Explore ela history

Thank you for your continued support of the Ela Historical Society and Museum! Here is a little bit about what we’ve been up to.

We were recently invited to participate in a local Wine Walk! The Wine Walk went well, with around 150 people coming through the museum as our registration location. It was great to see so many visitors to the museum!

Lately, we’ve been experimenting with postcards to promote the museum, and I’ve set up a display rack for six different designs. It will be interesting to see which ones catch people’s attention. Please stop in to the museum to check them out yourself! Take one home with you for just a dollar!

On March 21, Elizabeth and I will give a talk on the history of Lake Zurich at the Barrington Library for the DAR group. Looking ahead, we’ve been invited to the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce 2026 Community EXPO on April 11. The Township offered for us to join their table, but the Chamber also invited us to have our own table. Both options would give the museum great visibility, and we appreciate being included.

It’s always rewarding to help people connect with our local history. Recently, I was able to provide information to a descendant of Lucretia Freeman, one of our earliest teachers from 1838, and I’m currently assisting someone researching early settler John Eagan. These inquiries remind me how important it is to preserve and share our stories.

Thank you again for your continued interest and support. We encourage you to pop in Saturdays and even consider getting more plugged in!

Ray