Golden Gala Celebrates 50 years for The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest

The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest will celebrate its first 50 years with a Golden Gala on Nov. 16 at The Carleton Hotel in Oak Park. 

The gala honorees, Harriet Hausman of River Forest and Doug Deuchler of Oak Park, “are people who have been devoted to our community for decades in so many ways, including a commitment to preserving and sharing our history.  They are jewels of the community—they are at the heart of our villages,” 

Harriet Hausman wrote the first history of River Forest in 1975, served as a River Forest Township trustee, helped to establish the River Forest Community Center, and remains a frequent opinion contributor to the Wednesday Journal. A civil rights and anti-Viet Nam War protester, Hausman also served on the Board of directors of the ACLU.

Doug Deuchler, who has written scripts and performed in the Historical Society’s Forest Home Cemetery Walks for 25 years, also is a theater critic and former history columnist for the Wednesday Journal and a blogger.  After his retirement from Proviso West High School, where he was librarian after teaching English in the Proviso system, he has written historical books about Oak Park and Berwyn and has been a volunteer and supporter of numerous local organizations.

For more information or to purchase tickets call 708-848-6755 or go to oprfmuseum.org