The Bedford Park Public Library launched its first history club in January, filling a gap in the community’s efforts to preserve and celebrate local memory.
The Remember When History Club held its inaugural meeting on January 13 and now gathers the second Tuesday of each month from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Rubel/Rackow Building, 7800 W. 65th St. Library Historian Bridget Ormins, who leads the program, said she does not recall the library ever hosting a formal history club before.
“My goal is to not only have fun exploring all things Bedford Park, but learn about local history as well,” Ormins said.
The club operates on a flexible format. Some meetings feature residents sharing personal photographs and memorabilia from the village. Others bring in guest speakers or presentations from current and former residents. Linda Rackow, president of the library board, screened video of the first houses demolished after a village rebuilding incentive program. Jack Holloway, a retired Bedford Park fireman and former resident, and his wife Vanessa have contributed photos and videos documenting both the residential and industrial areas of the village.
Membership is open to anyone, resident or not.
The club is one piece of a broader effort by the library to document local history. Before launching the Remember When club, the library conducted interviews with village veterans — work that continues — and collected “porch pictures” and pandemic-era questionnaires from residents courtesy of the Bob Erklin family. The library also distributed questionnaires asking how residents came to Bedford Park and what life in the village has been like.
Ormins said she hopes to expand the program with additional historical speakers and special events.
“This is an ongoing adventure for any past or present resident who would like to participate,” she said. Contributions can be submitted as written documents or oral interviews.
The club currently meets at the Rubel/Rackow Building because the library’s lower level — its usual meeting space — flooded in January. The library is working to reopen that space and plans renovations.
For more information, contact Ormins at (708) 458-6826 or bormins@bedfordparklibrary.com.
