Lombard Historical Society

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Lombard Historical Society As the stewards of Lombard’s heritage, we will continue to make history meaningful for the community.

🕯⭐ Discover Lombard's History at the Historic Lombard Cemetery Tour! ⭐🕯Looking for a unique, family-friendly outing? Bri...
10/17/2026

🕯⭐ Discover Lombard's History at the Historic Lombard Cemetery Tour! ⭐🕯

Looking for a unique, family-friendly outing? Bring the family and step back in time at the Historic Lombard Cemetery!

Join us for a fascinating outdoor tour where you'll learn about Lombard's history, discover the stories of the people who once lived here, and explore Victorian cemetery traditions and features that have since fallen out of fashion.

📆Saturday, October 24, 2026
🕛1:00 - 2:00 PM
📍The Lombard Cemetery | 462 S. Main Street, Lombard, IL

🎟Tickets:
$5 for Members
$7 for Non-Members
Ticket link is in the comments!

Family-friendly and appropriate for ages 8 and up!

Space is limited, so get your tickets now! The tour lasts approximately one hour and takes place outdoors, rain or shine. Please wear comfortable shoes as the ground is uneven.

Make it a family afternoon of local history, discovery, and learning!

Did you know Lombard once had a factory producing hundreds of pounds of butter and cheese every day?Originally establish...
10/16/2026

Did you know Lombard once had a factory producing hundreds of pounds of butter and cheese every day?

Originally established by William Stuenkel on the south side of West Lake Street (now St. Charles Road), the factory operated for about five years before being sold to Frederick Timke.

Village minutes reveal that the business faced its share of frequent complaints about unpleasant odors. And it's no wonder! William received 6,000 pounds of milk every day and produced 200 pounds of butter and 300 pounds of cheese daily! That's a whole lot of dairy and whole lot of smell!

After the original building burned down, a permit was granted to the Lombard Butter & Cheese Manufacturing Association to rebuilt the factory on October 12, 1893. This time, the new location was at the corner of Lake Street (St. Charles Road) and Creamery (West Road), just across the street from the original site.

The building with the tall brick chimney in the background is the rebuilt Butter & Cheese Factory. This picture is not dated.

A little rain couldn’t stop us tonight! ☔🖤Thank you to everyone who braved the weather and joined us for The Art of Dyin...
10/16/2026

A little rain couldn’t stop us tonight! ☔🖤

Thank you to everyone who braved the weather and joined us for The Art of Dying at the Victorian Cottage Museum! A special thank you to our wonderful volunteers who helped bring Victorian mourning traditions and the stories of the past to life. We couldn’t do it without you!

Missed tonight? No worries! You can still experience a little Victorian mourning with us.

🖤 Meet the Widow at the Victorian Cottage Museum!

Join us for a guided tour and discover how Victorians remembered their loved ones, from mourning customs and clothing to the traditions surrounding death.

🏠 23 W. Maple Street, Lombard

🕐 Wednesday, Friday & Saturday at 1, 2 & 3 PM

🎩 Meet our costumed widow on Saturdays!

Tours are free, and everyone is welcome!

Thank you again for spending a rainy October evening with us! 🖤

🕯 Step Into the Victorian Era: Death & Mourning at the Victorian Cottage Museum 🕯What did it mean to mourn a loved one i...
10/15/2026

🕯 Step Into the Victorian Era: Death & Mourning at the Victorian Cottage Museum 🕯

What did it mean to mourn a loved one in the Victorian era? Step inside the Victorian Cottage Museum and discover the customs, traditions, and rituals surrounding death and remembrance in the 19th century.

With the house dressed in mourning, explore Victorian funeral customs, mourning attire, and the many ways families honored and remembered those they had lost.

🖤A Special Saturday Experience! On Saturdays, meet the widow of the house, who will share a more personal perspective on life, loss, and the expectations of mourning during the Victorian era.

📆Special Tours: Wednesday, Fridays & Saturdays at 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm
📍Victorian Cottage Museum | 23 W. Maple Street, Lombard, IL
🎟Admission: FREE

Please note: The widow will be present on Saturdays only.

✨Join us for a unique glimpse into Victorian mourning traditions and the ways people honored their loved ones.

Pictured is an unknown woman in mourning clothes. This undated photo is from our Harriet Hull Chapman family collection.

🕯 Get your tickets for tonight! 🕯Death has come to the Victorian Cottage, and you're invited to the wake...Step into the...
10/15/2026

🕯 Get your tickets for tonight! 🕯

Death has come to the Victorian Cottage, and you're invited to the wake...

