The Wide Awakes Banner Restoration

Preserving the Past for Our Future

Established in 1955, the Libertyville Historical Society collects and preserves historical material and information relative to the Libertyville area. The 1878 Ansel B. Cook Home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to the society’s archives and museum.

The Wide Awakes Banner of 1860 is in urgent need of restoration

An item of invaluable historical significance to Libertyville and Lake County with a connection to a nation-changing moment in US history is in need of restoration. The Wide Awakes banner – on display at the Ansel B Cook Home museum – represents Libertyville's leadership role in a nationwide movement that helped elect Abraham Lincoln in 1860.

The Libertyville company of the Wide Awakes earned this one-of-a kind silk banner depicting a torchlight march held in Chicago with the largest marching delegation (compared to the number of Republican votes in 1858 in the town. They came out ahead of many other Wide Awakes companies from all over Illinois and the Midwest.

Who Were the Wide Awakes?

Before the November 1860 election, Abraham Lincoln was not the beloved figure he is today.

However, Lincoln had passionate supporters. Among the most passionate were members of a unique group called the Wide Awakes. A national, grassroots political organization, it supported the six-year-old Republican Party which opposed the expansion of slavery--a big issue in the years leading up to the American Civil War (1861-1865).

The Wide Awakes acted as security escorts for political speech makers, and on election day they went street by street to encourage Republicans to vote while trying to sway all others to do the same. But their biggest impact was surely their spectacular nighttime parades, where they carried torches and wore military-style uniforms as they marched in formation--as portrayed on the banner.

Help Save the Banner

The Libertyville Historical Society consulted with the Chicago Conservation Center about the best treatment for the banner. The restoration project is estimated to cost $30,000 and will include expert conservation work to stabilize the silk, repair painted details, and construct a custom, museum-grade display case with UV protection.

Thanks to generous contributions from the communitthe campaign is already more than halfway to its goal, creating a strong momentum toward success.