Norris Plans Three-Event Wednesday Series at Baker Community Center

St. Charles, Ill., January 31, 2024 – Three wide-ranging programs comprise the Spring season of Wednesdays @ One, the popular free-admission event series produced by the Norris Cultural Arts Center and presented at the historic Baker Community Center in downtown St. Charles.

The event series starts on March 6 with “Rediscovering the 1849 Richards Riot in St. Charles,” the story of an infamous and macabre incident presented by Steve Gibson, past president of the St. Charles History Museum.

Learn more about all three events, and make online reservations to attend by visiting https://norris-cultural-arts.ticketleap.com/. Wednesdays @ One events are presented free of charge, thanks to the sponsorship of Colonial Café.

The series continues on April 3 with “Chad Goodman, from the Podium,” an opportunity to meet Chad Goodman, the recently appointed music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. Goodman will relate the story of his unexpected career in the highly competitive world of orchestral conducting, and share some thoughts on a variety of topics, including concert repertoire, trends in orchestras and the future of classical music.

On May 1 the series concludes with “Chicago and the Home Front in WWII,” presented by author, journalist, and educator Jerome M. O’Connor. As the 80th anniversary of D-Day approaches on June 6, O’Connor takes a look back to review the contributions of everyday people and Chicago area businesses to the war effort.

Richards Riot Linked to Grave Robbing by Local Medical Students

On the night of April 19, 1849, a crowd attempted to storm the home of Dr. George W. Richards in St. Charles, Illinois. Dr. Richards was the President of the Franklin Medical Institute in St. Charles, and the crowd was made up of citizens from Sycamore, as well as some locals. After years of horrifying rumors and wicked gossip, the people had reached their end. The graveyard theft of the body of Sycamore newlywed Marilla Kenyon by medical students was the last straw. Her husband and her father stood before the crowd and demanded her body be returned intact. Dr. Richards denied any knowledge of the activity of his students. Shots ripped into his home.

How did this event occur? What are the true details? What happened after the riot ended? Gibson’s presentation will present all the facts, including some only recently rediscovered.

All programs are presented at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Baker Community Center, 101 S. 2nd Street, St. Charles.

For information on other concerts, programs, events and exhibits produced by the Norris Cultural Arts Center, visit www.norrisculturalarts.com.