Learn about a unique chapter in history

The grass-roots movement of the Wide Awakes, a pre-Civil War political club that spread to cities across the northern U.S., will be the subject of a presentation Monday, Nov. 17, at the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society meeting.

The meeting will take place at the Cook Park Library, 413 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville.

Librarian Sonia Schoenfield will talk about the movement that played a big role in the election of Abraham Lincoln. And there is a local connection: a Wide Awake banner displayed in the Ansel B. Cook House. Outfitted in capes, caps and blazing torches, the group in 1860 ignited enthusiasm in the young Republican Party but faded into obscurity within a few years.

Call (847) 362-2330 or email info@history.org for more information.