Welcome

Facade of Trumbull School on Foster Avenue, 1908
Delivery wagons next to Gengler store on Summerdale at Clark, 1902
1908 building on Clark at Balmoral having the brick facade replaced
The first Edgewater Hospital building ca 1930
2009 Kitchen Exhibit at the Museum
Firehouse at Balmoral & Ashland
Firetruck housed at the original firehouse
2011 Edgewater Grocery Stores Exhibit
Greenhouses in the 1930s
Andersonville school view looking south down Ashland 1880
2010 Home Tour (Edgewater North)
Parade on Clark Street, 1966
Maybelline building at Ridge and Clark, ca. 1930s
Postcard of original Edgewater Post Office on Broadway at Catalpa
Postcard of Senn High School prior to the additions, ca. 1920
Saddle & Cycle Club at Foster Ave. 1900
Saddle & Cycle Club at Foster Ave. 1900
Postcard of Edgewater Beach Hotel, pre-1923
Postcard of Edgewater Beach Hotel Yacht Club
2010 Memorial Day Parade

2023 Photography Contest

The Edgewater Historical Society photography contest is back! The theme this year is “Edgewater’s Trees,” and the contest runs until October 15, 2023. Click here for more information.

2023 Living Treasures of Edgewater

Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
Edgewater Branch Library, 6000 N. Broadway

The Edgewater Historical Society sponsors the Living Treasures of Edgewater awards to honor residents and former residents of Edgewater who have made a difference in the lives of their fellow residents. These deeds can be small or large, but all contributed to the betterment of our community.

Due to the COVID epidemic, we postponed the recognition ceremony until now. Seven individuals will be added to the honor roll of Living Treasures on November 4, 2023. Their contributions very widely, from helping teenage immigrants adapt to the U.S., to volunteering for many organizations. But all have a very interesting story to tell.

We hope you can join in the celebration of our community and the people who make it a great place to live. Click here for more information about the Edgewater Living Treasures program.

Homegrown history: Honoring Edgewater's heritage trees

After a non-winter and very cold spring, summer finally seems to be coming to Chicago. So what better time for the Edgewater Historical Society (EHS) to launch its latest initiative – Honoring Edgewater’s Heritage Trees. The initiative is multi-faceted and features an exhibit at our museum, a series of tree-related lecture programs, and most importantly a survey of all of Edgewater’s “heritage trees” or those that are more than 50 years old.

This ambitious program grew out of an effort by the Edgewater Glen Association (EGA) block club, when residents became concerned after seeing a number of their majestic parkway trees cut down in recent years. Spearheaded by local resident Andrea Raila, a complete survey of EGA’s parkway trees – along Norwood, Glenlake, Hood and Granville – was conducted over the past year, and the findings and methodology of the survey are documented in the Heritage Tree Audit booklet and the Tree Survey instructions.

New exhibit: As Time Goes By in Edgewater - 1885 to the Present

“As Time Goes By” is the title of the newest exhibit at the Edgewater Historical Society Museum, 5358 N. Ashland, which opens the weekend of May 28-29, and will continue for many months.

The exhibit features 150 photos of the story of Edgewater from 1885 to the present. A special section tells the story of the Edgewater Beach Hotel. In the months to come there will be more features on the Schools and Churches in Edgewater.

The exhibit will be open during regular museum hours, but special tours may be arranged for a small donation.

New Exhibit: Indigenous Edgewater: Exploring Native History

EHS presents our newest exhibit, “Indigenous Edgewater - Exploring Native History.” The exhibit documents Indigenous culture from 10,000 years ago to the present day. The Indigenous Edgewater exhibit will be available on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. at 5358 N. Ashland Ave.

Natives have lived in the Edgewater area for over 10,000 years. Marsha Holland, exhibit co-curator, discusses Native history in the greater Edgewater area, focusing on the archeological findings of Bowmanville Village and beyond. To view, click here.

Without Natives, would we have Chicago as we know it? Marjorie Fritz-Birch, exhibit co-curator, explores Native contributions to the greater Edgewater area and beyond. To view, click here.

"Remembering Edgewater Beach Hotel" interviews

There have been two recent radio interviews with Kathy Gemperle and John Holden, the authors of “Remembering Edgewater Beach Hotel.” If you want to hear the interviews, they can be found at:

WGN Radio: After Hours with Rick Hogan on July 25, 2021

WCPT Radio: Where Are They Now with Art Andros on November 20, 2021

Virtual Museum exhibits

EHS MuseumWe invite you on a virtual curator’s tour of our recent exhibits:

Edgewater Beach Hotel: 100 Years Later

The Chicago Conspiracy Trial: One Juror’s Ordeal

High Water and Hell: Rising Lake Puts Chicago on Edge

Here is another past exhibit you may remember:

Greetings from Edgewater (2012): description and video

2023 Edgewater Home Tour (Past)

The 32nd Annual Edgewater Home Tour is this coming Sunday, September 24, 2023.

This year, the tour will feature homes and their interiors in the Magnolia Glen neighborhood. The $25/person admission includes the tour booklet and refreshments. Click here for more information.

You may purchase tickets online with a credit card (through Saturday 9/23) BUT you must print your receipt and bring it with you. Also, there will be no refunds. bit.ly/ehstour2

Rosehill Cemetery tour (Past)

Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Rosehill Cemetery main gate
5800 N. Ravenswood Ave.

Join the Edgewater Historical Society and Rosehill Cemetery staff for an up-close and in-depth walking tour of Chicago’s largest, and one of Illinois’ most historic, final resting places.

This tailored tour will involve about one mile of walking, and include stops at notable gravesites, including some of Edgewater’s most prominent citizens. The tour will conclude at the cemetery’s beautiful May Chapel. Advanced registration is not required.

Chicago History Book Group (Past)

The next meeting of the Chicago History Book Club will be Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. in the Betty A. Barclay Community Room at the Edgewater Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 6000 N. Broadway. Please note the change of start-time.

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

The subject of the meeting is “The Pit: A Story of Chicago” by Frank Norris. Click here for a flyer.

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