History

Discover U.S. history through our curated selection of texts and discuss how the past, and our perceptions of it, inform the present. The first half-hour is optional to attend and will summarize and contextualize the selected text (ideal for participants who didn't read the book or who want a refresher). We will discuss the selected text from 6-7 p.m. and end with an optional half-hour social time. Light refreshments provided.

Capture your favorite flowers on canvas with a needle and thread as you create a small floral ornament and master specific embroidery stitches in these introductory workshops.

Learn about fudge's surprising past as a symbol of feminist independence for early college-attending women while enjoying some samples and an instructive cooking demonstration for a no-fail chocolate fudge recipe.

Learn the basics of hand sewing with artistic visible mending techniques for repairing your clothes. This workshop will cover different stitches for repairing clothes with decorative stitches, practical stitches for broken seams, identifying woven fabrics, and the best tools and materials for repairing woven garments. Each student will create a mending sampler to practice the repair techniques. This is an introductory class for all skill levels. Instructor: Nandi Duszynski of Bliss Joy Bull.

Join us for a drink, snacks, and a series of crowd-sourced lightning talks about local landmarks. Explore place-making and the sometimes surprising history of your local landscape. Vote for your favorite place and presenter; winners will receive a prize. Please sign up as a presenter if you'd like to share something about your favorite local place - otherwise, please register as general audience.

Walk through women's history in downtown Skokie. Learn about important women and pivotal moments in the struggle for equal rights, including Skokie's first resident doctor and the development of the first commercial contraceptive. Free admission courtesy of the Skokie Human Relations Commission.

Celebrate a century of local locomotives! Hear the tale of trains in Skokie and make a train-themed craft in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Dempster St. station's opening. Price is per family; please only register one family member. Crafts are best suited for ages 4-9.

Discover U.S. history through our curated selection of texts and discuss how the past, and our perceptions of it, inform the present. The first half-hour is optional to attend and will summarize and contextualize the selected text (ideal for participants who didn't read the book or who want a refresher). We will discuss the selected text from 6-7 p.m. and end with an optional half-hour social time. Light refreshments provided.

Celebrate Skokie history and participate in a guided group discussion sharing memories of growing up here in the 1950s-1970s. In April, hear from special guest Leslie Handler as she reads excerpts from her book about growing up in 1960s Skokie. In May, join us to celebrate Niles East and commemorate 45 years since its closure. See materials in the Skokie Heritage Museum's collections pertaining to each day's theme and add your knowledge to our archives. Bring your families to share how things have changed over time.

Capture your favorite flowers on canvas with a needle and thread as you create a small floral ornament and master specific embroidery techniques in these introductory workshops. Materials included.

Tour the Skokie Heritage Museum and learn about the Village of Skokie's founding. The tour includes a look at the building as it was when it served as Skokie's first firehouse and jail. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our collection of artifacts, including old yearbooks and photos. Behind the museum, experience pioneer life in an original Skokie log cabin from 1847.

Learn about the historic buildings, people, and events that made Skokie what it is today through this in-depth guided tour of historic downtown Skokie. This will be a casually-paced walk with stops throughout the downtown area. Tour meets at Krier Plaza. Drop-ins welcome. Children must be accompanied by paid adult.

Learn about bungalow architecture and how the design reflects shifting societal values in the early 1900s, inspired in part by Jane Addams' Hull-House reformers and Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School. This will be a casual stroll with frequent stops to look at building exteriors around the Lorel Park area. Tour meets at the Skokie Heritage Museum. Drop-ins welcome. Children must be accompanied by paid adult.

Meet in the Devonshire Park gazebo to learn about the site's past as a Cold War military base, and then set off through the Devonshire Manor neighborhood to discover Skokie's Cold War-era history. The tour will cover the development of Skokie's Jewish community, mid-century modern aesthetics, the evolution of the nuclear family and second-wave feminism, and the 1960s civil rights and fair housing movements in Skokie. Drop-ins welcome.

Join us for a drink, snacks, and a series of crowd-sourced lightning talks about past local businesses in honor of 100 years of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce. Vote for your favorite business and presenter; winners will receive a prize. Please sign up as a presenter if you'd like to share something about a past local business - otherwise, please register as general audience.