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Wilmette Spotlight: Wilmette Historical Museum

We believe in grounding our cutting-edge architectural designs in the rich tapestry of history. Which is why we’re always eager to introduce our residents to landmarks that echo the past and cast their influence on modern design. One such treasure nestled in the heart of Wilmette and near Optima Verdana® is the Wilmette Historical Museum.

The Wilmette Historical Museum is more than a mere repository of artifacts and old photographs. It’s another page in the Wilmette village’s history, inviting its visitors to walk through time. Housed in a charming, vintage 1896 building, the museum itself stands as a testament to the architectural prowess of a bygone era. With its Victorian elegance juxtaposed against the modernity of Wilmette’s streetscape, the museum offers a tangible link between past and present.

Upon entering, you’re welcomed by a rich collection of exhibits, each meticulously curated as a panorama of Wilmette’s evolution. From its indigenous origins, through its growth spurred by the railroads, to its transformation into a modern suburb, the museum narrates tales that inspire admiration for those who shaped this beautiful village.

What sets the Wilmette Historical Museum apart is its unique perspective on architecture and urban planning. The exhibits delve into the minds of the architects, town planners, and everyday citizens who dreamed of a thriving, harmonious community. Through sketches, blueprints, and firsthand accounts, the museum provides a deep dive into the principles that influenced Wilmette’s development.

Wilmette Historical Museum Interior, Photo Credit to Wilmette Historical Museum

In the heart of it all is a lesson on balance. How a village, rich in heritage, managed to integrate modernity without sacrificing its soul. How town planners and architects worked in tandem, ensuring that each brick laid or tree planted resonated with Wilmette’s overarching vision.

For our residents with an appreciation for the deep roots from which our contemporary residences spring, a visit to the Wilmette Historical Museum promises a rewarding experience! They’re open Monday-Thursday and Sunday from 1pm-4:30pm.

Tales from Wilmette: How an old laundry became a center for pioneering climate research

As the town of Wilmette continues the celebration of its 150th anniversary, it stands to reason that its rich history is full of fascinating stories and quirky characters. One such story comes to us from the annals of the Wilmette Historical Museum (WHM), which published a fascinating article entitled, “The Cold War on Washington Street,” detailing how Wilmette’s SIPRE – the Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Research Establishment was founded. The article’s author, Patrick Leary, retired from the WHM in 2020 after a 21-year tenure as its curator. As the piece unfolds, Patrick explains:

“By 1950, as American troops fought in the Korean winter and the chill of the Cold War settled over the world, U.S. Army planners had come to realize that they needed to know much more about the icy regions that lay between America and the Soviet Union. Most urgently, they needed to know how to build things – roads, radar stations, underground bunkers, airfields, missile silos – in places where the ground is forever frozen, the ice is a mile deep, and the snowfall never melts. This intensive research program required a special laboratory like no other, and in 1951, the Army found just the right place for it: an abandoned laundry at 1215 Washington Avenue in Wilmette, half a block west of Green Bay Road.

They called it SIPRE – the Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Research Establishment. As a location, Wilmette had the advantage of being within easy reach of researchers at Northwestern University, while the sturdy, three-story structure itself, with its big rooms and alley-side garage, well suited the Army’s purposes.”

Wilmette’s old SIPRE location at 1215 Washington Ave in Wilmette

Patrick explains how the SIPRE staff of civilian scientists and engineers set out to understand polar conditions. They carried out their work by analyzing ancient ice crystals taken from the depths of glaciers in the Greenland ice cap that were mined during summer expeditions and shipped by refrigerated plans and trucks to the lab on Washington Street. SIPRE’s work continued in Wilmette for ten years, during which time the staff grew from 17 to more than 80, and its footprint expanded to new office space in the Odd Fellows building and a lab in Evanston. In 1961, SIPRE relocated to Hanover, New Hampshire near Dartmouth University when it merged with another agency to become the Cold Regions Research and Engineering laboratory.

The history of this fascinating organization comes to life through Patrick’s thoughtful reflections on how a unique moment in world affairs and America’s response intersects with Wilmette’s own story. You can read the full story here.

Optima Communities: Exploring Wilmette’s Rich History

With groundbreaking underway for Optima Verdana in Wilmette, IL, we’re discovering this vibrant community and all it has to offer — including its rich history.

Bordering Lake Michigan and located 14 miles north of the Chicago Loop, Wilmette is recognized as one of the most prestigious communities in the nation. It started as a small settlement on Chicago’s North Side in 1872 and by the mid-twentieth century, it emerged as a distinctive, desirable suburb with unique vitality, extraordinary walkability along tree-lined, brick streets and a character all its own. 

Fast forward to today, when Wilmette, with a population of nearly 30,000, has fully matured into a vibrant community. Small businesses and lively restaurants flourish, each bringing a refreshing offering to this thriving, 21st century livable village. The lakefront, parks and gardens are all within easy reach. Culture abounds with music, theater, art and cinema. And the Wilmette schools are considered among the best in the country.  

As luck would have it, 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of Wilmette. As celebrations for this important milestone continue throughout the year, Wilmette is proud to showcase its reputation as future-facing while showing a deep appreciation for the past, including a host of events that shine a light on its delightfully eclectic history.

Bahá'í House of Worship
Bahá’í House of Worship

Mark your calendars…

To start the sesquicentennial year, all are welcome to the Wilmette Historical Museum’s  annual meeting and lecture via Zoom. John Jacoby, former Village President and Wilmette Beacon columnist, will discuss his recent book Wilmette at 150, a collection of essays on Wilmette. Mr. Jacoby’s talk will explore the lost landmarks of Wilmette. Learn about the stories of the significant buildings and other structures that are no longer in existence, including some of the oldest in Wilmette, such as the Big Tree and the Unity Church. Hear fascinating tales of Dr. Martin Luther King’s visit to the North Shore, the German POW camp in Harms Woods, the colorful history of No Man’s Land, the perseverance of world pushup champion Chick Lister and Public Enemy Number One Baby Face Nelson’s demise on Walnut Avenue.

You can stay connected to all the sesquicentennial happenings on the Wilmette at 150 website. And to attend the meeting and lecture, which will take place Sunday, January 30, 2022, from 2:00pm – 3:30pm,

Register HERE.

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