FAQ

Stuart Building

Stuart Memorial Building, c. 1974, KHS

Answers to popular questions about the Kenilworth Historical Society

Have a new question?  Email us or stop by.

 

What are your hours?

  • We are open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9AM – 5PM

What is the cost of admission?

Where can I park?

  • There is temporary parking near the us on the street and by the train station. See map.

Where is the bathroom?

  • We have bathrooms located on the west side of the building next to the Village offices.

Is the museum accessible to guests with disabilities?

  • There is a ramp on the Village east entrance at 419 Richmond Rd.

Who is Joseph Sears?

  • Joseph Sears was the founder of Kenilworth. He purchased 223.6 acres of land in 1889 that was to become Kenilworth. Sears and several of his associates formed The Kenilworth Company to execute his suburban dream. Joseph Sears possessed definite ideas about how a village should be planned. Streets were plated to maximize the availability of sunlight in each home, utilities were placed underground, no alleys or fences were permitted, construction standards were high, and there were large lots and paved streets. To maintain the country atmosphere, the plan required large lots and setbacks, tree plantings along roadways, and generous park lands. Mr. Sears donated much of his own property to achieve this goal.

When was Kenilworth founded?

  • Kenilworth was founded in 1889 when Joseph Sears purchased 223.6 acres of land consisting of several farms between the Chicago and North Western Railroad and Lake Michigan for $150,300. However, Kenilworth wasn’t incorporated as a village until 1896 when the population reached 300.

When was Joseph Sears School founded?

  • In 1904 Joseph Sears, the founder of Kenilworth, donated the land on which a three-room white frame school was to be erected. The school was later named after Joseph Sears in 1912 after his death.