The Robert R. McCormick House at Cantigny Park in Wheaton invites visitors to a special holiday attraction honoring Colonel McCormick’s philanthropic legacy.
Through December 30, McCormick House will feature seven “Community Trees,” each decorated for Christmas by a community nonprofit organization. Charities were invited to participate because their missions involve issues or causes that were important to Colonial Robert McCormick during his career and life at Cantigny.
Each participating organization receives a $2,500 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. They collect 100% of optional donations made by museum visitors, each of whom is encouraged to vote for a favorite tree. The agency whose tree gathers the most votes will receive an additional $2,500. The Foundation commits $20,000 annually to the program.
The chosen non-profit agencies recall Colonel McCormick’s passion for community service. Tree decorators in 2018 are: Family Focus, Inc.; Freedom Golf Association; Glen Ellyn Food Pantry; Operation Welcome You Home; Streamwood Choral Society; Unity Partnership; and West Suburban Humane Society.
The trees creatively-decorated by these seven organizations will be positioned throughout McCormick House. For the ninth consecutive year, the Westmont design center of Phillip’s Flowers & Gifts is decorating the 18-foot-tall tree in Freedom Hall, Colonel McCormick’s historic library.
Colonial McCormick was publisher of The Chicago Tribune after service in Europe in World War I. Cantigny originally was his Summer home.
The Community Trees exhibit will end Sunday, Dec. 30, Cantigny Park’s final day of 2018 operations.
McCormick House hours in November and December are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday, with visits by free guided tour. The museum is closed on Mondays and during the holiday season will close November 22-23 and December 24-25.
Parking at Cantigny is $5 per vehicle, free for members. More information, including park hours, directions, and a calendar of upcoming events is online at Cantigny.org.
—Cantigny