Brian Bergheger has spent 29 years with the City
Brian Bergheger, Director of the Elmhurst History Museum for the City of Elmhurst, will retire effective October 2017. Bergheger has been credited for his role in directing and managing the operations of the Elmhurst History Museum in alignment with professional practices and standards as well as with the policies of the City. Bergheger has been working in this role since 1988 and has served as an advocate for the community in the importance of local history.
Under the leadership of Bergheger, the museum has added to the cultural fabric of the community by offering countless exhibits unique to the Chicagoland area. One of the highlighted accomplishments in Bergheger’s career includes his role in the City’s acquisition of Churchville Schoolhouse and its subsequent restoration and rehabilitation. Churchville Schoolhouse is a protected National Register property and one of the few one-room schoolhouses in the State to still be located on its original site. The museum now operates the schoolhouse as a living history classroom for schools in the area and also presents public programs at the site.
“My fondest memories in this role include when individuals in Elmhurst have come together to create opportunity for our residents to celebrate and participate in the history of Elmhurst,” Bergheger said. “These individuals include the museum staff, elected officials, board members of Elmhurst Heritage Foundation, business owners, people in the cultural and education sectors, and other stakeholders.”
“Brian’s leadership has played a major role in creating a positive model for local history,” said City Manager Jim Grabowski. “We thank him for his service which has added so much to the culture of our city, and wish him the best in his well deserved retirement.”
Bergheger has previously served as Museum Director at the Western Heritage Center in Billings, Montana, and Finney County Historical Society in Garden City, Kansas. In his retirement, Brian looks forward to learning new things through volunteer opportunities, and plans to deepen his involvement in the social activism side of public history, because in his words, “history can be a powerful tool for justice and change.”
