TimeLine

About this Timeline

Oh, how I wish Miss Mahoney where here now! Why didn't I pay more attention in her American History class? Shame on me!

Many books have been written discussing the development of the original thirteen colonies and their expansion westward. This page will not be one of those books! Instead, this page will attempt to cover this national growth with a short description of the main events driving this expansion, focusing on West Chicago and the surrounding area. What was here before the the first explorers and early settlers arrived? What was life like in this area before Illinois become a territory? What was life like in this area before Illinois became a state? What prompted people to settle down in the West Chicago area?

And so we begin to visualize how West Chicago, Winfield, Warrenville, DuPage County, and the state of Illinois all came to be. It will not contain any lengthy details of any events but the events should be, more or less, in chronological order.

While there are many theories on who actually arrived on this continent first, and when that might have been, we will start our event descriptions around the beginning of the 17th century. Since there are a lot of events to cover, this page may become fairly lengthy. To simplify navigation around this page, the events will be divided by century. Between each century there will buttons that will allow you to skip back or ahead to other centuries or to the top of this page. So, scroll down to read chronologically or click one of the links below to skip ahead a century or more:

Go to the 18th Century and earlier. Go to the 19th Century. Go to the 20th Century. Go to the 21st Century.

The 18th Century and Earlier

The Illiniwek Confederation was a political alliance among several Native American tribes. They occupied a broad inverted triangle from modern-day Iowa to near the shores of Lake Michigan in modern Chicago south to modern Arkansas. The Illini suffered in the 17th century as the Iroquois expansion (caused by European expansion in the east) forced Illini to compete with several tribes for land. The Illini were replaced by the Potawatomi, Miami, Sauk, and other tribes. The name Illinois was derived from the Illiniwek.

In 1634, the French explorer Jean Nicolet became the first to enter the region followed by French missionaries.

In 1673, the French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet explored the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.

The native Americans lived off this land for hundreds of years. Early explorers started hunting and trapping fur for trading. They took more from the land than they put back into it. Eventually they started shipping furs and other goods down stream on flat boats & barges.

At one time, Illinois was part French Canada, and later, French Louisiana. While under the French crown, the area was generally referred to as Illinois Country. The British gained control over this region in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris which marked the end of the French and Indian war.

On July 4th, 1776, representatives from the 13 original British colonies signed the Declaration of Independence to form the United States of America.

After the Revolutionary War, the newly formed United States made the Illinois Country part of the Northwest Territory.

The 19th Century

The Treaty of St. Louis is a series of treaties signed between the United States and various Native American tribes from 1804 through 1824. The fourteen treaties were all signed in the St. Louis, Missouri area. In this treaty, the Native Americas agreed to stay west of the Mississippi River.

On December 3rd, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state to join the Union. Its first capital was the French settlement of Kaskaskia on the Mississippi River somewhat south of present day St. Louis and due west of present day Chester, Illinois. Once the largest settlement in the territory, it's now the second smallest community in the state. Today, due to a change in the coarse of the Mighty Mississippi River, Kaskaskia is a deserted island, still considered to be part of Illinois but only accessible from Missouri.

In 1820, the capital of Illinois was moved from Kaskaskia to Vandalia, which was more centrally located along a trail almost midway between St. Louis and Effingham, approximately where Interstate 70 is today.

In 1830, homesteaders from New England arrived to found Winfield Township in the rolling DuPage River Valley.

During the 1830's, Eurastus Gary settled in what is now known as Gary's Mill. This area was also known as Fredricksburg. This is were the Village of Winfield traces its origin.

Early U.S. expansion in Illinois began in the southern part of the state and quickly spread northward, driving out the native residents. In 1832, some Indians returned from Iowa but were driven out in the Black Hawk War.

On January 6th, 1836, the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU RR) was chartered but no tracks where laid until 1848, when in that year, it operated to the Des Plaines River. The original object of the railroad promoters was to connect Chicago with the lead mines near Galena, but the railroad never reached Galena.

On February 9, 1839, DuPage County was formed out of part of Cook County. The county took its name from the DuPage River, which was, in turn, named for a French fur trapper, DuPage. The county seat was located in Naperville.

By this time, railroads on the east coast were fairly well developed and expanding. The Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, built a 4-2-0 steam locomotive for the Utica & Schenectady Railroad in New York. The U&S RR dubbed it the Alert and used it for several years before leasing it to the Michigan Central and later sold it to the G&CU Railroad. At the time the Alert was built, it had neither a cab for the engineer and fireman nor a tender for water and wood. These were added when the G&CU took possession of the engine in 1848.

