t Edward Bunting Jr. was selected by the Downers Grove Historical Society as the 2022 Historian of the Year.
If anyone could be called the official photographer of Downers Grove’s history, it should be Edward Bunting. Using his camera, he had spent many years documenting the history of Downers Grove.
His interest in cameras began when he received his first camera at age 6. This interest in cameras would continue for many years and be part of many of the jobs Ed had. In 1952, he joined the Naval Reserve as a photographer’s mate. After spending a few years in Taiwan, he returned to Downers Grove and began a 36-year career with Nicor Gas as an investigative photographer. Ed served as a paid-on-call firefighter for the Downers Grove Fire Department and soon became an investigative photographer for the department, and was honored with the degree of Master Fire Photographer by the International Fire Photographers Association.
Interested in history, Ed served as a board member of the Downers Grove Historical Society for 32 years, including time as president. Many of his pictures were used for the two Downers Grove history books, Downers Grove 1832-1982 and Downers Grove Revisited.
The many photos Ed has taken of Downers Grove provide a rich and wonderful documented history of our village. His efforts with his camera and his years of dedication to the Downers Grove Historical Society surely earn him the title of Downers Grove Historian of the Year for 2022. A recognition ceremony was held October 8, 2022 at the Lincoln Center.
For more information on Ed Bunting, read his full biography here.
