Join us for a trip down memory lane.
Historian Patricia Reaves will be your host.
So get in the Christmas Spirit,bring a friend, enjoy
some Christmas treats and have a good time.
Calendar
EARTH DAY WORKDAY
Saturday, April 21 from 1 to 4 pm.
Meet at the Prairie House
Mother Nature sure could use a helping hand.
No need to stay the entire time although it would be appreciated.
Sturdy shoes, old clothes, and working gloves advised.
We will supply tools and refreshments.
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Chicago’s Elevated Railroads
February 25 – 2 pm
La Grange Park Library
555 N La Grange Road
Presenter Jack Doyle, an aficionado and historian of Chicago’s elevated trains, will give a power point presentation using a wealth of archival
photos and historical documentation dating back to the 1893 beginnings of Chicago’s elevated trains. Jack skillfully places the development
of the Chicago “L” in the context of the times in which it started and advanced. Learn how the elevated trains expanded and improved, how they affected the growth of our area, and the major events including the Columbian Exposition and the Depression played a role in both changes and developments of the “L” system. Why did some routes, like the Westchester Route disappear, while others expanded? Learn too about the colorful characters who invested in the possibilities of a Chicago/suburban mass transit operation and of those who ran the day-to-day operations of this new game-changer, one that would help transform the Chicago Region.
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THE GARDEN GNOME
January 21 – 2 pm
La Grange Park Library
555 N LaGrange Rd.
Speaker: Naturalist and Historian, Jack MacRae
This program is an entertaining look at one of the most truly peculiar tales in the long history of landscaping. The garden gnomes of today have a story that dates back centuries, to a time when the sprawling estates of Britain were home to all forms of botanic and natural exotica, brought together for the sole purpose of artistic expression and garden interest.
So join us and surprise yourself with a little bit of culture, a stretch of history, and a touch of mystery.
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Christmas Customs Through the Decades
December 10, 2017 @ 2:00 pm
LaGrange Park Public Library
555 N La Grange Rd
La Grange Park, IL 60526
555 N La Grange Rd
La Grange Park, IL 60526
Master Gardeners: An Introduction
Saturday, November 4 at 1 pm.
La Grange Park Library – 555 N LaGrange Road
The University of Illinois Extension Service now has 3,200 master gardeners.
The University is once again offering classes in our area – once a week for 11
weeks. After completing these classes, a master gardener should “feel confident
to develop and enhance community projects related to horticulture, to get involved in environmental improvements, community & school gardening projects and
horticulture therapy.”
This event is meant to give those interested in the program a chance to ask questions
about what they will learn and what is required of them. Visit their website for
details.
Jun
27
Sun
Jun 27 @ 1:00 pm
June 27th, 1:00pm
@ the Historic Prairie House, 11225 Constitution Drive, Westchester
Speaker: Jack Shouba, who worked tirelessly to Save Wolf Road Prairie before the State of Illinois’ IDNR and Cook County Forest Preserves stepped to insure that it would remain prairie.
Slide Presentation: Called “the most beautiful country imaginable” by French explorer Pierre Liette, and “gardens of the desert” by poet William Cullen Bryant, the Illinois prairie is all but gone and the word prairie has lost its meaning. We are still “the prairie state,” but today it is Silicon Prairie, not Silphium prairie. In this program we explore the question of just what is an Illinois prairie and we look at how the relationships of people to the prairie changed over time. We look at prairie plants and their adaptations, prairie animals, and the role of fire. We search for places that still contain scraps of prairie, and consider why we must save these precious remnants. The program includes “Prairie Reverie,” a humorous look at the (mis)use and misspelling of the word prairie.
Jul
25
Sun
Jul 25 @ 1:00 pm
July 25th, 1:00pm
Free event @ the Historic Prairie House, 11225 Constitution Drive, Westchester
Speaker: Insect specialist James Rowan
We see insects in our gardens and when we take our walks in the neighborhood. Most of us enjoy seeing the fireflies, the pollinators, and the butterflies. Our July guest speaker hopes to broaden our appreciation of those insects that are unfamiliar to us, even though they play an important role in keeping our ecosystem healthy. The more we know about the natural world the more interesting it is.
Note: The historic Prairie House is air conditioned.
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