It’s the podcast’s 100th episode! And what better way to celebrate than by exploring the library’s own 100th birthday. As part of Cook Library’s Centennial Celebration, Local History Librarian Jenny Barry walks us through the first 40 years of the Cook Memorial Public Library up until 1960. Hear what it was like using the library…
In part 1 of this series on the 1889 Union Church signature quilt, we learned about signature quilts in general, explored some of the unique characteristics of this specific quilt, and revealed the history of the Union Church. Now that the groundwork has been laid, let’s turn to some of the individual squares and the Libertyville people…
For a chilling Halloween edition of The Past is Present, Local History Librarian Jenny Barry digs into a mysterious Libertyville legend: the 1885 murder of August Rosine. You may never look at the Cook House the same way again. Listen to last year’s Halloween episode on The Gate.
Ansel B. Cook, former mayor Paul E. MacGuffin, and Ralph Buckley. If those names sound familiar, that’s because we’ve probably covered them before in one post or another as they were instrumental in making Libertyville what it is today. However, did you know they were also members of the local Masonic Lodge? Not many institutions…
Have you ever wondered why the library servicing Libertyville/Vernon Hills is called the Cook Memorial Public Library District? I mean, we’re not even in Cook county! The answers are found in 19th century Libertyville resident Ansel B. Cook. Our local history librarian Jenny Barry returns for another episode of The Past is President. Find out who…
Shelf Life 