La Grange Area Historical Society Wants Your Stories

I remember not long after moving into my home, my next door neighbor told me about her visit to the , 444 S. La Grange Rd. She wanted to find out the history on her home. After her visit she had some interesting information on her house. Her garage is only a one-car garage; it’s extra long, but not long enough for two cars. She found out that one of the owners had built the garage for his furniture caning business. In the warmer months he did his work in his garage.

That same owner raised four children in her home and after the birth of each child they planted an evergreen tree to honor the birth. Apparently the trees became too big and were removed by the previous owners.                                                   

Homes have so many stories inside them, both good and bad. Something that may seem ordinary to you might be interesting to someone who owns your home in the future. I’m sure at the time, caning furniture didn’t seem that interesting to the family living at my neighbor’s home, but years later it becomes a reflection of the times.

I was able to get information about a past La Grange resident who posed for one of the original Marlboro ads from the LGAHS because Mr. Stanley had been written up in one of the local newspapers at the time. If that didn’t show up in the local paper, the story would not have been in the LGAHS files. It’s up to our community to keep our history preserved for future generations. 

If you’re unsure of what to write, start out with giving a synopsis of your family. Include when you purchased the home, professions of people living in the home, any children born while living there, etc. Another idea is to include any special traditions that your family started or maintained specific to the home.

If you have done some major renovations to your home why not contribute some before and after pictures? 

You can contribute to other homes, as well as your own. I plan on submitting some of my pictures from the St. Baldrick’s fundraiser that took place Aug. 25 at 46 S. Waiola Ave. I’m sure there are many other events that have occurred at homes in our area that have untold stories.

You can submit your stories multiple ways: 

• By mail, to La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. La Grange Rd., La Grange, IL 60525
• By email, to lagrangehistory@sbcglobal.net
• By fax, to 708-482-4248

Or you can drop it off on Wednesdays between 9:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. or the last Sunday of each month from 1 and 4 p.m.

Please mark the outside of the envelope or email subject with "House Story."

Remember the LGAHS is run completely by volunteers who give of their time to preserve our village’s history. Let’s all volunteer by contributing our stories and let future generations compare life in La Grange now and then.