Lake Bluff History Museum is launching its first-ever podcast series. In honor of the USA’s 250th anniversary, we’ve teamed with the Lake Bluff 250 committee to create 16 episodes of curated local history — totaling 250 minutes of storytelling.
Museum co-founder Kathy O’Hara and Joanna Rolek (director of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce) discuss Lake Bluff’s most fascinating chapters. Whether you’re a lifelong resident, curious newcomer or a far-away bluffer who left your heart in the village, this series offers a front-row seat to the legends, scandals and triumphs that define Lake Bluff.
What to Expect:
- Audio & Video: Watch the conversations or listen on the go
- Expert Insight: Deep dives into the Artists Colony, Crab Tree Farm mysteries, Gen. MacArthur’s “kidnapping,” secrets of the Rondout Train Robbery, just what is a Chautauqua? … and more.
View from the Bluff Podcast launches spring 2026. Click on these links:
New episodes drop every Thursday through Aug. 13. Here’s the schedule:
4/30: Introduction: Why Lake Bluff?
5/7: The First Families: Cloes and Dwyers
5/14: A Daughter of Chautauqua: The Lake Bluff Camp Meeting
5/21: Banning Booze: Lake Bluff’s Role in the Prohibition Movement
5/28: A Haven for Children: The Lake Bluff Children’s Home
6/4: A Bohemian Presence: The Artist Colony in Lake Bluff
6/11: Lake Bluff and the Great Lakes Navy Base
6/18: Crab Tree Farm: Part 1 – The Durands
6/25: Crab Tree Farm: Part 2 – The Bad Boy of Crab Tree Farm and Other Misdeeds (Jack Durand)
7/2: The Most Patriotic Town
7/9: Diva of Center Avenue
7/16: Crime & Controversy
7/23: Shadows & Spies
7/30: Gen. MacArthur
8/6: Madmen
8/13: Uptown & Downtown