Events & Exhibits

4th of July Trivia Contest at 9:30 AM

Curated and designed by Nancy Webster, Archivist Saturday, July 4, 2020 at 9:30 am Available virtually via Zoom Go to meeting This link above has the password built into it. While the meeting won't begin until the appointed time, please take a look in advance if this is your first time. Meanwhile, we look forward to better days. 4th of July Highland Park Trivia Contest You many have also noticed that the Historical Society launched a social distancing parade on social media this Memorial Day, May 25. This effort will culminate July 4th when the Society will broadcast the sequence on Facebook and other social media sites. An online trivia contest on Zoom will follow. Please participate and bring others. Log on information will be distributed before the event and via City websites. Please propose trivia that you would like included in the contest, please email suggestions with source citations to archives@highlandparkhistory.org.

John Deere: A Discussion of the History and Future of Agriculture

You have been ‘invited to a private board meeting and celebration of John Deere & Co.’ The founder of the company is retiring and handing the plow to his son Charles. John Deere reflects on the history of his self-scouring plows, shares some of his personal struggles, and then turns to the future and the great changes in agriculture that he foresees in the vision of his son, who transforms the company and the future of farming.

POSTPONED Surprises, Laughter and Tears on the North Line of the Chicago & North Western Railroad

All aboard an anecdotal history of the North Line of the Chicago and North Western Railroad since the 1850s from Chicago through Highland Park to Milwaukee includes surprises, laughter and tears relating to Ravinia Park, President Theodore Roosevelt, unique lost and found items, and many other stories.  Many North Line residents are not aware of unusual events that have occurred on or near the tracks during the past century and a half.

COVID Survey

As you know, the Highland Park Historical Society collaborates to document the community, culture and people of Highland Park, Illinois in everyday life and in a broad context. Given the extraordinary circumstances, the Society, in collaboration with other Highland Park agencies, invites you to share your experiences now and in the future.

When Potato Fields were Prisons: Unfree Farm Labor in McHenry during World War 2

During World War II, some farmers in Marengo, Illinois negotiated with a large food corporation and federal agencies to make local farm fields into restricted, prison-like spaces. When the Curtiss Candy Company brought Japanese-Americans from the Tule Lake Internment Camp in California to cultivate and pick potatoes in 1943, the Marengo community struggled with the federal government and the candy company to eliminate the outsiders’ presence. Click for additional information.

Abraham Lincoln Goes to Waukegan

Hear the story of Abraham Lincoln's brief, but memorable visit, to Waukegan in this presentation by Ty Rohrer, of the Waukegan Historical Society, who will recount the visit as well as the "Lincoln Legends" that are still shared today, 160 years after the event.

Abraham Lincoln: A Man of His Time, A Man for All Times

More than two hundred years after his birth, Abraham Lincoln's historical importance endures. A man of his time - humbly born, self-taught, and ambitious - he seized the opportunities of an expansive society to rise to the country's highest office. A man for all times, Lincoln's strong principles, timeless rhetoric, and resolute leadership have contributed to his status as a globally recognized figure.

From Obscurity to Greatness: Illinois and Lincoln, 1830 to 1861 Opening of ‘Abraham Lincoln: A Man of His Time, A Man for All Times,’ exhibit

Kevin Wood is a professional Abraham Lincoln presenter who bears a remarkable resemblance to Mr. Lincoln and has a very extensive knowledge of his life and times. He also writes a blog, “Loath to Close… Still!”, which encourages others to reflect upon and learn from President Lincoln’s life and legacy. This presentation is supported by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council. Our visit with Mr. Lincoln will open the exhibit ‘Abraham Lincoln: A Man of His Time, A Man for All Times,’ on loan from the Waukegan Historical Society that was gifted the exhibit from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. There will be additional content from the Highland Park Archives and Local History Collections, which is supported by the Highland Park Community Foundation.

By Popular Vote: Highland Park was Dry for 104 Years On the 100th Anniversary of Prohibition

When Highland Park’s first City officials met as a city government on March 11, 1869, the new City´s leaders articulated clearly their objection to permitting ¨intoxicating beverages¨ in the new municipality. Records show repeated discussions and changes to liquor ordinances. Flash forward to November 1, 1972, Historical Society President Bob Robinson made the first legal purchase of an alcoholic beverage since 1869. A unanimous vote of the City Council allowed the issuance of liquor licenses to retail establishments and clubs, thereby repealing local prohibition. Join us to learn what unfolded between 1869 to 1972, because there is where the real story lies.

WWII Fought Abroad and Supported on the Homefront, Fifth Annual Veterans Forum

Fort Sheridan was on Highland Park’s front door, and as a community funded a USO. People collected newspapers and metal, and some children gave up their train sets.   If you have a story and/or photos to relate during this time period, you are welcomes to share it.