One of the key elements for Pierce Downer when choosing a site to settle was a grove of oaks for timber and firewood. We’ll take a look at these important trees from pre-settlement to today. Discover the many ways humans, birds, animals and insects have used and treasured oaks. Heather Prince has been a part […]
Are you intrigued by architecture and history? Would you like to learn more about the different architectural styles in Downers Grove? If so, please join us for this informative, in-depth presentation given by architect Douglas Gilbert. Register Now! Our annual membership meeting will take place immediately following the presentation. Douglas Gilbert is an Illinois-based architect […]
Downers Grove Historical Society and Pierce Downer’s Heritage Alliance invite you to celebrate Founders Day in Downers Grove with a self-paced walk with written directions and map. Start Time: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. A group walk will begin at 9:30 for those who wish to walk together.
Take a stroll through Downers Grove History from 1884-1996 through the eyes of John and Doris Mochel as they recount tales of growing up in Downers and of the iconic Mochel's Hardware store. This film, by Downers Grove filmmaker, Jim Toth, is packed with a treasure trove of private pictures from the Mochel Family Archives and depicts a life […]
Due to popular demand, we are hosting an encore presentation of The Mochel Family video. Do you remember Mochel's Hardware or have you ever wondered for whom "Mochel Drive" was named? Take a stroll through Downers Grove History from 1884-1996 through the eyes of John and Doris Mochel as they recount tales of growing up […]
Part of the Downers Grove Historical Society's FoundersFest events. Pierce Downer's Heritage Alliance is supporting FoundersFest again this year and celebrating spring with a guided Wildflower Walk in Lyman Woods. The group of hikers will depart at 9:00 AM from the Interpretive Center. The group will be limited to about 15 participants and should expect […]
Come to the Downers Grove Museum to learn about heirloom plant varieties and historic farming practices! Try historic herbs and winter greens. Take a turn at using both pre-historic as well as pioneer-type farming equipment and reenact fun springtime traditions to help the season's first plantings. Program will be held indoors and outdoors, so please […]
Immerse yourself in the time period of our Founder of the Year as we investigate the causes of the Civil War, presented by an Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum historian. Since the Civil War began, there has been confusion and misinformation about its political and social causes- yet these conversations often leave out what people […]
Join us for the movie premiere of History Happens Here: The 1846 Blodgett House, a documentary about the Blodgett family, their home and the underground railroad and abolitionists in Downers Grove.
Walk through a small-town/suburban downtown, through leafy historic neighborhoods, and on a trail through one of DuPage county's oldest Forest Preserves. Registration for the self-guided or group walk will be at the Downers Grove Museum Annex at 831 Maple any time between 9 am and 11 am. The group walk will begin at 9:30, self-guided […]
Free to the public. DG Historical Society is pleased to announce Isrel Larry Blackburn as the Founder of the Year for 2024. Isrel Larry Blackburn was born into slavery on a plantation in Kentucky in 1818. He lived there until 1864 when he was sold to the Union Army where he was assigned to a […]
The Downers Grove Historical Society will present a plaque to the Downers Grove Museum that recognizes the 1846 Blodgett House as being a part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
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