HISTORY OF THE GUILD
The Chicago Historical Society was founded in 1856, nineteen years after Chicago was incorporated as a city, and is Chicago’s oldest cultural institution. More than 150 years later, the Chicago History Museum continues its role as a major urban history center committed to serving its many visitors with exhibitions, programs and publications that educate and respond to their v
aried needs and interests. In 1948, the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Historical Society voted to establish a women’s committee for the Museum. Board member Jean Morton Cudahy (Mrs. Cudahy, Jr.) convened a meeting of civic leaders at her home on December 10, 1948. This meeting became the inception of the support group now known as The Guild of the Chicago Historical Society. The Chicago Historical Society’s director, Paul M. Angle, outlined the purposes of The Guild to be as follows:
“To further public interest in the Chicago Historical Society and to encourage and promote the general activities of the Society; to create a friendly atmosphere for special events; to assist in entertaining distinguished visitors at the Museum or in private houses.” Gary T. Johnson, the current president, says “The Guild always has been the Museum’s best friend.”
At the urging of Mrs. Philip K. Wrigley, The Guild established the Council of Costume Associates in April 1974 for members and non-members of The Guild whose interests focused primarily on the Society’s costume collection. The Guild is committed to assisting with a variety of the Chicago History Museum’s needs and provides funding for many major projects. From 1967 to 1975, it contributed over $50,000 to the campaign to build a new wing for the Museum. In a modernization project launched in 1985, The Guild raised over one million dollars, making it the largest support group donor to the campaign. To honor this achievement, the original 1932 Georgian-style building was dedicated to The Guild. The Guild continues to focus on promoting greater interest in the Chicago History Museum’s programs and exhibitions. The Guild Exhibition Development Fund, established in 1997, helps to fund groundbreaking exhibitions at the Museum. Guild funds have also supported the Digital Photography Studio and the Museum’s Card Catalogue Conversion Project. In 2008, The Guild completed a pledge of a quarter of a million dollars to underwrite Chicago: Crossroads of America - the catalogue for the new Chicago History Galleries that were installed in conjunction with the Museum’s 150th Anniversary and the major renovation that took place at the time. In 2010, The Guild completed another $250,000 campaign for the design and renovation of the North & Clark Café Complex and The Guild Room. The Guild continues to be a major underwriter for a number of important initiatives, including Big Picture, an exhibition of paintings in Chicago, the creation of the Lincoln Bicentennial Teen Council in honor of the 2009 Year of Lincoln, and the Great Fire web application. As a leader among women’s boards in the city of Chicago, in May 2012 The Guild hosted an historic luncheon for 18 women’s boards serving Chicago’s cultural community. A plaque commemorating this historic event is on permanent display in The Guild Room. A dynamic group of over 350 women, The Guild today continues to provide strong support to the Chicago History Museum as it pursues its educational mission.
