Lombard Historical Society

Lombard Historical Society As the stewards of Lombard’s heritage, we will continue to make history meaningful for the community.

Ever wonder what an ad looked like in the newspaper from the 1940s? Located in the "Lombard Spectator," these A&P ads to...
08/31/2026

Ever wonder what an ad looked like in the newspaper from the 1940s? Located in the "Lombard Spectator," these A&P ads took up a whole page!

Happy National Beach Day!Beach fashion looked very different in Victorian American from today. In the Victorian era, swi...
08/30/2026

Happy National Beach Day!

Beach fashion looked very different in Victorian American from today. In the Victorian era, swimwear was a style of outer clothing at the time, which was heavy and even dangerous in the water, especially in the case of dress style swimwear for women.

A day at the beach might mean a long bathing gown, bloomers, stockings, and bathing shoes, along with a hat or a bathing cap. These bathing gowns were loose ankle-length full-sleeve chemise type gown made of wool or flannel, so modesty or decency was not threatened. These gowns would not turn transparent when wet and had little weights sewn into the hems so that they would not rise up in water. Men's bathing suits were usually made of wool covered considerably more than today's swimwear.

Going to the beach was a large social affair! People came to stroll, visit, relax, and be seen. Striped bathing tents, parasols, and bathing machines were all part of the seaside scene. Bathing machines were roofed and walled wooden carts that rolled into the sea. They were popular from the 18th century until the early 20th century, and allowed people at beaches to change out of their usual clothes, change into swimwear, and wade straight into the ocean.

But beach fashion was not changing at the same pace everywhere. By the second half of the 19th century, seaside dress in parts of Europe, particularly France, was beginning to move away from the heavier, more concealing styles seen in America. Sleeves became shorter or disappeared altogether, hemline rose to the knees, and bathing garments became more fitted around the body.

This image shows an 1886 fashion engraving from the French periodical, "La Mode Illustrée" depicting Victorian-era beachwear and bathing costumes.

We’re are one week away from one of our favorite nights of the year — the 5th Annual Food Truck Social on Maple Street!J...
08/29/2026

We’re are one week away from one of our favorite nights of the year — the 5th Annual Food Truck Social on Maple Street!

Join us Saturday, September 5, from 4–9 PM at the Lombard Historical Society, 23 W. Maple Street, for an evening with 8 food trucks, live music, family fun, and community as we celebrate America 250 together.

This year we have so much planned, including the Red, White & Bluey Meet & Greet, kid-friendly activities, face painting, bubbles, Hoops Chicago arcade games, live music from Tautologic and the Southside Blues Brothers Tribute Band, plus our 50/50 Split the Pot Raffle.

We also want to take a moment to thank the wonderful sponsors who help make this event possible. Their support allows us to bring this community celebration to life while also supporting the Lombard Historical Society’s mission to preserve and share Lombard’s history.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Village of Lombard Local Tourism Grant Program, Gina Damore Realtor, Seagraves Financial Group, Retro Glow Cycles, Waste Management, Lombard Bank & Trust, Prairie Honey Floral Studio, Your PROMO Partners, AAM Advisors Asset Management, Illinois Arts Council, Sal’s Beverage World, Flint Architects, Yard Love, and L.A. Nayder Enterprises.

Bring your family, invite your friends, grab dinner from the trucks, enjoy the music, and help support local history. We can’t wait to see you on Maple Street!

Event tickets:
https://www.lombardhistory.org/annual-food-truck-social

50/50 raffle tickets: The Current Pot is Over $3,000
https://www.lombardhistory.org/raffle

Village of Lombard - Municipal Government Gina Damore - Get More with Damore- Keller Williams Realtor Retro Glow Cycles Seagraves Financial Group Waste Management - Lombard, IL Illinois Arts Council YardLove DreamDesigns Lombard Bank & Trust Prairie Honey Floral Studio Flint Architects Sal's Beverage World L A Nayder Enterprises, Inc Discover DuPage BeLocal

August 24th was Iconic American Restaurants Day, and while the day has passed we still wanted to highlight a historic an...
08/29/2026

August 24th was Iconic American Restaurants Day, and while the day has passed we still wanted to highlight a historic and popular restaurant in downtown Lombard: The Babcock's Grove House!

The building itself has quite a story! Back in 1858, Dietrick Klusemeyer built this stone hotel. The three-story building had a tavern on the first floor, hotel rooms on the second, and a ballroom on the third. For many years, it was an important gathering place in the community.

