A 100 Year Road Trip: A Historical Trip from Chicago to Lake Geneva

Join the Walworth County Historical Society for a unique trip back in time! Before in-car GPS devices, before highway numbers, even before road atlases, there were "photo-auto guides".  A century ago, early motorists used these to make cross-country trips by taking the right turn at the yellow farmhouse, or up the hill fork near the big oak, accompanies with photos.  This program will be presented by author and historian Wilbert Stroeve, and uses one of these guides from 1905 to navigate from Chicago to Lake Geneva and Beloit.  It shows a Chicago-Lake Geneva region that has been transformed - and even more remarkable, a few scenes that have remained unchanged.  The original maps and modern maps help you carefully retrace the route.  Whether you want to journey from Chicago to Lake Geneva, or just travel through time, you'll enjoy the trip.
 
The Chicago Map Society took up the challenge to redocument the original route where possible along with photographs that duplicate as close as possible the original intended route.  This resulted in publishing a book "A 100 Year Road Trip" and is being presented at the meeting.  Copies of this book will be available for purchase for $15 with a check made payable to the Chicago Map Society.

Please note that the Library will be closed during the presentation, but the main doors and Community Center entrances will be open.