For our 32nd Tales Tombstones Tell, the City Museum will be focusing on celebrations from our community, of all shapes and sizes! This year the program will be presented in a video format, released on Friday, October 8th and will feature the stores of West Chicagoans throughout our community’s history that saw and lived through significant occasions. William Brice, one of the Chicago & NorthWestern’s most experienced engineers tasked with two historic train trips; Lavina Parker Campbell who saw a marvelous event at the Grove (today’s Egg Yolk Café) which featured Stephen Douglas, but despite local lore NOT Abraham Lincoln; Joseph Colwell another promising railroad worker who supervised the first railroad on the Isthmus of Panama; John Bet-A-Million Gates, perhaps one of West Chicago’s most famous hometown sons who went on to found Texaco Oil Company; Lorenzo Hartman who oversaw the building of many of West Chicago’s historic downtown buildings; Jane Ripley a businesswoman ahead of her times that ran the successful Ripley Hotel (200 Main Street); and Jacob Weger who was a respected West Chicagoan celebrated for his happy life.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: April 14
Town Hall Share: Talking Trains Part II
Later Event: June 16
Nonfiction Book Group Historiography: The Last Castle