Estonian-American photographer Mati Maldre (previously featured in Eesti Elu / Estonian Life)is launching a comprehensive exhibition at the Ridge Historical Society in Chicago, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Ridge Historic District. Running from May 17th to December 31st, 2026, the exhibition focuses on the distinct architectural heritage of the Beverly Hills and Morgan Park neighbourhoods.
The historical society, located at 10621 South Seeley Avenue, will host a free open house reception on Friday, May 29th, 2026, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. This initial event highlights the district’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places and its various city landmark zones. Maldre will be in attendance to meet visitors, though formal lectures and book signings are reserved for later in the year.
The photographs, maps, and historical texts on display serve as a preview for Maldre’s forthcoming book, The Architecture of Chicago’s Beverly Hills/Morgan Park, scheduled for release on July 28th, 2026, by Belt Publishing. Available for pre-order at $60.00 USD , the volume represents the first large-format visual record dedicated entirely to these Southwest Side twin communities. The publication supplements Maldre’s duotone photographic plates with essays by architectural experts Timothy Barton, Harold Wolff, Robert Wagner, and Paul Sprague. It documents nationally and locally designated historic areas, including Longwood Drive, the Walter Burley Griffin District, and the Beverly/Morgan Park Railroad Station District.
The project showcases how iconic American designers shaped this specific region. Readers and exhibition visitors can examine works by Frank Lloyd Wright, George Washington Maher, Daniel H. Burnham, and Walter Burley Griffin, alongside prominent local architects like Harry Hale Waterman and John Todd Hetherington.
Because the gallery exhibition continues through the end of December, a second reception will take place in either August or September to mark the official arrival of the print copies.
For more information, visit ridgehistorical.org or contact Ridge Historical Society at ridgehistory@hotmail.com .
