A Center to Educate, Inspire and Enrich the People of Evanston.
The Evanston History Center collects, preserves and shares Evanston history to educate, inspire and enrich the people of Evanston.
Through our work, our vision is that the people of Evanston will be grounded in their community and city history, to better understand how history shapes and informs the present. As a result, we will all be stronger students and citizens who care for and participate in the future of Evanston.
Dawes House: Home to the Evanston History Center
Step into the home of Former U.S. Vice President, ambassador to Great Britain, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Charles Gates Dawes.
Charles Gates Dawes’ magnificent home, now a National Historic Landmark, was built by Dr. Robert Sheppard in 1894 on two acres overlooking Lake Michigan. It served as the Dawes family home from 1909 until 1957.
Faithfully restored and carefully conserved, this chateauesque residence, designed by architect Henry Edwards-Ficken, of New York, has twenty-five rooms, including a cherry paneled library, a vaulted dining room with a musicians’ gallery, six bedrooms, and twelve fireplaces.
Historical Records: The Families, Houses, and Neighborhoods of Evanston
Beginning with an early record book rescued from a dustbin in 1898, Evanston History Center’s collections have grown to more than 100,000 artifacts, including decorative arts, rare books, documents, maps, photographs and oral histories, and a nationally renowned Costume Collection.
Our Research Room provides access to a significant archive of historical materials and records, including biographical files, city directories and phone books, building permits, and local newspapers, among other sources. Visit us to learn about your home and community through exploring the archives.
Talks@EHC: Explorations of History, Civic Engagement, and Community
Our Talks@EHC, the Evanston History Center’s discussion series, provides opportunities for Evanstonians to learn together about our city and its people. Through a wide range of topics-presented by authors, scholars, historians, local leaders, artists, and multi-generational residents-audiences explore their shared history and the meaning of community.
Talks@EHC take place in the warm and welcoming setting of the historic Dawes House, as well as at locations in other areas of Evanston, and are often hosted in partnership with other organizations. Each talk includes open dialogue and sharing. Talks@EHC reflect the diversity of peoples, stories, and perspectives in our City, emphasizing what we can learn from each other. Through Talks@EHC, Evanstonians discover new ways that their own lives and stories connect to the bigger picture of our community, our city, and our world.
“The Most Beautiful City in the World.” -Daniel Burnham
Explore the wonderful diversity of Evanston’s beautiful architecture, from the Greek Revival and Gothic, through Queen Anne and Tudor Revival, to the Prairie School and mid-century modern.
Discover the architecture of Evanston’s hometown architects: Daniel Burnham, William Holabird, Dwight Perkins, Myron Hunt, and Thomas Tallmadge. Learn the stories of the homeowners who hired them, as well as architects, such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Burley Griffin, George Maher, and John Van Bergen.
Signature Events to Celebrate Community
Friends and neighbors of all ages come together to enjoy celebrations including: the annual Mother’s Day House Walk, reFashioning History, Holiday Celebrations and more.