Music of Midwest program wraps up Arlington ‘Decades’ exhibit

The Arlington Heights Historical Museum will host a closing reception for the Heritage Gallery’s current exhibit, “Arlington Heights: Through the Decades,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9. The reception is free, with refreshments and music.

Call (847) 255-1225 for reservations.

The exhibit is a look at Arlington Heights from its humble beginnings to the thriving community that it is today. “Arlington Heights: Through the Decades” focuses on the people, places, and events that have shaped the village. This exhibition features photographs and artifacts from the Historical Society’s collections to tell the fascinating story of Arlington Heights. It is sponsored by the Arlington Heights Junior Woman’s Club, Arlington Heights Farmers Market and Frontier Days Inc.

The music program is called “Roots Music in the Midwest.”

Illinois is unique among all the Midwest states in that its access to the Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois rivers and the Great Lakes made it a virtual crossroads of peoples, cultures and ideas. As railroads surpassed the rivers as a means of transportation, Illinois would become the central hub for the nation’s rails.

This mingling of people produced a rich body of roots music which paints a colorful portrait of our heritage and gives detailed insight into the people and times that forged the state we have become.

Chris Vallillo draws on his experiences as a music collector and performer of the songs of rural America; from the first pioneers through the era of steamboats, trains and early radio. Vallillo brings this rich heritage to life in a lively performance and discussion of roots music and its impact on our lives today while performing on a fine collection of vintage instruments, including six-string and bottleneck slide guitars and harmonica.

This program is made possible in part by an award from the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Illinois General Assembly.