Evanston History Center

09/01/2026

There's so much happening at the History Center in September that we barely fit it all into the graphic! We look forward to seeing you!

🗣 Sept 1 6:30pm Talks@EHC: Great Lake: An Unnatural History of Lake Michigan
In person event is filled to capacity, so join us on Facebook Live. FREE

🚶🏽‍♀️Sept 5, 11am Walking Tour: Prairie School, North Evanston
Learn about Prairie School architecture and see its examples in Evanston. $15-20

☕️ Sept 9, 12pm Curiosity Cafe: Evanston’s History Murals  
Lunchtime/coffee conversation on the story behind some Evanston murals with Art Encounter FREE.

🚶🏽‍♀️Sept 12, 11am Walking Tour: Historic Apartment Buildings
Madeline Crispell explores how the architectural styles that were popular for houses were also applied to the apartment buildings in Southeast Evanston. $15-$20

🗣 Sept. 16, 6:30pm  Talks@EHC: Native Illinois History and Contemporary Issues
Dr. Dorene Wiese, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe–White Earth, details the history of tribal nations in the Chicago area. FREE. Sponsored by Illinois Humanities

👪 Sept 23 2-5pm Free Family Day
Dawes House open house 1920s style, with games, snacks, live piano music, and crafts. FREE.

🚶🏽‍♀️Sept 26, 11am WalkingTour: Burnham in Evanston
Learn about the life of Chicago’s most well-known architect and his work in Evanston where he lived. $15-20

🗣 Sept 27, 4:30pm Talks@EHC: Nuestras Historias en Evanston/Our Stories in Evanston
Story sharing by Latino neighbors building home and community in Evanston with Evanston Latinos. FREE.

08/27/2026

Happy Birthday to Charles Dawes!

The Evanston History Center is grateful to make its home in the “Dawes House,” which is the former home Charles Gates Dawes. Dawes was born on this day, August 27, in 1865.

Who was Charles Dawes?

Dawes played a strategic role in many historic events of the 20th century.

As a lawyer, he defeated railroad monopolies.

As a financial expert, he founded a major Chicago bank. 

His reorganization of Allied supply in World War I was credited with shortening the war.

His leadership in revising postwar reparations earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.

He served in four presidential administrations as a financial and logistical expert. 

He was elected Vice President under Calvin Coolidge.

He was later appointed ambassador to England by President Hoover.

Dawes was a dedicated family man and a committed philanthropist. He established a network of food and housing assistance to the homeless and marginalized.

He was also a talented musician and a published composer, with a number one hit song. 

He left a legacy of generosity, empathy, and understanding that set him apart from his contemporaries.

Dawes and his family lived at 225 Greenwood in Evanston from 1909-1951. 

Dawes Elementary School in Evanston, Dawes Elementary School in Chicago, and Dawes Park in Evanston are named in his honor.

If you’re interested in learning more, the Dawes House is open for tours on Thurs-Sun from 1-4pm, cost $10. Included in the tour is the exhibit on Dawes life that is shown briefly here.

08/26/2026

Today, August 26, is National Women's Equality Day, marking the date in 1920 when American women gained the constitutional right to vote.

Evanston has a strong history of women's political activism: from suffragists such as Frances Willard and Catharine Waugh McCulloch, to 32 years of female mayorship (Joan Barr-Smith, Lorraine Morton, Elizabeth Tishdahl 1985-2017), to today's civic leaders such as Jan Schakowsky, Robin Rue Simmons, and Stephanie Mendoza.

We've chronicled this in a brand-new digital exhibit: Beyond the Ballot- Evanston Women in Politics & Public Service. It includes profiles, documents, photographs and more highlighting the many women who have dedicated their lives to serving the Evanston through political activism, civic engagement, or in elected office.

Check out these images to get a taste. The full exhibit, can be viewed here:
https://evanstonwomenexhibits.omeka.net/exhibits/show/politicsandpublicservice/introduction

We will continue to add information and interviews to this exhibit.
Thanks to Loyola University student Brenna Large, who researched, curated, and created this exhibit.

08/24/2026

Happy first day of school District 65!

So many things have changed, yet many have stayed the same since this photo was taken at Central School (South Evanston, no longer there) in 1902.

On the District 65 individual school webpages, you can now- thanks to our archives and some student researchers from Evanston Township High School- read a short history about each school. More can always be found by visiting the Research Room at the Evanston History Center- open Tues, Wed, Thurs and Sat 1-4pm. For example:

🏫 Which school was named for a D65 superintendent who expanded mental health services, introduced foreign language programs, and was known for making hand-dipped chocolate candies in their home?

🏫 Which school in Evanston was the first to have a kindergarten?

