Fox River Grove Memorial Library offers a rich Local History collection, which is available for anyone to reference onsite during the Library’s operating hours. Local History items cannot be checked out or taken outside of the Library. Photocopying or other reproduction of Local History materials may be restricted; please see our Local History Collection Reproduction Notice.
The collection is located upstairs, in Adult Services, and includes a variety of formats, spanning topics such as community scrapbooks, school photos, village administration, library gifts/memorials, balloon port, train station/village redevelopment, village residents and businesses, Norge Ski Club, Friends of the Library, Lions Club, Jaycees, neighboring communities, cemeteries and obituaries, McHenry County marriages, and more.
Our goal is to make the history of Fox River Grove available and accessible to all. We focus on preserving documents that are associated with a property, business, address, or formal institution or organization in Fox River Grove, or the nearby area. We are happy to assist you in referencing the collection, whether for research or recreation, and appointments with staff are available. In an effort to preserve our Local History, we are happy to accept donations of relevant historical documents. Donation appointments are required, and all potential donations will be assessed in order to not only ensure that they enhance our collection, but also to confirm that the Library has the ability to properly catalog, maintain, and store the donation.
The Library’s Local History collection was assembled by Linda Stengele, one of McHenry County Historical Society and Museum’s 2016 Women of Distinction, and is currently maintained by Library staff member Kelly Johnson. Please direct any inquiries regarding Local History to Kelly via email or phone 847-639-2274 to schedule an appointment with Kelly at the Library.