South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society - Illinois

12/15/2025

Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends. Thoughts are with those affected by the situation at Bondi Beach in Australia.

12/13/2025

Let’s promote some historical society happenings in the area. Lemont Area Historical Society plans two events today in the Old Stone Church.

12/13/2025

Ooh! Ooh! A webinar about one of our favorite resources - city directories! Watch the webinar by George Morgan for Legacy Family Tree, free for the next several days.

City directories aren’t just substitutes for missing census years—they are rich, detailed snapshots of your ancestors' lives.

George G. Morgan explores their uses, content, and research strategies in Introduction to U.S. City Directories.

Watch it free through December 18:
https://familytreewebinars.com/genealogyguys/

12/13/2025

An interesting post from our friends at the Pullman House Project.

This is the Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper from April 27, 1889, featuring images of Pullman—and one highlight stands out: the incredible water tower that powered the town’s sanitation system.

Pullman designed his community to be not just beautiful and comfortable, but truly sanitary. The towering structure rose 195 feet with foundations 40 feet deep, supporting a massive iron tank on four rolled-iron columns—engineered with a framework comparable to a modern skyscraper and strong enough to rival the lower stories of a 40-story building.

Even more impressive? Pullman’s waste system. Wastewater was pumped to a farm miles south to fertilize crops, while kitchen scraps fed thousands of pigs. For the 1880s, this was remarkably forward-thinking—an early example of sustainability and resource reuse.

A stunning town on the surface—and surprisingly modern behind the scenes.

12/13/2025

Happy 100th birthday to Dick Van D**e. How many of you watched him trip over that ottoman as Rob Petrie? Or dance and sing with Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins?

The legendary Dick Van D**e turns 100 years old today! He was born in West Plains, Missouri, on this day in 1925. 🎉

Van D**e is known for his roles in beloved films such as "Mary Poppins," "Bye Bye Birdie," and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Beyond that, he had a namesake sitcom and has appeared on Broadway.

But after a century on Earth, it is impossible to fully sum up Van D**e's life and career in just a few words. Here's to a happy 100th birthday! ❤️

12/11/2025

Let’s promote some historical happenings in the area. Tickets are available for the Pullman Holiday Candlelight Tour this Sunday.

12/11/2025

Did your ancestors enter the US by way of Canada? Learn what records exist for US-Canada boundary crossings in this post from Family Tree Magazine.

https://familytreemagazine.com/heritage/canadian/the-formation-of-the-u-s-canadian-boundary-and-its-records/

The United States – Canadian border is the longest undefended boundary in the world with more than 5,500 miles of land, shared history, commerce, and family

12/11/2025

Tonight, the Homewood Historical Society celebrates 45 years. Elaine Egdorf, a founding member and past president, reminisces with HHS president Bob Anderson. Congratulations!

12/10/2025

The 1850 Census was the first one to enumerate everyone in the household by name (although relationships were not given until 1880). Tracing ancestors before 1850 can be challenging, but Family Tree Magazine has some suggestions:

https://familytreemagazine.com/heritage/early-american/13-tips-for-researching-pioneer-ancestors/

Trying to track down pre-1850 records can be tricky. Geneaologist Marsha Hoffman Rising shares 13 suggestions for researching pioneer ancestors.

12/09/2025

Let’s promote some history events in the area. Homewood Historical Society plans a celebration this Wednesday evening.

You're invited to our 45th Anniversary Celebration! 🥳

When: 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Where: Homewood Public Library, 17917 Dixie Highway

Join us for our next general meeting at 6 p.m., followed by a Retrospective with co-founder, Elaine Egdorf, and current president, Bob Anderson -- recalling the highlights of 45 remarkable years. The anniversary celebration begins at 6:15 p.m. Free admission, all are welcome. See you there!!