Crab Tree Farm Part 2: The Bad Boy of Crab Tree Farm and Other Misdeeds

Crab Tree Farm Part 2: The Bad Boy of Crab Tree Farm and Other Misdeeds

Did you know that during the 1920s and '30s, Lake Bluff was at the center of several national crime stories? The village faced a surprising wave of lawlessness during the Prohibition era that reached all the way to Crab Tree Farm. Crab Tree Farm Part 2 of Lake Bluff History Museum's "View from the Bluff" podcast explores published accounts of events that kept federal investigators and newspaper reporters busy decades ago.

Crab Tree Farm Part 1: The Durands

In the first of two episodes about Crab Tree Farm, O'Hara and Rolek take a closer look at the history of the property and the people who shaped it starting with Judge Blodgett's "Ashland" estate through dairy farmer Grace Durand's ownership.

The Great Lakes Naval Base

2026

A Bohemian Presence: The Artist's Colony in Lake Bluff

In the early 1900s, a number of artists and literary figures drawn to the beauty and proximity of Lake Bluff's lake and ravines lived in an area that became known as "The Artists Colony". The impact of these artists and intellectuals far exceeded the boundaries of the Village and built on a legacy of creative spirit extending back to the Chautauqua inspired Lake Bluff camp meetings. O'Hara and Rolek discuss several key figures whose artistic legacy continues to ripple through Lake Bluff's cultural landscape.

A Haven for Children: The Lake Bluff Children's Home

The 1890s were a period of painful economic recession and a time of extreme social dislocation during which thousands of orphans and children whose parents could not afford to care for them were given up for adoption. The arrival of six children brought to Lake Bluff by the Metodist Deaconesses in 1894, the 75-year saga of the Lake Bluff Children's Home (LBCH) began. Its development, success and ultimate decline present a unique story of social service and community engagement, highlights of which are shared in this podcast.