Mount Prospect Historical Society

Blacksmith Demo
2023-10-21 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us at 101 S. Maple Street on Saturday, October 21 between 11 am and 3 pm to see our new blacksmiths, Solomon and Peter, in action. This event is free and no registration is necessary.

Afternoon Tea: True Chicago Stories with Martina Mathisen
2023-11-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
The 1920’s are saturated with surprise, sequins, and murder! A fun and funny flapper named Flora tells us how fashion, crime, and prohibition mixed with explosive creativity shaped the decade of the century. You will learn fact from fiction and how reality relates to the 2002 Oscar-winning film Chicago. This interactive and highly engaging program is a front row seat for the compelling stories of Chicago in the 1920’s. Travel back in time and let Flora the flapper educate and entertain you.
Register here.

Monthly Needlecraft Night
2023-11-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Project Linus provides handmade blankets to children 0-18 who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. The blankets are collected locally and distributed in hospitals, shelters and social service agencies.
We will tie knots or crochet in edges. Fleece will be provide . Please bring a crochet hook ( size G-I) if you have one and a pair of scissors.
All experience levels are welcome. A $5 donation is suggested. Register here.

Second Sundays at the Society
2023-11-12 11:30 - 13:30 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Join us at the Society for our Second Sunday open house program. This month’s theme is turkeys. Stop by Central School (103 S. Maple) for a variety of hands-on activities and make-and-takes for all ages. The Dietrich Friedrichs House Museum (101 S. Maple) will also be open for tours. This event is FREE.

Holiday Housewalk
2023-12-01 15:30 - 21:00
This year we feature the Triangle neighborhood in Mount Prospect, IL

Winter Evergreen Arrangement Class
2023-12-04 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-12-05 18:30 - 20:30
Join Instructor Jill Tumberger and the Mount Prospect Historical Society for an evening out while creating a beautiful winter evergreen arrangement. All supplies will be provided but please bring your own gardening clippers/shears.
Limited to 15 attendees.
To register, visit: https://www.mtphist.org/winter-evergreen-programs/

Second Sundays at the Society
2023-12-10 11:30 - 13:30 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Stop by Central School (103 S. Maple) for our annual “Gingerbread” Open House. This popular event includes a variety of holiday make-and-takes for all ages. The Dietrich Friedrichs House/Museum (101 S. Maple), which is beautifully decked out for the holidays, will also be open for tours. Hot cocoa will be served. This event is FREE.

Monthly Needlecraft Night
2023-12-13 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-12-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Join us and make your very own ” no sew” holiday star ornament. All experience levels are welcome! A $5 donation is suggested.
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.
Register here.

Bessie's Workbasket
2024-01-10 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-01-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
The Mount Prospect Historical Society will be continuing monthly needlecraft nights under a new name — Bessie’s Workbasket.
Join us the second Wednesday of each month in Central School (103 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect) from 10:00 am-12:00 pm or 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 $10 donation per class is suggested.
On January 10, we will make Granny Squares. Who was the grandmother who made the first granny square? We’ll look at several women from the late 19th century who are often credited with designing beautiful afghans made out of crocheted blocks. We’ll learn the basic stitches and how to read a pattern and chart. We’ll also share several modern patterns to extend our design and techniques.
Register at: https://www.mtphist.org/bessies-workbasket/.

Second Sundays at the Society - "Meet" the Friedrichs
2024-01-14 11:30 - 13:30 | Dietrich Friedrichs House Museum, 101 S. Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Stop by the Dietrich Friedrichs House and “Meet” the Friedrichs, the first owners of the home. Costumed interpreters will guide you through the house and tell you what it was like in the early 1900s. Central School will also be open for fun seasonal make-and-takes and visits. This FREE event welcomes all ages and no registration is necessary.

Evening Creations at MPHS - Vintage Jewelry or Button Picture Frames
2024-01-22 18:30
Use old costume jewelry or buttons to create a 5”x7” picture frame. Add your own picture and bring history to life!
Note: Basic black picture frames, some jewelry/buttons, and other supplies will be provided. If you have jewelry, buttons or a picture frame of your own that you would like to use, feel free to bring them to class.
Instructor: Linda Burns
Cost: $10
Visit https://www.mtphist.org/evening-creations/ for more information or to register.

Second Sundays at the Society - Valentines
2024-02-11 11:30 - 13:30 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
This month’s theme is Valentines. Come join us in Central School to make a Valentine for someone special, indulge your craftiness with a make-and-take, and learn the history of this beloved holiday. The Dietrich Friedrichs House will also be open for tours. This FREE event welcomes all ages and no registration is necessary.

