Fort Sheridan Historical Society
Chat with Former Senator Mark Kirk Planned
Fall Events are Coming!
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Annual Meeting - The Fort Sheridan Historical Society will hold its annual meeting at 1 PM on September 22nd at 324 Leonard Wood South. Our guest speaker will be Carole English, who served in the Army at the Fort and then later worked many years here, continuing through its closing, and has many interesting stories about those years.​​
Ghost Stories from the Fort - On October 19th, beginning at 6:30 PM, our own Matt Fuller will once again entertain us with (mostly) true ghost stories reported here at the Fort over the years. He promises new stories from those he shared last year. Come to the Tower, bring a chair or blanket, and hear what may have happened in YOUR building. All stories will be family-friendly and Halloween candy will be shared with the kids.
Veterans Day Commemoration - On November 11th at 9 AM, we will hold our annual commemoration of this important day at the Flag Pole on the west end of the Parade Grounds. The ceremony, which will include a few remarks from Congressman Brad Schneider, will be memorable and brief, followed by a reception at 324 Leonard Wood South.
What's New on This Website??
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In 1980, local resident D. Haberkamp wrote a History of Fort Sheridan from Its Beginnings to World War I, This research paper can be found here.
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Photos of the Civilian Military Training Camp at the Fort in 1926, along with a description of CMTCs, can be found here.
27 old photos from around the Fort, donated by L. Tucker, have been added to a gallery under the History tab above.
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In 1987, the Officers' Wives Club assembled and published a Community Cookbook. Excerpts from this cookbook, especially a series of Hints and Tips, can be found under the History tab above, on the Articles and Maps page. Here's a direct link. if interest is expressed, we could publish some of the 123 pages of interesting recipes from the book.
We're constantly adding new historical documents to the site, and our most recent has been to add copies of The Tower newspaper from the 1970s and from 1993. Find these on our Articles and Maps page. The 3 papers from the 1970s highlight interesting events happening at the Fort and include some fun-to-read ads for local merchants. The 1993 edition is the last one before the Fort officially closed on June 1, 1993, and has articles about the closing.
Check them all out. While you're on the Articles and Maps page, click on a few of the other historical documents listed there to answer some of your other questions about the Fort's past. Enjoy!
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We find that many people interested in the history of the Fort no longer live near the Fort. This website has started to serve as an online museum, allowing all to learn about the Fort by perusing some of the Society's archives. Over time, more of these archives and other Fort history will be posted here.
The Society
The Fort Sheridan Historical Society was formed to honor, support, educate about, and promote the Fort and its history from the late 1880’s to present.
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Our goal is to provide useful information about the Fort and its history to former and current residents and those interested in the history of the Fort and the North Shore. Click here for more information about the Society.
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Please explore this site to find much more information about the Fort, its history, and how to best plan and enjoy a visit to the Fort. To encourage further research and sharing of Fort information, please support the Society by Joining.
Want to know more about the Fort?...
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We routinely send out emails and newsletters with interesting information and updates on events. No need to be a member to get these (although there are Member Only events you may miss out on). Just contact us and we'll add you to our list!
Events
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The Annual meeting of the Society is tentatively scheduled for September 22.
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Ghost Stories from the Fort, October 19, featuring different stories from last year.
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Veterans Day commemoration, Nov 11.
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138th birthday of the Fort commemoration, March 3, 2025.
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Watch here for upcoming events sponsored by the Society!
Fort Sheridan: Then and Now
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A new book by Laura Tucker. Laura is a former resident of the Fort, an avid photographer and Fort Sheridan enthusiast, and has researched and compiled a collection of photographs and facts that highlight the ever-changing uses of the structures and the chameleon-like personality of the Fort. Buy it here on Amazon. (Separately, Laura has donated many of her research materials for the book to the Society's archives.)
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