As soon as Ruth and Bev Skaggs bought their home in Don L. Dise’s brand new Boulder Hill subdivision in 1956, Bev, a skilled amateur photographer, and his wife began chronicling the development’s progress in both words and pictures. Eventually, Ruth began giving slide lectures on Boulder Hill’s history and growth to area school and civic organizations. After the couple retired and moved to Batavia in 1992, she donated her slide collection to Oswego’s Little White School Museum.
At noon Saturday, Sept. 6, Little White School Museum Director Roger Matile will present Mrs. Skaggs’ program on Boulder Hill’s history, which has been unseen in its entirety since 1988. The museum is located at 72 Polk Street, Oswego.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the purchase of the former Boulder Hill Stock Farm—the development’s namesake—from the Bereman Family and the start of development into the current unincorporated subdivision, now home to more than 9,000 residents.
From the development’s first paved streets, to aerial views chronicling its growth and expansion, to the addition of individual neighborhoods, the images and information Mr. and Mrs. Skaggs compiled during some three decades of living on “The Hill” will be of interest to current residents and reminders of a time of community growth and change for former residents.
A question and discussion session will follow the program.
Admission for this program co-hosted by the museum and the Oswegoland Heritage Association is $5 in advance by calling the Oswegoland Park District at 630-554-1010 or at the door the day of the program. Proceeds will benefit the museum’s mission to protect and preserve Oswego area area history.
For more information, call 630-554-2999, visit the Little White School Museum webpage at www.littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org or email director@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org.
—Little White School Museum