Chances are you’ve never heard of Samuel Insull, but his fingerprints are all over Libertyville. Stick around this town long enough and you will surely use a building or service with a history that can be drawn back to Mr. Insull. He was like a living Monopoly Man with his hands in utilities, railroads, schools, hospitals and more.

Local history librarian Jenny Barry uncovers this foundational Libertyville figure, his ties to Thomas Edison, and what ultimately happened to his local empire.

Read Jenny’s original Samuel Insull blog post One-Man Town.