Historical Western Springs
Whoops! What Happened Here in 1966?
In 1966, Western Springs was growing by leaps and bounds. So, an old, boarded-up home on prime real estate was an obvious target for a tear-down.
Built in 1888, this home at 1013 Burlington faced the Burlington railroad, just west of what is now Oberweis. And, in its early days, it served as both a retail store and a residence. See second photo. In 1925, Nels Henrikson sold the house to Gus Johnson and his wife, Hazel. They had their living quarters on the second floor, while the first floor was devoted to retail activity. According to historical society records, the structure once housed a bakery owned by Mrs. Christine Johnson, as well as a grocery store owned by Charles H. Vaughan. . Unfortunately, Gus Johnson and his wife passed away in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, after which the house fell into disrepair. According to news reports, efforts were then made to locate the…
