Roaring 1920s in Kenilworth

The George Maher exhibit has been taken down and the walls repainted to make way for the new exhibit that explores the 1920s in Kenilworth. The exhibit highlights the fashion, lifestyle, and community during the entire decade.

In the aftermath of the First World War, the entire world was shaken and underwent a lot of changes socially, politically, and technologically. Kenilworth was no exception. In this exhibit we look at those changes within Kenilworth and highlight the fashion, lifestyle, and community during the decade.

In this era we saw the prohibition of alcohol, increase in global wealth and organized crime, Flapper fashion, the Charleston, Jazz, and women finally getting the rights of citizenship. This was the decade of extravagance, opulence, and independence which gave rise to styles like Art Deco and clothing that reflected these new social freedoms. In Kenilworth, these changes in society were very prominent. Going to the Assembly Hall on any given weekend was guaranteed to be a good time with dances, jazz performances, and plays happening on a regular basis. Rumors of speakeasies and illegal alcohol distributors were rampant in Chicago and the entire North Shore. The ‘20s also saw the expansion of Kenilworth with the annexation to the west and the acquisition of Mahoney Farm, which opened up more property lots and what is now known as Mahoney Park Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary.

Visit the new exhibit to explore the past, the changes that came to Kenilworth, and see the opulence that was life in the village during the 1920s.