Landmarks

Arcada Prepares to 'Raise the Curtain' on Next Chapter

Arcada Prepares to 'Raise the Curtain' on Next Chapter

Earlier this year when COVID-19 put a halt to live music and shows of all kinds, the future of many theaters across the country was cast into doubt. Without being able to have shows, the halls of many venues across the country have fallen quiet, waiting for the days they can have visitors again. But that wasn't the case for the Arcada Theatre.

A Grave Robbing, A Gunfight, and A Séance: The Story of The Richards' Riot of 1849

A Grave Robbing, A Gunfight, and A Séance: The Story of The Richards' Riot of 1849

On this date in 1849, the sleepy settlement of St. Charles was turned on its head by an angry mob of protesters who had descended on the town from nearby Sycamore in one of the most tragic, wild, and mysterious events in St. Charles’ history.

Charles Haines, The Man Who Saved St. Charles Schools

Charles Haines, The Man Who Saved St. Charles Schools

On this date in 1965, the Charles Haines Junior High School building at 9th and Indiana Streets was officially dedicated. The building is now operated in a joint partnership by the Park District and Library, but do you know about the man the school is named after?

Volunteer Shares Civil War and Investigative Knowledge

Volunteer Shares Civil War and Investigative Knowledge

It’s not every day that a volunteer with such in-depth knowledge and training as Rich Becker comes into the Museum and asks to help out. A former forensic investigator and recent St. Charles transplant, Rich is a former Chicago Police Officer who brings an impressive resume of investigative fieldwork experience into our Museum’s research team. 

86 Years of Entertainment – A History of the Arcada Theatre

86 Years of Entertainment – A History of the Arcada Theatre

It’s September 6th, 1926, and hundreds of people from Northern Illinois flock to the Arcada Theatre in St Charles for its long awaited debut. Inside the Theatre, visitors are immersed in an atmosphere of the luxurious and the exotic while they await an evening of film and vaudeville performances. 86 year later, the Arcada Theatre still has that 1920s charm, and remains a stunning piece of St Charles history.