Category Archives: Lemont History

Taming the Illinois Wilderness

If you’ve walked through County Forest Preserve trails you have some idea of what Northern Illinois looked like before Illinois became a state in 1818. The land was wilderness: woods and grasslands. Native American trails were intended for foot traffic. … Continue reading

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ILLINOIS! 200 YEARS YOUNG TODAY!

  On December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state in the Union. Last month’s blog was part one of an excerpt from my mystery novel, The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods. Today’s post is the conclusion, and depicts what … Continue reading

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Illinois Bicentennial: Life in Northern Illinois Two Hundred Years Ago

ILLINOIS BICENTENNIAL LIFE IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO PART ONE   After the Revolutionary War, the Northwest Territories were set aside as  lands belonging to the newly-formed United States. The territories were Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. … Continue reading

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FOREST FIRES VS CHICAGO AREA’S SIZZLING SUMMERS

Forest Fires: Why the Chicago Area Doesn’t Have Them “Stop the car! Just stop, now! Look!” Despite that he was driving in bumper to bumper traffic, I insisted that my husband, Chris, see what I was seeing – the most … Continue reading

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Three-year-old Elsie, 1893-1896

Three-year-old Elsie, 1893-1896 The first permanent settlers came to Northern Illinois in the 1830s and by the mid-1800s many nearby towns had grown to be of significant size. On 127th Street in Lemont is St. Matthew’s Cemetery. Cemeteries like St. … Continue reading

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America’s Love of Air Racing – 1930s –  Rudy Kling, “Speed King”

With the Chicago Air and Water Show about to begin, I thought it a good time to tell the story of a giant of Air Racing and local boy made famous! In the late 1920s and the entire 1930s, America … Continue reading

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Ghosts of the Quarries

Many ghost hunters describe something called the “limestone theory,” holding that paranormal activity is more frequent in areas where there are large amounts of limestone. One possible explanation is that the chemical makeup of limestone is similar to that of … Continue reading

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A Walk along the River

  Yesterday afternoon my husband pulled me away from my computer to take a walk on what might turn out to be the last warm day before the onset of winter. I picked the place though. I had done a … Continue reading

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Join Me at A River Thru History Rendezvous September 10 & 11

Those of you who follow this blog are well acquainted by now with the importance of the area’s rivers and waterways to the Chicago area. This weekend you have a unique opportunity to see this history first-hand at A River … Continue reading

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The Chicago Portage and Its Importance

My new book release, The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods, has a number of scenes where the characters travel through the Chicago Portage.  It was this arrangement of bodies of water and ground level that was responsible for the City … Continue reading

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