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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.

The next event on the horizon is the Grand Opening and Reception for "Threads of Imagination," the exhibit at RHS that explores art and fashion through the creativity of five Ridge artists. See the attached flier.

Alla Ripley Bannister was a famous "modiste" who designed and created fashions for women in the early 1900s. Alla lived in Beverly in the Craftsman-style house built by her husband, architect George S. Bannister, at 1620 West 102nd Street. (Bannister is also famous for being the architect of the "Rotary House" at 10856 S. Longwood Drive.) Alla Ripley's great-niece has shared a number of family photos with us, including photos of the house when it was first built.

Alla was called "the maker of modes" and "the very last word in style" during her years as Madame Ripley. Her studio was on Michigan Ave., just down the street from the Art Institute. She dictated fashion styles through the bulletins she authored as president of the Fashion Art League of America. It was said that her fashions were "marked by a grace of line that suggests a Parish original." Some of her designs from publications of her day are shown in the exhibit.

Four contemporary Ridge artists are also in the exhibit. Judie Anderson, Maggie O'Reilly, Nicole Burns and Sandra Leonard all have unique approaches to "fashion art" and plan to be at the Grand Opening. This is your chance to stop by to meet them.

RHS just posted the information on the "Folklore and Phantoms" paranormal program in "Events," which will be held at the Givins Beverly Castle, 103rd St. and Longwood Drive, on Friday, October 25, from 7 to 9 p.m. Back by popular demand after the first successful event at Open Outcry Brewery last year, local historian and writer Carol Flynn will share some of the 50+ ghost and paranormal stories she has collected from folks on the Ridge, many of these first hand experiences, including ones from the Castle itself. Following the program there will be open mike time for attendees to share their own stories. Wine, beer and appetizers will be served. There will also be tarot card and astrology readings available. The cost is $15 and the proceeds go to the Castle Restoration Fund to preserve this iconic landmark. Reservations are necessary as seating is limited and will fill up quickly. Call or email RHS for reservations – 773/881-1675 or ridgehistory@hotmail.com.

Hmmm, I am coming up with so much interesting information on the history of the paranormal at the Givins Beverly Castle itself that there may not be that much time for me to cover other ghost stories on the Ridge at this event. I want to leave plenty of time for the open mike session so people can share their own stories.

We'll debunk which ghost stories cannot be true at the Castle because they are just not supported by history and we will talk about some little known events that happened there.

If you haven't made your reservation yet, please do so!

– Carol Flynn

The big day is almost here! Wednesday evening is the Grand Opening and Reception for the "Threads of Imagination" exhibit. We keep adding new details to the exhibit and there is much to see there!

Four very talented contemporary artists who live and create on the Ridge have works on display.

Judie Anderson is showing fashion illustrations from her time working with the Chicago American newspaper in the 1960s. Not only is her work superb, as always, but it is also a nice review of fashions of that time.

Sandra Leonard is known for her creative costumes that turn the human body into works of sculpture. On display is a piece she did for an event at Steppenwolf Theater based on Marie Antoinette. This is the first time this piece has been displayed and we are honored to show it.

Maggie O'Reilly is showing items from her two collections – Maggy May clothes for girls and the MAYTA collection. Maggie has free trade arrangements with artisans in Peru and Morocco to create items for the U.S. market. The workers are treated ethically and fairly. The textiles they work with are amazing.

Nicole Burns, better known as Ni Bu Design, has an eclectic collection of items inspired by her love for vintage fabrics and designs. Nicole takes every day items and fabrics and recycles them into new art forms. She has also lent to RHS some of her collection of vintage sewing items for a special display.

All of the artists are scheduled to be at the Grand Opening so please stop by to meet them and discuss their work!

The reception is free to the public and refreshments and wine will be served. No reservations needed – just show up!

Just to remind folks we have this event coming up next week and we still have openings for reservations. "Folklore and Phantoms" will look at hauntings and paranormal happenings in the Blue Island Ridge communities – from Beverly to Morgan Park to Mt. Greenwood to the City of Blue Island. We'll meet at the Givins Beverly Castle and spend plenty of time talking about the experiences people have had there.

The proceeds all go to the Castle restoration fund and there will be astrology and tarot card readings also, plus plenty of refreshments, and an open mike session for people to share their own experiences. You won't see another event like this one. Contact RHS for reservations. Don't wait until the last minute. Questions? Contact us right here on this page.

This coming week-end is Open House Chicago, October 19 and 20, where interesting locations around the city open their doors to the public for special showings. The Ridge Historical Society, at 10621 S. Seeley Ave., will be open.

There are 10 other sites also open this week-end in Beverly/Morgan Park, and five of them are in Color Me Beverly II or Color Me Morgan Park – Givins Beverly Castle, Trinity United Methodist Church, Ingersoll-Blackwelder House, Morgan Park Academy Alumni Hall, and Sacred Heart Church.

The Castle, RHS and Sacred Heart will all have the coloring books for sale.

Open House Chicago is a great way to see the city.