Batavia: From the Collection of the Batavia Historical Society

Situated directly west of Chicago is Batavia, Illinois, world famous as the home of Fermilab, a center of nuclear research that hosts scientists from all over the world. Few people realize that this city has had a long history of leadership in the development of energy resources. In Batavia we endeavor to explore that history, with a look at power from windmills to power plants. Also part of the fabric of Batavia’s past are the community leaders who transformed a river village (settled in the 1830s) into a vibrant and vital modern city. You will view a 1910 photographic essay capturing Batavians on the streets of their city, discover a unique early high-tech company that produced beauty and dietary consumer products in the 1930s, and experience an architectural walking tour (complete with a map) of old Batavia and her famous citizens. And to complete our journey through time, you will learn how Mary Todd, wife of Abraham Lincoln, came to live in Batavia.