Peter Wiegand took over the hotel in 1889 and eventually purchased it in 1900. He continued running it until 1910. A couple years later, George O'Connor bought the building and converted it into a commercial space.

Today, you can sit down for a meal inside the old Lombard Hotel and still see reminders of the building's history! Be sure to stop by today to see some cool Lombard history!

Pictured is the old Lombard Hotel through the years. The first picture was taken in the early 1900s, the second was taken sometime after 1910, and the third is what it looks like today!

Here's a look back at the Sheldon Peck Homestead before it became a museum!These photos were taken during the Homestead ...
08/28/2026

Here's a look back at the Sheldon Peck Homestead before it became a museum!

These photos were taken during the Homestead Restoration Project, which took place from 1996 to 1999.

One interesting fact was that relocating the house to Lilacia Park was actually considered at one point! In the end, the Village trustees chose to purchase the property, keeping the Homestead right where it had stood since it was built in the 1839!

Join us tomorrow for our last Music on Maple Street of 2026!Dawn Xiana Moon's music draws from folk, pop, jazz, and trad...
08/28/2026

Join us tomorrow for our last Music on Maple Street of 2026!

Dawn Xiana Moon's music draws from folk, pop, jazz, and traditional Chinese music. Her songs move between English, French, and Mandarin Chinese, with instruments like the guzheng and erhu adding another layer to her sound.

Friday, August 28, 2026
7 PM - 8:30 PM
23 W. Maple Street.
This is a FREE concert!

Bring a blanket or lawn chair and make an evening of it with friends. Pack a picnic and something to drink, or grab a treat from Dairy Queen on the way!

The Music on Maple Street series is presented with support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the Lombard Rotary.

Remembering Sheldon Peck on his 229th BirthdayYesterday marked the 229th birthday of Sheldon Peck, one of Lombard's earl...
08/27/2026

Remembering Sheldon Peck on his 229th Birthday

Yesterday marked the 229th birthday of Sheldon Peck, one of Lombard's earliest settlers and an important figure in our community's history.

Born in Vermont in 1797, Sheldon and his wife, Harriet, came to Babcock's Grove and purchased 80 acres. Their home soon became a gathering place for the growing community.

As a self-made artist, Sheldon also opened the area's first school in his home, paying the teacher himself and welcoming all children, including girls. Sheldon and Harriet were strong supporters of education and women's rights and active advocates of the temperance movement.

Sheldon and his family were also committed abolitionists and conductors on the Underground Railroad. His property provided a place of refuge for freedom seekers making their way to safety.

Want to learn more about Sheldon Peck? Visit the Sheldon Peck Homestead (355 E. Parkside Ave) today from 12 - 4 PM. Explore Lombard's oldest house, see some original belongings from the Peck family, and look for the axe marks Sheldon left in the ceiling beams!

🍀Feeling lucky? Last year's winner took home more than $3,000!There's still time to enter the Lombard Historical Society...
08/26/2026

🍀Feeling lucky? Last year's winner took home more than $3,000!

There's still time to enter the Lombard Historical Society's 2026 50/50 Split the Pot Raffle!

🎟Tickets are 1 for $5 or 5 for $20, with online sales ending on September 3rd.

You can purchase tickets online or from a Lombard Historical Society Board member! Tickets will also be available in person at the Food Truck Social on September5th, right up to the drawing at 8:30 PM.

Half the pot goes to the lucky winner, while the other half supports the Lombard Historical Society and our work preserving and sharing Lombard's history.

You do not need to be present to win! The drawing will be live streamed on Facebook and the winner will be contacted directly.

Who knows what this year's pot will bring? It could be you!
🎟Get your tickets with the link in the comments.

📆Remember: online ticket sales end September 3rd! After that, stop by the Food Truck Social on September 5th to get your tickets!

08/26/2026

Do you want the house tour?

The Victorian Cottage is open for tours Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm!

Special thanks to our amazing interns, Tessa and Kathleen. We are so grateful that they lent their hard work and brilliant minds to us this summer to help us preserve Lombard's history!

As we remember Dolly Parton, we're sharing this little piece of local history from the "Lombard Spectator" in September...
08/26/2026

As we remember Dolly Parton, we're sharing this little piece of local history from the "Lombard Spectator" in September 28, 1977.

The ad announces the 1977 Miss York Township pageant, whose theme was "Love Is Like a Butterfly," Dolly's hit song from that year.

A small reminder of just how deeply her music had already become part of American life and how it found its way into our own local history.

Rest in peace, Dolly. 🦋

Address

23 W Maple Street
Lombard, IL
60148

Telephone

+16306291885

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