News

2024 Summer Nights in Edgewater (Past)

Join your neighbors again this year, on warm summer nights, for our popular community program of free live performances. From July 10 to August 21, 2024, every Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m., different local musicians will entertain you in the beautiful EHS garden. Children and pet friendly! All are welcome. Click here for the 2024 schedule.

Chicago History Book Group (Past)

The next meeting of the Chicago History Book Club will be Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. in the Betty A. Barclay Community Room at the Edgewater Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 6000 N. Broadway.

The subject of the meeting is “Broken Icarus: The 1933 Chicago’s World Fair, the Golden Age of Aviation, and the Rise of Fascism” By David Hanna. Click here for a flyer.

A tree grows in Edgewater! (Past)

Edgewater is one of Chicago’s premier neighborhoods for trees. Over the past year, dedicated volunteers working with the Edgewater Historical Society (EHS) have surveyed and documented all our community’s “Heritage Trees” – or those which are 50 years and older.* The results may surprise you!

Please join EHS for our Arbor Day festivities on Friday, April 26, at 5 p.m. at our museum, located at 5358 N. Ashland Ave., where we will:

  • reveal the results of our survey, including which block clubs had the most trees
  • discuss some of the key findings of our campaign
  • identify looming challenges to Edgewater’s – and Chicago’s – tree canopy
  • discuss next steps for continuing our crusade for our leafy friends

Special guests at the program will include local alderpersons, members of the Mayoral Urban Forestry Committee, OpenLands, representatives of the Save the Ash Tree campaign, and other tree advocates. Refreshments, including adult beverages, will be served.

* The Edgewater Glen Association block club initiated Edgewater’s first tree survey in 2023 and was the inspiration for the larger community effort.

Unpacking Chicago’s Community Areas (Past)

Saturday, May 4, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
Edgewater Branch, Chicago Public Library
Betty A. Barclay Community Room
6000 N. Broadway, Chicago 60660

Chicago’s official map of 77 community areas has remained unchanged since Edgewater received its designation in 1980. Now, an effort is under way by University of Chicago Professor Emily Talen to possibly change that map to more closely reflect where community residents think they belong. Prof. Talen will lead a lively examination of how Chicago first got its community map, how it has served the City for the past 100 years, and how it could change. Click here for a flyer.

2024 Annual Meeting (Past)

Geoff SmithThe Edgewater Historical Society invites you to the 2024 Annual Meeting, presenting candidates for your Board of Directors and telling you about plans for 2023-24. The meeting will be on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. in the Betty A. Barclay Community Room of the Edgewater Branch Library, 6000 N. Broadway. Click here for a flyer.

Our speaker, Geoff Smith, Executive Director and Principal Investigator of DePaul University’s Institute for Housing Studies, is perhaps the Chicago area’s leading expert on the challenge in affordable housing. He will discuss recent trends in the housing market, and how a difficult situation is being further strained by the recent influx of refugees to the Chicago area.

Click here to view Geoff Smith’s presentation.

Riding the Rails in Chicago (Past)

Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
Edgewater Branch, Chicago Public Library
Betty A. Barclay Community Room
6000 N. Broadway, Chicago 60660

David Sadowski is a lifelong Chicagoan who grew up riding the “L” all over the city. He has leveraged his love of public transit into a busy writing career and is the author of Chicago Trolleys, Building Chicago’s Subways, Chicago’s Lost “L”s and The North Shore Line, all from Arcadia Publishing. He will draw from several of his books as he discusses the history of rail riding on Chicago’s North Side. A limited number of books will be available for purchase. This program is in partnership with the Edgewater Branch. Click here for a flyer.

This is an in-person event. Masks are strongly encouraged in all CPL locations.

American Cameraman documentary (Past)

Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
Edgewater Branch, Chicago Public Library
Betty A. Barclay Community Room
6000 N. Broadway, Chicago 60660

Join us for a presentation of the documentary American Cameraman. The film is about the career of William Birch, who was an integral part of the Chicago broadcast news scene. Bill saw history from behind the lens as he covered presidents from Truman to Reagan, the rise of Fidel Castro and the riots in Selma. He was inducted into the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame, got the Silver Circle Award Commendations and a resolution from mayors and governors. There will be a discussion of the film afterwards with light refreshments. This program is in partnership with the Edgewater Branch. Click here for a flyer.

This is an in-person event. Masks are strongly encouraged in all CPL locations.

Chicago History Book Group (Past)

The next meeting of the Chicago History Book Club will be Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. in the Betty A. Barclay Community Room at the Edgewater Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 6000 N. Broadway.

This is an in-person event. Masks are strongly encouraged in all CPL locations.

The subject of the meeting is “Binga: The Rise and Fall of Chicago’s First Black Banker” By Don Hayner. Click here for a flyer.

Chicago History Book Group (Past)

The next meeting of the Chicago History Book Club will be Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. in the Betty A. Barclay Community Room at the Edgewater Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 6000 N. Broadway.

This is an in-person event. Masks are strongly encouraged in all CPL locations.

The subject of the meeting is “Country & Midwestern: Chicago in the History of Country Music and the Folk Revival” by Mark Guarino. Click here for a flyer.

Ed Marciniak's City and Church (Past)

Wednesday, October 25th
6:00 p.m. Reception | 6:30 p.m. Talk
St. Ita Catholic Church, Jubilee Hall
5500 N. Broadway, Chicago

Edgewater resident Ed Marciniak wore many hats in his 84 years: a civil rights activist who worked with Martin Luther King; WWII conscientious objector; Loyola professor; champion of laborers; and prophet of inclusive community revitalization that laid the groundwork for the blossoming of Edgewater.

Please join author Charles Shanabruch for a lively discussion of his new biography “Ed Marciniak: A Voice of Conscience.” Click here for a flyer.

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