Some may think that the vehicle sticker is a relatively new concept. But, in 1915, the Village was already collecting this tax.

Walter Durland with his horse and buggy – circa 1915

If you’re like most Western Springs residents, you pay $35 for a motor vehicle sticker each year. And, you probably think that’s more than necessary. But, in 1915, local residents paid substantially higher.

As background, with the mass production of Henry Ford’s Model T, automobiles were becoming affordable by 1915. However, horse-drawn wagons and buggies were still very prevalent in Western Springs. So, the Village was very diligent in assessing a tax on every vehicle, both motorized and horse-drawn.

As shown in the second photo, the Village’s application form for 1915-16 vehicle licenses actually showed horse-drawn vehicles first, followed by motor vehicles. And, while $2.00 for a one-horse wagon may sound paltry, that would translate to $46.50 in 2015 dollars. And, the least expensive license for a motor vehicle was $4.00, or the equivalent of $93.00 in today’s dollars!

Since most Village streets were not yet paved, all of the vehicle license fees were, by law, “…kept in a separate fund and used only for paying the cost and expenses of street or alley improvement or repair”. However, there was no mention of who cleaned up after the horses!