Special thanks to senior Jorge Muñoz for assisting with the translation of Spanish phrases in this photo essay.
West Chicago is an incredibly diverse city that features many unique landmarks and locations along Main Street. As one walks down the street, various elements of the city’s history pop out.
The city’s 25,370 residents would not be living here without the establishment of Turner Junction, the first settlement in the area in the mid-1800s. The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was the first line to pass through and led to the growth of a vibrant railroad town with a close-knit community.
This photo essay aims to capture the vivid history hidden within the architecture and interior of buildings and parks in the city, ranging from railroad memorabilia to contemporary art.
Starting in Sesquicentennial Park, several plaques, such as this one, are located on the steps and pathways and were donated by several organizations around West Chicago. This particular one quotes John 11:25 and was donated by the West Chicago Bible Church, located on South Oakwood Avenue.
Moving east from the park, the West Chicago Train Station features some of the most interesting architecture in the entire city. The red bricks and stylized arches are reminiscent of train stations from the late 1800s when West Chicago was beginning to transition from a town to a city, which influenced the careers of countless individuals as the town developed.
“The City Museum is very happy to preserve and present the long history of West Chicago and its origins in the railroads. The Galena and Chicago Union, which became the Chicago & Northwestern and is today the Union Pacific Railroad created our community and fueled the growth of the town around the original railroad junction in 1849. Up until the 1940s 40% of the working population of West Chicago, including Mr. Fred Kruse, the one-time owner of what is today the Kruse House Museum, worked on the railroad,” a representative for the West Chicago City Museum said.
Several murals can be found throughout the city, including this one on the side of Supermercado Tampico. Painted by Juan Chawuk, an artist from Chiapas, Mexico, the mural can be seen by visitors from the train station and by those walking down Main Street. The mural’s caption reads:
“Todo el universo se mueve, todas las estrellas migran a universos para hacer latir al ser universal, tan fragiles como mariposas y tan efímeramente eternos como el instante.”
Which translates to:
“The whole universe moves, all the stars migrate to universes to make the universal being beat, as fragile as butterflies and as ephemerally eternal as the instant.”
Located near Carnicerias Jimenez and the city hall, the Kruse House Museum is maintained by the West Chicago Historical Society and details the life of a typical middle-class American family during the 20th century. The museum regularly hosts events and displays during the summer that educate visitors about the history of the Kruse family and their life in the 1900s.
West Chicago’s City Hall is just across from Sesquicentennial Park and A. Eugene Rennels Bridge. School buses pass the city hall every single weekday, and students are commonly seen walking past after school is dismissed.
Turner Court reveals the bright colors of this classic Coca-Cola advertisement that are visible on the drive to school. Landmarks like these give West Chicago its signature vintage flair. Primos Barbershop is located within the glass double doors.
Moving down Turner Court, lovely paintings stand out on the wall of this building. A closer look at the art reveals the flowers and bright colors that catch the eyes of visitors.
The West Chicago Public Library was established in 1934, offering a comfortable place to read. They also offer a children’s area allowing the kids to read books and play video games, among other activities. The library’s selection of books ranges widely from romantic comedies to anime.
These ‘fancy’ stairs lead from the street down to the West Chicago Public Library. They are used commonly during the Halloween season when “Trunk or Treat” is held, which is a community event where neighbors park their cars in the parking lot near the library so that children can safely get candy. The library is an important part of the community, and it hosts a myriad of clubs, one of which is the Young Adult Advisory Council, which regularly hosts volunteer events.
“By providing information and access to resources, the library serves as an important anchor in the greater West Chicago community. Technology and the Internet constitute the biggest change in library services in the 21st century because people need both access to the Internet and assistance navigating it,” Benjamin Weseloh, the Library Director, said.
Chicago’s first railroad, the Galena and Chicago Union, arrived in what is now West Chicago in 1849 with plans to expand Chicago to what is now known as Elgin. This bicycle parking rack symbolizes the first trains that came in 1849 which eventually led to the formation of a city. The West Chicago City Museum keeps a well-documented timeline of the city, from its origins to the modern-day impact of such a diverse community.
“The railroad and industrial jobs in our community first brought Mexican immigrant workers in the 1910s, fueling a diverse community that is today over 50% of Latino descent. That welcoming community has made a safe foundation for immigrants to start a new life in DuPage County in West Chicago, which offers many support resources for new arrivals. The railroad has and continues to shape our West Chicago community,” a representative for the museum said.
St. Vincent de Paul thrift store is just on Main Street. It has some great finds with a little bit of everything, ranging from clothes to music to household items. West Chicago’s thrifting scene is fairly large, and Main Street alone is home to several thrift shops, further enhancing the vintage feel that the city emits.
Reed-Keppler Park is best known for its beautiful greenery and tall trees. While its iconic canopies are gone for the winter months, the trees are still quite beautiful. The history of West Chicago is best experienced during the day, however, Reed-Keppler is just as stunning during the night.
