on their bodies, and done in different styles. In this presentation, we will discuss the ways in which tattoos and Navy culture intertwine, how they are part of Navy traditions, and view the many styles of Navy tattoos.