Raupp Museum facts for kids
| Established | 1979 |
|---|---|
| Location | 901 Dunham Lane Buffalo Grove, Illinois |
| Type | Local history |
The Raupp Memorial Museum is a cool place in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, where you can learn all about the town's past. It's part of the Buffalo Grove Park District and has even won awards for being a great museum!
Contents
Exploring Buffalo Grove's Past
How Buffalo Grove Started
Buffalo Grove began as a small community in the 1840s. Many German families settled here and started dairy farming. The families of Melchoir Raupp and Jacob Weidner were some of the first to arrive.
The community slowly grew bigger. In 1958, it officially became a village. As more people moved in, Buffalo Grove started to change from farms to a more suburban area.
A Special Gift for the Community
In 1964, three brothers named Philip, Carl, and John Raupp, who were descendants of Melchoir Raupp, decided to sell their family's farmland. But they did something special: they donated three acres of land and their farmhouse to the Village of Buffalo Grove.
They had one important rule for their gift: the land had to be used for either a museum or a library. Later, the land was given to the Buffalo Grove Park District with the same condition.
Building the Museum
The Park District decided to create a museum to share Buffalo Grove's history. They started fixing up the old Raupp farmhouse. But in 1972, something sad happened: the farmhouse caught fire and burned down completely.
Luckily, a local company called Levitt Company stepped in to help. They had just finished building homes in the area and offered to donate their sales office building. In 1975, this building was moved all the way down Arlington Heights Road to its current spot on Dunham Lane.
Opening and Renovations
The Raupp Museum officially opened its doors on September 16, 1979. Since then, the building has been updated several times.
In 2002, a big new section was added. This included a large main gallery, a gallery downstairs, and a special area to store the museum's collection. In 2013, the museum received a grant to update an old exhibit called "Town Square." This new area, called "The Crossroads," opened in April 2014. It was also made easier for everyone to visit, including those with disabilities.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has lots of cool things to see and do. It offers many educational programs for groups like scouts and schools. These programs match the changing exhibits and meet state learning standards.
The museum has over 3,000 local history items. These are shown and stored right at the museum in three fun, interactive gallery spaces.
Main Gallery: A Trip Through Time
The main gallery tells the story of Buffalo Grove in order, starting from the 1830s. You can learn about the first people who lived in the area, like the Potawatomi tribe and early farm families. Then, it shows how the area grew into a modern suburb during the 1950s and 1960s.
The Crossroads Gallery: Life in the Early 1900s
This gallery used to show what businesses looked like in the 1880s, like a barber shop and a general store. But after a big renovation in 2014, it was completely changed.
Now, this space, called "The Crossroads," shows what life was like between 1910 and 1930. You can see a greenhouse like those from local plant nurseries, a train station from Prairie View, an old gas station called Welter, and the Weidner General Store.
Temporary Exhibits: Something New to Discover
The third gallery always has something new! It features temporary exhibits that change several times a year. In the past, they've shown art by local painters, displays about kites, the American Civil War, and even women's suffrage (when women fought for the right to vote). This space is also used for special events and activities.
