1953 Map of West Chicago

About this map

West Chicago serves as a major rail hub in this mid-century survey, where the Elgin Joliet and Eastern crosses the Chicago and North Western lines. The landscape is a transition of mid-century suburban expansion and established rural life, marked by numerous small schoolhouses like the McAuley Sch and the Oak Glen Sch (Abandoned). The northern edge of the map features the growing community of Bartlett and the smaller settlement of Ontarioville, while the western portion remains dominated by the open lands of Wayne. Local genealogy is well-represented through numerous burial grounds, including the unique Illinois Pet Cem and the Old Ontarioville Cem. Along the West Branch Du Page River, the topography reveals the early footprint of institutions like the Wheaton College Academy and the essential infrastructure of the County Airport.