by “Anonymous”
Breaking News
Mount Prospect Partnership Launches “Pandemic Reflections” to Preserve Memories
The Mount Prospect Historical Society has teamed up with the Mount Prospect Community Engagement Committee and the Mount Prospect Public Library, to collect and preserve for the future local memories of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21. The Historical Society and the Library began collecting essays, photos, artwork, news articles and videos via the Historical Society’s website in June and the Village joined the effort in the fall.
This time will go down in history as a momentous one that is hard to forget – like The Great Depression, the World Wars and September 11, 2001. While right now we long to once again walk free and maskless at concerts, sporting events, movies and crowded restaurants, one day we will undoubtedly reminisce about the Year of COVID and relate our shared hardships over holiday dinners to those who don’t remember or were not yet born.
It is important, therefore, that the remembrances conveyed are accurate and not distorted by poor memories. So, they must be preserved now.
The Pandemic Reflections team believes that Thanksgiving presents an ideal time for Mount Prospect residents to begin recording their thoughts, emotions, and memories for posterity. So, the group has posed a question related to the season,
Has COVID impacted your thankfulness this year? How?
. . . and is asking residents and others associated with Mount Prospect to share short thoughts via the “Padlet” board at (https://www.mtphist.org/padlet/).
More substantial entries, such as essays, photos, videos, art and more can be found on our Pandemic Moments page. Also, be sure to watch for new monthly questions starting in 2021 and make contributing your thoughts as an ongoing project.
MPHS Offers New, Inspirational T-Shirt and Walking Tours
Solicits Personal Pandemic Submissions
Mount Prospect is a caring and resilient community, a fact that has particularly come to the fore during this challenging time in human history.
So, the Mount Prospect Historical Society is introducing a timeless and inspirational t-shirt which proclaims “Mount Prospect Proud – Life is All About Peaks and Valleys” to tout our community’s strength and ability to endure difficult times of all kinds, while waiting for better days to return.
That t-shirt is now available through the Society’s website at mtphist.org. The shirts come in many sizes and begin at $25. There is also a discount for members. You can purchase it at this link here.
In addition, the Society has introduced four downloadable neighborhood walking tours to entertain those who are increasingly walking and bicycling through town and a website page which encourages resident and other associated with Mount Prospect to submit: essays, photos, videos, poems and so forth about their 2020 experiences. This solicitation effort is being done in partnership with the Mount Prospect Public Library and the Village of Mount Prospect.
MPHS Introduces its New Staff
The Mount Prospect Historical Society, the dynamic and growing organization which has taken pride in preserving the Village’s past since its founding during the nation’s Bicentennial in 1976, is excited to announce a trio of new employees, all of whom live within the Village.
Emily Dattilo who holds a bachelor’s degree in history and anthropology from Loyola University and a master’s degree in history from Marquette University, is the Society’s new director. Dattilo is a native of Mount Prospect who has always loved history and is excited to add to the public’s understanding of its community’s unique past. Previously she had worked as a museum educator at the Naper Settlement in Naperville and a collections assistant at the McHenry County Historical Society, following internships at the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee County Historical Society and the May Weber Ethnographic Collection at Loyola University.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to care for and to share the history of my hometown,” Dattilo stated. “I look forward to sharing history with the community in new, engaging ways.”
Amanda Marcus has accepted the Office Manager position. She, too, is a lifelong resident of Mount Prospect. The mother of four has worked part-time in a variety of local office positions and is excited to now work for the Historical Society since she minored in history at the University of Illinois at Chicago while earning her degree in psychology.
Tom Groenwald, the resident of an historic home in the Village for over 35 years, has taken over the part-time bookkeeper position. He recently retired after a 42-year career in finance and accounting for a variety of firms, primarily in the senior healthcare realm and looks forward to sharing his extensive financial knowledge with a local organization.
“As the Society continues to expand its community outreach, we are so pleased to welcome new staff members who bring us a variety of talents, ideas, and experiences, all of which will enhance our programs, exhibits, and dissemination of history to local residents in fresh, new ways,” stated Deb Rittle, Society president.
The Society bid farewell in July to long-time Office Manager Cindy Bork who retired after 17 years on the job. Former director Lindsay Rice moved on to become Executive Director of the St. Charles History Museum just before the pandemic began and former bookkeeper Jane Winters has chosen to concentrate on her full-time position.
Walk and Learn About Mount Prospect
INCREASE YOUR MOUNT PROSPECT KNOWLEDGE WHILE YOU ARE OUT
“COVID-19” WALKING
The Mount Prospect Historical Society is hoping to add some historic interest to residents’ neighborhood walks during this COVD-19 pandemic. They have put together five different neighborhood walking tours, highlighting historic homes that have been featured on their Holiday Housewalks over the past 32 years.
The tours cover 36 homes and other attractions in the Triangle neighborhood; 16 houses north of the Mount Prospect Post Office; 24 homes and churches in the neighborhood just south of the tracks; and 20 houses and other attractions, each, in both the Mt. Prospect Country Club area and the neighborhood south of Mrs. P & Me and the Route 83 S-curve.
Each tour includes an annotated neighborhood map and brief descriptions of the featured homes and attractions. Interspersed photos assist in keeping walkers on track.
“We had this wonderful collection of local information and figured this would be the perfect time to share it with people who suddenly have extra time on their hands. Instead of counting fire hydrants when you walk, you can stop and educate yourself and your children about these lovely homes,” explained Jean Murphy, Housewalk co-chairman and Society vice president.
Go to the walking tour page, download the pdf and print out the tour(s) of your choice or point your cell phone at the QR code on the lawn signs in the various neighborhoods. You can find the signs at the Society, St. Paul Lutheran Church, the St. Paul Cemetery (north of the Mount Prospect Post Office), Lions Park, St. Mark Lutheran Church, St. Raymond Catholic Church and the Mt. Prospect Country Club.