Showing posts with label Evanston Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evanston Books. Show all posts

26 February, 2008

Evanston Postcard History Book

There seems to be an Arcadia Publishing book available for every Town, District, and Hamlet across America. I love these books--sometimes they're the only regional history book you'll find for an area--and now there is one coming out for Evanston: Evanston by Mimi Peterson is part of Arcadia's postcard history series.

I'm sure the book will show the Francis Willard home (below), but will it also feature Samantha Baker's residence from Sixteen Candles, which was filmed, in part, in northwest Evanston? When the weather warms, and when I buy a new bike, I'm going to take my new bike on down to see the "Molly Ringwald" house for myself. I loved that movie, and I'll still watch it if I catch a glimpse of it while channel surfing.

Home of Francis Willard (1839-1898), American educator, suffragist, and president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. This image is from the 1920s; I think the house is being decorated for the Fourth of July.

From the promo literature for Evanston:

Book Description
Enjoy a trip through historic Evanston. See how Davis Street and Sherman and Orrington Avenues appeared around the beginning of the 20th century. Learn how Fountain Square has evolved and how the Merrick Rose Garden is connected. See Northwestern University as it was founded, along with early Evanston’s lakefront, city hall, library, and post office. Many of the buildings shown in this book are still standing, while others have been demolished. In some postcard views the stately elm trees of later decades are seen as saplings. The Library Plaza Hotel, North Shore Hotel, and Georgian Hotel are here as well, along with the historic schools, churches, train depots, and, of course, Grosse Point Lighthouse, which all helped shape the city in its formative years.

About the Author
Mimi Peterson is a longtime Evanston resident and community activist. She is cofounder of To Rescue Evanston Elms (TREE), the organization that spawned preservation of the city’s historic elm population. Peterson creates a visual essay using nearly 200 vintage postcards to share a unique snapshot of Evanston in the early 1900s.