This dress was worn by Edith Strohn (1870-1929) at her wedding to Ira C. Copley (1864-1947) at her parents’ Los Angeles home on March 3, 1892. Edith was a young socialite described as “a great favorite in Los Angeles society” and Ira Copley as “a popular young business man of Aurora, Ill.”
Passport to Adventure 2023-2024
Your key to museums this summer and fall/winter. Passport to Adventure, issued every year by the Kane-DuPage consortium of museums, is a guide to 80 places you might want to visit in the area. Collect stamps from 6 places and you can enter a drawing for a $25 gift...
Dress of the Week: Joanne Stuart Cutter
Each week during the Here Comes the Bride exhibit, the history of one of the dresses will be featured on the website and social media. Visit these dresses and more in person from June 2 through August 12, 2023, at the David L. Pierce Art & History...
Dress of the Week: Maude A. Hughes Banker
This dress was worn by Maude A. Hughes (1887-1955) for her wedding to Frank G. Banker (1884-1946) on October 13, 1912. Maude was born and raised in Naperville, while Frank grew up on a farm in Sugar Grove Township.
Dress of the Week: Martha “Mattie” Tanner Thornton
This dress was worn by Martha “Mattie” Tanner (1853-1940), daughter of Aurora pioneer William Tanner, for her wedding to Rev. Charles Thornton (1850-1928), a local Methodist minister. The couple married in the parlor of her parents’ home on the near west side of Aurora, now the William Tanner House Museum, on December 6, 1882. While her marriage to a minister took her away from Aurora with his various pastorates, Aurora was never far from her heart.
Aurora Historical Society to hold annual Independence Day picnic
Old-fashioned fun will be the theme of the annual Independence Day Picnic and Ringing of the Bells at the Aurora Historical Society’s Tanner House Museum on July 4 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Festivities will begin with music by singer-songwriter Bradley Keven Green and...
Dress of the Week: Elvira “Vera” Kuk Hunger
This dress was worn by Elvira “Vera” Kuk (1911-2004) for her wedding to Eugene B. Hunger (1904-1999) on August 23, 1931. Vera’s parents were Romanian immigrants living on Pigeon Hill, and the couple married at her home church, St. Michael’s Romanian Catholic. After the marriage, they went to live with her parents.
Dress of the Week: Margaret “Maggie” Olinger Hankes
This dress was worn by Margaret “Maggie” Olinger (1873-1962) at her wedding to Nicholas Hankes (1868-1923) on September 6, 1893. The couple, both children of Luxembourg immigrants, had a morning marriage at St. Nicholas Church and departed at once for a western wedding tour.
Jim Varney, Ed.D. Elected to Board of Trustees
Dr. Jim Varney, Ed.D., has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Aurora Historical Society.
Dr. Varney is a retired educator who spent nearly five decades working with students from preschool through master’s degree candidates. He served as principal at several Aurora schools and directed the Partnership School for 4th and 5th graders at Aurora University. Varney taught both undergraduate and graduate students at Aurora University and Waubonsee Community College. He holds degrees from Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, National Lewis University, and Aurora University.
Dress of the Week: Patricia Brodin Benson
This dress was worn by Patricia Brodin (b. 1937) at her marriage to Marvin Benson (1936-2022) on February 23, 1957. The two West Aurora High School graduates (class of 1955) married at Wesley Methodist Church.
Column: Aurora exhibit on wedding dresses offers a walk down the aisle of history
Visit The Beacon-News’ site to read Denise Crosby’s Article on the Society’s summer exhibit Here Comes The Bride Column: Aurora exhibit on wedding dresses offers a walk down the aisle of history.
Dress of the Week: Emily Dent Davis
This is the dress in which Emily Dent Davis (1820-1908) married Samuel McCarty (1810-1889) on April 13, 1853. Emily was a Chicago widow.
Summer 2023 Exhibit: Here Comes The Bride
The Aurora Historical Society’s 2023 Sumer Exhibit Here Comes The Bride gives a glimpse into fashions of the past as worn by Aurora women from 1853 – 1976.
Photo: Two Impressive Volunteers
Volunteers Gwendolyn C. & Margaret P. spent countless hours steaming, sewing, and conserving the dresses that are featured in our ‘Here Comes the Bride’ exhibit at the David L. Pierce Art & History Center on display from June 2 through August 12.
Video: Member Sneak Peek ‘Here Comes the Bride’
Special thanks to Ruby Sue Bee for a wonderful sneak peek video from the members preview of the Here Comes The Bride exhibit!