This program is open to the public, but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED as space is limited and these talks quickly reach capacity.
To reserve your spot, call 847-391-5399 or email us at contact@desplaineshistory.org.
Our monthly Coffee Talk series is supported by sponsorships from Village Bank & Trust and the Kiwanis Club of Des Plaines.
Coffee Talks are free to attend. Please consider a donation of any amount to help us sustain future programming.
Coffee Talk
Tuesday, August 12 • 1:30p
At the Des Plaines History Center • 781 Pearson Street
Maine Township Geography
— with Philip Mohr —
Ever wonder why townships like ours exist—and how they got their start?
Join Philip Mohr and explore the story of Maine Township, founded in 1850.
Starting with the Land Ordinances of 1784 and 1785, which opened the Northwest Territory to white settlement
and established the grid-like Public Land Survey System. Well-known former History Center Director Philip Mohr will trace how natural landscapes and human decisions shaped our community’s layout over time. From early land surveys to public land sales in Illinois, you’ll get a fresh perspective on how the land we live on was organized, sold, and settled.