Before there was a nation, there were spies — and some of the most effective ones were women whose names history nearly forgot.

The La Grange Area Historical Society is bringing that story to the western suburbs with an upcoming presentation titled "Who Was Agent 355?" — a deep dive into the first female operatives of Washington's Spy Ring and the roles they played in securing American independence. The event is timed to the nation's 250th anniversary, according to the society's announcement posted April 12, 2026, at lagrangehistory.org.

The presenter is Kit Sergeant, author of 355: The Women of Washington's Spy Ring. According to the La Grange Area Historical Society's event page, fans of Hamilton and AMC's TURN will recognize figures featured in the talk, including Aaron Burr, Sally Townsend, and John André — names that pop up in both the Broadway stage and the television drama about George Washington's intelligence network.

Sergeant has been making the rounds in the area. In February, she led a related multimedia program — "Women Spies in WWII: The Women of the SOE" — at the La Grange Park Public Library, per the library's event listing at lplibrary.org. That program drew on her book The Spark of Resistance and was open to adults and teens ages 12 and up.

For anyone curious about the women who shaped the Revolution from the shadows — and never got enough credit for it — this is a chance to hear their stories told properly, 250 years later. The event is free and open to the public. Details and registration are available at lagrangehistory.org.