All invited to discover 'Shermerville ... in Plain Sight'

A century ago, with the summer of 1922 approaching, residents of Shermerville were becoming increasingly concerned about the image of their small village.

Concern turned into action, and before the end of the year, the feeling had grown that a new name could help alter the village's reputation. The name change became official on Jan. 15, 1923, and just like that, the citizens of tiny Shermerville (1920 population: 554) became residents of Northbrook.

There are many facets to the story of the Village's name change, and they likely will be spotlighted more as the 100-year anniversary of the decision gets closer. Current residents are invited to get a better idea of what the Village looked like during its Shermerville days when the Northbrook Historical Society hosts its 49th Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 17.

The Zoom meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and will include some miscellaneous business items before Historical Society President Judy Hughes and board member Gary Eberlein present a program titled "Hidden in Plain Sight: Shermerville Then - Northbrook Now."

The program will focus on buildings that still exist from the 22 years that Shermerville was an incorporated village as well as from before incorporation in 1901. As might be expected, the number of those early buildings continues to diminish ... but as the program title indicates, evidence of Shermerville still exists - often "in plain sight."

All are invited to join the Zoom session. To receive a link to the meeting, please email NorthbrookHistory@gmail.com.