Wheaton celebrates history with Preservation Month events
The Wheaton Historic Commission is promoting the value and importance of the city's history with several Preservation Month events beginning this week.
Nancy Flannery, chairwoman of the Wheaton Historic Commission, said she hopes the events help make people aware that it's Preservation Month and to focus people on Wheaton's history.
"Wheaton is rich in its history, and it makes everybody's lives a little better, I think, to know where we came from," she said. "The people who settled in Wheaton and the people who lived here are fascinating, so I think the more people know about Wheaton, the more Wheaton becomes a better place."
Roughly 160 homes will receive a purple "Pride in Preservation" sign that owners can put on display to show their house is on the Wheaton Register of Historic Places. The signs will be distributed later this week and be visible through the end of the month.
In addition, the commission hopes to let more people know about its development of a map and list of Mid-Century Modern homes in Wheaton.
Free maps outlining where some Mid-Century Modern homes are located in the city will be distributed by Boy Scouts at the French Market on May 16 and a Mid-Century Modern open house will be held at a home at 816 W. Elm St. on May 17.
Flannery encourages residents to find out more about the genealogy of their own home by visiting the library during the month of May, where a Home History Exhibit with information about home history research methods and materials is on display. Materials include city directories, newspapers, census returns, aerial views, cemetery records and local histories.
Although much of Wheaton's Preservation Month events are focused on architecture, "we try to incorporate personalities into it as well," Flannery said.
That includes what Flannery calls a "pretty significant" lecture Wednesday by David Maas, professor of history emeritus at Wheaton College.
Moss helped uncover evidence that got Wheaton listed on the National Register of Historic Places' official list of Underground Railroad sites. He also is the author of "Marching to the Drumbeat of Abolition: Wheaton College in the Civil War."
For information about Preservation Month events, visit www.wheaton.il.us/preservationweek or email wheatonhistoriccommission@gmail.com.
Schedule of events:
May 13: Lecture: The Underground Railroad in Wheaton. Wheaton College Professor of History Emeritus David Maas will discuss Wheaton's role as a stop on the Underground Railroad during a lecture from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Wheaton Public Library.
May 15-22: Cantigny Park will provide free parking days for Wheaton residents to explore the 500-acre estate of Robert R. McCormick. Show proof of Wheaton residency at the parking booth for admittance. The McCormick Museum was listed on the Wheaton Register of Historic Places in 2011.
May 16: Free Mid-Century Modern tour maps. Look for Boy Scout Troop 303 at the French Market in downtown Wheaton between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to receive a free Historic Wheaton Mid-Century Modern Tour map. It features Wheaton homes designed by Edward Dart and built by Graeme Stewart.
May 17: Mid-Century Modern Open House. Hear author Matt Seymour share the story of Chicago modernist architect Edward Dart, who designed about a dozen homes and several churches in Wheaton. Seymour will make his presentation during an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. at a Dart-designed home at 816 W. Elm St.
May 23: Home History Research Help. Drop by the Wheaton Public Library between 1 and 4 p.m. to discover more about your own home, from its construction date to past owners. Assistance will be provided by Historic Commission members and library staff in the first floor genealogy section. Drop-ins are welcome but reservations are recommended. Call the reference desk at (630) 868-7520.
May 23: Downtown Wheaton Historic Walking Tour. Discover the stories behind the railroad, the county courthouse and the people, businesses and events that shaped Wheaton. The tour, which starts at 10 a.m. at the DuPage County Historical Museum, will cover about 1½ miles. A small fee applies. Contact the museum at (630) 510-4941 for information.