The Historian Preserving & Promoting Neighborhood History
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The Historian Preserving & Promoting Neighborhood History Volume 32, No. 3 Annual House Tour Highlights Fall 2016 Historic West Ridge Bungalow In This Issue Neighborhood By Dona Vitale Historical Society Holds Retreat to Follow Up MAP Assessment On September 11, 130 visitors spent a Recommendations page 2 beautiful Sunday afternoon touring the Rogers Park Manor neighborhood to view From the President’s Desk six award-winning bungalows on the 30th page 4 Annual Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical RPWRHS Holds Open House Society House Walk. at New Headquarters page 4 Rogers Park Manor is the area directly Hank Morris, Long-time south of Indian Boundary Park. It was House Walk visitors enjoy a home’s private garden. RP/WRHS Volunteer, dies at 75 designated a Historic Chicago Bungalow Photograph courtesy Stephanie Barto. page 5 District in 2005 and also appears on the on the tour featured beautifully-restored Helen Doria, Long-Time National Register of Historic Places. The Rogers Park Resident is interiors and lovely outdoor spaces tour was part of a year-long celebration Newest Park Honoree complete with koi ponds, native plants and page 6 of the Indian Boundary Park Centennial. distinctive landscape designs. It kicked off at architecturally-significant Volunteer Profile: Elliot Schwarz page 8 Indian Boundary Park Cultural Center, Many thanks to the homeowner hosts: which also enjoys landmark status, and Frank and Ann Glapa, Jean and John A Tipsy History of Rogers Park: included homes on Coyle, Morse, and Brabeck, Michael Williams and Karen the Legal Limits Bar Craw page 9 Farwell between Western and Washtenaw Burke, Ron and Sue Waldron, Chris Gent Avenues. All the homes on the tour, as and Sergio Nunez and Richard Concaildi Culinary Tours of Devon Avenue well as the Cultural Center, have received and Lauri Datta-Concaildi, as well as Combine History and Food page 11 preservation awards from the Richard H. to Phil Martini and his staff at Indian Driehaus Foundation for their efforts to Boundary Park. Thanks also to volunteer Armstrong-Bartelme 8th Grade maintain the historic characteristics of the greeters Dana Bergeron, Rob Case, Kate Class of 1966 Reunion page 12 buildings while making improvements Donon, Jill & Brad Falco, June Finfer, suitable for 21st Century life. Gerardo Gallegos, Phoenix Heller, Mary Hopkins, Dave Kalensky, Earl Manesky, Tour-takers came from around the city Kay McSpadden, Howard Mock, Colleen and suburbs, some returning to the Sen, Gwen Sinks, Jean Smiling Coyote, neighborhood where they grew up, while Nancy Syburg and Mary Willis. Members others came to enjoy a glimpse of an of the House Walk Planning team were unfamiliar part of the city. Many local Matt Amyx, Linda Bressler, Stephanie residents also attended, including some who Barto, Dave Kalensky, Katie Macica, Hope joined the tour after seeing the crowds of Shannon and Dona Vitale. visitors pass by their homes. The six homes page 2 • Fall 2016 • The Historian New and Renewing Historical Society Holds Retreat to Members Follow Up MAP Assessment Thank you for your support! Recommendations Richard Anderson By Kay McSpadden Vivian Barry Dorian Bezanis Karen Burke Richard Concaildi Laurette Datta-Concaildi James Differding Frank Glapa Joe Hollenkamp Diane Kellenback Kathy Kirn Marge Ludwig Mike McGuire Joyce Ovaert Carole Reed Donald Sprague Cecilia Wasisco RPWRHS president Ken Walchak with Bob Remer, president of the Edgewater Historical Society, at the retreat. Photograph courtesy Hope Shannon. (Note: The Board invites members and readers The retreat grew out of the final report received to submit any comments they might like to from the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) share on the direction of the society. Please of the American Alliance of Museums. As email comments to [email protected].) reported in the spring issue of the Historian, the Historical Society applied for the grant in Board members and active volunteers gathered 2015. The purpose was to assess the strengths on Saturday July 23, 2016 for a retreat for the and challenges of the Society so as to remain purpose of thinking together about the direction faithful to the vision of founder Mary Jo Doyle of the society for the next few years. The and to continue to adequately fulfill its mission retreat was held in St. Scholastica Monastery’s to “collect, preserve, and share the story of the Oasis Room, a comfortable living-room-like history of Chicago’s far north side.” meeting room. Some of the same people had gathered there two years ago, developing the The final report was prepared by Ms. Allison organizational structure that has guided the Weiss, Executive Director of the Shady Springs society since then. Museum in Maryland. After an extensive www.rpwrhs.org www.facebook.com/RPWRHS page 3 • Fall 2016 • The Historian self-study completed in December, 2015 by a MAP committee preserve, and share” the documents and