About the Lombard Historical Society

LOMBARD CELEBRATES A SESQUICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY WITH AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL AT THE LOMBARD HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Lombard Historical Society celebrates Lombard's heritage by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Lombard and operates the Victorian Cottage Museum, the Carriage House and the Society’s Archives at 23 W. Maple Street, and the Sheldon Peck Homestead, a National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site, at 355 E. Parkside Avenue in Lombard.

The Lombard Cemetery (formerly Babcock’s Grove Cemetery) is maintained by the Lombard Cemetery Committee which is composed of members from the Lombard Park District, Lombard Historic Commission, Lombard Historical Society, the Lombard Garden Club, and the Village of Lombard.

Mission Statement

The Lombard Historical Society endeavors to cultivate a deep appreciation and comprehension of our community's rich history. We encourage visitors to delve into our past through interactive exhibitions, educational programming, and gaining insights from our collections. We are committed to the preservation, interpretation, and celebration of Lombard's past, inspiring a vibrant and inclusive future. -Updated 2024

Vision Statement

As the stewards of Lombard’s heritage, we will make the past meaningful to impact our community’s present and future.

LHS OFFICE HOURS
Office hours differ from Victorian Cottage and the Shelden Peck Homestead. The LHS staff are in the office
Tuesday – Saturday from 10 - 4. Please call ahead (630.629.1885) before visiting to make sure someone is available.

Rental inquiries here.
630.629.1885
info@lombardhistory.org

How we Began - Part One, by Rita Schneider

In 1968, there was no historical society in Lombard, and no immediate plan to institute one. However, there was a Village Centennial celebration in 1969, and there were a number of historically minded citizens (many descended from the early residents, who had been members of a Centennial Committee formed in 1963, chaired by August “Bud” Schweppe) to help plan a series of events to commemorate the beginning of Lombard in 1869, originally called Babcock’s Grove.