The state capital was officially relocated from Vandalia to Springfield on July 4th, 1839.

According to at least one source, in 1842, Capt. Alonzo Harvey built the first dwelling on the land that would eventually by purchased by Turner & Van Nortwick and eventually become West Chicago. Other pioneer settlers in the immediate area included: Edward S. Winslow, Job A. Smith, George W. Easton, John Barry, Thomas Brown, William Ripley, George McAuley, William R. Currier, and James Conley.

In 1845, the first public road was laid out running though Edward S. Winslow's land. Now known as West Washington St, this became the first business and residential street in the area.

In 1848, the Illinois and Michigan Canal was built on the land ceded by Native Americans to the United states.

On June 7th, 1848, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad (C&NW RR) was chartered. It had purchased the assets of the bankrupt Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad 5 days earlier.

Also, in 1848, the G&CU RR purchased the Alert steam locomotive (circa 1839). At the time, there were no tracks connecting eastern railroads with Chicago, so the Alert was loaded on to a schooner and shipped to Chicago via the Great Lakes. The G&CU RR renamed it the Pioneer and added a cab & tender.

Still in 1848, the G&CU RR began laying track west from Chicago. It's plan was to build straight west to the Fox River Valley, then northwest to Elgin, Rockford, Freeport and, finally, to lead mines in Galena. It reached Elgin in February 1850.

Again in 1848, John B. Turner & John Van Nortwick bought a tract of land from Zephaniah Archer. With in two years, Turner, then the president of the G&CU RR, had the G&CU and two branch lines in the area and he started to refer to it as Junction.

Before 1849, this part of Winfield Township, except for platted Warrenville, was strictly agricultural. A few miles north of Warrenville, in what is now part of West Chicago, Edward S. Winslow donated a wide strip of his land to the railroad as right of way.

There was passenger service on the line almost from the beginning. The first passenger coach, built in Chicago for $2,000, arrived in 1849. But true commuter service evolved over the years, influenced by events such as the Chicago Fire in 1871 (which made suburban life more appealing) as well as economic and demographic trends that factored in the growth of all suburbs.

In November, the G&CU RR reached the area which would eventually become the Town of Junction, and the Town of Turner, (unofficially known as Turner Junction) and finally the two towns would merge to become West Chicago.

On November 12th, 1849, the G&CU RR inaugurated regular train service between Chicago and Junction. The locomotive on this train was known as "The Pioneer".

In December, 1849, the G&CU's first branch line, the St. Charles Branch, began operation. It connected St. Charles with G&CU's Elgin line in Wayne Township just a few miles north of what would soon be known as Junction. Later, the St. Charles Branch railroad extended south to Geneva.

On December 9th, 1849, the West DuPage Post Office was established in Wayne Township with Robert Y. Benjamin as postmaster. This office handled all the mail bound for the settlers in the area soon to become Junction, Turner and finally West Chicago. Mail was carried to this office from Chicago by the Frink & Walker stage line.

In the spring of 1850, the G&CU's second branch line, the Aurora Branch Railroad, began construction and finished in November. This branch railroad was the forerunner of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q), the Burlington Northern (BN) and finally the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF).

By the end of 1850, the area where the G&CU intersected with it's two branch lines, the St. Charles Branch and the Aurora Branch, was unofficially referred to as Junction.

In April of 1850, a new Post Office was established in Junction. James H. Dole was the first Postmaster. He was also the first railroad agent in the area.

On July 10th, 1851, the Aurora Beacon reported the first recorded fire in this area. It was the Michael McDonald store that burned a few days earlier on July 4th. The loss was reported at $700 to $800. The cause was unknown.

In 1853, for reasons beyond the scope of this timeline, the G&CU stopped construction toward Galena at Freeport, IL and started building west, from the area known as Junction, toward DeKalb and Fulton, IL.

This western extension of the G&CU was known as the Dixon Air Line and later as the Omaha Line.

By 1854 the G&CU built engine and repair shops in Junction. The roundhouse and turntable were located near the coach yards, where the commuter trains "slept" overnight, just north of Washington Street, where Ward Lumber Company used to be, and where the new public library and a Marathon gas station are located today. With in a few years, some 40 trains passed through the town daily. This required four water wells to fill the railroad's needs.

In January,1855, the G&CU's Dixon Air Line was operational to Fulton, Illinois.

