1962 Map of West Chicago

About this map

West Chicago and its surrounding townships show the transition of DuPage County from an agricultural and rail-oriented landscape to a suburban corridor. The rail network remains the backbone of the region, featuring the Chicago and North Western and the Elgin Joliet and Eastern lines intersecting near the heart of the city. Purple-shaded revisions indicate the rapid post-war expansion of Hanover Park and Carol Stream, while older rural nodes like Ontarioville and Munger Station retain their distinct identities. Local history is deeply etched into the land through sites like the Christ the King Seminary and several family or community burial grounds, including the Old Ontarioville Cem and the Wayne Center Cem. Conservation efforts are also visible in the preserved green spaces of Pratts Wayne Woods Forest Preserve and Wayne Grove Forest Preserve along the West Branch Du Page River.