We are so excited to offer a full calendar of programming in 2023! We want you to save the date on your calendar but we are not quite ready to take registrations. If you would like to be informed of when registration for events goes live, please fill out the form below.
Get out your needles and thread. The Mount Prospect Historical Society will be hosting Monthly Needle Craft Nights. Join us the second Wednesday of each month in Central School (103 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect) from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.
Bring your own knitting/crocheting/embroidery project or try our spotlight project each month. All experience levels are welcome. Advance registration is recommended and a $5 donation is suggested.
Join us for the last class of the year on December 13, 2023! We are offering TWO time options in December; 10 am-12 pm or 7-9 pm. We will be making no-sew stars.
We look forward to seeing you at this fun monthly program where you can learn a new skill, chat while working on your own project, or share your knowledge with other needlecraft enthusiasts.
The Mount Prospect Historical Society will soon offer a fascinating program about America’s favorite fictional teen sleuth – Nancy Drew.
Join expert Susan Becker to discover the story behind Nancy Drew at 1 p.m., Saturday, October 29, 2022 at the Society’s Central School, 103 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect.
First bursting on the scene in 1930, Nancy was an immediate success with girls yearning for a feminist role model before they even knew they wanted one. Nancy Drew Mysteries continue to be read today more than 80 years since her creation, mostly by granddaughters encouraged by grandmothers with fond memories of their time spent with the iconic girl detective.
“A magazine article spurred my interest in Nancy Drew several years ago,” says Becker. “I was intrigued
to discover the true history of Nancy and her creator.”
And don’t think that you are going to learn about Carolyn Keene! Nancy Drew’s true creator was Edward Stratemeyer, who took the pen name of Carolyn Keene when writing his Nancy Drew stories. Stratemeyer was the most prolific author of 20th century juvenile literature of whom you have never heard!
During his lifetime he developed over 125 different series, which in addition to the beloved Nancy Drew, included Tom Swift, the Bobbsey Twins and the Hardy Boys. Books and other items of interest will be on display.
Becker, who read her first Nancy Drew book at the age of eight, added, “I wish I hadn’t given away my own collection to a younger cousin.”
Tickets are $12 per person. Space is limited and take note that Society programs have sold out in the past. So, reservations must be made in advance. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information or to reserve your spot, please visit the Society’s website: www.mtphist.org or
phone 847-392-9006.
We’re right in the neighborhood. Come see what we have to offer!
In September, the 1906 Dietrich Friedrichs House (101 S. Maple Street, Mount Prospect) will celebrate its thirtieth birthday as a Museum and home for the Mount Prospect Historical Society. The Museum was dedicated in 1992. Join us for a special Second Sunday on September 11, 2022 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm to help us celebrate.
The House, restored and decorated to represent 1917, the year Mount Prospect officially became a chartered town, will be open for tours. Many artifacts from the Friedrichs family are on display.
Central School (103 S. Maple Street, Mount Prospect) will also be open for some birthday-themed activities. While you’re there, sign a special birthday card and grab a slice of birthday cake.
“We’re excited to welcome people into this historical home and celebrate this momentous occasion,” said Emily Dattilo, Director of the Society. “A visit is like stepping back into the past.”
This is a free event and all ages are welcome.
We’re right in the neighborhood. Come see what we have to offer! For more information call 847-392-9006.
Two sessions of the always popular Prairie Kids program will be held on July 21, 2022. Boys and girls, age seven and up, are invited to take part in these fun, step-back-in-time experiences. In session one, participants will try their hand at chores and games of yesteryear, make a yarn kid, sample homemade lemonade and plant vegetables.
Life as a Prairie Kid I will be offered from 9:30 to 11:30 am. Life as a Prairie Kid II will also be held on Thursday, July 21, 2022, but in the afternoon from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. In session two, participants will continue their exploration of life in the late 19th century as a prairie kid. They’ll try their hand at old-fashioned chores and games, make a paper chain and a no bake snack, and learn sewing skills.
The exciting Science of History program is back, too, and will be offered on Thursday, July 28, 2022 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. This STEM-based interactive program has been delighting kids in past summers with themes such as catapults, waterwheels, log cabin building, rockets, and boats. This year children ages seven and up will explore “Wind” in honor of the 270th anniversary of Ben Franklin’s kite flying experiment. They will be making kites, pinwheels, windsocks and more.
To complement the science program this year, the Society is presenting “If You Lived in Colonial Times” on Thursday, July 28, 2022 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Learn book binding skills, make a tin can light, sample tea or hot chocolate, and play games of yesteryear. There will be dress up photo opportunities, too!
“At the Mount Prospect Historical Society, we love bringing history alive for all ages,” said Deb Rittle, Society President and Living History Chair. “We once again look forward to having Young Historians join us this summer for our exciting adventures through time!”
All sessions will be held on the Society campus (101 S. Maple, Street, Mount Prospect). Space is limited and registration is required.
The cost is $25 per person for each session or $20 if registering for more than one program.
We’re right in the neighborhood. Come see what we have to offer! For more information about these programs or to register, visit https://www.mtphist.org/summer-programs-for-children-at-the-mphs/ or call 847-392-9006.
If you have never had the opportunity to visit our museum campus we hope that you will enjoy this video! If you would like to take a tour of our campus in person, please visit our Museum Tour Appointment Calendar and schedule your tour today!
Get your young historian ready for summer programming at the Mount Prospect Historical Society!
Cost: $25 per program (fee is non-refundable)
(Are you looking for week-long History Camp? Click here!)
Life as a Prairie Kid I
Thursday, July 20, 2023
9:30-11:30 am
Ages 7+
Come explore life in the late 19th century as a prairie kid. Try old-fashioned chores and games, make a yarn kid, sample homemade lemonade, and plant vegetables.
Life as a Prairie Kid II
Thursday, July 20, 2023
1:30-3:30 pm
Ages 7+
Continue your exploration of life in the late 19th century as a prairie kid. Try your hand at old-fashioned chores and games, make a paper chain and a no bake snack, and learn sewing skills.
The Science of History!
Thursday, July 27, 2023
9:30-11:30 am
Ages 7+
This year we’ll explore weather in our popular STEAM based program: Rain sticks, weather vanes, and rain gauges. We’ll even make rain and lightning!
If You Lived During the Gold Rush
Thursday, July 27, 2023
1:30-3:30 pm
Ages 7+
Celebrate the 175th Anniversary of Gold being discovered in this fun, interactive program. Plan your route to head out west. Learn what life was like in a mining town. Pan for gold.
Registration is now closed.