Western Springs’ Connection to the Butterball Hotline
In 1981, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line was born. And, who better to head it up than a woman from Western Springs. In 1981, Swift & Company, which owned the Butterball turkey brand, decided to experiment with a toll-free “Turkey Talk-Line” to help their customers with cooking and preparation questions. Eleven thousand people called
What’s in a Name?
Shakespeare wrote that “ … a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But, what about Western Springs? Back in the 1870s, before it was actually a town, Western Springs was just a small collection of homes known as “East Hinsdale.” However, an enterprising land developer coined the
Do You Remember America’s Freedom Train?
In 1975, America was already celebrating the Bicentennial of the Nation’s founding. In Western Springs, it started with a train visit. In the early 1970s, in anticipation of the Nation’s upcoming Bicentennial celebration, a group of private citizens spearheaded an effort to use a steam-powered locomotive to pull a string
Today’s Vehicle Stickers … a Bargain Compared to 1915!
Some may think that the vehicle sticker is a relatively new concept. But, in 1915, the Village was already collecting this tax. If you’re like most Western Springs residents, you pay $35 for a motor vehicle sticker each year. And, you probably think that’s more than necessary. But, in 1915, local
Lakefront Property for Sale in Forest Hills
In 1930, new homes were being built in Forest Hills, south of 47th street. But, Central Avenue was as far west as they dared build. Except for a select group of senior citizens who grew up in Western Springs, few of us can remember what the Forest Hills subdivision looked
Western Springs’ House Walk History
By John Devona There’s a tradition of house walks in our village. But, it wasn’t always so. The first known reference to a house walk In Western Springs was in 1961. This was the 75th anniversary of the village’s founding and, as part of the town’s “Diamond Jubilee” celebration, the
Western Springs Tackles Race Relations
By John Devona In 1953, an African-American couple wanted a home in the Forest Hills subdivision. But, some tried to keep that from happening. Arthur Falls was the African-American son of a postal worker and a dressmaker. In 1925, he graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Medicine and opened an
Drive-up Banking Comes to Western Springs
Residents had always gone inside their bank to cash checks or make deposits. But, in December of 1964, drive-up banking became a reality. The next time you go by the Heartland Bank on Wolf Road, try to imagine what the building looked like in 1964. It was about half the
Western Springs “Hardware History”
Today, everyone in town knows where the hardware store is located. But, did you know there were at least seven others? It seems that every week or so, most homeowners need something from their hardware store. And, our earliest village residents were no different. If you were one of the
What Children Wanted in 1928
In 1928, Western Springs’ school children were asked to write letters to Santa Claus. And, their requests are interesting. The following are actual letters from 1928 that were written by the third graders at Grand Avenue School. As the letters attest, the children were convinced that there was a Santa
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