artifacts that we have composed of RPWRHS Board members, Ms. Weiss spent and that in the future we will be asked to house. The group two days in Chicago in March 2016 meeting with Board decided that we should see ourselves as a conduit for collections members, key volunteers, our office assistant, and community as well as a repository. They saw the need to evaluate what we leaders, and experiencing the Rogers Park and West Ridge have by asking the question, “Do we derive value from it?” neighborhoods. They indicated that as certain collections come our way, such as papers of prominent residents or from significant neighborhood The report stated that our first order of business should be to businesses or organizations, we should think of ourselves as hold a “strategic vision” retreat with a view to establishing an “adoption agency” for these collections. We can best insure a unified vision of what the society should be. The word that these valuable collections become readily available for “resource” became a common theme of the retreat: How could study by becoming aware of the scope of area collections and the society best serve as a resource for the communities of recommending or donating them to an appropriate collection. Rogers Park and West Ridge? Under the direction of Marc In particular we should know what nearby historical societies Hilton, consultant to nonprofits, the group was divided into have and are looking for. We should also know the provenance three groups: Resources, Relationships, and Collections. of collections that come into our hands. The Resource group had the task of brainstorming what Those who participated in the retreat were the Executive the Historical Society currently offers that is of value to Committee: Ken Walchak, president; Kay McSpadden, vice- the community. They came up with two types of resources, president; Dona Vitale, treasurer; Board members Dave tangible and intangible. The former would include: programs Kalensky and Frank Valadez; Loyola University Public History including the speakers programs at local Chicago Public Lab chair Hope Shannon and volunteers Chelsea Denault and Library branches and the walking tours, exhibit space, Matthew Amyx; active volunteers Glenna Eaves, Rob Case, an extensive photo collection along with the collection of Linda Bressler, Hank Morris; and office assistant Stephanie documents and artifacts, the website and social media, the Barto. Historian, the extensive contacts list. Intangible resources include: forty-years of existence collecting, preserving, and An additional participant was Robert Remer, president of sharing the history of the neighborhood, commitment to the the Edgewater Historical Society. Bob expressed interest in people of the neighborhood, reputation, expertise in running exploring further ways for Chicago and area historical societies events such as tours, and the relationship with the Public to collaborate. History Lab of history graduate students at Loyola. The facilitator Marc Hilton recently retired as a vice-president The group began to think about how our identity is now and of Campbell and Company, a leading firm supporting nonprofit will in the future be shaped by building upon these resources. organizations. His forty years experience in development and They discussed how the Historical Society could offer these successful fundraising for nonprofits such as Chicago History resources more effectively to the community. Museum and Illinois Institute of Technology made him a valuable resource in planning and conducting the retreat. Mr. The Relationship group had the task of thinking about the Hilton volunteered his services to the society. relationships we have in the community and beyond and how we can develop these relationships. The group determined that the society should continue to be a facilitator by making the stories of the community come alive. Three characteristics that the community has become known for over the years could become themes of our activities: diversity, activism and the Jewish community. The group was especially enthusiastic about the theme of activism since it is an aspect that has been an unrecognized constant of the community at least since the “cabbage wars” of the nineteenth century. The Collections group was charged with the task of determining how best to fulfill our mission to “collect, www.rpwrhs.org www.facebook.com/RPWRHS page 4 • Fall 2016 • The Historian From the President’s Desk Greetings to all members age. These talks, curated by our own Kay McSpadden and and readers, hosted by the Chicago Public Library, have grown more and more popular, to the point now where they are like Cub games. I am the reason that this Standing room only. issue of the Historian has been delayed. After 31 The Rogers Park West Ridge Historical Society (can’t we find years in an entirely too a shorter name for our organization?) is really becoming more large home, my wife and than a museum of old stuff. We are morphing in to a new I finally pulled the trigger organization for the 21st century.