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Local History
History of the Cook Memorial Public Library District
An interactive online exhibit of the library's history, from 1894 to the present. Check it out
In the library
The Local History collection at Cook Memorial Library covers primarily Libertyville and Vernon Hills, with additional material covering the history of nearby areas of Lake County. The collection includes:
- the Local History File which consists of clippings and other ephemera relating to Libertyville and Vernon Hills history.
- yearbooks from the Libertyville Consolidated High School District: Libertyville High School 1918 – present, and Vernon Hills High School 2001 – present.
- local phone books from 1929 to 1956, and miscellaneous years through the present.
- the Independent Register on microfilm 1894 – 1987.
- Sanborn Maps, a subscription database of historical fire insurance maps available in the library on any of our 20 computer terminals.
Our local history online
This web site enhances and expands our collection by providing digitized photographs and documents from the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society, web exhibits of local historical interest, and additional online projects created by Cook librarians.
Exhibits
Brides of Yester-Year Temporarily unavailable
This exhibit showcases many different views of nine wedding dresses from 1875 to 1917, as well as the life stories of the brides and their grooms. The dresses are displayed in the Ansel B. Cook House, the museum of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society.
Growing Up in Libertyville in the Thirties and Forties Temporarily unavailable
This exhibit is based on a memoir by former Libertyville residents Murrell and Don Boyd. Enjoy tales from their childhood and youth as they describe small town life in a simpler time.
Libertyville in the 1920s Learn about local village life, people, entertainment, business, crime, religion, and schools during the dazzling decade of the '20s in this exhibit featuring photos and newspaper clippings.
Mail Order Houses in Libertyville Temporarily unavailable
Pictures and descriptions of the houses are featured, along with images from the catalogs that advertised them. The exhibit also includes information on documenting a mail order house, a bibliography of books on the subject in Cook Library, and a list of related web sites for patrons to explore the topic further.
Meet Me at the Fair Temporarily unavailable
The Lake County Fair was held at the Libertyville Fairgrounds from 1858 to 1925. Experience the flavor of the fair through vintage post cards from the early 1900s. Watch the horse races, take a spin on a carnival ride, or explore the midway through the eyes of a child.
Additional Online Projects
Historical Essays
These essays by local historian C.E. Carroll are reprinted with the permission of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society.
Historical Images Temporarily unavailable
In cooperation with the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society, Cook Library has scanned and cataloged over 200 historical images (mostly post cards and photographs) from the Society’s collection. Use the search features below to look for postcards on a particular topic or browse through them all to get a flavor of what life was like at the turn of the century ... and after.
This collection is made available through the generosity of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society and the technical support of the North Suburban Library System's Digitization Project.
Obituaries
In an ongoing project, obituaries are listed from the library’s microfilm of the local Independent Register. To obtain a copy of a listed obituary, please send the relevant information (name and date) along with a SASE and $5 per obituary to:
Sonia Schoenfield
Reference Department
Cook Memorial Public Library
413 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Libertyville, IL 60048
For further information please contact the Library’s Reference Desk at 847-362-2330 or likref@cooklib.org.
Telephone Books Temporarily unavailable
The library has a collection of historical local telephone books from the 1920s - 1950s.
Scanned images of the phone books are added as they become available.
Veterans History Project Temporarily unavailable
In conjunction with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, Cook librarians have interviewed local veterans about their experiences. Interviews and pictures are posted here. Veterans who are interested in being interviewed should contact the Reference Desk at 362-2330.
See the Adult Services section of the Volunteer Opportunities page to learn how you can become involved in Cook's local history projects.
Recommended web sites
DigitalPast
Encyclopedia of Chicago
Lake County Discovery Museum
Libertyville Mundelein Historical Society
Marlon Brando in Libertyville
Chicago Historical Society
Illinois Historical Society
Illinois History Resource Page
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