Friends of the West Chicago City Museum

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Friends of the West Chicago City Museum The Friends of the West Chicago City Museum are a support group for the West Chicago City Museum.

The views and opinions expressed on this page are neither endorsed by nor are they the views and opinions of the City of West Chicago.

The West Chicago City Museum will be hosting a public ofrenda for the day of the dead. Anyone can drop off a photo in-pe...
10/08/2026

The West Chicago City Museum will be hosting a public ofrenda for the day of the dead. Anyone can drop off a photo in-person at the museum located on 200 Main St., DM us a photo here, or e-mail a photo to [email protected]. The image will be carefully placed on the ofrenda and anyone can come in and visit the display. We want West Chicago to have a place to celebrate and remember their loved ones and the history they left behind. Short biographies are also welcome for the display.

El Museo de West Chicago tendrá una ofrenda comunitaria para celebrar el Día de Mu***os. Todas las personas están invitadas a participar llevando una fotografía de sus seres queridos al museo, ubicado en 200 Main St., o enviándola por correo electrónico a [email protected]. Cada fotografía será colocada con mucho cuidado y respeto en la ofrenda, y toda la comunidad está invitada a visitar y disfrutar de este espacio especial. Queremos ofrecerle a la comunidad de West Chicago un lugar donde podamos honrar y recordar a nuestros seres queridos, así como las historias y el legado que nos dejaron. También pueden compartir una breve biografía o historia de sus seres queridos para incluirla en la exhibición.

Day of the Dead, or Día de Mu***os, is a Mexican tradition celebrated each year on November 1 and 2. It is a time for families and communities to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away. Rooted in Indigenous Mexican traditions and Catholic influences, Día de Mu***os celebrates the connection between the living and those who came before us. One of the most recognizable traditions is the ofrenda, or altar, decorated with photographs, candles, marigolds, favorite foods, and meaningful objects that honor loved ones. Each item helps celebrate their lives and keep their memories alive. Rather than being a time of sadness, Día de Mu***os is a celebration of life, family, memory, and the stories that connect generations. Through sharing photographs, memories, and traditions, we honor the lasting impact of those who came before us.

El Día de Mu***os es una tradición mexicana que se celebra cada año el 1 y 2 de noviembre. Es un momento en el que las familias y comunidades honran y recuerdan a sus seres queridos que han fallecido. Con raíces en las tradiciones indígenas de México y las influencias católicas, el Día de Mu***os celebra la conexión entre los vivos y quienes nos precedieron. Una de las tradiciones más representativas es la ofrenda, un altar decorado con fotografías, veladoras, flores de cempasúchil, comidas favoritas y objetos especiales que recuerdan a nuestros seres queridos. Cada elemento ayuda a celebrar sus vidas y mantener viva su memoria. Más que un momento de tristeza, el Día de Mu***os es una celebración de la vida, la familia, los recuerdos y las historias que unen a las generaciones. Al compartir fotografías, recuerdos y tradiciones, honramos el legado de quienes nos precedieron.

We had an absolutely beautiful night last night for the West Chicago City Museum’s 37th Annual Tales Tombstones Tell 🧡Th...
10/03/2026

We had an absolutely beautiful night last night for the West Chicago City Museum’s 37th Annual Tales Tombstones Tell 🧡

Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy the fall evening and local history in our oldest cemetery, Oakwood Cemetery! And a huge THANK YOU to all of our volunteers, readers and musicians who brought the stories of everyday West Chicagoans back to life 🧡

If you missed the walk, stay tuned as we will release a recording next week.

Are you heading to Tales Tombstones Tell this evening? Be sure to pick up our latest Charm of History while you are ther...
10/02/2026

Are you heading to Tales Tombstones Tell this evening? Be sure to pick up our latest Charm of History while you are there 🍁

Can’t make it tonight? Stop by the City Musuem and take our self guided cemetery walk tour to earn yours anytime before November 8th.

We were so happy to welcome Lourdes and the crew from WGN TV to the West Chicago City Museum for this Latine Heritage Mo...
09/30/2026

We were so happy to welcome Lourdes and the crew from WGN TV to the West Chicago City Museum for this Latine Heritage Month feature on traqueros and boxcar communities. It was especially meaningful to connect West Chicago’s local history to the larger Chicagoland story being explored by the researcher and curator Ismael Cuevas.

We are also incredibly grateful to the Pedraza family, who shared photographs of life in West Chicago’s boxcar camps with the Museum more than twenty years ago. Those photographs and family stories have helped shape many West Chicago City Museum exhibits and programs over the years.

It was wonderful to welcome Ellen back to West Chicago and to continue working together to share this important part of our community’s history with a wider audience.

You can watch the piece here: Link to watch the piece: https://wgntv.com/hispanic-heritage-month/rieles-y-raices-exhibit-highlights-mexican-rail-worker-legacy/

Rare find: a 1930s photo of families living in boxcars in West Chicago. Over two dozen of these communities lined the tracks in the Chicago area, home to the crews who kept Illinois' railroads running. Many were Mexican - like the Pedraza family. Thank you to Ellen Pedraza for sharing the pictures with me and allowing me to tell her story as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. WGN TV

Are you heading to the West Chicago Fire Protection District open house today? Be sure to check out the history behind o...
09/26/2026

Are you heading to the West Chicago Fire Protection District open house today? Be sure to check out the history behind our Fire District which started in our National Register City Museum at 132 Main Street!

West Chicago Fire Department in front of Turner Town Hall, which was the location of the first Fire Department, in 1908 Fires, Firemen and Fire Safety A History of Firefighting in West Chicagoby Martha Joy NobleOver the past decade, the City Museum has been working with a manuscript by local writer....

Happy 100 Years of History to West Chicago Community High School! It is a testament to the district and our community's ...
09/24/2026

Happy 100 Years of History to West Chicago Community High School! It is a testament to the district and our community's appreciation for history, that despite all the growing the high school has done, the original building (plus a few extra wings;) is still preserved and continues to serve West Chicago!

We hope all the students, teachers, staff, and alumni have a wonderful Homecoming this anniversary year!

09/15/2026

Happy Latine Heritage Month! Today kicks off the month long celebration! We had a wonderful time in downtown West Chicago on Sunday for Fiestas Patrias and starting today for the next month you can take our new Latine Heritage online tour to earn you monarch butterfly charm as part of our Charms of History program. Visit our tour app to explore West Chicago rich Latine heritage and then stop by the City Museum to pick up this charm while supplies last 🦋

15 years ago on the 10th Anniversary of September 11th, 2001, our West Chicago community collected student and community...
09/11/2026

15 years ago on the 10th Anniversary of September 11th, 2001, our West Chicago community collected student and community essays about remembrances of that horrible day and what freedom means.

The City Museum is grateful to have the three binders full of those community memories and thoughts around 9/11. We have pulled a sampling of those essays and posted them here on this 25th Anniversary of that tragic morning in our country’s history.

It’s a Charms of History weekend! If you are attending the West Chicago Historical Society/Kruse House Museum Ice Cream ...
09/10/2026

It’s a Charms of History weekend! If you are attending the West Chicago Historical Society/Kruse House Museum Ice Cream Social Fundraiser on Saturday you can pick up your ice cream charm! Can’t attend the ticketed event? Stop by the Kruse House Museum during their remaining free open Saturdays the rest of September or the City Museum to get your ice cream charm, while supplies last 🍦 💕

Address

132 Main Street
West Chicago, IL
60185

Opening Hours

Thursday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 3:30pm

Telephone

(630) 231-3376

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