Ridge Acres is one of Western Springs’ largest neighborhoods. Yet, few know its history or the origin of its name.
Ridge Acres looking North with 47th St. in foreground – 1925
In 1885, Marshall Field, the founder of Marshall Field & Company, purchased most of the land that now comprises Ridge Acres subdivision, as well as the property directly north, now known as Field Park. This was in hopes of locating the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in the western suburbs.
However, the decision was made to locate the World’s Fair in Chicago’s Jackson Park. So, Field was left with a huge tract of land that was too valuable for farming, but which lacked such residential necessities as sewers, water mains, etc. Field died in 1909. And, in 1917, his estate sold the property to a developer, Ellsworth T. Martin.
Martin declared that he would build a “high-grade residence section”. However, he first had to name the subdivision. The “Ridge” portion of the name was related to Western Springs being on a ridge, i.e., the first elevation after leaving Chicago. And, the “Acres” portion of the name derived from the fact that the property was first offered for sale in one-acre lots.
Subsequently, Martin decided to subdivide most of the property into half-acre sites, most of them being 100 feet wide by 214 deep. Early efforts to sell these large lots cited their potential use for poultry farming and flower growing. The original plat did not include the property between Franklin and Wolf, which was purchased later. As a result, these lots were not as deep.
Ridge Acres’ “missing” streets
Due in part to the difficulty of selling such large lots, three subsequent re-subdivisions took place … one in 1925, another in 1926, and the final one in 1928. These resulted in most of the smaller lot arrangements we have today. But, virtually all of the lots remained 214 deep. These deep lots also precluded the construction of both Ellington and Linden Avenue between the railroad tracks and 47th Street.
In 1928, the village took legal action against those Ridge Acres residents who were renting out portions of their homes to others, making them multiple-family dwellings. Ironically, in the same year, the Village liberalized its Ridge Acres zoning to permit the construction of duplex structures, thus accounting for many of these units, especially near Burlington Avenue.
In 1931, Ridge Acres started receiving home delivery of U.S. Mail. Previously, homeowners had to pick up their mail at the Village post office. Another major accomplishment was the area’s tree-planting campaign, which sought to place at least one parkway tree in front of every residence in Ridge Acres.
Unfortunately, according to a news account from that period, the Ridge Acres residents adopted the as their official neighborhood tree. Quoting a spokesperson, “When our streets are lined with the graceful elm trees growing more beautiful each year, so will Ridge Acres help to make Western Springs a more beautiful and a more desirable place to live in.”