Finding Out About Wilmette History

Wilmette's long and interesting history has left behind many fascinating items that have been carefully collected and preserved by the Museum. Whether you are researching a paper or just want to learn more about Wilmette history, the Museum is the place to visit. No matter what you're curious about—the lives of the early Gross Point settlers, the picture shows at the old Teatro del Lago, the North Shore Line or the Bahai Temple, Harper School or the Palm Sunday tornado--chances are good that we have something about it in our files.

Subject files

In the research library you'll find a large collection of files on innumerable topics ranging from "Acts of Nature" to "World Wars." These include clippings, notes, pictures, reports, and original documents of many kinds. Ask us to check the subject index and retrieve materials for you to look at. We are happy to photocopy most materials for you. Copies are free to members of the Historical Society; 25 cents a page to non-members.

Books

The library offers a number of helpful reference books on our local history which you are welcome to browse and consult whenever you visit. These include the bound transcripts of some fascinating oral history interviews with older residents.

Photographs

Our photograph collection is accessed through a series of notebooks organized by subject. People appearing in photographs in our collections are also indexed by surname. These photographs are one of the best places to find out about the Village and what its people looked like at different times in the past.

Archives

The Museum is the repository for the records of many local organizations such as the Woman's Club, the Wilmette Garden Club, and many other civic and social groups that have been active in Wilmette, as well as a number of early Village of Wilmette records. These archives have been carefully indexed, and some can be searched on the computer at the Museum. A list of archives held by the Museum, is available on our website.

Artifacts

Although the responsibility for conserving the thousands of objects (many of them fragile) that make up the Museum's collection means that they are not openly accessible for visitors, our computerized catalogue contains quite detailed descriptions, all of which can be searched by keyword. If you find an object you would like to see, it may be possible for us to retrieve it for you.

Maps

Our map collection includes maps of Wilmette, New Trier Township and Cook County. Wilmette maps include general street maps as well as maps on special topics such as zoning or subdivisions.

Newspapers

Newspapers are a good source for information on local history. The longest-running Wilmette newspaper is the Wilmette Life (1923 - present). However, most of our papers, including Wilmette Life, are not indexed. Newspapers are preserved in their original format and are also microfilmed.