The Village of Western Springs has enjoyed an interesting and varied history. Our namesake derives from mineral springs that here once rose through earth and helped attract settlers seeking opportunity, as well as an escape from the hustle and bustle of the growing metropolis to the east.

Incorporated in 1886 with under 300 residents, the village was touted the “Queen Suburb of Chicago” by early real estate agents. During the subsequent 125 years, Western Springs has grown to become a vital and pleasant family community. 

Remembering our past for the benefit of future generations is a key mission of the Western Springs Historical Society.  Here are just 25 milestones the Society has selected for remembering this 125^th anniversary:

1834: Joseph Vial settles in Western Springs area—Joseph Vial came from Elmira, NY and staked a claim to land along Plainfield Road in what is now the Timber Trails area. He built a 16-foot-square cabin there for his family, who joined him in 1835. His cabin became a center for local activities. Potawatomi Indians also camped at this location. Complying with the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, the Potawatomi left in 1835 to embark on a difficult journey west. The spot is commemorated by a DAR marker unveiled in 1930.

1870: Western Springs subdivisions begin—A small syndicate that included the sons of wealthy Chicago merchant Phillip F. W. Peck and T. C. Hill, a salesman and promoter, formed the Western Springs Land Association. The initial investment was $105,000 for much of the land within the current boundaries of Western Springs. The impetus was the completion of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad line between Aurora and Chicago in 1864.

1875: Western Springs Mineral Water advertised for sale—An ad in the Chicago Tribune stated that “The growing reputation of the large spring has induced the owners to submit it to a test by the people for a time, free of charge, on draught, at the corner of Clark & Washington. Physicians who have tested this water have pronounced it a mild laxative, active diuretic and tonic.”

1886: Village incorporated—Fifty-nine of the village’s early settlers, primarily Quakers, met in the railroad depot on Dec. 12, 1885 to vote to incorporate. This was approved by the Illinois State Legislature and became official the following year.  The first election of village trustees occurred in January, with T. C. Hill elected the first president.  

1892: Western Springs Water Tower built—The tower was constructed of rough limestone brought from Naperville, then trimmed by hand and placed by workers who climbed scaffolding. The tower (112 ft tall, 36 ½ ft diameter) was designed by engineer Benezette Williams. Williams lived in the village from 1873 until his death in 1914 and was involved in major engineering projects involving water and sewage systems throughout the country. The Water Tower was replaced by the current 100,000 gallon storage tank in Spring Rock Park in 1962.

1898: First electric light illumination scares WS residents—The Chicago Tribune reported that, “Citizens returning home on evening trains were horrified when still several miles from their homes to see a bright glare over the town.” Apparently there was poor notification of the advent of the newfangled invention.  The fire department and farmers from 10 miles around responded to the false alarms!

1912: Train wreck leaves 13 dead, a score injured—A mail train speeding east through the fog collided with a stopped Overland Limited on the section of track between Wolf and Gilbert. The early morning wreck rousted villagers out of bed, many of whom came to the aid of the victims. This train wreck was not the only one in town, with a prior crash in 1909 and subsequent one in 1915.

1931: Gang holds up Western Springs State Bank—Not immune from the nationwide crime epidemic in the '30s, Western Springs police battled five bandits who made off with about $8,000 in cash. A 7-year-old girl was wounded during the shooting.

1932: Major new public service facilities open—The Water Department Treatment plant began operating in 1932. Today over 400 million gallons per year are softened and purified here. Thomas Ford Library also opened that year after a donation of land and resources from Mrs. Thomas Ford in memory of her husband. The facilities were expanded in 1952 and again in 1992.

1934: Plane crashes at Prospect & Walnut—A blinding snowstorm was blamed for the crash of a United Airlines mail plane on Dec. 21. Engine trouble developed shortly after the takeoff from Midway and the pilot was forced down into the trees at the intersection. There were two other crashes in town—in 1931 a plane crashed in a front yard on Franklin Avenue and in 1971 a plane crashed into a home on 51^st Street.

1937: WS Fire Department wins National Championship – On Sept. 6, the all-volunteer department competed against the best in the nation at Soldier Field in the National Firefighters Tournament. Chief Waldo Erickson led his team to first prize in the rescue and skill events that included wall-climbing, laying hose and ladder-raising.

