Source: United States Department of Health and Human Services Now that we’re clear from flu season, let’s all take a minute to be thankful for not being affected by an epidemic. In September 1918, the Great Lakes Naval Base was hit hard and fast, spreading the Spanish Influenza faster than doctors and hospitals could keep…
Souvenir book from the 28th International Eucharistic Congress in Chicago and Mundelein, Illinois, June 20 - 23, 1926 Over the years our hometowns have hosted famous people and exciting events, but for attendance numbers and worldwide fame, nothing can match the 28th International Eucharistic Congress held at the St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in…
Next time you're at the Cook Park location of the Cook Memorial Public Library, wander downstairs and find the local history exhibit case. Featuring items from the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society collection, the exhibit refreshes three to four times a year. Previous exhibits have featured vintage toys, Berggren Trayner dishes, lusterware, and Christmas ornaments depicting Libertyville…
Clara Averill Colby was born in Milwaukee in 1878 to Charles and Laura Averill. Unusual for her time, Clara attended the Columbia School of Music where she pursed a degree in public debate. After graduation, she continued to live with her parents and became a founding member of the Alpha Club, a group that was responsible…
During the 1950s vacations by automobile were the hot trend. Motels, offering free parking right by the door of your room so that moving luggage in and out was easier, popped up across the country, dotting roadsides in rural areas and on the outskirts of cities. As traveling by automobile grew increasingly popular, motels became a common sight. In 1958 Libertyville…
Eighty years ago, northern Illinois experienced a period of bitter winter weather. For about a month, from January 22 until the end of February 1936, Lake County experienced heavy snow fall, freezing temperatures, and terrible winds. During this time the country was also in the grips of the Great Depression. Funds for equipment to manage these conditions were hard to…
Before the dominance of chains and big box stores, most people did their shopping in town, at a store that was generally owned by an individual, not a corporation. Even before Jewel came to Libertyville, there was Triggs & Taylor Grocery. From 1892 until 1942, Triggs & Taylor was the place in town to get your groceries.…
In the 1950s one of the biggest draws to Libertyville was the Hawthorn-Mellody Farm. At the height of its popularity, the farm, which was owned by the Cuneo family, occupied more than 1,200 acres of land adjacent to the Cuneo Mansion. Hawthorn featured a working dairy farm, a milking parlor, a western town, and even a…
Halloween has always been a fun time for kids to dress up, go trick or treating and enjoy a prank or two. However during the trying times that the Great Depression and World War II presented to the people of Libertyville, Halloween provided a welcome diversion. Putting on a silly costume of a witch or…
In the early 1920s Lake County was witness to several horrible train accidents on the Soo Line. The Soo Line was part of the Canadian Pacific Railway and ran through western Canada and much of the Midwest, including downtown Mundelein. While the railroad helped bring prosperity and supplies to the area, it also brought tragedy.…