🏫 Which center is named after D65’s first Black superintendent, who in addition to building bridges between Black and White students, was also a talented singer and chef? 

🏫 Which school is named after the director of the largest women's organization in the USA at that time, also the first woman to have a statue in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. ?

🏫 Which school first held night classes where immigrant families could learn to speak English and understand American History in order to become citizens?

Answers: Chute, Dewey, J.E. Hill, Willard, Washington

Explore the individual pages at www.district65.net (click the school building icon then the About page on the individual school sites)

🙏 Thanks to former EHC boardmember and D65 educator Kim Hamilton for making this happen!

08/18/2026

Join us and Evanston Latinos on September 27!
Free, please RSVP: https://evanstonhistorycenter.org/event/nuestras-historias-en-evanston-our-stories-in-evanston/

Join us for Nuestras Historias en Evanston | Our Stories in Evanston 🇲🇽🇵🇷🇨🇴🇺🇸

As part of our Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, Evanston Latinos and the Evanston History Center invite our community to an afternoon of stories, culture, food, and music as we celebrate the people and experiences that are part of Evanston’s Latino history.

🎤 Featuring stories from Celia Carlino, Paula Cofresi Silverstein, and Chef Ernesto Rodriguez Carreño

🎶 Live music
☕ Pan y cafecito
🧡 Community & cultura

📅 Sunday, September 27
🕟 4:30 PM
🎟️ FREE / GRATIS

Our stories are part of Evanston’s history. Come celebrate them with us.

RSVP at EvanstonHistoryCenter.org

LatinoHistory LatinoHeritage Community Cultura

08/17/2026

"Let's look at something you spend all the time in and just give your glasses a different prescription." - Madeline Crispell

Thanks Ruixin Zhang and Evanston Roundtable for this insightful recap of our Walking Evanston's Alleys tour.

We'd love to see you on an upcpming walking tour! Click here for info and tickets.

https://evanstonhistorycenter.org/walking-tours/

Ordinary, everyday items like trash cans, bricks and alleys are often taken for granted by pedestrians, but the Evanston History Center’s Alleys walking

08/13/2026

Thanks to Madeline Crispell of the Chicago Maritime Museum for giving such an interesting talk on Great Lakes recreational sailing history!

Madeline covered

🛶 how Indigenous peoples crafted dugout canoes for racing by controlled burning and shaping the insides of tree trunks

🚢 19th century female lighthouse keepers

💪 the all-female crew of the Lady Eileen that raced to Mackinac in 1905 (whereas women could not join the Chicago Yacht Club until 1975)

⛵️ how the "America's Cup" got its name

and so much more!

🏴‍☠️ Fun fact: the word "yacht" comes from the Dutch "jatch," meaning "hunt." "Jatchschips" hunted pirates.

Curious to know more?

Madeline is leading the Walking Evanston's Alleys tour this Saturday, August 15, 11 am. Info and tickets via link in bio.

Dr. Ted Karamanski, a founding board member of the Chicago Maritime Museum, will be giving a talk based on his book Great Lake: An Unnatural History of Lake Michigan on Sept 1 at 6:30pm. Free, RSVP via link in bio.

Our next weekday Curiosity Cafe is Wednesday, September 9, 12noon. Lea Pinsky of Art Encounter's Evanston Mural Arts Program will explain the Evanston history depicted on three Evanston murals. Free, no RSVP needed.

We look forward to seeing you!

Image of Chicago Harbor courtesy of the Library of Congress. Other images courtesy of the Chicago Maritime Museum.

08/12/2026

Our next 🚶🏿‍♂️ tour highlights the alleyways of Evanston!

🚶🏽‍♀️Disscover how Chicago became the alley capital of the country

🚶🏼‍♂️Explore our architecture from a new perspective

🚶🏻‍♀️Learn how public health and sanitation shaped our region.

Join us this Saturday, August 15!
Led by Madeline Crispell Madeline Crispell

Begins at Chicago Ave and Dempster St.

Ticket $15-$20 via link in bio

08/04/2026

Our next 🚶‍♂️ tour highlights Prairie School architecture in Evanston. 

This tour will begin at the Evanston History Center, go south to Lee Street, and back.

Highlights include the iconic Carter House by Walter Burley Griffin, the Linthicum House by Tallmadge & Watson, and the Ballard House by John Van Bergen.

Join us this Saturday, August 8! Led by historian Kris Hartzell.

Ticket $15-$20 via link in bio

07/31/2026

Curious to know more about Daniel Burnham in Evanston? There are a few spots left for the August 1 "Burnham in Evanston" Walking Tour. Tickets at: https://evanstonhistorycenter.org/walking-tours/

The last structure of the vast Daniel Burnham estate was torn down this week. A giant mechanical shovel demolished a 1909 shelter that was built along the