The Trailside Museum of Natural History celebrated its 85th anniversary June 11 with food, music and historical displays at its Thatcher Avenue headquarters.
Trailside, the first nature center in the area, remains popular with local school groups, Cook County families and nature-lovers. Although it is no longer a wildlife hospital — those services ended in 2006 — the deep-rooted River Forest institution draws about 23,000 visitors a year, some of whom have been coming for decades.
“A lot of visitors come and share their stories. You know, they came here and road their bike here when they were 10 years old,” Director Sue Dombro said June 9. “We have a strong, loyal group from River Forest and Oak Park.”
Dombro mentioned the museum, which employs five full-time staff, is adding new programming, including canoeing, and is expanding its on-site nature play area. There are also artist events and musical shows. There are also outside partnerships with local groups, including Brookfield Zoo.
“It’s just to attract a new audience and reach out to new people,” Dombro said. “It gets people out to the forest preserve, which of course is our first goal.”
Trailside, built in 1876, was originally a mansion for Chicago businessman Abraham Hoffman. Hoffman also ran two schools onsite for young children. The Forest Preserves of Cook County bought the property in 1919 and it served as headquarters for the group until 1931, when it was transformed into an educational center.
River Forest resident Jane Morocco spent time at Trailside as a child and authored a book on the museum and its longtime curator, the legendary Virginia Moe.
“As long as I knew her, she never took a vacation,” Morocco said of Moe, who lived in an apartment onsite and ran the museum for a half century until her death in 1991. “She was just so dedicated to her job.”
In 1989, following a few citations from the United States Department of Agriculture, Morocco said, Trailside was slated to close.
“This was the most popular place around here for anybody growing up,” Morocco said. “It was the only place you could bring a sick or displaced or injured animal…People were furious.”
A grassroots effort to keep the museum open soon followed, including a few radio spots from famed Chicago radio personality and River Forester Paul Harvey. The effort worked and the museum soon underwent a $500,000 renovation.
Trailside, now in its ninth decade, is still educating Chicagoans on nature and wildlife. The museum, tucked on a patch of land near the Des Plaines River and Thatcher Woods, offers visitors a chance to get outside and enjoy nature.
“I volunteered there for 10 years. It was a huge part of my life,” Morocco said of the museum. “I think a lot of people around here love it.”