ABOUT ME
As an Illinois Historian and Author, I not only enjoy learning about Illinois history, but I also enjoy presenting the stories and photographs that make Illinois' history come alive.
At the age of seven, I was bitten by the history bug when I began collecting antique and vintage Chicago postcards. By the time I was in High School, I developed a liking for American History but found that the teaching methods were still mostly memorization. I learned on my own how to research historical events, places, and people. I spent most Saturdays at the Chicago Historical Society (Chicago History Museum today), researching the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition and other Chicago stories and events. After a few weeks, the head librarian gave me a free library card so I could come and go anytime.
In my senior year in High School, it was the first year of the Chicago Metro History Fair, which included schools from the entire Chicagoland area. My project was an analysis of why the 1933-34 Century of Progress World's Fair opened for a second year. I included many of my postcards and a research report of the financial profitability of the World's Fair at the ending of the Great Depression and Prohibition and the benefits to the City of Chicago and Illinois. I won the regional first and second rounds receiving a Certificate for 'Outstanding Historical Project' with an Honorable Mention. In the History Fair's finals, held at the old the Chicago Cultural Center, (renamed from Chicago Main Public Library in 1977), I received an 'Outstanding Achievement Award.'
As my Chicago postcard collection continued to grow to over 5,000 cards, I wanted to share some of the special Chicago postcards from my collection. I opened the Chicago Postcard Museum on November 1, 2007. The virtual Museum is constructed with lobbies, galleries, rooms and exhibit halls, just like walking into a brick and mortar Museum. You will see special presentations and collections of extremely rare, antique, vintage, contemporary and novelty Chicago postcards.
The Illinois history resources I've created help 6th-12th grade students with research and preparation for the Chicago Metro History Fair and the Illinois Regional History Fairs, all leading up to the Illinois State final competition on Illinois History Day held in Springfield, Illinois each May.
All my history projects are linked and explained at DrGale.com
