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June 2019
Walking Tour: The Gangsters of West Ridge
Tony Soprano wasn't the first mobster drawn to quiet suburban-style living. In the Roaring 20's, the new bungalows of West Ridge provided an idyllic refuge on the northern edge of the city for organized crime figures involved in the gambling, rum-running, vice and gangland struggles for power that defined the Prohibition era in Chicago. Join Neighborhood Historian Glenna Eaves on a walk through the Rogers Park Manor and Talman West-Ridge Historic Bungalow Districts to enjoy the story of the notorious…
Find out more »May 2019
The Return of the Spirits of Rosehill
Neighborhood Historian Glenna Eaves will once again lead her popular tour "The Spirits of Rogers Park and West Ridge at Rosehill Cemetery." Join Glenna to honor the early leaders of Rogers Park and West Ridge by visiting the graves and monuments of men and women who helped build our neighborhood. Farmers, soldiers, business owners, artists and a host of others all played a role in our history. Glenna will tell the stories of local residents whose vision, enterprise and dedication…
Find out more »April 2019
The City Logical: Edward P. Brennan Makes Sense of the Grid
While most Chicagoans know about Daniel Burnham and "the City Beautiful" movement, few recall that in the same year the 1909 Plan of Chicago was published, Chicago also regularized its street address system, beginning a long (and still unfinished) effort to make street names and numbering consistent across town. Edward P. Brennan, an early Rogers Park resident, was the freelance urban planner and political gadfly who made State and Madison Streets the East-West and North-South axes of our grid and…
Find out more »March 2019
2019 Annual Meeting
What could be more Chicago than elections and hot dogs? Join us for our annual meeting and election of board members, plus a talk by popular food historian Bruce Kraig on Hot Dog History and Why Chicago’s Are the Best. We'll also have an update regarding stewardship of the extensive RPWRHS collection archive. Only current members are eligible to vote in the election, but all are welcome for the program and "surprise" refreshments in keeping with the theme of the meeting. Bruce…
Find out more »February 2019
Growing Up in Rogers Park and West Ridge: Life in Mid 20th-Century Chicago
Join us to remember growing up in Rogers Park and West Ridge, as our multi-generational panel of RPWRHS members who grew up in the community discuss their experiences as children and teens in the '50's, '60's '70's and '80's. Learn how the neighborhood evolved and discover the childhood experiences we all have in common. Whether you have lived in the neighborhood all your life, left long ago or moved in recently, this program will give you a new understanding of…
Find out more »December 2018
The Great Chicago House Hunt Continues
Join the Ranks of Our Digital History Detectives. Over the years, we've accumulated many photographs of homes, commercial buildings and other places in the neighborhood with limited information as to their location, date or subject matter. We're filling in the details for as many as we can, and you can help. Join Rob Case, our Ace Photo Archivist, for a Great Chicago House Hunt session, where he'll show you how to use digital resources like Google Streetview, old phone books…
Find out more »Member/Volunteer Holiday Party
Members and volunteers are invited to our Holiday Party at the Greenleaf Art Center, 1806 West Greenleaf. Bring treasured collectibles or curiosities you'd like to know more about and ask appraisal experts Keith Zaransky and George Glastris to offer verbal appraisals. Appraisals of up to two items are free to Supporting, Sustaining, Benefactor and Lifetime Members. There is a charge of $10 per item for all other appraisals, limit of three per person. So, learn more about your stuff, or just see…
Find out more »November 2018
Get Great Holiday Gifts. Help Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society.
Buy Holiday Gifts at our Community Shopping Event. Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society will receive 15% of all sales! Ten Thousand Villages Evanston, 719 Main Street. Choose from an amazing selection of Fair Trade products, featuring jewelry, apparel, food, home décor and spa accessories from around the world. You'll find something for everyone on your gift list, and give a gift to the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society to support educational programs on neighborhood history. We'll be on hand with delicious…
Find out more »The Great Chicago House Hunt
Join the Ranks of Our Digital History Detectives. Over the years, we've accumulated many photographs of homes, commercial buildings and other places in the neighborhood with limited information as to their location, date or subject matter. We're filling in the details for as many as we can, and you can help. Take a break from Holiday Hoopla, and Join Rob Case, our Ace Photo Archivist, for a Great Chicago House Hunt session, where he'll show you how to use digital…
Find out more »October 2018
The Great Chicago House Hunt Continues
Join the Ranks of Our Digital History Detectives. Over the years, we've accumulated many photographs of homes, commercial buildings and other places in the neighborhood with limited information as to their location, date or subject matter. We're filling in the details for as many as we can, and you can help. Join Rob Case, our Ace Photo Archivist, for a Great Chicago House Hunt session, where he'll show you how to use digital resources like Google Streetview, old phone books…
Find out more »