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Fire Truck Art Auction To Conclude Saturday


A salute to the Park Ridge Arts Colony includes samples of work by early local artists.

This summer, a public art project has been displayed around the streets of Park Ridge, to raise funds to help pay part of the costs which the Park Ridge Historical Society incurred when the society purchased back the Lil’ Pirsch pumper truck which was the surviving truck from Park Ridge’s original Volunteer Fire Truck.

Organized with the help of Stroll Park Ridge and area business sponsors, a series of miniature fiberglass fire trucks were decorated and located in area business districts.

The official auction, allowing residents and supporters to bid on the finished miniature trucks, started Oct. 1. It will culminate on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 8 at the Park Ridge Historical Society’s headquarters, 721 Prospect, next to Prospect Park.

All of the trucks will be gathered in one place, and a live auction will allow individuals to make a final top bid for their favorite.

These are the choices, each focusing on a particular aspect of Park Ridge’s history.

At the History Center, which is located in the 1908 Solomon Cottage which started the Park Ridge School for Girls campus, a truck, painted by Aiden Gentile, is sponsored by the Historical Society Board of Trustees.

In Hodges Park, 101 Courtland, a truck recognizes the Camp Fire Girls Foundation. The current fountain, designed by the Iannelli Studios in the 1960s, was restored in 2007 with medallions added by the Park Ridge Historic Heritage Committee with milestones in Park Ridge history. This truck is sponsored by Sue Hall @ Properties, and painted by Mark Zimmerman.

At the corner of South Prospect and Main Street, is a salute to the Art Deco designs at the 1928 Pickwick Movie Theatre (5 S. Prospect), sponsored by Seattle Sutton of Park Ridge, and decorated by Abby Pinkerton.

At Centennial Park, 100 S. Western, is a salute to the Town of Maine Cemetery (Touhy and Dee), sponsored by Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, decorated by Michelle Krause.

At the corner of 891 W. Devon, next to Triple Scoop’d Ice Cream Shop, is a salute to the 1934 Pirsch Fire Truck, sponsored by Allison and Dave Blum of the Blum Group-Dream Town, and decorated by Kathy Hurley.

At St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, 140 S. Northwest Highway, is a salute to the congregation where St. Frances Xavier (“Mother”) Cabrini worshiped when she lived in Park Ridge at the end of her life. Resurrection College Prep High School sponsored the truck, painted by Jill Pinsky.

A salute to the Park Ridge Library, located outside the library at 20 S. Prospect Ave., is sponsored by Kiki Calumet of A&N Mortgage, and decorated by Alayna Mckim. The public library started with funds from Andrew Carnegie in 1913 and moved to its current building in 1954.

In front of the Starbucks at 15 S. Prospect Ave. is a tribute to the Park Ridge Arts Colony and the silversmiths who grew from Clara Barck Welles’ Kalo workshop. It is sponsored by Mario Di Lorenzo from Keller Williams-One Chicago real estate. Contributing artists are Kathy Hurley, Mary Ann Tunnell and Peadar Hurley.

At the Uptown Metra station is a truck with a tribute to the classic street signs which still exist at some Park Ridge intersections. These were vertical concrete pillars. In recent years the city has replaced damaged pillars with new metal poles with horizontal metal signs on top. The truck is sponsored by Don Juan’s Cantina and Taqueria, and designed by Miranda Randel.

Located in the Trader Joe’s parking lot behind 190 N. Northwest Hwy. at Meacham, is a tribute to the three names of Park Ridge and the communities roots as a 19th century brickyard. Pennyville was the first name used to represent the Penny & Meacham Brick Yard. Meacham Avenue was a main route used to deliver the bricks to the railroad line as the Illinois and Wisconsin Railway opened the first tracks through the area. In 1857, when the brickyard owners subdivided the area with business and residential blocks to support the brickyard, the station also became known as Brickton. In 1873 when residents voted to become a village, it was renamed “Park Ridge.” The truck was sponsored by Morici, Longo & Associates and painted by Miranda Rendel.

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