Bessie's Workbasket
2024-02-14 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-02-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
The Mount Prospect Historical Society will be continuing monthly needlecraft nights under a new name — Bessie’s Workbasket.
Join us the second Wednesday of each month in Central School (103 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect) from 10:00 am-12:00 pm or 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 $10 donation per class is suggested.
On February 14, we will Knit Like a Viking! Trichinopoly or Viking knitting makes a filigree cord made out of metal! Early examples of this ancient technique were found in 8th-century Scandanavian burial sites, and the design is still fashionable today. We will make a bracelet using simple tools and wire.
Visit https://www.mtphist.org/bessies-workbasket/ to register.

Afternoon Tea - Barbie: The History of America's Most Famous Doll
2024-02-17 13:00 - 14:30 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Join us for afternoon tea and a presentation!
She might be the most famous doll in the world. For more than sixty years, Barbie has been played with, analyzed, collected, criticized and loved. In this illustrated lecture, historian Leslie Goddard delves into the history of Barbie and her inventor, the passionately creative – and intensely competitive — Ruth Handler.
Learn what inspired Handler to develop Barbie in 1959, how Barbie helped make Mattel one of the world’s most successful toy companies, and what Barbie’s impact has been on American culture.
Presented by Leslie Goddard

MPHS Book Club
2024-02-24 19:00 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
What’s it like to be a historian? We’ll find out at our inaugural Book Club meeting with Emily Dattilo, local author and Director of the Mount Prospect Historical Society. We’ll discuss her new book, “Mount Prospect Historic Sites” and find out about her process for building the Museum’s collection, cataloging and organizing artifacts and data, and creating a story about the first hundred years of our history. What should be included in the collection? What makes an artifact historical? How should citizen historians participate in identifying and appreciating local history? Bring your curiosity to participate in a lively discussion about our Village.

Second Sundays at the Society - A Peek in Mount Prospect's Attic
2024-03-10 11:30 - 13:30 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Join us at Central School for a unique opportunity to take a peek behind the scenes at the Society. Don’t miss this chance to view artifacts from our collection. You can see firsthand how we store and archive historic items from Mount Prospect’s past. This event is free and no registration is necessary. The Dietrich Friedrichs House Museum will also be open for tours.

Bessie's Workbasket
2024-03-13 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
The Mount Prospect Historical Society will be continuing monthly needlecraft nights under a new name — Bessie’s Workbasket.
Join us the second Wednesday of each month in Central School (103 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect) from 10:00 am-12:00 pm or 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 $10 donation per class is suggested.
Upcoming class topics will be posted throughout the year so be sure to check back regularly for updated information.

Mount Prospect Stories: Dressing for a New Era (MPPL)
2024-03-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Mount Prospect Public Library
Join MPHS Director, Emily Dattilo, at the Mount Prospect Library for her presentation on Mount Prospect fashion during the 1950s and 1960s.
This event is free but registration is required. https://mppl.libnet.info/event/9506692

Bessie's Workbasket
2024-04-10 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-04-10 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-05-08 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-05-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Central School, 103 South Maple Street, Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, United States
Join us the second Wednesday of each month in Central School (103 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect) from 10:00 am-12:00 pm or 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 $10 donation per class is suggested.
Upcoming class topics will be posted throughout the year so be sure to check back regularly for updated information.

Second Sundays at the Society
2024-04-14 11:30 - 13:30
Join us at our monthly open house, Second Sundays at the Society!
Did you know Mount Prospect is a Tree City USA? Join us in Central School (103 S. Maple Street) for a cute make-and-take tree crafts! All ages are welcome. The Dietrich Friedrichs House will also be open for tours.
This event is free and no registration is necessary.

Second Sundays at the Society
2024-05-12 11:30 - 13:30
Join us at this month’s Second Sundays at the Society open house! This month’s theme is flowers. Stop by Central School to try your hand at a variety of crafty blooms. Or pose for a photo op with Mom in our beautiful garden to celebrate Mothers’ Day. The Dietrich Friedrichs House will also be open for tours.
This event is free and no registration is necessary.

All Summer Long Container Flower Garden
2024-05-28 18:30 - 20:30
Learn new flower design ideas and create a perfect flower container that is beautifully balanced to last all summer long. The pot, soil, fertilizer and sun annuals are provided. Bring your gardening gloves and tools. While you’re at it, why not ask a friend to join you for this fun and creative workshop.
Instructor: Jill Tumberger, Container Designer
