Historical Western Springs

Do You Know the Story Behind This Building?

In 1944, a few Lyons Township students (with considerable help from parents) leased a vacant commercial garage in La Grange and transformed it into the Corral—a student-owned recreation center for teens.

Just as World War II was nearing an end, a wave of enthusiasm for opening teen centers swept across America. Chicago’s western suburbs were no exception, and soon, the “Corral” teen center opened in a renovated commercial garage at 16 W. Harris Ave. in La Grange, just a little west of today’s Clipper Ship Gallery. The annual dues for a local high school student were only $3.50. The Corral had strict behavior standards, including no loitering and no alcohol before and during events policies. Despite this, the new center attracted 500 initial members. And, by all accounts, the center was an overnight success. Three years later, the lease on the garage was about to expire and there was fear that it would not be renewed. So, the student …

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La Grange Area Historical Society Wants Your Stories

Today is making tomorrow’s history, and the LGAHS would like your stories about living in La Grange.

I remember not long after moving into my home, my next door neighbor told me about her visit to the La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. La Grange Rd. She wanted to find out the history on her home. After her visit she had some interesting information on her house. Her garage is only a one-car garage; it’s extra long, but not long enough for two cars. She found out that one of the owners had built the garage for his furniture caning business. In the warmer months he did his work in his garage. That same owner raised four children in her home and after the birth of each child they planted an evergreen tree to honor the birth. Apparently the trees became too big and were removed by the previous owners…

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About Town

Building Used by Kensington School Big Part of La Grange's Education History

It has changed hands several times since it was built in 1893 by School District 102.

The Kensington School in La Grange currently runs a day care, preschool, kindergarten, after school programs, and summer camps out of its two buildings: a historic school house at 127 N. Kensington Ave, and a modern, larger school at 125 N. Kensington Ave. Their smaller, historic school building has had a long history in the local education system. The La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. LaGrange Road,  gave me a wealth of information about the history of the building. As La Grange was starting to organize as a town, there was a school at the corner of Cossitt and Ashland avenues. (It is now the location of the First United Methodist Church, 100 W. Cossitt Ave.) Members of the church held Sunday services in the school for a time. By …

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About Town

La Grange’s First Business: Unold’s Grocery and Market

The northwest corner of Brainard and Hillgrove avenues housed the birth of commerce in the village back in 1868.

On a visit to the La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. La Grange Road, I learned that the brick building at the northeast corner of Brainard and Hillgrove avenues stands in the location of the first business in La Grange. Historical Society volunteers also gave me the history behind the buildings that occupied that location over the years.  John Unold and John Robb open Unold’s Grocery and Market in 1868 at the spot where Vintage Charm now exists. Many of the local farmers traded at the market. The two-story frame building also had a hall on the second floor, which was rented out for parties and meetings. The hall was also used for dancing. On dance nights horse-drawn carriages had a route that they traveled picking up 12 to 20 …

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About Town

A Marlboro Man Lived in La Grange

In the 1950s, Marlboro cigarettes had a famous advertising campaign featuring men that were real people, not professional models—one La Grange man working on the campaign was also featured.

I was born in the '60s, and have vague memories of the decade. One thing I do remember is the smoking. I remember every restaurant had a cigarette machine at the entrance and in addition to mints they also had books of matches with their logo on them. It was much different times. You could smoke anywhere, cough, cough. A La Grange resident, E. Lee Stanley, ended up in one of the print ads as a Marlboro Man. The La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. La Grange Road, was able to supply information about this creative man. Stanley was a longtime resident who attended Cossitt Avenue School and Lyons Township High School. He was an ad man, like the AMC series, "Mad Men". While working at Leo Burnett as vice president and art department …

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About Town

Cannons Once Stood Outside La Grange Village Hall

In October 1942, La Grange parted with the one-ton artillery to help the efforts of World War II.

Nearly 70 years ago, the La Grange village hall was guarded by two Spanish-American War cannons that sat in front of the entrance at the beginning of the last set of steps facing LaGrange Road. The one-ton cannons were rather grand and stately, as you can see in the picture attached to this article. What happened to the two cannons? During World War II, there was a shortage in material needed to produce ammunition. All over the United States, scrap drives were being held to help with the war effort. Paper drives were held along with scrap metal drives. It was a national effort to recycle and was considered very patriotic at the time. La Grange officials decided to do their part by donating the two large cannons that flanked the entrance of…

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Laurie Kapugi

1:16 pm on Monday, April 4, 2011

Matthew, I wondered that myself. I have really enjoyed writing all the stories about the history of La Grange. The volunteers at the La Grange Area Historical Society were extremely helpful and I am still in awe over the knowledge they have. More stories coming soon.   more ›

About Town

A Brief History: The Original La Grange Country Club

When membership increased, the course needed to expand from nine holes to 18 holes and was forced to move—err, roll—to its current location.

According to local history tracked by the La Grange Area Historical Society, the La Grange Country Club, 620 S. Brainard Ave., was founded in 1899 and was one of 30 golf clubs in the Chicago area by the end of 1900. It didn’t always reside at its current address on Brainard, though. Originally, the Club was a nine-hole course located at the southeast corner of 47th Street and La Grange Road—it was forced to move to a new location because of expanding membership. The game of golf was gaining popularity and its 47th Street property did not have enough land to hold 18 holes. It was decided by Howard VanDorn, the architect, that the 47th Street clubhouse could be used as a second floor of the new clubhouse on Brainard. The original clubhouse …

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About Town

A Brief History: Stone Avenue Station in La Grange

Built in 1901, this landmark in our village was built to out-shine—but pay homage to—a nearby depot.

Over the years, buildings in La Grange have been built and eventually torn down to make way for bigger, better, or more efficient buildings. One that still remains since its construction in 1901 is the Stone Avenue Station, 701 W. Burlington Ave. It’s a beautiful building that is rich with early La Grange history, which the volunteers at the La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. LaGrange Road, relayed to me. The first train to pass through La Grange in 1864 actually originated in Aurora. The Aurora Branch Rail Road was built at the cost of one million dollars with the original stop, a milk stop just west of Brainard Avenue called Hazel Glen. It was moved in 1868 to a settlement on Brainard. Commuter service started in 1869. In 1901, …

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About Town

A True Gem: The La Grange Area Historical Society

The wealth of knowledge that exists at the historical society impresses me more and more each time I visit.

This year, I finally made it over to the La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. LaGrange Road, to see what they were all about. I cannot begin to express how impressed I am with all the knowledge that exists in that building and in the minds of the society volunteers. After talking to Mary Ann Sward, a society volunteer for more than 25 years, I thought it would be fun to share some of La Grange’s history and stories in upcoming columns. The next seven or eight "About Town" columns will feature people, places, and things from La Grange’s past. Since 1972, the Historical Society has been collecting La Grange documents, photographs, artifacts, and memorabilia. There is no paid staff and is strictly run by dedicated volunteers. In the past…

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