Later in 1855, John B. Turner, President of the G&CU RR, platted a small part of his land as the Town of Junction. As a railroad executive, he assigned railroad related names to many of the first streets: Depot St (now Main St). Other streets were named for projected terminal cities, such as Chicago St, Galena St. and Fulton St. Turner also donated some of his land to the Congregational Church.

The Junction Post Office was renamed to Turner in 1856.

Dr. & Mrs. Joseph McConnell were Congregationalist with land immediately north of the newly created Town of Junction. To honor Mr. Turner for his donation to their church, they platted part of their land as the Town of Turner in 1857.

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Steven A. Douglas were both running for a U.S.Senate seat. They had agreed to have 7 debates throughout the state. However, on August 28th, between the 2nd and 3rd of the planned debates, an "unofficial", "unscheduled" and "undocumented" (at the time) meeting may have taken place in Hickory Grove, Turner, Illinois.

In September, 1858, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph McConnell donated some of their land for use as a cemetery. The title and management were entrusted to the Oakwood Cemetery Association on Christmas Day. Dr. McConnell was the first president of this association. Oakwood is the city's oldest cemetery. It seems unbelievable that both Dr. and Mrs. McConnell, who donated the land for the cemetery, are buried there in unmarked grave sites.

On April 12, 1861, the American Civil War started when Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter.

During 1864, the G&CU built a 13 stall roundhouse and turntable south of the mainline tracks, just east of present day Wilson Street bridge. Both were expanded over the years.

According to the "History in Illinois" for the Union Pacific railroad, the current successor to the Chicago & Northwestern, the G&CU RR merged into the C&NW Transportation Company in 1864. However, the "Chicago Northwestern Railway" history dates this merger as February 15, 1865.

On April 9, 1865, the Civil War ended when General Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House.

Agitation over the location of the DuPage county seat reached fever pitch when an 1867 referendum authorized the change from Naperville to Wheaton. Naperville officials refused to send the county records to Wheaton. In 1868 forty daring citizens of neighboring Wheaton appropriated the county records under the cover of darkness, thereby completing the transfer of the DuPage County Seat.

Thirteen Civil War Veterans organized the Grand Army of the Republic Post 301 of Turner Junction in 1868. It was the first such post in DuPage County.

Circa 1870, the short-lived Turner Junction Journal was published.

From 1871 to 1889, the Turner Junction News was published by the Wheaton Illinoian.

On October 8th, 1871, the Great Chicago fire started. By the time the fire was under control, it had burned a 4 mile long, 1 mile wide section of the main part of the city. Many records from Cook and DuPage Counties were stored in Chicago for safe keeping and were destroyed by the fire.

In 1873, the Pioneer locomotive was retired after 25 years of service in Illinois and was stored in the Turner Junction roundhouse for the next two decades.

On April 22nd, 1873, the residents of the Town of Junction and the Town of Turner, unofficially known as Turner Junction, petitioned the state to incorporate as the Village of Turner. The petition was approved and a vote was taken on May 31st. The results were announced on June 5th. The newly organized Village of Turner included approximately 645 acres and encompassed the subdivisions of Atcherson, Church, Heslop, Rolling Mill, Updike & Winslow as well as James B. Trull's Subdivision which is now the site of Calvary Cemetery. The population was only 850.

1873 - The Northside School was the first brick and stone school building in Turner. It was constructed on property purchased from Dr. Joseph McConnell. Miss Harriet Yakeley was the second principal of this school and introduced the first high school level classes. The first graduating class, in 1878, consisted of Miss Carrie Roundy and Miss Addie Evenden. Both became teachers in the Village of Turner.

Calvary Cemetery is the second oldest cemetery in town. It was established by the Catholic Diocese of Chicago in the late 1870's on land formally owned by James B. Trull.

In the 1880 United States Census, the population of Turner was 1,001.

In the 1880 United States Census, the population of Fredricksburg was 164.

Constructed was started on a new Town Hall in 1884.

On October 16, 1884, the DuPage County Independent published its first issue.

On May 15, 1885, fire destroyed the rolling mill for the C&NW RR. The loss was not stated but it included the boiler, engine and other valuable machinery. The mill was rebuilt the same year but burned again in October, 1897.

On May 29, 1885, the first city council meeting was held in the brand new town hall. In 1887 it housed the first four-wheeled hook and ladder truck. The police and fire departments also made their homes here with a lock-up in the basement.

In the late 1880's, the predominately German settlement known as Fredricksburg was renamed Winfield after war hero Winfield Scott.

In July, 1887, the voters approved the construction of the South Side School. Construction was started in August and classes started in December. This was a new 35 x 40 foot , two story, brick and stone structure. It was destroyed by fire in 1919.

The first telephone service was provided in the Village of Turner by The Chicago Telephone Co. in 1887.

The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern RR was completed though town in 1888. The EJ&E offered free land along its right-of-way to any industry willing to build there, thus ensuring long term freight business for itself.

In September, 1888, the first issue of theDuPage Democrat was published but ran into financial difficulties almost immediately.

In July, 1889, John C. Neltnor restarted publication of the DuPage Democrat. Shortly after the turn of the century, the Democrat was merged into the DuPage County Publishing Co.

In the 1890 United States Census, the population of Turner was 1,506.

The State Trust & Savings (which later became the First National Bank) opened in 1891.

Electric street lights were installed in late 1892 but the service was unsatisfactory at first.

The Turner Brick Co was started in 1892 by C. E. Bolles and later sold to Downers Grove residents. When the brick yard ceased operation, the buildings were left abandoned.

In 1893 the Pioneer locomotive was moved to Chicago for the Columbian Exhibition. It never returned. It spent some time on display in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. Today this locomotive is is still on public display, without its tender, at the Chicago History Museum. The tender is supposedly still exists but is hidden somewhere in Lombard.

The Roach & Knapp plant, which became the West Chicago Sash & Door Company opened in 1893.

The Bolles' Opera House Block was built in 1894. Located on West Washington Street just east of the EJ&E and the C&NW crossing, many travelling shows and home talent plays were staged in this building. It was eventually remodeled and used as a chemical testing laboratory.

On August 7, 1894, fire destroyed the first EJ&E depot. It was caused by a spark from a passing train.

From about 1895 to about 1897, one of the rooms of the Bolles' Opera House was used as the Turner library. What happened to the books and the library after that is still a mystery until 1929.

On January 25, 1896, the Village of Turner officially became the Village of West Chicago. This name change was part of an effort to attract new industries to the area.

In Febraury, 1896, after Turner became West Chicago, the DuPage County Independent was renamed to the West Chicago Journal.

Post Office was renamed to West Chicago in 1896.

In 1896, a volunteer fire department was first organized as the West Chicago Hose Company No.1 and the Hook and Ladder Company.

On June 30, 1897, a railroad wreck killed 3 people and injured 21 others when one section of the C&NW's Overland Limited, that had stopped here for water, was struck by another section of the Overland Limited running a few minutes behind it. It's the city's worse train disaster on record.

In 1898, the first telephone exchange was installed in Reed's store with 48 subscribers.

The 20th Century

The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal was built in 1900.

In the 1900 United States Census, the population of West Chicago was 1,877.

In June, 1903, the Northern Illinois Democrat published its first issue with Arthur A. Husser as its local editor. Later, James O. Monroe became editor and publisher until 1913 when Monroe was appointed to the Private Secretary to Harry Woods, the newly elected Secetary of State. As his new duties increased, Monroe was forced to discontinue publicationof the Northern Illinois Democrat later that same year.

A gas franchise was let to the LaGrange Gas Company in 1904.

The West Chicago Community High School District 94 was established in 1904 but high school courses were held in the North or South Side Schools until 1926 when the new high school opened.

On January 2, 1905, four rural routes were established from West Chicago.

The building which first housed the Borden's milk condensing plant was financed locally in 1906. Later it became the pickle works under various manufacturing names. Eventually it was sold to Jel-Selt Co who remodeled the building and created an industrial park. South-Western Publishing Co was one of the first industries to call this park home.

On August 18, 1906, after a year long legal battle, the Illinois Supreme Court finally gave West Chicago a "city" charter.

In early 1907, the owner publisher of the West Chicago Journal passed away. the paper was eventually sold to S. E. Wright , who changed the paper's name slightly. On August 1, 1907, the first issue of the West Chicago Press was published. A year later, Wright sold the Press to A. H. Fairbank who continued to publish it until 1911.

The West Chicago State Bank opened in 1908.

Washington School was built in 1908 to replace the Northside School.

On August 27, 1908, the Chicago, Wheaton and Western Railway was incorporated with the intention of constructing an interurban line connecting the Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railroad, in Wheaton, to Geneva via West Chicago. The West Chicago station opened as part of the initial stretch of the Chicago, Wheaton and Western from the Geneva Junction to West Chicago on September 21, 1909. While the CW&W built the infrastructure, it never owned any of the rolling stock. The equipment, and personnel operating it, were all owned by the AE&C who actually bought out the CW&W a year or two later.

In September, 1909, the first 2-car electric train arrive in West Chicago on the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Electric, (AE&C), later renamed the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin (CA&E).

In the 1910 United States Census, the population of West Chicago was 2,378.

In 1910, the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago interurban (later the CA&E) built a flag stop station in the High Lake subdivision on its new Geneva Branch. Today, only the concrete stairs remain along the old ride-of-way, which is now part of the Illinois Prairie Path.

In 1911, the West Chicago Press was sold to William & Philip Treudt. Over the next few years, the Press had a few more owners until 1924.

In 1912, the C&NW RR built a new passenger station at 306 Main Street. The station was closed in 1980.

In 1914, the annual salary of the local postmaster was $1900.

On July 28, 1914, World War I (aka the Great War) began.

In 1916, the City of West Chicago became the owner of Glen Oak Cemetery during the administration of Mayor William R. McGrath. The cemetery remained outside the city limits until it was annexed in 1964.

In 1917, local mail delivery was inaugurated with two mail carriers.

On November 11, 1918, World War I ended.

The old South Side school was destroyed by fire in 1919.

In the 1920 United States Census, the population of West Chicago was 2,594.

Lincoln School was completed and opened in 1921.

On April 18, 1921, Winfield was incorporated as a village. Winfield was named for the war hero, General Winfield Scott. Scott was involved with the "War of 1912", the "Seminole Wars", the "Black Hawk War", the "Mexican-American War" and the "American Civil War".

John's Restaurant and Tavern (formerly John's Buffet), founded in 1921 by immigrant John T. Karwoski, grandfather of the current owner, John Karwoski III, is the oldest tavern in the county.

In 1924, Harold Treudt repurchased the West Chicago Press. It remained in the Treudt family for the rest of it's life.

The City of West Chicago began laying about 9 miles of concrete streets in 1924. It took 2 years.

The West Chicago Savings & Loan Association was founded in 1924.

In 1925, West Chicago installed ornamental street lighting and built a new pumping station.

West Chicago became a second class post office in 1927 with the addition of another mail carrier and the handling of parcel post.

From 1929 to 1935 the West Chicago Library was located at in the City Hall building at 132 Main St.

In the 1930 United States Census, the population of West Chicago was 3,477.

In the 1930 United States Census, the population of Winfield was 445.

From 1935 to 1948 the West Chicago Library was located at 102 Main St.

The Roxy Theater opened in 1936. Five years later, in 1941, it was acquired by the Valos Theater chain which operated a number of suburban theaters, including Wheaton and Geneva. It closed in 1956 and was converted to an American Legion Hall which was destroyed by fire in 1965.

In 1937, the CA&E stopped service on its Geneva Branch which ran through the heart of West Chicago - literally right down the middle of Main Street.

September 1, 1939, World War II began when Germany invaded Poland. Japan was already at war with China.

In the 1940 United States Census, the population of West Chicago was 3,355.

In the 1940 United States Census, the population of Winfield was 567.

December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, forcing the United States to enter World War II on two fronts: the Pacific and the European.

On May 8,1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered, ending the war in Europe.

On August 6, 1945, The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, on August 9, the US dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Six days later, on August 15, Japan surrendered, ending World War II.

In 1945, the city made extensive improvements to its water and sewer systems.

From 1948 to 1954 the West Chicago Library was located at 119 Main St.

In 1949, West Chicago made more improvements to its water and sewer systems. Later, more lighting and road improvement were made on Main St.

In the 1950 United States Census, the population of West Chicago was 3,973.

In the 1950 United States Census, the population of Winfield was 714.

On June 25,1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, starting the Korean War.

On May 17, 1953 the C&NW roundhouse in West Chicago was destroyed by fire. Several area fire departments were in town that morning for a practice burn but were asked to help fight the roundhouse fire first.

On July 27,1953, fighting in the Korean War supposedly ended with signing of an armistice. This allowed for the return of POWs, but since no peace treaty was signed, the two Korea's are technically still at war.

The West Chicago Public Library first opened it's doors at 332 E. Washington Street at Garden Street on February 11, 1954.

Tastee Freez opened on Fremont Street in 1955.

On August 16, 1955, fire destroyed the Belding-Bromstad shop and warehouse facility on West Grandlake Blvd in West Chicago. Fire-fighters from three neighboring communities helped put out the fire. The lost was estimated at $100,000.

