Events

Celebrate Flappers, Gangsters & the World’s Fairat the Seventh Annual “History in the Headlines” Dinner

The Mount Prospect Historical Society will hold the “Guys and Dolls Speakeasy Soirée,” its seventh annual History in the Headlines dinner, on Saturday, April 21, at Rob Roy Country Club, 505 E. Camp McDonald Rd., Prospect Heights.

This year the Mount Prospect Historical Society will re-imagine the atmosphere enjoyed in area speakeasies during Prohibition. 

The Roaring Twenties was a time of sustained economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the United States and Western Europe, but particularly in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.  Jazz music blossomed, the “flapper” redefined the modern look for women in the United States and Britain, and Art Deco peaked. 

The spirit of the time was marked by a general feeling of novelty associated with modernity and a break with traditions.  Everything seemed to be feasible through modern technology and jazz, and dancing rose in popularity in opposition to the mood of World War I. 

Unlike the Society’s six previous History in the Headlines dinners, only one meal will be offered this year.  All guests will enjoy a prime rib carving station, along with salad, vegetables, bread and, of course, dessert for $50 per person.  Call the office with other dietary needs.

There will also be a cash bar for everyone with signature cocktails of the era offered.

Partygoers are welcome to dress casually or elegantly and even to wear clothing of the 1920s or 1930s.  After dinner they will be entertained by Bill Hazelgrove, author of “Al Capone and the 1933 World’s Fair.”

He will talk about Capone’s gangster life and how worried World’s Fair organizers got him out of the picture during the event.

There will also be a challenging 1920s and 1930s trivia competition, inserted during Mr. Hazelgrove’s intermission, and a raffle.

All of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Mount Prospect Historical Society’s many educational projects and help pay for upkeep on the 1906 Dietrich Friedrichs house museum and the 1896 one-room Central Schoolhouse.  

Come join your neighbors to watch the 1950 Technicolor, musical-comedy “Tea for Two,” starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, while enjoying the ambiance of inside the 1896 one-room Central School.

The movie will be shown in the Mount Prospect Historical Society’s schoolhouse at 103 S. Maple St., on Wednesday, March 21. The building will open at 6 p.m. and the movie starts at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. The movie lasts approximately 1-1/2 hours.

Set in the Roaring 20s, “Tea for Two” features Doris Day as Nanette Carter, a socialite with show business aspirations. The movie and music is loosely based on the 1925 stage musical “No, No, Nanette.” The film was the first in which Doris Day received top billing and marked the first time she danced on-screen.

While there is no cost to enjoy the movie, donations are graciously accepted to support the many educational projects of the Society and help to pay for upkeep on the 1906 Dietrich Friedrichs house museum and the 1896 one-room Central Schoolhouse. For more information about contributing to the Society, phone 847/392-9006.

Caroline:  Little House Revisited by Sarah Miller

Book Chat & Wine — Friday, March 9 CANCELLED

Due to unforeseeable circumstances we regrettably announce that this event has been cancelled until a future date.

If you enjoyed reading the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder as a girl, then author Sarah Miller’s book Caroline:  Little House Revisited told from the perspective of Wilder’s mother, Caroline Quiner Ingalls, will be sure to capture your interest.  A Ladies Night Out Book Chat about Miller’s book is set for Friday, March 9, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Mount Prospect Historical Society Dietrich Friedrichs House Museum, located at 101 S. Maple St.  The evening program is $15, which includes wine, coffee and light desserts.  Attendance is limited to 20 people.   

“Honestly, as a girl reading the original book series I never considered what making a home on the frontier was like for Caroline Ingalls,” said Michele Runde, member of the museum’s Living History committee.  The book, which was written with the full approval of the Little House Heritage Trust, takes readers from the Big Woods in Wisconsin to the edge of the western frontier.  “Miller’s book is very respectful of the original stories but moves deeper into the everyday reality faced by a pioneer woman.  Leaving home in the 19^th century came with the real possibility that you might not see your extended family again,” she said.

Caroline:  Little House Revisited is published by Harper Collins and is available for order on Amazon.  Mount Prospect Public Library also has the audiobook in its collection.  To register through PayPal see below,  or call 847/392-9006.