New exhibit, 'Together We Cannot Fail,' opens Jan. 22 at Elmhurst History Museum

It is an understatement to say that 2020 was one of the more difficult years in recent memory for most Americans. Yet, if history teaches us anything, it is that we can gain perspective by looking at the past to learn from previous arduous times.

With that in mind, the Elmhurst History Museum looks back to one of the most difficult times in U.S. history through the many challenges faced and changes brought on by the Great Depression in the 1930s.

"Together We Cannot Fail: Overcoming the Great Depression" is a new exhibit, created in-house by Elmhurst History Museum staff, that sheds light on how Americans - both nationally and in Chicago-area suburbs like Elmhurst and others - faced down the country's worst economic crisis.

The exhibit's title is inspired by words from one of newly-elected President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first radio addresses in 1933. Weaving together news reports and artifacts, "Together We Cannot Fail: Overcoming the Great Depression" presents a timely story illustrated by regional examples of how communities pulled together to support one another as the economy mended and the country regained its footing.

The exhibit, which is sponsored by Feze Roofing, will be open at the Elmhurst History Museum from Jan. 22 through May 2.

Exhibit themes

"Together We Cannot Fail" begins by focusing on some of the key causes of the Great Depression, which included a weakening economy, wealth inequality, financial policies such as the gold standard, and the 1929 stock market crash.

Visitors will learn how typical families responded to and survived the ravages of the Depression, and how communities pulled together to help citizens in need with food pantries, soup kitchens and more.

The exhibit considers the federal government's response under Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. These include financial aid and FDR's New Deal initiatives, like the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, two programs that impacted Chicago and its suburbs by providing jobs, training, and paychecks to many out-of-work residents.

The exhibit also takes a look at many of the creative ways people made ends meet with meager budgets, and how they escaped the doldrums of Depression-era life through affordable entertainment like radio, music, and the movies.

Lastly, "Together We Cannot Fail" will leave visitors with some thought-provoking questions that draw parallels from the Depression era to the crisis our country faces today.

Challenging topic, research

The planning for this exhibit started more than three years ago, well before 2020 and the explosion of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the events of 2020 unfolded, museum staff hit the pause button and considered changing gears to an exhibit with lighter themes.

"Our staff discussed whether the timing of this exhibit would be challenging for our audiences," said Dave Oberg, executive director of the Elmhurst History Museum. "It's not easy to think about a subject like the Depression at a time when many people are experiencing difficulties in their own lives. However, we considered the value for our patrons to learn about the experiences of the Depression generation. In the end, we decided that this is a teachable moment in history that could offer a meaningful perspective and we forged ahead with the concept."

Dan Bartlett, curator of exhibits, researched and designed the exhibit and spent months sifting through archives to learn about the local impact of the Depression.

"For an event as long and important as the Great Depression, little has been written about its effects in Elmhurst and other Western suburbs. Local histories occasionally mention a short period or specific incident from the Depression years. These are interesting and valuable, but do not give a sense of the length or depth of the crisis.

"To really understand what happened required us to spool through almost a decade of microfilmed copies of the Elmhurst Press," Bartlett continued, "recording little details over many weeks or months. Put together, these little details, like the pieces of a puzzle, began to reveal the bigger picture."

Another impediment to his research was the fact that 2020 COVID closures meant a number of archival collections were inaccessible.

"What these records might add to our understanding of the Depression in Elmhurst and DuPage County will have to wait for healthier days," Bartlett said. "But that's how writing history works. We tell the story with what we have and adjust it as new evidence comes to light."

Artifacts

"Together We Cannot Fail" will feature a number of rare artifacts and images, many from the Elmhurst History Museum's own collection, to illustrate this account of the Depression era:

• Photographs of Camp Elmhurst, a local Civilian Conservation Corps facility located near Salt Creek on the western edge Elmhurst that was open from 1934-35;

• Video footage of a 1936 centennial celebration of Elmhurst's settlement that was designed to improve morale during the Depression with parades and events;

• A recently-donated uniform, ID card and coin changer that belonged to Elmhurst resident Carl Bucholz, who worked at a ticket booth during the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago;

• A turn-of-the-century stock ticker, similar to those used at the time of the infamous Stock Market Crash of 1929;

• A Works Progress Administration architectural rendering of the McKee House in Lombard (built in 1936), a former headquarters for the Forest Preserve of DuPage County.

In alignment with the most recent state of Illinois COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the Elmhurst History Museum has the following visitation procedures in place until further notice.

Online reservations are required and can be made at elmhursthistory.org.

Visit duration is limited to one hour. Limit of 15 guests per hour and five people per group. Face masks and at least six feet of social distance required at all times in the galleries.

Food pantry donations

Please note that during the run of the "Together We Cannot Fail" exhibit, the Elmhurst History Museum will be collecting canned goods to support the Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry, a local nonprofit organization that is facing an unprecedented demand for food during this time. A collection bin will be available in the museum gallery.

For the latest program information, go to Elmhurst History Museum's website at elmhursthistory.org in the Programs section or call (630) 833-1457.

The museum is at 120 E. Park Ave. in downtown Elmhurst. Exhibition hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. General admission is free, and limited free parking is available.

For reservations and the latest exhibit and program information, visit elmhursthistory.org or call (630) 833-1457.

The Elmhurst History Museum is a department of the City of Elmhurst, supported by the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization.