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Curt Teich's Lake County Summer Home
The Curt Teich Postcard Archives—an internationally renowned collection—calls Lake County, Illinois home. As it turns out, so did Curt Teich. Curt Teich lounging at his summer property on Bluff Lake...
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Civil War Ghost of the 19th Illinois Regiment
Every so often a story comes along that makes you believe in ghosts. The tale of Private James A. Davis of the 19th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment is one of them. (right) Portrait of James...
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Butter vs. Oleo Margarine
It’s the holidays and that means lots of folks are baking sweets for family and friends. But will you use butter or margarine in your recipes? Until the late 19th century, that wasn't an option. Due to...
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Paramount Pictures Search for the 'Panther Woman'
In 1932, Paramount Pictures held a talent contest in search of a leading lady for their film, Island of Lost Souls, the first screen version of H.G. Wells's novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. The search...
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The Rustic Manor
From 1947 to 1986, Victor and Marian Trybom operated the Rustic Manor Restaurant in Gurnee to delighted patrons. One of the earliest views of the Rustic Manor Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge shown on a...
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Gabriella Antolini, the Dynamite Girl
In an age when anarchist bombings were daily news, the capture of 19-year-old Gabriella Antolini for carrying 50 pounds of dynamite and a pistol was a shock to many. On January 17, 1918, the "Dynamite...
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Susie Smith's Civil War Romance
During the Civil War, Susannah Smith (1839 - 1914) of Millburn wrote letters to her brother, George, who was with the 96th Illinois Regiment. One of George's comrades, Richard Thain, was rightfully...
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Dr. James Brister, Zion, Illinois
Dr. James Brister (1858 - 1916) was the first African-American dentist in Lake County, coming to Zion about 1903.James Brister, 1903 (right) courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania Collection....
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Beatrice Pearce, M.D., County's First Woman Doctor
Beatrice Pearce (1866 - 1948) was the first woman doctor in Lake County, and one of the first doctors in the frontier town of Ketchikan, Alaska.Dr. Beatrice Pearce, M.D., circa 1900. LCDM 92.34.293In...
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King Peter II Returns to Yugoslavia
King Peter II of Yugoslavia. The remains of the only king to be buried in the United States were repatriated from Libertyville to Serbia this January. Peter II Karadordevic (1923 – 1970) was the third...
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Joseph T. Bowen Country Club, Waukegan
One of Chicago's great civic leaders, Louise DeKoven Bowen (1859-1953), left the legacy of Bowen Park on Sheridan Road in Waukegan.Louise DeKoven Bowen (1859 - 1953) Bowen's career as a social reformer...
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Mineola Hotel - Endangered Site Designation
This week, Landmarks Illinois announced that it has placed the Mineola Hotel of Fox Lake on its annual 10 Most Endangered Historic Places list. Mineola Hotel, 91 Cora Avenue, Fox LakePhoto by Ed Gerns...
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C.R. Childs Real Photo Postcards of Lake County
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of National Postcard Week (in the U.S.), I wanted to feature the incredible work of real-photo postcard publisher, the C.R. Childs Company of Chicago (1906 - ca....
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Officer William Petersen 1893 - 1922
This week's post is in honor of National Police Week, and in memory of Officer William Petersen.Officer William Petersen on his Harley Davidson, circa 1922. Courtesy of the Westerman Family. On Friday,...
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Fort Sheridan and the Impact of Chemical Warfare
During World War I (1914-1918), Fort Sheridan was at the forefront of mustering and training soldiers. Much of that training focused on mastering trench warfare, since the frontline in Europe was...
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Women's Suffrage - 100 Years of the Right to Vote
On June 26, 1913, the State of Illinois approved women’s suffrage. Illinois was one of many states to approve women’s right to vote in advance of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920,...
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Confederates Join the 96th Illinois
In October 1862, while the 96th Illinois was in northern Kentucky, they were approached by two Confederate deserters—James Kenty and John McGill.Both men had enlisted from New Orleans with the 1st...
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Boxer Gene Tunney Trained Near Lake Villa
Gene Tunney, circa 1928World heavyweight champion, James Joseph "Gene" Tunney (1897-1978) trained for one of his famous bouts at Cedar Crest Country Club near Lake Villa.A New York native and son of...
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Battle of Chickamauga, September 18 - 20, 1863
For Lake County's 96th Illinois Infantry, Chickamauga was "A battle of tremendous proportions and fraught with mighty import."Today, this battle is not as well known in the North, most likely because...
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Chicago Indian Village Protests 1970-1972
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were a number of protests by Native Americans for better housing and social services. Some of these protests took place in Lake County.Some believe the protests...
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