Editor’s note: The Homewood Fire Department will hold its annual open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9. The event is fun and education, providing activities for the whole family that teach fire safety. The UCAN medical helicopter is expected to make an appearance. The Homewood[Read More…]
Author: Jim Wright
Some of golf’s greats have played the Calumet Country Club course
Calumet Country Club clubhouse as it appeared in 1917, when the club relocated to Homewood.
Fatal accidents spurred railroad to build Dixie Highway viaduct
Deadly traffic accidents in the early years of the last century served as the catalyst for the decision to eliminate all grade rail crossings along the Illinois Central line between downtown Chicago and Matteson-Richton.
Brawls, bucket brigades showed need for police, fire services
The village of Homewood is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its incorporation this year. This is the third in a series of articles that shed a little light on life and times in the village’s early years. In this article, local historician Jim Wright looks at the founding of the[Read More…]
Homewood’s early years: The village begins to grow up
After Homewood was incorporated in February 1893, the village board debated for months on the details of construction of a village hall. There was little debate, however, when it came to the question of sidewalks and other improvements.
Feb. 11 is 125th anniversary of Homewood’s incorporation
Although settled in the 1830’s, it took almost 60 years for the area that would eventually become Homewood to officially form a village government. That milestone was reached on Feb. 11, 1893, and so Homewood is celebrating its 125th birthday this year.
Homewood was part of historic nuclear confrontation
“Thirteen Days in October,” a 2000 Kevin Costner movie, chronicled the events in the Kennedy White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During the “thirteen days,” Oct. 16-28, 1962, the world came as close to the brink of nuclear war as anytime before or since. Tensions were high throughout the[Read More…]
Homewood’s Miller was the ‘Edison’ of roller coasters
John A. Miller is renowned in the amusement ride industry as the “Thomas Edison” of roller coasters and is widely considered as the “father of the modern high-speed roller coaster.” Miller, a lifelong resident of Homewood, participated in the design of approximately 140 roller coasters and patented more than 100[Read More…]
History: Homewood-Flossmoor’s 1st golf club established in 1899
Here in the midst of golf season, local historian Jim Wright reminds us of the origins of the area’s rich golfing resources.
Unassuming E-Com building was built 80 years ago for county highway police
The former station of the Cook County Highway Police is now home to E-Com, an emergency service dispatch center serving Homewood, Flossmoor and several other nearby communities. (Photos provided by the Homewood Historical Society) Driving down Ridge Road in Homewood, few motorists pay much attention to the building located[Read More…]