1939: Bog in suburb yields bones of ancient beast—Those were the headlines when the bones of a mastodon were discovered in Spring Rock Park by WPA workers. Bones were found again in 1964 during tollway construction. The landscape of Western Springs was carved by the huge glaciers that last retreated some 12,000 years ago. Mastodons roamed the area and their bones have been found in several places in the western suburbs.

1943: Billy Graham’s only pastorate—The Western Springs Baptist Church hired the new Wheaton College graduate for what would be his only pastorate. He and George Beverly Shea began the “Songs in the Night” radio program from the basement in 1944.

1945: POW camp proposed in Bemis Woods—The U.S. Army’s plans to build a German prisoner-of-war camp at the site of the former Civilian Conservation Corps camp north of Ogden near Wolf engendered a vigorous debate in town. Over 500 residents met at McClure School in February to debate the proposal, which ultimately was never built.

1948: WS Police Chief fights machine-gun bandits—A masked trio robbed a reported gambling “handbook” in the woods near Ogden and Harvey. Police Chief Peterson responded to a child’s report of shooting and was severely wounded by the thieves as they made their getaway. The Tribune headlines the next day read “Battle Bandits! Cop Shot!” as some 200 officers from various local police forces pursued the crooks.

1959: Rugeley Road named for sister city in England—In the latter half of the 1950s, Western Springs and Rugeley, UK became sister cities in the international People to People program designed to bring together like communities from around the world in order to promote understanding. Rugeley Road in Springdale subdivision was named after our twin city.

1961: Theater of Western Springs built—The Theater of Western Springs began in the home of Mary Catell in 1929. Eventually it performed plays in the Village Club. After a successful fundraising effort, the nationally acclaimed local theater organization opened its modern facility, which continues to grow and attract top acting talent to the area. The year 1961 also saw the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the 75^th anniversary of the village.

1966: Western Springs Historical Society organized—Over the years, a dedicated group of volunteers and contributors has worked to preserve the history of the village and sponsor events of community interest. The Tower Museum was dedicated in 1970. The Archives are located in the Grand Avenue Community Center.

1968: New modern Village Hall built—Village offices had been located in the Water Tower on the first and second floors (now home to the WS Historical Society Museum) and then temporarily in the fire house on Wolf Road. The demand for modern facilities and technology to serve a growing town spurred the need for the new building.

1975/1976: WS celebrates U.S. Bicentennial—The national celebration inspired the town to organize the Western Springs Bicentennial Commission to plan commemorative events. These included the 1775 Colonial Weekend extravaganza in Spring Rock Park, the Patriots Ball and the Bicentennial Celebration of Western Springs. Due to the town’s hard work in honoring our country, Western Springs earned the distinction as the only Bicentennial Community in the 4^th US Congressional District.

1981: Water Tower added to National Register of Historic Places—Joining some 85,000 other historic sites around the country, plaques at the front entrance commemorate the award. (In 2006, the First Congregational Church of Western Springs, a combination of Prairie School and Late Gothic Revival architecture, was also awarded National Register status.)

1991: Lightning hits Water Tower—In the early morning of Aug. 30, during a fierce storm, lightning struck the roof of the historic Water Tower. The fire smoldered for hours before it was noticed by neighbors and early morning commuters. Western Springs firemen raced to put out the blaze as well as protect the Museum collection housed within.  

2007: Businessweek ranks WS #2—In its ranking of the 50 best small towns to raise children, Western Springs ranked second. In compiling its list, Business Week.com considered five factors: school test scores, cost of living, recreational and cultural activities, number of schools and risk of crime.

2008: Ekdahl House moved and preserved – In 1886, Swedish immigrant August Ekdahl came to Western Springs to open a shoemaking business. He built his home on Hillgrove. Over the years the small house changed hands many times and served as the location of various businesses as the downtown are developed. In an effort to preserve a piece of village heritage and provide a new historical exhibit facility, the Western Springs Historical Society coordinated a community-wide effort to save and relocate the house. 

2010: Contagion Movie Films in Downtown—Western Springs became the set of Edina, MN, for a major Hollywood release as star Matt Damon and award-winning director Stephen Soderbergh set up shop in downtown on a chilly December afternoon. A huge crowd of villagers turned out to watch the filming, which included a fake fire in a downtown building.

The stories of many other important people and events in the history of our village and community await your visit to the Historical Society's Archives, Water Tower Museum and Ekdahl House exhibit, where the Society has preserved Western Springs’ historical records and artifacts for all to use and enjoy!  Visit us on the web at www.westernspringshistory.org.