Step into the shadows of the Victorian era for The Art of Dying, an immersive, first person theatrical experience exploring Victorian mourning traditions, the ways loved ones were remembered, and the search for connections with the world beyond.

📆Today, October 15th
🕛6:00 - 9:00 PM
📍Victorian Cottage | 23 W. Maple Street, Lombard, IL

🎟 Admission:
$12 for Members
$15 for Non-Members

Find the link in the comments for tickets.

Will we see you tonight? Or will the spirits keep you away?🕯👻

Happy Birthday to the Victorian Cottage Museum!On This Day in 1972, the Victorian Cottage opened its doors for the very ...
10/15/2026

Happy Birthday to the Victorian Cottage Museum!

On This Day in 1972, the Victorian Cottage opened its doors for the very first time!
Since then, hundreds of thousands of visitors have stepped inside to explore its history, discover stories from the past, and experience a little piece of Lombard's heritage.

Here's to 54 years of preserving history, sharing stories, and making memories! We can't wait to welcome many more visitors through our doors in the years to come!
Photos are from opening day in 1972.

🕯 DON'T FORGET... DEATH HAS COME TO THE VICTORIAN COTTAGE 🕯Tomorrow night, you're invited to the wake...if you dare.Step...
10/14/2026

🕯 DON'T FORGET... DEATH HAS COME TO THE VICTORIAN COTTAGE 🕯

Tomorrow night, you're invited to the wake...if you dare.

Step into the shadows of the Victorian era for The Art of Dying, an immersive, first person theatrical experience exploring Victorian mourning traditions, the ways loved ones were remembered, and the search for connections with the world beyond.

Want to take your experience a step further? Tarot readings by D'Asia Cobbins will be available on site for an additional $10 (paid separately from admission)

📆Tomorrow, Thursday, October 15th
🕛6:00 - 9:00 PM
📍Victorian Cottage | 23 W. Maple Street, Lombard, IL

🎟 Admission:
$12 for Members
$15 for Non-Members
Optional Tarot reading: $10

Find the link in the comments for both tickets and Tarot readings!

Will we see you there? Or will the spirits keep you away?🕯👻

Have you ever seen this item before? It's a graining comb!This unique tool was used by artists like Sheldon Peck to crea...
10/14/2026

Have you ever seen this item before? It's a graining comb!

This unique tool was used by artists like Sheldon Peck to create a wood grain look on their paintings. This technique is known as faux bois, or false wood in English. Graining combs, with their teeth of varied widths, helped artists to mimic different types of wood by dragging the comb through layers of paint.

This was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were often used for faux finishing on furniture and interior walls. While less common today, some modern artists and restorers still use graining combs, particularly in period style projects.

This technique made them popular in domestic interiors, where such painted frames could complement the décor without the need for a physical frame.

💫🧙‍♀️Every witch needs her coven!Gather your favorite sister witches for a spellbinding night out at the Lombard Histori...
10/13/2026

💫🧙‍♀️Every witch needs her coven!

Gather your favorite sister witches for a spellbinding night out at the Lombard Historical Society and with the Lombard Junior Women's Club!

Join us on Friday, October 23rd, from 7-10 PM for a magical, ladies only evening filled with food, drinks, music, and enchanting experiences, all while supporting the Lombard Junior Women's Club and the Lombard Historical Society.

✨Joining us for the night are:
▪Henna tattoos by Henna Reflections
▪Birth chart readings by Magick Lotus Botanica
▪Tarot readings by D'Asia Cobbins and Healing Vibrations Tarot
▪Perfume Bar with Sprinkle Candles
▪Permanent Jewelry by Sparked
▪Treats from Sweet Street Candies and Goodies
▪After-dark tours of the Victorian Cottage..and more magical surprises!

📆Friday, October 23, 2026
📍23 W. Maple Street, Lombard, IL
🕛7 - 10 PM
🎟Tickets: $60
21+ only | Ladies only - no warlocks allowed!

So dust off your witch hat, call your coven, and get ready for a wickedly wonderful night!

🎟Tickets are waiting! Find the link in the comments below 🔽

10/13/2026

Our amazing volunteer Dave Cyr was recognized by the Illinois Association of Park Districts for his outstanding work with us here at LHS, and of course with the Lombard Park District. He was one of just 5 volunteers to receive this award! Since he couldn't bring the whole Lombard community with him to the ceremony, he asked that we post it here so that he could thank you all for your support, and spread his message about "giving, until the giving feels like receiving."

Thank you so much for your hard work, Dave, from us at LHS and the whole Lombard community!

Address

23 W Maple Street
Lombard, IL
60148

Telephone

+16306291885

Website

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