2002-06 RHS Newsletter – JUNE – JULY, 2002

This section outlines the upcoming schedule for the Ridge Historical Society, featuring events such as a Garden Day for landscaping installation, a weekend tour to the Island Rendezvous in Romeoville, an RHS Board Meeting, and a reopening party at the 111th Street Station. Additional events include a reprise of Paul Petraitis's lecture on the Geology of the Ridge and a multi-weekend book sale for which they are accepting donations.

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This article details the history of early land purchases on the Ridge following the vacation of Native American tribes in 1835 and the economic shifts surrounding the Panic of 1837. It highlights specific early settlers and speculators, including DeLafayette Wilcox, Alvin Noyes Gardiner, Thomas Morgan, DeWitt Lane, and Russell E. Heacock, detailing the tracts of land they bought and how their purchases shaped the early development and ownership map of the area before and after the speculative bubble burst.

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This brief announcement highlights a summer program series taking place on the third Wednesdays of the month on the veranda of Driscoll House. The series features Paul Petraitis reprising his ground-breaking Pioneer Lecture Series, specifically focusing on the Underground Railroad on the South Side in July, followed by a hands-on workshop regarding Historic Maps in August.

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The Ridge Historical Society outlines its current operational needs, requesting physical donations of garden tools, loose-leaf binders, and historic photos of local family and community activities from distinct eras. Additionally, the society is calling for volunteers to donate their time for specific organizational tasks, including maintaining an activities binder, acting as a serials librarian, and assisting with library cataloging. Information regarding the collection of materials for the 2002 book, CD, and cassette sale is also provided.

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A group of enthusiastic sixth-grade students from Mrs. Kitner's art class at Keller School visited the Ridge Historical Society on a field trip. The children viewed exhibits and sketched various historic artifacts, including 19th-century candlesticks, a family Bible, and vintage electric toasters, learning about daily life in the past while practicing their artistic observation skills. The visit concluded with a brief neighborhood walking tour focusing on local natural history and architecture.

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President Gene Delves outlines upcoming physical and financial changes for the Ridge Historical Society, noting the loss of rental income as two second-floor rooms are repurposed for costume exhibits and an expanded library research area. To offset this financial change, the society is planning new fundraisers, including a reopening celebration at the 111th Street Metra station, a traveling bungalow exhibit, and the institution of an Annual Fund. He concludes by thanking volunteers for their work on an NEH Challenge Grant application and praising a Greencorps Chicago project that recently revitalized the property's landscaping.

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This article recounts the tragic events of September 19, 1910, when resident Clarence B. Hiller was fatally shot in his home by an intruder during the night. The suspect, Thomas Jennings, was apprehended shortly after by off-duty police officers who noticed his suspicious behavior, injuries, and a loaded weapon. Crucially, Jennings left four fingerprints in fresh paint on the Hiller's back porch railing, which matched his prints on file from a previous stay in the penitentiary. Despite defense attempts to block the admission of such novel evidence, the judge allowed the fingerprints to be used in court, leading to a conviction and Jennings' execution in 1912.

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