Western Springs Historical Society

Western Springs Historical Society In the mid to late 1800's the area we now know as WS was predominantly settled by Quakers and Swedes. Our historic water tower was built in 1892.

The Museum is open on Saturday from 10-noon. Stop by and see our colonial dress exhibit. Lois Phelps hand-made this dres...
06/19/2026

The Museum is open on Saturday from 10-noon. Stop by and see our colonial dress exhibit. Lois Phelps hand-made this dress for the Bicentennial Ball in 1976.

In 1976 the Western Springs Bicentennial Committee hosted a Bicentennial Ball. Guests were encouraged to wear costumes f...
06/18/2026

In 1976 the Western Springs Bicentennial Committee hosted a Bicentennial Ball. Guests were encouraged to wear costumes from various periods in American history.

This 1978 newspaper piece features the attire that Lois Phelps hand-made for the event. The dress that Lois is wearing has been donated to the WSHS by their family and it is now on exhibit at the Tower Museum in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our country.

The Bicentennial Ball was held in the Lyons Township South Campus gymnasium. Music, both contemporary and historical, was provided for a ticket price of $5.





Congratulations to our 2026 LTHS Scholarships recipients! The winner of our annual Carol Young Scholarship is Lilian ...
06/17/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 LTHS Scholarships recipients!

The winner of our annual Carol Young Scholarship is Lilian Grigsby. The RoseMarie Lipinski Scholarship was awarded to Chloe Russell. Michael Scrodo, WSHS President and Liz Otto Haskin, WSHS Education Chair presented the awards.

Congratulations to Lilian & Chloe.

The RoseMarie Lipinski Scholarship, is funded by Bill Lipinski in honor of his late wife RoseMarie, and the Carol Young Scholarship is funded by the WSHS to acknowledge our LTHS volunteers.


After reviewing hundreds of applications from across the country, the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission picked...
06/13/2026

After reviewing hundreds of applications from across the country, the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission picked Western Springs as one of several towns to be an official “Bicentennial Community”.

These next few weeks we will be sharing memories from our town's past celebrations of our country's independence.



Reminder:Our Member's Event is tomorrow, Saturday, June 13 from 9:30 to 11:30.
06/12/2026

Reminder:
Our Member's Event is tomorrow, Saturday, June 13 from 9:30 to 11:30.

WE ARE OPEN!The Museum is open Saturday from 10 to noon. Time has a funny way of slipping by. This old look for the Wate...
06/05/2026

WE ARE OPEN!
The Museum is open Saturday from 10 to noon.

Time has a funny way of slipping by. This old look for the Water Tower stairs feels like a distant memory. The entrance of the Water Tower was updated in late 2012.

The restoration of our David Gilmour Blythe portrait of Frederick Crumbaugh has been completed and is now on display at ...
06/05/2026

The restoration of our David Gilmour Blythe portrait of Frederick Crumbaugh has been completed and is now on display at the Tower for all to enjoy. The full collection of Crumbaugh artwork will be unveiled later this summer during a formal dedication ceremony.

The final opportunity to enter the drawing for the signed and framed Vickery Four Seasons prints will be at our Members Event on Saturday, June 13, at 10:00 a.m.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we are now just $1,721.70 away from reaching our Save the Crumbaughs fundraising goal. It's not too late to contribute. We will continue fundraising until we achieve our goal and ensure the preservation of this important collection for future generations.


During the village’s first half-century or more, residents who wanted to purchase a gift for a loved one or special occa...
06/04/2026

During the village’s first half-century or more, residents who wanted to purchase a gift for a loved one or special occasion would go to the local mercantile store, the “five and dime” variety store, or take a train to downtown Chicago where they could shop the large department stores.

But, in the late 1950’s, this changed when the Tower Gift & Tot Shop opened at 905 Burlington. Business must have been brisk because, in the 1960’s, the owner, Helen Snyder, built a new, larger store at 4472 Lawn, across the street from the current Post Office. This is a photo of the building under construction.

While the one-story building to the right of the gift shop was originally an art gallery, it eventually became The Bath Nook and was later purchased by the Tower Gift Shop. Ownership of the 2-story building changed twice in the 1970’s, and in 1983 the shop was purchased by Karen Carlson and renamed Karen’s Gifts for Home and Bath. The store also expanded its merchandise lines, even adding floral arrangements and a bridal registry. In early 1992, Karen’s became Elegante Accents. While continuing to offer gift items, the store expanded into more home accessories such as lamps, paintings, carpet and tiles. In more recent history the building was home to Beautiful Beginnings, and now BB’s Baby Donuts & .

This is from Western Springs Short Stories book--a collection of anecdotal moments on the history of our Village written by resident John Devona. The book’s 514 pages feature 220 short stories. A must-read for any resident past or present, young or old. It is available for $30 at the Tower Museum on Saturdays, 10am to noon or at Clever Girl, The Uptown Shop and Village True Value.

Revolutionary War Weekend13-14 Cantigny, Winfield, ILSaturday, June 13, 10 am – 9 pmSunday June 14, 10 am – 5 pmJoin Can...
06/02/2026

Revolutionary War Weekend
13-14 Cantigny, Winfield, IL
Saturday, June 13, 10 am – 9 pm
Sunday June 14, 10 am – 5 pm

Join Cantigny and The North West Territory Alliance for a two-day Revolutionary War Reenactment. Get a feel for camp life, experience a battle and enjoy the sights and sounds of the 18th century. Food will be available for purchase. The Wheaton Municipal Band will perform at 7 pm on Saturday.

Wednesday in West Chicago.
06/01/2026

Wednesday in West Chicago.

Address

Western Springs, IL
60558

Opening Hours

10am - 12pm

Telephone

+17082469230

Website

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