In September 2018, the Rogers Park/West Ridge Open Houses of Worship Weekend gave visitors a chance to learn more about thirteen local religious congregations. The idea originated in Professor Patricia Mooney-Melvin’s Public History: Methods and Theory class at Loyola University where first-year graduate students were asked to create a program for the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society.
In November 2017, Emily Davis, Nathan Ellstrand, Alexandra Gradwohl and Lisa Hartman presented their proposal to the RPWRHS Board of Directors. We recognized the idea as an opportunity to preserve and share the stories of ethnic groups and faith communities who not only played a role in our neighborhood’s past but contribute to its cultural richness today. With this goal, we invited the students to help make their proposal a reality.
With the help of student researchers and many long-time volunteers, we documented the history of each participating congregation and their activities in the neighborhood today. As you read their stories and take a virtual look inside each congregation, we hope you gain insight into the historic role of religion in our community, and gain a deeper appreciation of the faith traditions that are part of Rogers Park and West Ridge today.