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Highlights Ridge Historical Society’s diverse research assistance, from house history to the ‘Invisible Labors’ art project

A favorite watercolor by Louise Barwick in the RHS collection shows guests arriving at the local Silva Hall for an event. RHS will be displaying Barwick's paintings once again in an upcoming exhibit so substantial information will be shared in the near future.
Louise Barwick's most important contribution was the creation of this giant relief map of Illinois shown at the 1893 World's Fair. This was a real accomplishment for a woman at the time. More information on this will be shared in upcoming posts.
The legend from Louise Barwick's relief map of Illinois.
The Potawatomi basket weavers are famous for their black ash baskets. This tribe was the last to live in the Ridge area before the Native Americans left Chicago in the 1830s. They continue this craft today, although the ash trees are endangered by the emerald ash borer insect and a fungal disease.
This is a famous photo of Kate Starr Kellogg, working on the Kellogg farm which was the land now occupied by Little Company of Mary Hospital.
Kate Starr Kellogg as she is remembered as a Progressive Era educator. She was multi-talented – she also wrote a wedding march.
Alice Kellogg Tyler painted this portrait of Jane Addams that hangs in Hull House today. Many of the women of the Ridge were active in social, political, and educational causes during the Progressive Era.
This painting by Alice Kellogg Tyler shows the verandah and several of the Kellogg family members at the farm in Evergreen Park.

Ridge Historical Society (RHS) Helps with Research Projects

One or two people have mentioned an art project called “Invisible Labors” to RHS. We are aware of this project and were involved in its early stages.

This project is one case study from many on how the historians at RHS help people with research projects. RHS has been doing this for fifty years.

The number one research request we get is from homeowners for the history of their houses.

We get involved in many other research projects, also. In recent years, we helped everyone from a local church developing a Land Acknowledgement Statement to an eighth-grade student developing a presentation on Prohibition.

Our research on the Pike House led to Landmarks Illinois awarding it “endangered status.”

We even found the owner of a wedding ring that went missing decades ago. That story made the national news.

Last year, the artists involved in the Invisible Labors project contacted RHS for ideas and information on the history of land usage by women in the Ridge area. We discussed many topics with them, including women farmers and gardeners, Victory gardens at wartime, early women landscaping architects who lived in the area, artists who drew inspiration from the land, and more. We supplied extensive research material to them.

We introduced them to the Native Americans who lived on the Ridge, the Potawatomi people who lived off the land and today still make baskets from black ash trees. RHS researcher/writer Carol Flynn’s series on the Native Americans on the Ridge appeared on Facebook and in the Beverly Review.

We introduced them to artist Louise Barwick, who lived on the Ridge and painted many watercolors of local scenes. Miss Barwick’s biggest accomplishment was a giant relief map of Illinois displayed at the 1893 World’s Fair, which unfortunately has been lost to time, but a picture of it exists. RHS published a lengthy piece on Louise Barwick in 2015. RHS has a large collection of Miss Barwick’s paintings which we have exhibited several times and will show again for this year’s Beverly Art Walk.

We introduced them to Kate Starr Kellogg and her sister Alice Kellogg Tyler. These women did not live in Beverly; their father owned the land where Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park is now located, and the family farmed there. Kate was an educator; Kellogg School in North Beverly is named for her, although she did not teach in any schools connected to the Ridge. There is extensive research information available on Kate Starr Kellogg. Alice was the artist in the family. Material on the Kellogg sisters was published in the past as part of the RHS Facebook series on people for whom schools on the Ridge are named.

The Native American basket makers, Louise Barwick, and the Kellogg sisters appear to be the final topics of this project. We’re happy to see a project come to fruition, although we have not reviewed the final text or seen the final product so we cannot comment on it.

Anyone wanting help with research can contact RHS through our Facebook page or through regular email or phone (ridgehistory@hotmail.com; 773/881-1675).