Northbrook History Museum

06/23/2026

Independence Day parade, 2001.

Do you have photos from a Northbrook 4th of July parade? Send them to [email protected] and we'll preserve them digitally and share them here! If you have photos you'd like to share, but also would like to keep for posterity, we can digitize them at our research facility -- Northbrook's Hope-Union Heritage Center -- Thursdays from 10am to 2pm. FREE 😎

06/20/2026

Irv Leavitt, a Pioneer Press journalist who covered the North Shore suburbs for three decades, died June 13, 2026.

06/19/2026

Get ready for Grapes on the Green this Saturday evening in Northbrook’s Village Green! Sip wine and enjoy live music from 4-8 p.m. in a setting steeped in history. Purchase tickets here: nbparks.co/grapes

Did you know the Village Green was once known as Barrenscheen’s Grove, a favorite 19th-century picnic escape for city dwellers? From its early days as East Northfield, Sherman, and Shermerville, to the arrival of the railroad in 1871, and now Northbrook, this land at the center of the Village has plenty of stories to tell. Artifacts like arrowheads found by the creek hint at centuries of heritage, while the downtown area itself dates back to the 1840s and the formation of Northfield Township. The Northbrook Park District preserved these ten acres in 1944, ensuring that future generations can relax under the same historic oaks that shaded the pioneers. As you enjoy the festivities, take a moment to look up and toast to the rich history of Northbrook!

06/17/2026

06/16/2026

Shermerville, c.1912.

06/15/2026

Downtown Northbrook (1950) 🎂

06/12/2026

Independence Day Parade, Northbrook, Illinois, 1975.

06/12/2026

As Northbrook is planning for another Fourth of July celebration, we’re looking back at one of the most memorable moments in parade history.

In 1966, the Village made national news with a “bandless parade” featuring more than 1,000 transistor radios carried by community groups along the route. Tuned to patriotic music, the radios created a moving soundtrack that drew an estimated 22,000 spectators and was featured on national television news – even The Today Show!

The success was repeated in 1967, continuing a uniquely Northbrook tradition that captured nationwide attention.

In 1968, the all-volunteer Northbrook 4th of July Association was formed, taking over planning of the parade and fireworks and carrying the tradition forward. Today, the parade and fireworks are planned by the Northbrook 4th of July Committee – a partnership between the Village of Northbrook and the Northbrook Park District.

Applications and sponsorships are still open for the 2026 parade. Join us in continuing this long-standing community celebration!

🔗Click here to apply: https://www.northbrook4thofjuly.com/

06/12/2026

🔍Did you know Northbrook was once called Shermerville? In 1923, residents voted to rename the Village after a community-wide contest. The winning name, Northbrook, was submitted by Ed Landwehr and approved by the Village Board in a 6-1 vote on January 8, 1923.

The community was named for the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River that flows through the center of town. At the time, the population of the Village, including adults and children, was around 500 people.

Thank you to the Northbrook History Museum and Heritage Center Archives for providing these photos!