Glencoe Historical Society
at the
Eklund History Center & Garden

A postcard from the 1890s. A medical book from the same era. Photos of a child in what looks to be a Christening dress.

These are some of the items Carolyn Collins, of Northfield, brought in to the Glencoe Historical Society’s Eklund Center last week—filthy, dirt encrusted and, in some case, ripped and torn. But that’s understandable because she found them in a wall of the home she and her late husband restored. The home is now in Northfield, but it had been moved from 318 (or 317) Monroe Street to make way for a Glencoe school.

Who lived in the house, when exactly the home was moved, who were the Upton family to whom many of the dirty postcards are addressed to will become a research project for volunteers in the society. In the meantime, the filthy items will be contained to make sure the gift doesn’t come with any bugs that could contaminate the historical society’s collection.

Taking gifts like this, or answering questions about homes, former homes or even subdivisions are common at the historical society. With new fall-winter hours of Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 2 to 4 p.m., the archives of the society are open for anyone who has a question about their house, their ancestors—or anyone like Collins who wants to donate artifacts or photos.

Exhibits on view at the Eklund Center museum currently are:

Mrs. Sharpe Steps Out

Collection of clothing suitable for garden parties from the Helen Sharpe Fashion Collection;

Taylorsport and Old Glencoe

History from first white settlement in 1833 through the 1869 incorporation and development of Glencoe to the end of the 19th century;

Glencoe School Days

Glencoe schools from 1860s until now; and

Eklund Workshop

A look at the workshop of Carl C. Eklund, woodworker and furniture builder.

Outdoors, the Eklund Garden also is lovely with changing colors of leaves. The garden is open every day from dawn to dusk.