Babb Family and Theater Collection

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-359

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection is split into three series: (I) Babb Family, (II) Productions, and (III) Oversize and Artifacts. Records within the collection range from 1901 to 2012, but predominately fall within the last half of the 20th century. Series I consists of papers of the Babb family, including records relating to Nancy Babb’s career as an elementary teacher as well as family photographs, school records, and postcards from sites around the Northern Illinois region. Series II consists of theater programs and tickets as from productions attended by Nancy Babb from 1977 to 2017 in the Northern Illinois region. She was also a frequented the Metro Centre in Peoria, IL whose programs and tickets are also in the collection. Also included in this series are programs from concerts and ice-skating events. Series III contains buttons, ribbons, and plaques collected by Claude Babb, including several Northern Illinois Steam Power Club buttons from 1971 to 1993 from The Sycamore Show where Claude attended as a representative for Taylor Marshall Farm. There is also an ice-skating programs in this series.

Dates

created: 1901-2012
Other: Majority of material found in 1950-1999
Other: Date acquired: 01/26/2017

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions to the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Biographical or Historical Information

Nancy Babb was born August 20, 1942 to Claude C. Babb and Marion Priscilla (Carpenter) Babb. Claude was active in the Northern Illinois farming community and took part in the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club. In 1964, Nancy graduated from Illinois State University with her Bachelor’s in Education and a K-9 Teaching Certificate. Nancy worked for Rochelle Elementary District 231 at Central School from 1964 until she retired in 2001. Nancy was an active member of the Rochelle United Methodist Church and the Rochelle Historical Society. Nancy passed away on July 13, 2016.

Note written by