Background
Kleespies, Gavin W. was born on January 28, 1975 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Philip M. and Penelope M. Kleespies.
(In 1874, Ezra Eggleston bought much of the land that is n...)
In 1874, Ezra Eggleston bought much of the land that is now downtown Mount Prospect and began to plan a village. He named the town after its position on the highest elevation in Cook County and in anticipation of the prospects awaiting future residents. However, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the Panic of 1873 combined to make sales of new land difficult. Ezra sold his interest in the town, but soon after, people began to build stores and houses. By the 1900s, the area was flourishing. In 1917, Mount Prospect was incorporated. The 20th century has continued to bring great changes and development to the area as it evolved from a modest village to a major suburban community.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738531650/?tag=2022091-20
(Mount Prospect dates back to the 1840s. The village has a...)
Mount Prospect dates back to the 1840s. The village has a fascinating legacy as an immigrant community, an ambitious small town, an early progressive suburb, and a classic postwar community. However, few of today's residents are aware of this legacy. Much of Mount Prospect's past has been overshadowed by the incredibly rapid development of the past half century. The population of Mount Prospect in 1950 was around 4,000 people, the population was almost 19,000 by 1960, and today it approaches 60,000. This amazingly rapid development fundamentally changed how Mount Prospect saw itself and redefined the community's landscape. Many of the older buildings were demolished to make way for new developments or were modernized and are now hard to identify. The farms and early industries were replaced with houses and shopping areas. By the time this rapid development was over, it was hard to see what had been here before. Lost Mount Prospect is an examination of this history. It is a look at the village through the lens of what no longer exists.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738540919/?tag=2022091-20
Kleespies, Gavin W. was born on January 28, 1975 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Philip M. and Penelope M. Kleespies.
Bachelor, Bard College, 1996. Master of Arts, University Chicago, 1999.
Editorial assistant Hudson Valley Regional Review, Annandale, New York, 1994—1996. Archival assistant Cambridge History Commission, Massachusetts, 1996—1998. Curatorial assistant Cambridge History Society, 1997—1998.
Executive director Mount Prospect History Society, Illinois, since 1999.
(In 1874, Ezra Eggleston bought much of the land that is n...)
(Mount Prospect dates back to the 1840s. The village has a...)