Flint Scottish Pipe Band had the pleasure of participating in the annual Chicago Scottish Games this past weekend. The thunderous sound of the massed bands was truly a sight to behold on a glorious June day. Bands from across the nation came to compete and meet with their fellow bands with joyous music. 

Chicago Scots have a long storied history of nourishing Scottish identity in Chicago. The games are just one branch of the incredible work they do. On November 30th, 1845, a group of Scots living in Chicago gathered at the Lake House to celebrate home, Scottish culture and Scottish identity on Saint Andrew’s Day. They decided to form a Saint Andrew Society similar to the ones on the East Coast. Their purpose is defined as making sure that  “no deserving Scot in need ever go hungry, or homeless, or without medical care or be buried in a Potter’s Field (a paupers’ grave or common grave)”. On October 8th, 1871 the Great Chicago Fire began. Almost 90% of the Chicago Scots members suffered a complete loss of their homes and belongings. All of the Scots’ records, papers and photographs were destroyed in their downtown office. The Society put their plans for growth on hold and instead lived out their mission helping hundreds of people get back on their feet again. 

The Society’s dream to create a home for aging men and women came to fruition in 1901 when they rented a two-story brownstone at 547 Bryant Avenue (now 35th Street). The Scottish Old People’s Home, as they called it, housed several older adults they were already supporting. By 1909, The Scottish Old People’s Home was at full capacity. Dr. John McGill donated 5 acres of land and the Board, led by John Williamson, began raising money to build a new home of our own. They raised the money in one year and William Bryce Mundie was hired to design a stately, Scottish, country home. The groundbreaking took place on March 23 1910 and by October the residents from Bryant Street had moved in. On November 5th the building was dedicated. It became the pride of Society members. In the late 1990s, the Scottish Home was further expanded with a new Skilled Nursing wing. Named after the incredible supporter Peter Georgeson whose family came from the Shetland Islands, the addition also included Heritage Hall – a large space for Chicago Scots’ meetings, events for residents and members, and a Scottish American museum. In 2016 it was time to grow our community again – this time adding a new, innovative model of Memory Care. Named after Barry and Mary Anne MacLean, the MacLean House is a non-institutional, residential setting that provides person-centered care in a family environment.

In 1986, the first Scottish Festival and Highland Games in Chicagoland was hosted. Then called “Chicago Highland Games & Scottish Fair” the event was held at Grant Park, downtown Chicago. The annual event is still going strong and now includes the largest pipe band competition in North America. This year the games band competition featured 46 pipe bands, including both of America’s very own Grade 1 pipe bands, and more than 500 solo competition entries in pipes, drums, and drum majoring. This massive event raises funds for the Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care, which provides a beautiful backdrop for seniors to lead a fulfilling and stress-free life.

It was a pleasure to perform for such an appreciative crowd, and to march with our friends from across the nation. Though we didn’t leave the field with a trophy, we still enjoyed an amazing weekend full of piping. It is an event we look forward to returning to for many years to come. 

Works Cited

“History.” Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care, www.caledoniaseniorliving.org/about/history/. Accessed 19 June 2023.

“Our History.” Chicago Scots, chicagoscots.org/history/. Accessed 19 June 2023.