Donate to Edgewater Historical Society

Edgewater Historical Society

LXCL:The&nbsp;Edgewater Historical Society&nbsp;was founded in January of 1988 to:<ul class="lxcl-ul"><li value="1" class="lxcl-listItem" dir="ltr">involve the community in the research, documentation, collection and preservation of Edgewater History;</li><li value="2" class="lxcl-listItem" dir="ltr">promote the study, sharing and enjoyment of that history; and</li><li value="3" class="lxcl-listItem" dir="ltr">promote the preservation of landmarks and historical structures.</li></ul>

Explore the stories behind Edgewater&rsquo;s historic homes on our 35th Annual Home Tour. Step inside select residences in the Edgewater Glen Historic District and see how neighbors care for, adapt, and preserve these remarkable buildings. 🏡 Your registration supports the research, documentation, and preservation of Edgewater history at the Edgewater Historical Society Museum. Join fellow community members, volunteers, and history enthusiasts for a thoughtful look at the neighborhood we share. 🗺️ Tickets are on sale now and will be available for purchase until Sunday, September 20 until 4:00PM.

2026 Annual Edgewater Home Tour

Tour led by Matt Lunt, Co-founder of Bramble Arts Loft. Bramble Arts Loft is a versatile event venue featuring multiple performance spaces. The space is also home to Bramble Theatre Company, offering a mix of original plays, a reading series, and educational classes. As a bonus, participants will be treated to music in the cabaret area after the tour.

Backstage Tour: Bramble Arts Loft

This tour of the main business area of Edgewater has many surprises because it features several of the significant Motor Row buildings and a collection of two-flats built before the street was designated commercial. This tour captures a moment in Edgewater history when homes and businesses were side by side. The walk begins at St. Ita Catholic Church, on Broadway and Catalpa, and ends at Broadway and Rosedale, near the Broadway Armory.

Surprising Broadway Walking Tour

You will see seven Chicago landmarks and homes from the 1890s in the area around Granville and Kenmore. Learn from discussion of examples of each major residential building boom and housing transition in Edgewater since the 1890s. The walk is little over a mile, beginning at Kenmore and Granville (get coffee at Metropolis on Granville), and ending at the Colvin House on Thorndale and Sheridan.

North Edgewater Beach Walking Tour

This district exhibits some of the finest commercial architecture built by Swedish architects at the beginning of the 20th century. Also included are a few residential buildings of early construction. The walk begins at the Edgewater Historical Society Museum garden (behind the museum) at Balmoral and Ashland, and ends at Foster and Clark. Your tour guide will inform you about the history of the Clark Street development over 30 years.

Andersonville Historic District Walking Tour

This is a unique exploration of the hidden artwork along Edgewater&rsquo;s lakefront. Join Edgewater&rsquo;s Bill Swislow in the walk along the shore. The July 25th tour begins at the Foster Beach House.

Discover the Art Underfoot Walking Tour (Foster Beach House)

Tour led by Artistic Director Dusty Brown&nbsp; Redtwist is a long time Edgewater favorite - a storefront theatre featuring searing hot drama in a tiny black box with a little red twist. As a bonus, participants are offered a complimentary ticket to Redtwist&#39;s current production of Deserted, running now through August 2nd.

Backstage Tour: Redtwist Theatre

Designated in 1999, this district displays many of Edgewater’s finest architectural gems in residential housing. Many are locally important landmarks on the Chicago Historic Resources survey of 1986. The walk is approximately one mile, beginning and ending at North Shore Baptist Church on the 5200 block of Lakewood.

Lakewood Balmoral Historic District Walking Tour

Tour led by Archivist Lara Johnson.&nbsp; As a bonus participants will receive a complimentary ticket to that evening&rsquo;s performance of The Infinite Wrench, which performs 30 plays in 60 minutes. NOTE: The theater is on the second floor, so stairs are involved.

Backstage Tour: The NeoFuturist Theater

The center of Edgewater and Edgewater’s main street. Learn how J.L. Cochran planned to develop Edgewater as a suburb until urbanization happened. The street has a unique mix of what are called hybrid buildings, including luxury apartments and stores. Many of the buildings are named Chicago landmarks. The walk begins in front of the Edgewater Beach Apartments, and extends west to Broadway and back again.

Bryn Mawr Landmark District Walking Tour

This neighborhood is one of Edgewater’s oldest, developed by William H. Cairnduff in 1888 as an addition to J.L. Cochran’s Edgewater. The homes are well cared for and show some interesting architectural details. The tour booklet includes an early map. The walk is approximately one mile, beginning and ending at the corner of Magnolia and Early (just north of the Hollywood connection to Ridge).

Magnolia Glen Walking Tour

This neighborhood is a popular section of single family homes and two-flats developed from some of the Kransz family original farm at the end of the 19th century. In 1903 one architect, A.E. Norman, was hired to build almost two blocks of homes. Other specialties are homes of the Kransz family and some early homes by J.L. Cochran. The walk begins at the Granville Avenue United Methodist Church, on Granville at Lakewood.