Matthew Buck, a Life Scout from Troop 132 of Arlington Heights, has always had a love of history. For that reason, he chose the Arlington Heights Historical Museum to do his Eagle Scout project which included enhancing the schoolhouse area in the Coach House and cleaning the interior of the Log House.
To purchase items for display and supplies for construction, Matthew organized a garage sale and raised $1000.00. Neighbors donated some of their own items for him to sell and people purchasing items often told Matthew to “keep the change” to help his cause.
Matthew Buck at the Arlington Heights Historical Society Museum.
The aim of Matthew’s project is to give school children, scouts and other visitors a peek into the possible interior of an 1848 schoolhouse. On display are an antique stove, an 1847 map of Illinois, a photograph of President James Polk, a reproduction 30 star American flag with stand and a schoolmaster’s desk built by Matthew and his father. There are also school items from the 1900s and photographs of four different schools from early Arlington Heights.
Matthew and his fellow scouts also gave the interior of the Log House a thorough cleaning. The cast iron pots and pans were brought back to life by seasoning them in an oven. An old wooden chair was stripped of its paint and refinished to give it an aged, authentic look.
Everything turned out wonderful and the staff of the museum thank Matthew, his fellow scouts and his family for all their hard work, the results of which can be enjoyed for many years to come.
The Arlington Heights Historical Museum is a five-building complex located at the corner of Vail Avenue and Fremont Street. It includes the 1882 Müller House, the 1906 Soda Factory, the 1908 Banta House, the Coach House and a replica 1830s Log House. Tours are available on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. beginning in the Heritage Gallery located at 112 W. Fremont Street. The cost is $4 per adult and $2 per child ages 3 – 14. Group tours are available by request, call 847-255-1225 to schedule.
Get updates from The Cardinal ALL NEWS FEEDS on Facebook. Just ‘LIKE’ the ‘Arlington Cardinal Page (become a fan of our page). The updates cover all posts and sub-category posts from The Cardinal — Arlingtoncardinal.com. You can also limit feeds to specific categories. See all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages at Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …