Lansing Historical Society

10/07/2026

The Historic Ford Hangar as seen from the corn field to the north.
October 6th, 2026 ~ Photo by Dan Bovino

10/04/2026

Here's a nice clean copy of the Pennsylvania Railroad Depot in Lansing, Illinois c.1911
The PRR (originally running along what was known as the Panhandle line) arrived in Lansing in 1865. Passenger service making a station stop in Lansing ended in the late 1920s. Passenger trains still used the line to get to Chicago's Union Station via the Bernice cut off. The line was abandoned in 1992 and is now the Pennsy Greenway bike path.

10/03/2026

Providing links to move us forward with digital equity ~ from Kyla Williams Tate.

Cook County Digital Equity Website:

https://digitalequity.cookcountyil.gov

Access Amplified Digital Equity Symposium:

https://www.ticketfalcon.com/e/accessamplified2026/

Building a More Connected Cook County Meet the people and programs working to ensure digital access, safety, and opportunity for all. Where Do You Fit In?Whether you're just getting started or already working in the digital equity space, there's a place for you here. New to Digital Inclusion? Learn....

10/03/2026

Then Now ~
Yates Avenue (now Torrence) looking north from just south of Indiana Avenue c. 1890. H.R. Koopman photo.
Same perspective looking north from across from Schultz Insurance. October 30th, 2022, 7:30 a.m. (132 years later).
This area was once know as Cummings Corner.
The only building that is still there is located on the southeast corner of Indiana Avenue and Torrence. It was once Nufer's Tavern. It has been many things since. A second story was added in the early 1920's.

10/02/2026

Then/Now ~ 3455 Ridge Road
Then photo ~ Winterhoff Meats (left), Lansing General Store (right) c. 1904.
Now photo ~ Gus Bock Hardware c. 2016

10/02/2026

Here's a nice postcard view looking west on Indiana Avenue toward Torrence Avenue (then known as Yates Avenue).
Probably taken around 1900.

10/02/2026

Free range chicken crossing Ridge Road at Henry Street ~ Autumn, 1902.
The Busack building is visible on the left. Our perspective is looking west from the Pennsylvania tracks. Ridge Rd at this time was still a sandy dirt road.
To the best of the Lansing Historical Society's knowledge no known individual approached the chicken to ascertain the motive for crossing said road...

10/02/2026

Former Lansing resident, Fred DeVries sent us this 1922 photograph of Lansing's "Star Store". The store sold meats, dry goods, and general merchandise. The photo also shows that they sold Texaco gasoline right from their curb. A true "one stop shop" from a hundred and one years ago.
This store was owned by Fred's Uncle, Albert Kooy. Fred is pretty certain that the man on the left is Mr. Kooy. The man in the middle is Al Wiers.
The Star Store was once located at 3424 Ridge Road (north side of street, just east of the Pennsylvania tracks).

10/01/2026

Then/Now
Then ~ Original Lansing Village Hall, Lake and Henry Streets ~ Photo taken in the late 1920's. Town Marshall John Eckstein standing in the doorway.
Now ~New Lansing Police Station located on 170th Street.

10/01/2026

Then and Now ~ Looking east at Henry and Randolph Streets ~
The first photo shows the Krumm family with their dairy cow. Pictured are Arthur C. Krumm, their cow, Mrs. Marie Krumm, and daughter Margie Krumm. The before photo was taken in the summer of 1918. The after photo was taken in the summer of 2022 at the exact same spot on the stage of Lansing's music venue "Fox Pointe".
1918 photo courtesy of the late Herb Krumm, 2022 Fox Pointe stage photo by Dan Bovino.