Historical society program looks at valentine traditions

Did you ever wonder how all of those romantic Valentine's Day traditions got started and who St. Valentine really was?

Gather your girlfriends for a fun night of valentine history and lore from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at the Mount Prospect Historical Society's Dietrich Friedrichs House Museum, 101 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect. This evening will be part traveling exhibit, part historical talk and part workshop.

Learn about the rich and romantic history of valentines and St. Valentine himself; who sent the oldest valentine that is still in existence and what it said; and even how sending paper valentines to loved ones caught on in so many places.

These and other questions will be answered in this informative presentation by Ellie Carlson of Ellie Presents (www.elliepresents.com).

Before the presentation, explore the Historical Society Dietrich Friedrichs House Museum, where you'll unlock the mysteries of old fashioned courtship rituals; discover the hidden meanings of different types of flowers; satisfy your taste buds with decadent chocolate and a glass of wine; and stock up on some romantic winter reading at the used romance novel book sale.

After the presentation, create a homemade valentine to send to a loved one during a make-and-take session.

Reservations can be made for $10 in advance at the museum or via PayPal at www.mtphist.org. Last-minute decision-makers may also purchase tickets on the day of the event, but the cost will be $12 per person at that time.

Contact the society at (847) 392-9006 or visit www.mphist.org for more information and to register.

The Mount Prospect Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to preserving the history of Mount Prospect through artifacts, photographs and both oral and written memories of current and former residents and businesspeople.

On its campus in the heart of the village, the society maintains the 1906 Dietrich Friedrichs house museum and carriage house and an ADA-accessible education center. The society is also in the midst of an adaptive restoration of the 1896 one-room Central School, which was moved to the museum campus in 2008.