About the Palatine Historical Society
Our Mission
The primary purpose of the Palatine Historical Society is to collect, preserve, study, interpret and exhibit significant materials relating to Palatine and Palatine Township, and to provide related educational services for the purpose of increasing and enriching public knowledge.
An important secondary objective is to operate Clayson House as a house museum in which the decoration and furnishing of its period rooms, and to some extent its library collections, illustrate the lifestyle of a middle class family in the Victorian period (1850-1900). In meeting this objective the Society will give precedence to objects with Palatine Township connections only when they are substantially as representative as others that can be acquired and used.
Who We Are
The Palatine Historical Society is dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of local history and memorabilia. The Society raised $200,000 from 1976 to 1986 to restore the Clayson House Museum at 224 E. Palatine Road. Programs are offered free to the public at the Palatine Public Library the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm.
The Palatine Historical Society was organized in December of 1955. The Palatine Chamber of Commerce chose that year to celebrate the Palatine Centennial. The Centennial marked the 100th year since the building of the first Palatine railroad station. The celebration received wide coverage in the Herald newspapers. The year also saw the publication of the Palatine Centennial Book.
Our Board of Directors & Officers
President, Joe Petykowski
First Vice President, open
Second Vice President, Nancy Cairns
Recording Secretary, Kathleen McCarthy
Corresponding Secretary & Library, open
Treasurer, Denise Limburg
Archives, Ken Gorham
Collections and Exhibits, Connie Rawa
Long-Range Goals, open
Publicity, Susan Minott
Publications, Alice Rosenberg
Textiles, Janet Degner
Museum Coordinator, Linni Pesch
Website, Dave Hammer & Ken Gorham
Palatine Public Library Liaison, Art Krull
Palatine Park District Liaison, Linni Pesch
Clayson House Museum Coordinator
Meet Linni Pesch, the Historical Society’s coordinator with the Park District and Supervisor of Needs & Events at the Clayson House Museum.
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
– Marcus Garvey