The RHS Facebook page is a rich archive of history-related posts by Carol Flynn, RHS Facebook admin and writer until mid-2025. Carol prolifically wrote a wide variety of meticulously researched local history articles for RHS. She continues to write for the Beverly Review and other media sources with articles particularly focused on local Ridge history.
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Tomorrow is the "soft" opening for the "Threads of Imagination" exhibit at RHS. Sometime – date to be confirmed based on the availability of our four guest artists – in the next month we will have a reception and our grand opening before Open House Chicago on October 19 and 20. Stop by tomorrow to see this interesting exhibit!
There were a lot of dressmakers in Chicago in the early 1900s, but there was only one Madame Ripley, and she lived in Beverly. Society women did not buy "off the rack." The wives of Chicago's rich businessmen could easily spend $75,000 -$100,000 each year on designer clothes – outfits created especially for them. We're talking about 1910 – think about the value in today's dollars. It could take months to create one special outfit – these outfits were works of art.
This exhibit explores the intersection of art and fashion through the eyes of Madame Ripley and four talented contemporary women artists who live on the Ridge.
Yes! "Threads of Imagination" is indeed up and open to the public today from 12 to 6 for the Beverly Art Walk. Please stop by!
This coming week-end, Sept. 27-29, 2019, is the annual RHS Garage and Book Sale. Friday and Saturday, 9 am to 3 pm, Sunday, 11 am to 3 pm, 10621 S. Seeley Ave., Chicago.
During the week we will post some items that will be for sale. To start, here are vintage tools from a collector, including cobbler lasts, a blow torch, an inner tube repair kit, and jars of paper matches.
Here are some of the finer items that will be for sale at the RHS Garage and Book Sale. More pics later in the week. Go to the RHS page under events for details of the sale.
More RHS Garage Sale pics – see events on the RHS page.
More RHS Garage Sale items. See Events on RHS page.
Last RHS Garage Sale pics for tonight – some nice milk glass for collectors.
The Ridge Historical Society has three big events coming up in the month of October. All will have individual "Event" listings but here is the preliminary info on them so you can mark your calendars.
Grand Opening and Reception for the "Threads of Imagination" exhibit will be on Wednesday, October 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. at RHS, 10621 S. Seeley Ave., Chicago. This will be your chance to meet the four artists in person, view their items and learn their wonderful stories – Judie Anderson, Nicole Burns (Ni Bu), Sandra Leonard, and Maggie O'Reilly. We'll also be talking about Madame Alla Ripley, the famous fashion designer who lived on the Ridge in the early 1900s who inspired this exhibit. Wine and cheese, free and open to the public, please stop by!
Open House Chicago, Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, at RHS, 10621 S. Seeley Ave. This event is a city-wide project of the Chicago Architecture Center to promote some of the "hidden gems" in the city. RHS and ten other places in the neighborhood are open for touring those days. Please go to the website for Open House Chicago 2019 for more information.
"Folklore and Phantoms" – A Look at the Paranormal Ridge, on Friday, October 25, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Givins Beverly Castle, 103rd St. and Longwood Drive. Carol Flynn, RHS Communications, will share ghost stories and paranormal happenings that people have shared with her over the years, and there will be plenty of time for attendees to share their own stories. The $15 entrance fee goes to the Castle Restoration Fund. Wine and beer and appetizers. Reservations are a necessity as space is limited. Reservations will open on October 1.
Some more pictures of items at the RHS garage sale this week-end. Nice items for entertaining and gifts. Some nice collectors' items, good kitchen items for cooks.
This postcard was submitted to the RHS page with the question of which stop was this?
Answer: The 91st Street stop was originally called Beverly Hills. This is along the Metra line and this charming station still stands. It was built ca. 1889 by architects Charnley and Evans in the Queen Anne style.
The original train line runs to the east of Beverly/Morgan Park. In the 1870s, and expanded later, a branch of this line was extended west to the developing Ridge. The stations along the line were named:
Beverly Hills (91st), Longwood (95th), Walden (99th), Tracy (103rd), Belmont (107th), Morgan Park (111th), and Raymond (115th). The 103rd and 115th Sts. stations are now gone. The others comprise the Beverly/Morgan Park Railroad Stations District, an official historic landmark district in the City of Chicago. This is considered a "thematic" district because the buildings are connected by purpose, not by location.
The stations were designed to go along with the architecture of the houses being built on the Ridge, and replaced original frame stations. The stations are rare survivors of once-common commuter stations and are an important link in the historical development of the community.