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New event! RHS and the Givins Beverly Castle will be hosting an event for Halloween at the Castle – "Folklore and Phantoms" – a look at paranormal activity on the Ridge, presented by RHS researcher/writer Carol Flynn, on Friday evening, October 25. Mark your calendars now – seating is limited so there will have to be reservations and the program will fill up fast. Complete details will follow including reservations information. There will be a nominal charge and all the proceeds will go to the Castle Restoration Fund. Included will be refreshments – beer and wine and appetizers. We'll talk about the Castle ghost stories and many other stories from the Ridge – Carol has collected over 50 stories of paranormal events on the Ridge and has the blog "Ridge Paranormal Happenings" on Patch. We'll have time to let people share their own experiences also. Stay tuned for more information….

The new RHS exhibit "Threads of Imagination" is really shaping up thanks to our four guest artists – Judie Anderson, Sandra Leonard, Maggie O'Reilly and Nicole Burns. All have been over to the historic Graver-Driscoll House (RHS HQ) this week to arrange their space. Each artist brings a unique perspective to the theme of "the intersection of fashion and art" and it all ties together with the legacy of Alla Bryan Ripley Bannister (1867-1948), who lived in Beverly for over 30 years during her career as a nationally recognized fashion designer.

For example, consider the work of Sandra Leonard. Sandra creates "sculptural clothing" to transform the human form into sculpture. Her amazing costumes are used for performance art and other projects.

Interestingly, before Alla Ripley became a fashion designer, she briefly experimented with the stage. There is one historic "show biz" picture of her with her first husband Harry Ripley in which her costume is evocative of today's performance art costumes. There is a definite possibility she designed the costume herself.

That picture and a picture of Sandra's costumes which will be on display at RHS are included here.

During the coming weeks we will also look at the other artists and their connections to Alla Ripley.

The exhibit will open for the Beverly Art Walk next Saturday, September 21, and run until January 2020 so there will be plenty of opportunities to get over to RHS to take this in.

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 11, 7 to 9 p.m., when we will have the official opening reception for the exhibit and an opportunity for you to meet the artists in person.

RHS is located at 10621 S. Seeley Avenue in Chicago.

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.