Hello readers! My name is Emily Dattilo and I am the new Director of the Mount Prospect Historical Society. I have been working, volunteering, and interning in museums across Northern Illinois and Wisconsin for years, and most recently I was a Museum Educator at Naper Settlement in Naperville. My new role as Director is especially meaningful to me because Mount Prospect is my hometown. Now I have the opportunity to care for and share the history of my own community. It is a rare privilege to be able to serve my community in this way.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made for an extra challenging start to my time at MPHS. With three new staff members we’ve been adjusting to not just a new workplace, but the “new normal” of social interactions. We’ve moved our desks to socially distant locations, increased office cleaning, and are wearing masks while working. Networking, when possible, has been strange too. Awkward waves have replaced hearty handshakes, and it’s much more challenging to remember faces when you only see eyes and eyebrows. While many things are unknown right now, know that all of us at the MPHS are doing our best to continue sharing local history with you in new ways.
However much life has changed in 2020, nothing has changed my excitement over diving deeper into local history. Even though I’ve lived in Mount Prospect my entire life, each day here has brought a new, sometimes surprising, insight into my town’s past. I’m enjoying learning more about my community.
I look forward to meeting you all in person one day. Say hello if you see me in the neighborhood!