Western Springs’ “Boxcar Family”
In 1958, a new family moved to town. But, unlike other newcomers, they came by boxcar and didn’t stay long. In 1958, the Illinois Toll Highway Commission was in the midst of constructing the Tri-State Tollway. One of their most challenging tasks was building a new bridge for the Burlington
Western Springs’ “Lilac Sharing Campaign”
In 1940, the Chicago Tribune spotlighted our village residents’ effort to provide lilacs to Chicago area hospitals and orphanages. On May 15, 1929, the Chicago Tribune ran a short editorial entitled “Lilacs and What to Do With Them.” The article encouraged readers to harvest their lavender and white blossoms and
The Legend of the “Little Lost Train”
Many long-time Western Spring residents claim there’s a locomotive buried near Spring Rock Park. So, what’s the true story? In 1957, construction began on the Tri-State Tollway. Since much of the area directly west of Western Springs was marshy wetlands, there was considerable excavation work required before a railroad bridge
Setting a Western Springs Speed Record
In 1934, the Burlington Railroad’s new Zephyr streamliner roared through Western Springs. And, the speedometer hit 107 miles-per-hour! In June 1933, the Burlington Railroad ordered a revolutionary stainless steel, streamlined train from the Budd Manufacturing Company. It was to be powered by a diesel-electric motor built by General Motors’ Electro-Motive
The 150th Anniversary Nobody Remembered
In 1864, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad began commuter service between Aurora and Chicago. But, 150 years later, no one marked the occasion. If you commute from Western Springs to downtown Chicago on METRA, you might take those trains for granted. But, in 1864, they were a radical innovation.
Western Springs’ Great Railroad Station Battle
In 1971, village officials decided to replace the brick and stone railroad station that had served the town since 1890. But, it wasn’t as easy as they had expected. Western Springs’ first railroad station was a small wooden depot located on the north side of the tracks near Wolf Road.
What’s That Small Railroad Building on Stilts?
When Western Springs built its current railroad station in 2005, the plan was to recreate a little bit of the past. But, the architects didn’t stop with just the station. In 1891, Western Springs built a “permanent” railroad station to replace an earlier wood structure that had burned to the
The Day That “Car Parts Fell Like Rain”
It was a quiet Wednesday afternoon in Western Springs. But, all of that changed at 2:06 p.m. when the crack Empire Builder passenger train roared through town. January 19, 1966, was just another dreary winter day in Western Springs. But, when two local women began driving across the train tracks
Western Springs’ Train Wrecks – Three in Just Six Years
Between 1909 and 1915, there were three serious train wrecks in Western Springs. And, following each, local residents were instrumental in aiding the victims. In 1909, the Oriental Limited from Seattle to Chicago was one of the nation’s most luxurious trains. As shown in the first photo, the trains were