Currently available at HHS for a donation of $22. Contact 708-799-1896 and leave a message for mail order instructions or to have the book delivered locally.
From its beginnings as one of the first stops on the Illinois Central Railroad in 1853, to its position as “the jewel of the south suburbs” today, Homewood has had a rich and varied history. Located 25 miles south of Chicago, Homewood has capitalized on its location along a major rail line, Canadian National Railway today, and the network of interstate expressways that continue to fuel its growth and prosperity. This access to transportation allowed the industrious Gottschalk family to make a fortune selling hay to Chicago’s stockyards and, later, bricks to communities throughout the area. Rail access, combined with the abundance of hayfields surrounding Homewood, allowed the area to be transformed into a golfer’s paradise at the start of the 20th century and into a suburban bedroom community by midcentury. James R. Wright, lifelong Homewood resident, longtime historian, and past president of the Homewood Historical Society, has selected some of the best images from the society’s photographic archives to illustrate a visual journey through Homewood’s early years, providing perfect insight into why generations call this beloved community “Home Sweet Homewood.”
Homewood (IL) Historical Society 