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LEMONT – After the success of its historic hangouts program in January, the Lemont Historical Society hopes to recapture interest in the village’s salacious past with a Historic Heists program at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
“We were trying to find something that would have been of interest to [the public] that would bring them out to a historic spot that still exists,” Lemont Historical Society President Susan Roy said.
The program is hosted by the Vault Cafe and Bar, the site of a 1929 bank robbery at the First National Bank.
“It is nice to have a program at a place where the event actually occurred,” Roy said.
Vault co-owner Jim Sulemani will give a presentation on the 1929 robbery.
The story is two robbers were upset with only getting $9,200 from the bank and locked the employees in the basement.
Supposedly, when employees were crying for help, one passerby said, “It’s a good place for all of you.”
Sulemani said he did not know about the story when they chose the location but they try to play up on that history.
“It seems anytime when we try to post anything [on our Facebook page] about that era, we get a lot more response,” he said.
Sulemani said he will also show a video reenactment of the robbery made by Imageicon of Lemont.
Historical society members will give information on other historic robberies, and Lemont Police Chief Kevin Shaughnessy will talk about more recent crimes.
Roy said the historical society will continue holding these programs in the community to complement its museum programs.
She was pleased by the community response from last event.
Despite frigid weather, she said the event was standing room only.
“Rather than having folks come to a museum, we can make the history more fun by bringing it to them,” she said.
The cooperation of local businesses – first Tom’s Place, now the Vault – has also be crucial.
“They’ve just been awesome in coopering with us and being enthused about participating,” she said.
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If you go
What: "Stick 'Em Up: A Look at Historical Lemont Heists"
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Vault Cafe and Bar, 308 Canal St.
More information: www.lemonthistorical.org.