1947 Cadillac Ambulance … a bit of Local History
On May 1, 1948, the village took delivery of the most modern ambulance of its day. And, 66 years later, it’ still here, reminding us of the past. Prior to 1948, village residents needing an ambulance had to call the Merker funeral home, which operated a private ambulance service. But,
The Las Vegas Fire That Touched Western Springs
On the morning of November 21, 1980, the huge Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel caught fire. Among the 84 victims were two young men from Western Springs. It promised to be a great weekend getaway for five young men, mostly volunteer firefighters from Western Springs and LaGrange. Bill Gerbosi, Dave
A Great, Old Fire Engine Gets a Reprieve
In 1941, just days before Pearl Harbor, Western Springs took delivery of a fire engine, whose design was years ahead of its time. But, in recent years, it nearly rusted away on an Iowa farm. Western Springs’ first fire apparatus was a simple hose reel that had to be pulled
Western Springs Policing … in the Old Days
We’re all used to seeing the village’s white patrol cars with their flashing lights, antennas, and decals. But, policing used to be a whole lot different. In 1885, a year before Western Springs was incorporated as a village, the townspeople decided they needed a Town Marshall. Besides keeping law and
The 1968 Demise of a Western Springs Landmark
On the afternoon of June 3, 1968, motorists on Willow Springs Road noticed a fire across the street from Community Memorial Hospital. And, by 5:30 p.m., little would remain of the historic Dierks Farm. In 1858, 20-year-old Dietrich Dierks came to America from Germany. By 1869, after working at several jobs
The Fire Department Champs of 1937
Western Springs’ population was barely 4,000 in 1937. But, its volunteer firefighters managed to win national honors at a tournament held in Chicago’s Soldier Field. By 1937, the village’s fire department had been conducting training drills every Monday night for three or four years. So, when the City of Chicago