Des Plaines Memory

 

Photographs | Postcards | Letters | Artwork | Diaries | Manuscripts |
and more - dating from the 1800s to the present day

Advanced Search

Here are just three of our newest or more popular collections. New collections are being added all the time. You can learn more about all of our collections on the Our Collections page. 

Life During COVID-19

The Des Plaines Public Library and the Des Plaines History Center are working together to collect and preserve the shared experience of the Des Plaines community in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. We invite you to add to the Life During COVID-19 collection by sharing your photographs and writings.

Sports & Recreation

The Sports & Recreation collection gives an overview of the parks and programs through the years in the the city of Des Plaines. It offers the chance to look at the early days of our neighborhood play places, many of which are still in use today, and to see how these spaces have changed over time.

Life During Wartime

The materials gathered in the Life During Wartime collection speak to the effects of war on the citizens of Des Plaines, Illinois: those who served in the military as well as those who remained on the home front. The collection contains materials related to World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the war in Vietnam, the U. S. war in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War (2003-2011). 

Des Plaines Memory is an online archive of historical and cultural materials that illustrate the continuing story of Des Plaines, Illinois, the "City of Destiny." Our collections are curated by the Des Plaines History Center, the Des Plaines Public Library, community partners and individual users. The site, collections, and individual items are managed and maintained by the Des Plaines Public Library. Learn more about the project on our About page.