Late Summer
New Shades Arriving Soon
Gregg House Museum
Westmont Area Historical Society
August 2012
New shades of green and white will cover the windows of the Gregg
House Museum soon. The museum’s shades are nearly 30 years old
and are falling apart. Using money that was raised from our Barnyard Bingo event and getting assistance from the park district, we
are able to replace the shades on all 28 windows. Clutches to raise
and lower the shades will be placed on 17 of the windows. Did you
know that there is even a shade on the window inside Mr. Gregg’s
master bedroom closet? The dark green shade color will be the
same as it is now. This will protect the furniture and
contents of the house from UV rays. The shades in
the sun parlor will be bone colored and will also
provide UV protection. The Drapery Connection will
be installing the shades for us before our October
event.
I & M Canal Rendezvous
Get ready to experience a great Early American party! This festive gathering of
fur trappers, settlers, craftsmen, and entertainers takes place
along the banks of the Des Plaines River. Meet Du Sable, taste
authentic foods, enjoy Celtic music, watch the skillet toss, learn
about canoes and see some wolves. There is a children’s trading
post and crafts. You won’t want to miss this living history reenactment of early American life as it was on the Illinois frontier
prior to 1848, with an emphasis on our local history from the fur
trade era to the canal era. After attending the Rendezvous, we will stop at the
Santa Fe Prairie. This unusual prairie is a hidden gem right in our own back
yard. It boasts beautiful flowers, great bird watching and a caboose. Today’s fee
includes a Free Root Beer, admission, a stop at Santa Fe Prairie, transportation
to and from the event, and fun history facts. For more info, 630-969-8080 x104.
Sunday 9/9
10:00-2:30PM $14 Historical Society Members/$16 Nonmembers
Located in Willow Springs, Departs from Gregg House Museum
Dates to Remember:
September 1
Passport Program Ends, Prizes still available
September 9 I & M Canal Rendezvous, Willow Springs Trip
October 7
The Last Straw Fall Event 12N-4PM
October 28
Victorian Halloween, Family Fun 1-3PM
Photo File Near Completion
For the past year we have been compiling a photo file. This means that we
have copied every photo (both black & whites and color) in our archives and
placed them in large reference binders. The photos are marked and
cross-referenced to family files and other relevant files. All of the original
photos have been properly protected over the years, however it was difficult
to find particular photos unless you knew the specific family file to search
in. Now we can simply thumb through the binders to find what we need
and copy them without using the original photo. We have not yet copied the
negatives that are on file. Our goal is to digitally archive all photos and
negatives. Jennifer Kucko, one of the museum’s summer docents, has been
working on this project. It is very time consuming, but there are some really
interesting photos that we didn’t even realize we had. Each year we get
more and more requests for photos as people research their family histories.
Students Participate in Architecture Program
Manning School fourth and fifth grade QUEST students participated in
the Gregg House Museum’s architecture program in May. The students
in Mrs. Walker’s class did a study unit on architecture styles and the
history of famous structures. To conclude their study unit, the class
wanted to take a field trip to learn more about local architecture. It
began with a guided walking tour of downtown Westmont where
students learned about brick patterns, decorative limestone, and history
of some of our important structures such as the drug store and old
theater. We were able to show a number of pictures of old Westmont so
students could see how the town has changed. Once they reached the
Gregg House, students completed an inventory of architectural elements
of the Gregg House. (Window, door, and room shapes) Using a key, the
students were asked to determine the style of the Gregg House. Is it
Prairie, Colonial, Queen Anne or something else? Do you know what the
style of the Gregg House is? As the students walked back to Manning
School, they learned more about the history of the railroad and it’s significance to Westmont. We also stopped in the Framemakers store to
see the beautiful old tin ceiling. The students had a great time and were
quite surprised at the amount of different brick patterns in our own
downtown!
This architecture program called The Excelsior Experience is available to
local educators who teach grades 3-6 or home schooled students ages 9-12.
Page 2
“To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from
the story here.”
Manning School students identify the
Gregg House as a Second Empire style
home, popular in the early 1870’s.
Gregg House Museum
Annual Spring Events Well Attended
Spring has been a busy season at Gregg House. The 7th Annual Spring Palette Art
Show was once again a success. We had 19 local artists and 2 amateur photographers
participate. Our visitor count was 136! This is a free event for both artists and the
public. It’s amazing how many talented community members we have! Thank you Laurie
Alvear for planning and hosting this great event.
One of our fun family events is the Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest. Everyone is invited
Nadine Smith’s Girl Scout
to express their creativity on the sidewalks around the museum each May. We had 20
Troop sold baked goods during
gracious local businesses sponsor this event. They supplied us with chalk and a variety the Spring Art &
of prizes for our winners. About 40 families participated. There were so many awesome Jewelry show in March.
drawings that The Westmont Historical Society Board Members had a difficult time
judging! Our goal is to have 50 families participate next year. Don’t worry, there is plenty of sidewalk space!
The Garden Club of Downers Grove continues to plant and maintain the Gregg House Garden. In June they
host a garden party to celebrate National Garden Week and to kick off the museum’s summer programs. This year
our Garden Party was combined with an Ice Cream Social. Musician Patti Ecker provided entertainment. She
sang old time songs of the prairie. The garden club provided children’s crafts and the historical society provided ice
cream. This event is a very small event, but we hope it continues to grow each year. Don’t forget to put it on your
2013 calendar! Thank you, Thank you Garden Club of Downers Grove for all your hard work and many hours of
volunteering. The Gregg House Garden is spectacular!
Spring Photo Gallery
Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest & Spring Palette Art Show 2012
Late Summer
Page 3
The Gregg House Museum
Mission Statement:
Westmont Area
Historical Society
115 South Linden Avenue
Westmont, IL 60559
Museum Phone: 630-960-3392
Curator : 630-969-8080 x104
E-mail:
[email protected].
Hours: Wed. & Sun. 1-3 pm
It is the purpose of the William L.
Gregg House Museum to promote, protect
and disseminate the history of the
Westmont area through its displays,
exhibits, and out-reach programs while
fostering a greater appreciation and
interest in the rich heritage of this
village. Through its partnership with
and support of the Westmont Park
District, responsible stewardship over
the artifacts and collections
contained in the museum will be
preserved for generations to come.
Visit us on the Web
www.wpd4fun.org
Volunteers Needed for the Last Straw Fall
Event! Please call Alice at 630-969-8080.
Barnyard Bingo Winners!
BOARD MEMBERS
Rich Jones, President
Joyce Feltz, Vice President
Beth Charvat, Secretary &
Co-treasurer
John Dispensa, Director, &
Membership Services
Bill Rahn, Treasurer
Bill Johnson, Director
~~~~~~~~
Alice Krampits, Curator
Despite the extreme temperatures, Barnyard Bingo was very
successful this year. We sold
just over 400 deeds. After the
prizes were awarded and the bill
for the petting zoo was paid, we
raised $1221! Our first prize
winner donated 50% of his
winnings back to the museum!
This was the most money we
have ever raised from this
annual event.
Proceeds from this year’s event
will go toward the repair of the
museum’s gutters. A special
thank you goes out to all of you
who purchased deeds. Your
support is greatly appreciated.
First Place: James Baxter, Deed
336, Grid number S-16.
Animal: Cow
Second Place: Bob Schenk,
Deed 55, Grid number B-20.
Animal: “Brownie” the Goat
Third Place: Bill Swanston,
Deed 61, Grid number C-9.
Animal: The white goat
Bonus Box—4 Tickets to
LoopFest:
Nancy Sennstrom, Deed 213, Grid
number D-7.
Animal: “Black Jack”, the black
goat.