The Des Plaines History Center will host a Coffee Talk on Thursday, April 13th at 1:30pm on “Preserving What Remains: Civilian Conservation Corps/Fort Sheridan WWII POW Branch Camps in the Cook County Forest Preserves.” Located within the most populous county in Illinois, the Forest Preserves of Cook County contain over 630 recorded archaeological sites, three of which are comprised of the remains of Civilian Conservation Corps camps located near Thornton, Glenview (Camp Skokie Valley), and Des Plaines (Camp Pine). All three were later used as World War II German Prisoner-Of-War branch camps of Fort Sheridan. Each camp also had a variety of other occupants in intervening and subsequent years. This talk will cover some of the history associated with the sites and focus on recent efforts by archaeologists from several institutions in collaboration with Forest Preserve staff and independent researchers in documenting, interpreting, and preserving the remaining portions of these camps hidden in plain sight.

All members of the public are welcome to attend “Preserving What Remains: Civilian Conservation Corps/Fort Sheridan WWII POW Branch Camps in the Cook County Forest Preserves.” The History Center’s Coffee Talks are a series of adult programs meant to invite public participation and discussion on a broad range of historical topics per the History Center’s mission. Donations are appreciated. The next Coffee Talk will be “Women in Des Plaines” on Thursday, May 11th at 1:30pm. This program is free thanks to our generous sponsors.