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1908 Map of Wheaton

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Wheaton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1924
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1924

About this map

The West Branch Du Page River and East Branch Du Page River define the natural drainage of DuPage County at the dawn of the twentieth century, carving through a landscape transitioning from agricultural townships to a complex network of commuter rail suburbs. The dense concentration of railroads, including the Chicago and Northwestern RR and the Chicago Great Western RR, highlights the area's role as a vital transportation corridor connecting western Illinois to Chicago.

Wheaton serves as a central hub, notably featuring the Wheaton Driving Park, while established villages like Downers Grove and Naperville are well-defined by their early street grids. Significant local landmarks such as St Johns Church and numerous scattered Cem sites provide specific points of interest for genealogists tracing family roots in towns like Lombard, Glen Ellyn, and West Chicago. The presence of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Electric line underscores the era of electric interurban transit that fueled this region's early growth.