Elmhurst Historical Museum seeks backyard photos

The Elmhurst Historical Museum is seeking backyard photos from people who lived in Elmhurst between 1950 and 1965 to add a local element to a traveling Smithsonian exhibit on the rise of suburbia and the American backyard.

"Patios, Pools and the Invention of the American Backyard," the traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution, makes its Chicago-area debut at the Elmhurst Historical Museum from March 19 through May 29. The exhibit explores the midcentury backyard from the rise of the suburbs and tract houses to the beauty of postwar garden design and the birth of the environmental movement.

To add a local component to the exhibit, Elmhurst Historical Museum staff is seeking photos taken between 1950 and 1965 in Elmhurst that show how families experienced the backyard space (barbecuing, lawn care, games, kids playing, etc.). The museum requests hard copies of photos that can be scanned at a high resolution. Photos may be lent to the Elmhurst Historical Museum to be considered for one-time use for this exhibit, or donated to the permanent collection to expand the photo archives.

Those interested in donating or lending a photo to the museum should contact Dan Lund at daniel.lund@elmhurst.org. Museum staff will make final choices based on need, and there is no guarantee that a photo will be used in the exhibit.

Photos received after Friday, Feb. 19, will not be considered for this exhibition, but may still be considered for donation to the museum's collection.

Include with photos a year, location, description and identification of any people if possible. Also provide contact information including phone number, email, and address. Participants requesting photos be returned will be notified when they are ready for pickup. Photos may be mailed to or dropped off at: Elmhurst Historical Museum, Attn: Daniel Lund, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126.

For information about the "Patios, Pools and the Invention of the American Backyard" exhibit, visit elmhursthistory.org or call (630) 833-1457.