Now the 1846
Blodgett House structure has been moved,
preserved and gifted to the Park District, our
attention turns to the cultural heritage it
embodies.
Click here to read our vision and approach to
telling this story.
Museum staff members are now developing plans
for exhibits, educational programs and tours.
An appropriate
distribution of emphasis between four primary
subject areas for exhibits and programing has
been suggested to be as follows:
35%
Underground Railroad
25% House Architecture,
Construction
& Preservation
25% Early Blodgett Family Life
15% Seasonal and Special
Programs
The first opportunity to visit inside the
newly renovated 1846 Blodgett House was on
Saturday December 14, 2019. The Merry
and Bright event at the Downers Grove
Museum then featured public tours inside the
pioneer home as
described on the Park District's website.
Additional funds received during 2019 allowed
completion of interior construction work so
the house can now be opened for public visits.
In June 2014 the Park District was notified
that it received a state museum grant of
$135,500 for help with interior restoration
and interpretative exhibits. This grant was
released in 2019 after having been
suspended for four years due to state budget
problems.
In 2016, Lovejoy, Inc., a Timken brand,
opened their world headquarters on Wisconsin
Ave. and became a member of the Downers Grove
community.
In October 2018 Park District received
$50,000 from the Timken Foundation to support
work on the 1846 Blodgett House. This
award was presented by Mat Happach of Lovejoy,
Inc.
