Buildings & Exhibits

The Banta House was the home of Minnie Müller Banta and her husband Nathaniel Moore Banta. This Arts and Crafts home was the first architect-designed house in Arlington Heights. The Banta House is also used for display and storage of the Martha Mills doll collection containing more than 1000 dolls and the Lorraine Korenthal Dollhouse Collection. The house was place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

The circa 1896 coach house was the stable for the horses and wagons that were used to deliver the soda pop. Now, it contains dioramas and exhibits and the history of Arlington Heights.

The replica log cabin represents the homes of early settlers in the groves of Northeastern Illinois. It is made of hand-hewn logs and has a shake shingle roof.

The Müller House represents the life of an upper middle class family during the 1880-1900 period. F.W. Müller, his wife Lizzie and five children lived in this home, and soda pop was made in the basement. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

The Old Soda Pop Factory housed the bottling machinery, garage, and two apartments for F.W. Müller’s sons and their families. Today, the Factory serves as the Museum Welcome Center. It houses offices, meeting rooms, the Historical Society Library and the Heritage Gallery and Shop. The meeting rooms are available for rental. Contact the museum office for details at 847-255-1225.

Arlington Heights Historical Museum exhibits are within the:

COACH HOUSE:

• BOEGER CARPENTRY SHOP – a recreated circa 1874 carpentry shop with authentic woodworking machinery.
• THE WAY WE WORKED– learn how Arlington Heights transformed from an agricultural farming community into the busy suburb it is today.
• ARLINGTON HEIGHTS DIORAMAS – dioramas of the local area before European settlement, the first school, the train coming to town, the growth of the village, ice harvesting, and the first library.

LOG CABIN:

• A replica 1830s log cabin representing the homes of early settlers in the groves of Northeastern Illinois. Family activity centered around the hearth in this one room home.

MÜLLER HOUSE:

• A Victorian period house circa 1890s. The home features a restored parlor, office, kitchen, dining room, and bedrooms. Was the home of F.W. Müller and his family. Müller was a German immigrant and operated a soda pop factory in Arlington Heights.

BANTA HOUSE:

• An Arts and Crafts house designed by Elgin architect Ralph Elliot Abell and built in 1908. Home of Wilhelmina Müller Banta and Nathaniel Moore Banta. Home has a restored living and dining room and is furnished with arts and crafts style furniture.

SODA POP FACTORY:

• The Old Soda Pop Factory housed the bottling machinery, garage, and two apartments for F.W. Müller’s sons and their families. Today, the Factory serves as the Museum Welcome Center, the research center, the Heritage Gallery and Gift Shop, and the Temporary Exhibit.

Arlington Heights through the Alphabet

Taking inspiration from the “Alphabet of Community Progress” published in the 1930 Business Men’s Director of Arlington Heights, produced by the forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce, this exhibit tells the story of Arlington Heights through 26 vignettes. In no particular order of importance, each example showcases what makes Arlington Heights important to the people who have called it home. Here you will learn the stories of people whose hard work, ingenuity, and resilience contributed to marking Arlington Heights the community it is today.

Coming Soon…

• WHAT’S IN A NAME – opening on Friday, April 4
• PEOPLE, PARKS & PROGRESS: 100 YEARS OF AHPD – opening on Saturday, June 14