Your turn to pick 'Seven Wonders of Mount Prospect'

The Mount Prospect Historical Society has announced 10 finalists for the its Seven Wonders of Mount Prospect project, modeled after the new seven wonders of the world.

Part fundraiser and part community event, the project is a chance for residents to show what they value about their environs, said Gavin Kleespies, director of the historical society.

"We received quite a few submissions, many of which were really interesting, but in the end, we had to narrow it down to a manageable number, so we voted, using blind ballots and picked the 10 finalists," he said.

Residents could nominate a building, a park, a business, a person, an organization, or pretty much anything they thought was a wonder in the community.

The finalists are:

• The Mount Prospect Public Library

• Randhurst mall

• The columns in the pond at Huntington Commons

• The S-Curve on Route 83

• Police officer Bill Roscop

• St. John Lutheran Church

• Central School

• American Indian street names (Hiawatha, We-Go, Hi-Lusi, etc.)

• The Mount Prospect Historical Society Campus

• Keefer's Pharmacy

In the coming days, the historical society will put up voting stations around town at places including the library, village hall and historical society. Other locations will be announced as they become available.

It will be free to vote, but your vote won't count for much unless you also donate. The more you donate, the more your vote counts.

The winners will be announced Aug. 22 at the society's Back to School Bash at Bogie's, 303 E. Kensington Road.

Funds raised will be used to support the historical society's work to preserve community history, such as the recent lengthy effort to save Central School, the town's oldest public building.