Villa Park

Villa Avenue and Park Boulevard, Village of Villa Park

Address: 220 S. Villa Ave.
Established: August 25, 1902
Original Line: Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Ry
Rebuilt: 1912, 1929
Previous Names: Secker Road
(View location)

History:

Villa Park was a station on the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin’s main line at the intersection of Villa Avenue and Park Boulevard in Villa Park. The station opened on August 25, 1902 as Secker Road and was one of the original fifteen stops on the Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railway.1 The station consisted of two low level platforms on the east side of Secker Road [Villa Avenue].

Circa 1911, the station was one of a several stops to be upgraded with either brick or stone stations as part of an improvement project. Villa Park received a brick waiting shelter with a hipped roof of the same type as at Seminary, Berkeley, York St., Spring Road, and High Lake.

The station was rebuilt again in 1929. During this reconstruction, the eastbound platform was moved to the west side of Villa Avenue with the construction of an expansive Tudor Revival station designed by Samuel Insull’s staff architect, Arthur U. Gerber. The westbound platform remained in place and was outfitted with a flat roofed wooden passenger shelter.

Villa Park was one of a few stations to survive the demise of the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin. Both it and Ardmore (the next station west) were purchased by the village of Villa Park and refurbished with an official dedication by the Villa Park Bicentennial Commission on July 5, 1976. It is now home to the Villa Park Historical Society which hosts an annual ice cream social on July 3, the anniversary of the day the CA&E ended passenger service.

Full station profile and history coming soon.

Additional Photos

Car 26 leads a four car train at Villa Park during a westbound run on July 10, 1952. Unlike the three cars following it, car 26 has yet to be repainted and is still in the Washington blue scheme.

Photo by George Krambles, from the Krambles-Peterson Archive

Operating as a single, car 406 heads west at Villa Park on September 4, 1954.

Photo by C Scholes

The back side of the Villa Park station seen looking northwest across Park Boulevard and Villa Avenue on July 18, 1961. It should be noted that the station still has its crossing gates even though a train hasn't operated here in over two years. By comparison, the Glen Ellyn station had its gates removed by 1959.

Photo by Glen Brewer

The end for the CA&E is already in sight. Car 453 leads a three car train chartered by the Central Electric Railfans’ Association seen here heading west past Villa Park on October 26, 1958. Time will show that there will only be two more chartered trips over the Roarin’ Elgin before its complete demise.

Photo by Glen Brewer

A caboose passes the passenger shelter on the westbound platform at Villa Park.

Photo by Glen Brewer

The end has truly come. It’s June 17, 1959, and the CA&E has sent out its last functioning locomotives to retieve the freight cars that remained on the line. At 11:45 AM locomotives 2002 and 2001 head the cleanup train as it passes through Villa Park.

Photo by Glen Brewer

The westbound platform and passenger shelter at Villa Park. Ovaltine siding begins just beyond the east end of the platform.

Photo by Glen Brewer

We’re looking west down the westbound track near Villa Avenue in spring of 1962. Ovaltine siding is at right and the Villa Park station is seen in the distance. Ovaltine siding had a capacity for ten 42-foot cars.

Photo by Glen Brewer

The sign still hangs above the door at the Villa Park station on July 18, 1961. The easbound platform is ready for waiting passengers heading to Chicago although no train will be coming around the bend. Weeds are growing up between the ties and the rails have rusted over. It won’t be long before the tracks are torn up.

Photo by Glen Brewer

The westbound platform and passenger shelter seen during July of 1960. By now, tall weeds have sprouted up through cracks in the platform and vegetation has almost entirely obscured the right of way.

Photo by Glen Brewer

Sources:

“New Electric Line Opened.” Hearst’s Chicago American 25 Aug. 1902: 3. Print.