November 1, 1955, marks the beginning of the Viet Nam War. US involvement started with advisory personnel and escalated through the 1960's. After the Golf of Tonkin incident in 1964, the US began employing regular combat troops in 1965 and continued to escalate troop deployments and combat offensives until 1968.

The Roxy Theater was closed in 1956 and shortly thereafter it was converted into the American Legion Hall.

In the 1960 United States Census, the population of West Chicago was 6,839 or 6,854, depending on sources.

In the 1960 United States Census, the population of Winfield was 1,575.

June 6th, 1963, West Chicago Community High School, Class of '63, graduated. The ceremony was held in Bishop Gymnasium.

In the spring of 1964, the Winfield Library Association was formed. Its goal was to establish a village library. It took 6 years!

The American Legion (formerly the Roxy Theater) burned in 1965.

The highest point in West Chicago is Washington Street and Neltnor Blvd (SR 59). Official government records place West Chicago at 225 feet above Lake Michigan and 774 feet above sea level.

January, 1968, was the beginning of the Viet Cong Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War. While the offensive itself did not succeed, it caused a large portion on the US population to turn against the war. The US began a gradual withdrawal of ground forces which ended in 1973, leaving the South Vietnamese army on their own to battle the North. The Capitol of South Vietnam, Saigon, fell 2 years later.

Again in 1970, conflicting sources list the population of West Chicago at either 9,988 or 10,100. However, a 1973 census recount boosted it to 11,600.

In the 1970 United States Census, the population of Winfield was 4,285 - An increase of 172% in just 10 years!

On January 24, 1970, the Winfield Public Library officially opened its doors.

In the summer of 1972 the Winfield library moved into two temporary buildings at 0S164 Winfield Road, rented from Winfield School District 34.

Nov. 14, 1974 West Chicago Wildcat football players defeated Mount Carmel to win the Class 3A championship trophy.

The Illinois General Assembly formed the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA). Its purpose was to fund and plan the Chicago region's public transportation.

The fall of Saigon, the capital city of South Vietnam, in April, 1975, marked the end of the Vietnam War.

In 1977, the remains of a 25,000 year old mammoth or mastodon were discovered in the Blackwell Forest Preserve about 4 feet below the surface.

In 1980, the population of West Chicago was 12,550.

In 1980. the population of Winfield was 4,422.

In 1980, the C&NW RR passenger station at 306 Main Street was closed. The station was remodeled and has became the Wayne & Helen Fox Community Center.

On June 29, 1981, the Winfield Public Library completed construction of a new bi-level building on three lots on the northeast corner of Sunnyside and Winfield Roads and opened its doors.

The Commuter Rail Service Board was created in 1984. It was renamed METRA in July 1985. While METRA owns all rolling stock and is responsible for most stations on those routes, the freight carriers use their own employees and control the right-of-way for those routes.

Bears Win!

Date: January 26, 1986
Score: Bears 46 Patriots 10
MVP: Richard Dent, defensive end
Location: Caesars Superdome
New Orleans, Louisiana

Super Bowl XX

1920 Super Bowl Champions 65 years in the making! 1985

In 1990, the population of West Chicago was 14,796.

In 1990. the population of Winfield was 7,096.

In 1990, a new passenger station was built about a 1/4 mile southeast of the 1912 station at 306 Main Street. This new station is unmanned, forcing passengers to purchase their tickets on the train or via the US Mail. The old station is now a community center.

In 1992, the West Chicago Public Library moved from E. Washington St to 118 W. Washington St.

In 1995, the C&NW RR was acquired by the UP RR.

Lincoln School was closed and destroyed before the end of the 20th century.

The 21st Century

In 2000, the population of West Chicago was 23,469.

In 2000. the population of Winfield was 8,718.

Tastee Freez reopened in May, 2007, under new owners. It had been closed for over 2 years and needed to be brought up to code, especially in the food preparation area.

In 2010, the population of West Chicago was 27,086.

In 2010. the population of Winfield was 9,080.

In 2016, Cubs Won the World Series!! On November 2nd. the seventh game of the World Series was tied at 6-6 between the Cleveland Indians (who last won the Series in 1948) and the Chicago Cubs (who lost the Series in 1945 and who last won it in 1908). A rain delay sent the final pitches into November 3rd. The Cubs scored two runs in the top of the 10th and held Cleveland to only 1 run in the bottom of the inning for an 8-7 W. The game went into the MLB and Chicago Cubs history book. A championship 108 years in the making!

Cubs Win!