Libraries Seek to Preserve Local History

Who’s preserving our local history?

The communities of Burr Ridge, Willowbrook and Darien and the surrounding unincorporated areas have a unique and interesting history, and the Indian Prairie Public Library, under the guidance of Reference Librarian Mary Krekelberg, has been working actively to collect and preserve it. 

National Preservation Week, which will be celebrated April 24-30, highlights the important role that libraries play in preserving history. 

“Most people don’t think of Darien, Willowbrook and Burr Ridge as ‘historic’ communities,” said Krekelberg. “The area from which these communities evolved, however, has a rich heritage, which the Darien Historical Society and Flagg Creek Heritage Society help preserve. The corner of 75th and Cass Avenue is home to the Old Lace School Museum; St. John Lutheran Church celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009; Willowbrook’s present day Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket opened on Route 66 in 1946; Flagg Creek Heritage Society maintains the Vial House built in 1856 and owns a collection of Civil War letters and business and family records back to 1803.”

The Indian Prairie Public Library has partnered with the Darien Historical Society, the Village of Willowbrook’s 50th Anniversary Committee and the Flagg Creek Heritage Society to put historic photos online. Photos of Fourth of July parades from decades ago are featured along with more current photos. Also posted are photos of farmland and long-ago picnics.

To enrich that history, the library has a blog to tell the story behind the photos.  Residents can share stories and memories from the early days of the area on the blog, and are encouraged to visit the blog at ippl.info/localhistory/ and add their recollections. The photos can also be seen at flickr.com/photos/ipplinfo.

Residents who have photos or documents from the early days of the communities, especially of the farms early families, churches and schools, are asked to contact Krekelberg at maryk@ippl.info or call the reference desk at 630-887-8760, ext. 240.

Recognizing the critical role libraries play in preservation, the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association, is sponsoring National Preservation Week.