By Katie Clark, CCHS Executive Director
As Historic Cook County (HCC) approaches its centennial in 2025, the organization continues to thrive, celebrating 100 years of preserving our rich history. Over the years, countless individuals have dedicated themselves to safeguarding the personal stories, experiences, and artifacts that define our community. Through their efforts, a treasure trove of documents, photographs, oral histories, and historical sites has been carefully curated and protected.
In recent years, we have taken significant steps to refine our collections, ensuring they align with our mission and purpose. We’ve enhanced our preservation practices, reducing the risk of loss and creating more opportunities to share these invaluable items with the public. Our commitment to maintaining historical sites has intensified through consultations, studies, and essential repairs and upgrades. We continue to seek targeted grants to match existing funds, in order to help ensure these sites are maintained and accessible for future generations to learn from and appreciate.
Today, our dedicated and engaged staff embodies the values and culture that drive our organization. They connect with the community, researchers, visitors, and artists daily, advancing our programming goals and mission. The movement towards greater community collaboration has strengthened our ties with other area heritage organizations that handle the cultural resources of our community. The Historical Alliance of Cook County is collectively raising awareness of local history and enhancing the management of cultural resources across Cook County.
This October, HCC will launch our five-year strategic plan at our Annual Meeting, outlining our goals and plans in the areas of our facilities, collections, programming, and development. The plan will focus on fortifying our resources, ensuring sustainability, and achieving our preservation goals, all built on a strong foundation.
As we look to the future, I am excited to announce that after five fulfilling years with CCHS, I will pursue long-awaited creative endeavors. During the transition to a new director, Aliya Marxen, our current Gallery Manager at Johnson Heritage Post (JHP) Art Gallery, will step in as our Interim Director. With a business degree and a successful track record of transforming JHP into a vibrant and professional space, Aliya is well-equipped to guide CCHS through this important phase. Her leadership will play a pivotal role in our organization’s long-term success and resilience.
I am confident that these changes will bring new opportunities, foster growth, and lead to a bright future for CCHS. I look forward to watching the organization’s progress and supporting it in any way I can as they embark on the next 100 years!
