Villa Avenue Train Station
Encyclopedia
The Villa Avenue Train Station is one of two former Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
(CA&E) stations in Villa Park, Illinois
. The station is a Tudor Revival structure built in 1929. The eastern portion of the station served passengers, while the western portion functioned as a Western United Gas and Electric Company office. Both the railroad and the utility company were owned by Samuel Insull
. Realtors Ballard & Pottinger would offer free railway trips to the station on Sundays to show off properties in the local region. The station was across the street from the American Ovaltine
factory, the largest employer in the village. Villa Park eventually became the largest commuter customer for the railroad. Villa Avenue Train Station closed on July 3, 1957, due to the decline of the CA&E. On August 22, 1986, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Today the station is the headquarters of the Villa Park Historical Society Museum.
Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
The Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad , known colloquially as the "Roarin' Elgin" or the "Great Third Rail", was an interurban railroad that operated passenger and freight service on its line between Chicago, Illinois and Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, and Elgin. The railroad also operated...
(CA&E) stations in Villa Park, Illinois
Villa Park, Illinois
Villa Park is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 22,075 at the 2000 census. A special census in 2003 set the population at 22,517...
. The station is a Tudor Revival structure built in 1929. The eastern portion of the station served passengers, while the western portion functioned as a Western United Gas and Electric Company office. Both the railroad and the utility company were owned by Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull was an Anglo-American innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. Insull was notable for purchasing utilities and railroads using holding companies, as well as the abuse of them...
. Realtors Ballard & Pottinger would offer free railway trips to the station on Sundays to show off properties in the local region. The station was across the street from the American Ovaltine
Ovaltine
Ovaltine is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract , sugar , cocoa, and whey...
factory, the largest employer in the village. Villa Park eventually became the largest commuter customer for the railroad. Villa Avenue Train Station closed on July 3, 1957, due to the decline of the CA&E. On August 22, 1986, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Today the station is the headquarters of the Villa Park Historical Society Museum.