Saving a Piece of Western Springs History
In 1974, the Grand Avenue School had been completely renovated. But, just a few years later, school enrollment declined, making the building’s long-term survival very bleak. Built in 1885, the Grand Avenue School building is actually older than our town’s historic Water Tower. For many years, it was the village’s
E.P. McClure … An Early Proponent of Green Space
Chances are, you’ve driven past McClure Junior High School’s athletic field numerous times. But, have you ever heard the story behind it? While a student at Oberlin College in the early 1890’s, Elmer McClure studied Greek and Latin. His success as a student was reflected in his receiving a Phi
Western Springs Rotary: Making Changes for the Better
Many local residents take our village assets for granted. But, they are the result of many clubs and organizations, especially the Rotary. The next time you drive through the Village, you should take a minute to think of all the things we have that are the result of the Western
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
As the following actual letters from 1928 will attest, the third graders at Grand Avenue School were convinced that there was a Santa. The only question was what to ask for. “Dear S. Claus, North Pole. It is a whole year since I have written to you. It is time
Western Springs’ Gold Medal Winner
In 1992, a kid from Western Springs won two gold medals at the Barcelona Summer Olympics. And, he came back to a hero’s welcome. In 1981, Nelson Diebel was a cub scout here in Western Springs and was awarded his 2nd year Bear badge. In 1985, he had the distinction
Western Springs’ Birthplace: Grand Avenue School
Residents always associate the historic Water Tower with the earliest days of the village. But, did you know that another building was the first home to our village government? In 1885, the Grand Avenue School was built to replace a smaller schoolhouse that had been on the same site. Later
Do You Recall the Western Springs Rec Center Debate?
In 1995, the Village Board proposed building a new Recreation Center to replace the facilities at Clark School. But, it didn’t happen without a lot of resident input. In 1982, School District 101 closed the Maurice Clark elementary school, which was located at 46th and Franklin Avenue. This was due