Blue Island Historical Society

Blue Island Historical Society Become a member today or join our e-mail list for event updates! https://bihistoricalsociety.org Become a member! Download form at http://bit.ly/BIHSMembership
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Located in the 134-year-old BIHS/Albee House at 13018 Maple Avenue, BIHS sponsors events and presentations throughout the year.

09/13/2026

Ms. Sassy and the Blues Power Band live at the landmark Ward and Florence Seyfarth house!

The sound equipment is nearly ready to go and tickets are still available online or at the door for tonight’s Backyard C...
09/12/2026

The sound equipment is nearly ready to go and tickets are still available online or at the door for tonight’s Backyard Concert with Ms. Sassy & the Blues Power Band! Food and drinks are included with admission: https://blue-island-historical-society.square.site/events

WHEN: TONIGHT, September 12 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Ward & Florence Seyfarth House, 2523 High Street

Tickets are still available online or at the door for tonight’s Backyard Concert with Ms. Sassy & the Blues Power Band! ...
09/12/2026

Tickets are still available online or at the door for tonight’s Backyard Concert with Ms. Sassy & the Blues Power Band! Food and drinks are included with admission: https://blue-island-historical-society.square.site/events

WHEN: TONIGHT, September 12 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Ward & Florence Seyfarth House, 2523 High Street

Check out the menu and the venue for tomorrow's Backyard Concert! Admission to the event includes food, drinks, and a pe...
09/11/2026

Check out the menu and the venue for tomorrow's Backyard Concert! Admission to the event includes food, drinks, and a performance from Ms. Sassy & the Blues Power Band. Purchase your tickets online here: https://blue-island-historical-society.square.site/events

• Polish Sausage: on roll with mustard & grilled onions
• Picadillo Handles: vegan succotash, picadillo, crema de ajo, cilantro
• German Girl Dinner: Potato latke, knockwurst, apple sauce, green onions, sour cream

One of our followers recently shared family photos showing her ancestors and who we believe is the original owner of one...
09/10/2026

One of our followers recently shared family photos showing her ancestors and who we believe is the original owner of one of the most recognizable homes in Blue Island, William H. Weber.

According to our follower: "My mother just found an envelope filled with candid family photos in my dad's desk. I believe some show my grandfather and his brother with their step dad, William H. Weber."

These are some of the clearest photos we've seen of the George W. Maher-designed Weber house from this era, sometime around 1920, showing its original ornate dormers and clay tile roof.

Presale tickets are still available for Saturday's Backyard Concert with Ms. Sassy & the Blues Power Band! Food and drin...
09/09/2026

Presale tickets are still available for Saturday's Backyard Concert with Ms. Sassy & the Blues Power Band! Food and drinks are included with admission: https://blue-island-historical-society.square.site/events

WHEN: Saturday, September 12 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Ward & Florence Seyfarth House, 2523 High Street

Happy Labor Day! These photos show Labor Day parades in Blue Island in the 1910s, taken from the second floor of the Ope...
09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! These photos show Labor Day parades in Blue Island in the 1910s, taken from the second floor of the Opera House.

We were recently gifted a wonderful collection of more than 100 photographs, along with several letters, from Dylan Skor...
09/06/2026

We were recently gifted a wonderful collection of more than 100 photographs, along with several letters, from Dylan Skora. The collection includes photos and correspondence connected to the Jebsen and Moss families, giving us a glimpse into Blue Island’s past through words and images from the 1880s through the 1960s.

One of the photos in the collection features who we believe is Martin Schippel standing in front of his flour, feed, hay, & grain business in Blue Island’s Opera House building. We believe the man on the right is John Zacharias, a former mayor of Blue Island and the original owner of the Opera House.

Zacharias also owned a flour and feed business, and though we aren't sure exactly how at this point, it appears the two were related. It's possible that John handed off this business to Martin while he focused on the banking business he was building with his partners (which would eventually become the First National Bank of Blue Island) and furthering his local political career.

We were able to match the storefront to a photograph in our collection showing the Opera House, where the business can be seen in the lower right corner.

Here’s a little of Martin’s story:

• Martin was born in Auma, Germany, on December 23, 1870, and immigrated to the United States, settling in Blue Island in 1885 at the age of 14.

• He married Anna Marie Andres on April 22, 1898.

• In June of 1909, Martin was one of three incorporators of the Blue Island Power Boat Club, a nonprofit organization formed to promote motor boating.

• By 1920, Martin and Anna were living at 201 Western Avenue (now 13161 Western), renting an apartment in the Schreiber Hardware Building. Martin was working as an assistant engineer for the public service company.

• By 1930, the couple had moved to 13150 Western Avenue, renting an apartment in the Print Shop building. Martin had by then been promoted to engineer for the public service company.

• Martin died in June of 1934 at the age of 58. Anna lived until 1949.

We’re grateful to Dylan for preserving and sharing this collection with us. Photos like this help put faces, businesses and stories to the places that have shaped Blue Island over the years—and we’re always excited when a new piece of our community’s history comes to light!

Address

13018 Maple Avenue
Blue Island, IL
60406

Telephone

(708) 371-8546

Website

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