The Western Springs Historical Society

The Ekdahl House

The Ekdahl House has moved!

Watch the move on the WSHS Youtube Channel!

The August Ekdahl house at 808 Hillgrove, exemplifies a personal and business triumph for the Swedish immigrants in this community.  For 120 years this small frame house has contributed to the cultural and economic heritage of Western Springs. Early residents of the Village had a vision and set out to create a better life for themselves and all who would reside in the Village in the future.  That philosophy continues today. This small one and one half story frame house is a visual representation of the history of the Village of Western Springs.  It reflects the ongoing values established by the early settlers and the early residents of the Village.

Goal of the Project:

To preserve and revitalize this historic building where children and adults can explore Western Springs history and its connection to 19^th century issues such as immigration, small businesses, roles of women, the importance of community, and fulfilling the American dream.  This will provide an intergenerational community project which emphasizes the cultural and economic heritage of Western Springs.

About the House:

In 1887, a year after the village was incorporated, August Ekdahl built a small frame house by hand at 808 Hillgrove (formerly Chicago Street) in Western Springs.  A Swedish immigrant shoemaker, Mr. Ekdahl came to Western Springs to fulfill his dream of opening a cobbler shop.  Letters written home to Sweden record that Mr. Ekdahl rented out part of his shop to Nancy Watson, a Post Office employee.  This marked the beginning of a structured Post Office in Western Springs.  Nancy Watson officially became our first postmistress in 1889 and served the Village for an estimated 20 years.

Our Plan:

The Western Springs Historical Society plans to restore the building back to its 1887 appearance and create an outdoor museum for the community of Western Springs.  Visitors will view the cobbler shop and post office from the outside through windows displaying the artifacts, enlarged photographs, dioramas, story boards, and interpretative signs of the Ekdahl family, life in the village, and post office history. The Historical Society has plans to create rotating exhibits on a variety of related areas of interest. In order to provide this experience for the community, the Village of Western Springs will allow us to use the Village land to the North of the Fire Station. Please Download our complete proposal here. To watch our video proposal on youtube, click here. 

Join us in our efforts by calling the Historical Society at:  708.246.9230