Gaylord Building Historic Site
Educational Programs and Events
(As of 12/17/2007)

DINNER & A LECTURE
The Dinner & A Lecture series, which began in 1998, is an entertaining evening of food, friendship and enlightenment.  Following a delicious meal catered by the Public Landing Restaurant, audience members are treated to an educating presentation by authoritative speakers of the arts, humanities and sciences.  The series is held monthly at the Gaylord Building Historic Site (200 W. 8th Street, Lockport, Illinois).  Each evening’s festivities begin with the doors opening at 6:00 pm for a cash bar.  Dinner is served at 6:45 pm, and the lecture begins at 7:45 pm, lasting until 8:30 to 8:45 pm.  Seating is limited, so reservations are required.  Single session admissions, which include dinner, are $27 for members of Canal Corridor Association (CCA) and National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), or $33 for non-members.  Discount packages are available.  Please call 815.588.1100 for reservations and additional information about the following sessions.

November 8, 2007 (Thursday)
Ethnic Cleansing in the Corridor: The Fate of the Indians in Northern Illinois traces the struggle of Native Americans in Illinois and their subsequent removal from the state.  Dr. Theodore Karamanski of Loyola University is the guest lecturer.
Dinner entrée choices are: Stuffed Chicken Breast (free range, boneless, skinless, breast of chicken, lightly breaded and filled with andouille sausage, smoked gouda and spinach) served with wild rice; or Salmon filet coated with BBQ sauce, served with sautéed vegetables and mashed sweet potatoes.  Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream will be served for dessert.

December 6, 2007 (Thursday)
Will County: Weaving the Tapestry of Lives, Land and Legacy, which will focus on Will County’s historic preservation program, including the role preservation plays within growth management, as well as any new statewide or national preservation developments that affect Will County, Illinois.   Speakers include Curt Paddock, David Dubois and Amy Munro of the Will County Land Use Department.
Dinner entrée choices are: Roast Turkey with sage stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, vegetables and gravy; or Homemade Meat Loaf served with jardinière of root vegetables, mashed potatoes and homemade gravy.  Dessert is Decadent Chocolate Cake

ACTS OF HISTORY
The Acts of History series presents first-person portrayals of historic personages.  The one act plays or monologues are performed by experienced and knowledgeable, professional actors and actresses.  The series is held quarterly at the Gaylord Building Historic Site (200 W. 8th Street, Lockport, Illinois).  Seating is limited, so reservations are recommended.  Admissions are $6 for CCA and NTHP members, or $8 for non-members.  Please call 815.588.1100 for reservations and additional information.  

March 26, 2008 (Wednesday), 7:00 p.m.
A Conversation with Jane Addams is a personal portrayal of the founder of Chicago’s social settlement Hull House.  Guided by powerful experiences and a conviction that the inequities of human life can be brought to balance, Jane Addams had the simple desire to alleviate poverty and cultural deprivation in a west side neighborhood, but Addams and the Hull-House women found themselves tackling enormous social issues.  Their efforts and solutions brought the settlement international acclaim, and Addams work for peace earned her the Nobel Peace Prize.

Jane Addams is portrayed by Annette M. Baldwin, a historian and professional actress.  Baldwin's depiction illustrates Addams' warmth and strength of character as she struggled against convention, sought purpose for her life, and resolved to meet poverty, disorder, and human degradation head on. 

Annette M. Baldwin has been researching, scripting, and performing first-person historical portrayals since 1986, when she launched her portrayal of Jane Adams.  In addition to Jane Addams, Baldwin's repertoire includes fashion designer Coco Chanel, Civil War spy Elizabeth Van Lew, journalist Dorothy Thompson, woman's rights leader Susan B. Anthony, and others.   Her women's history performances, Readers Theatre, slide presentations, lectures, and in-character speeches have been presented to scores of libraries, historical societies and museums, colleges and universities, professional associations, and community organizations in fourteen states.  Baldwin's Jane Addams has appeared for the Hull House Association and at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. 

FIRST HAND HISTORY
Historians and actors of history can be entertaining and informative, but the people who experienced history bring it to life and make it personal.  The speakers are witnesses to history who experienced it “first hand.”  They are the people who lived through major events of our recent past.  First Hand History is a quarterly series at the Gaylord Building Historic Site (200 W. 8th Street, Lockport, Illinois).  Seating is limited, so reservations are recommended.  Admissions are $6 for CCA and NTHP members, or $8 for non-members.  Please call 815.588.1100 for reservations and additional information.  

November 28, 2007 (Wednesday), 7:00 p.m.
Our Lady of the Angels School Fire: This is a tale of sorrow and courage in the face of unexpected and unfathomable horror during the 1958 elementary school fire that took the lives of 92 children and 3 adults.  A survivor of the tragedy will share his personal story.   

SPECIAL EVENTS

December 2, 2007 (Sunday)
An Encounter with St. Nicholas is a fun filled family event for children of all ages.  Children and adults can come and have their photo taken with Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in ancient Byzantium (Turkey).  St. Nicholas, who is the basis of our modern Santa Claus, will be at the Gaylord Building between Noon and 4:00pm.  Admission is $10 per family, which includes one photo with St. Nicholas.  Reservations are not required.  For more information, please call 815.588.1100.   

LOCKPORT SLEEPERS VINTAGE BASE BALL CLUB
The Lockport Sleepers Vintage Base Ball Club cordially invites ladies, gentlemen and children to participate in its 2008 activities as volunteer interpreters.  The Sleepers interpret the national pastime as it was played prior to the Civil War.  Ballists (players) use reproduction equipment, wear period uniforms, and play by 1858 rules.  Bugs (fans) wear appropriate period clothing with accessories and root for the Sleepers, providing the general public with historical information about the antebellum period.  The current roster of ballists and bugs range in age from 20s to 50s and reside in numerous communities throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, including Lockport. 

November 7 and 14, 2007 (Wednesday)
Gentlemen who are interested in becoming “ballists” are requested to attend one of two information sessions that are scheduled for Wednesday, November 7 and 14, 2007, beginning at 7:00pm. 

December 3, 2007 (Monday)
Ladies and other gentlemen who are interested in simply becoming “bugs” are requested to attend an information session on Monday, December 3, 2007, beginning at 7:00pm.  Historical seamstress and re-enactor Jill Carpenter will be the keynote presenter on December 3rd, discussing appropriate period clothing and accessories.  All three sessions are free and will be held at the Gaylord Building Historic Site.  Interested individuals who want to discover more should R.S.V.P. by calling 815.588.1100.     

The Lockport Sleepers VBBC is an educational program of the Gaylord Building, a National Trust Historic Site managed by the Canal Corridor Association. For additional information about the Sleepers click here.

CHECK BACK HERE LATER FOR UPDATES TO THESE AND OTHER
ACTIVITIES OF THE
GAYLORD BUILDING HISTORIC SITE.