2024: A Year of Milestones and Community Engagement with the Historical Society of Forest Park

The Historical Society of Forest Park had another historic year in 2024, offering a wide range of events and initiatives that deepened the community’s connection to its rich history. We provided free educational materials, including a Welcoming Booklet, an Activity Booklet, a Scavenger Hunt, and the second volume of the "7 Women Who Impacted Forest Park" zine. We hosted our always swinging Prohibition Party at Scratch Kitchen. In February, we partnered with the Forest Park Public Library for Black History Month, featuring our 4th Beloved Community Quilt project and an Afrofuturism art-making program.

Our May Day event, where the Mark Rogovin Award was presented to Larry Spivack of the Illinois Labor History Society, and was extra special this year as we unveiled a plaque and dedicated Dr. Joseph Carter Corbin’s gravesite as a National Historic Place. At our annual meeting, we honored Michelle Melin-Rogovin for her exceptional contributions as a benefactor, furthering our mission in extraordinary ways. Another key event was the first-ever "Movie at the Mausoleum," co-hosted with the Forest Park Public Library, the Park District, and Cool Truck Treats. Our library talk series featured a compelling presentation on Lucy Parsons by Amy Binns-Calvey and a discussion of Waldheim Cemetery’s history by Abby Schmelling. Cemetery events were a focal point, with tours for Boy Scouts, a bike tour of Forest Home Cemetery, and our monthly Haymarket Martyrs' Monument tour. Fundraising efforts, including the annual Garden Walk and the ever-popular Scarecrow fundraiser, were also a success.