OB History Vault | Oak Brook
Before Barbie: Local museum showcases the world of toys before Mattel-mania
By Anna Hughes When the Barbie movie came out last year, it took the world by storm. When the Barbie doll came out, it had the exact same effect. And then some. Barbie’s release by Mattel in 1959 was revolutionary in the world of toys. Although “fashion dolls” were popularized in the mid-19th century, Barbie…
Read MoreResurrecting Mary: Chicago’s most famous ghost-in-residence
By Maureen Callahan Legends. Every corner of the world has them. Local lore is part of a location’s identity. One dyed-in-the-wool staple of this area is the story of a young girl on her way home from an evening ball. Since the Roaring Twenties, Resurrection Mary has managed to elude dance hall patrons and cab…
Read MoreVisit Normandy
A calm escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris By Maureen Callahan In the wake of this summer’s 80th anniversary of D-Day, it’s all eyes on Normandy. And while history is around every corner here, this gem of a region is known for more than its museums and memorials. It is one of France’s…
Read MoreA Page Out of History: Downers Grove’s Baseball History
BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN I PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOWNERS GROVE MUSEUM Baseball. It’s the American game. Not only is it the country’s earliest seriously organized sport (there were cricket leagues before it), but, as Civil War and baseball historian Bruce Allardice points out, the game helped heal a fractured country after a war. The Downers Grove…
Read MoreA Lesson in History: Fullersburg Historic District
By Larry Atseff On Sunday, May 19, at 2 pm, at the Oak Brook Public Library, three local historians will share why Fullersburg from 1832-1862 was so pivotal to the area’s history, which today includes Hinsdale and Oak Brook. Lecturers include Sue Devick, Elizabeth Arts, and Don Fuller. This was a period when the Fuller…
Read MorePortraits of the Past: Leslie Goddard brings history to life
By Maureen Callahan Most of us dream of finding an occupation we love- something for which we have a heartfelt passion while still making a living. Leslie Goddard has managed to do just that. This home-grown historian brings the past back to life – in a fun and entertaining way – through character impersonations and…
Read MoreOut of the ashes: Six and a half decades later, Chicagoans still commemorate Our Lady of the Angels school fire
By Maureen Callahan The first day of December ushers in the holiday season. It’s a promise of happiness and celebration. But it’s also the day that Chicagoans pause to honor the memory of 92 children and three nuns who perished in a fire at Our Lady of the Angels School (OLAS) on the city’s near…
Read MoreOut of the ashes
Six and a half decades later, Chicagoans still commemorate Our Lady of the Angels school fire By Maureen Callahan The first day of December ushers in the holiday season. It’s a promise of happiness and celebration. But it’s also the day that Chicagoans pause to honor the memory of 92 children and three nuns who…
Read MoreCelebrating A Century of Open Road
Now in its 100th year, this slice of Americana still beckons travelers By Maureen Callahan The open road. It’s still the holy grail of travel. Route 66 was the first road that made the offer back in 1923. And millions of Americans accepted. Mr. Ford had introduced his Model-T over a decade earlier. Americans had…
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