THE FRIEBURG FAMILY – John, Mary Carol and Carol
The Arlington Heights Historical Museum would not be what it is today without the involvement of the Frieburg Family. They each have made immeasurable contributions to the Museum and its community.
John Frieburg was incredibly influential in establishing the tri-party agreement that secured the property and buildings of the Museum campus. The Intergovernmental Agreement puts in place cooperation among the Village of Arlington Heights, the Arlington Heights Park District, and the Arlington Heights Historical Society that assured the Museum would be a vital part of community life.
He suggested to create a Museum Administrator position to oversee the day-to-day operations, a programming position to provide educational opportunities and a curator to manage the historic collections. To this day, we are happy to share that his vision came to fruition and the model has been successful for many years.
John served as the Museum Historical Society president for two terms, the treasurer for two terms and the vice president. He also served as the primary fundraiser to build the addition on to the Pop Factory to increase programming space. John’s vision continued to make an impact when he provided the vision and impetus to climatize the Pop Factory, Muller and Banta Houses which are both nationally registered historic homes.
John’s passion passed onto his wife, Mary Carol and their daughter, Carol. Mary Carol served as volunteer chairperson beginning in 1972 to provide various programs and tours. Mary Carol also served as president, secretary, and tour director during her tenure on the board.
Carol began her volunteerism with the Historical Museum in high school where she served in whatever capacity wherever there was a need. Carol followed in both of her parents’ footsteps and served as president, secretary and a board member at large for the Historical Society. Carol later became a member of the staff for both the Historical Society and the Park District, retiring in 2021. She continues to volunteer for many events at the Museum and for the very popular, Farmers Market.
Their commitment to the Museum and its future is truly remarkable. Together they made history each day, working to improve Museum operations, fundraising and the community.
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