Western Springs, Illinois
Western Springs is a village of 13,446 people in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1886.
Why visit Western Springs
Townapedia lists 30 museums and landmarks, 54 parks and trails, 109 places to eat and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include La Grange Theater, La Grange Village Hall, Western Springs Water Tower and La Grange Country Club.
Weather in Western Springs
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Western Springs
Western Springs is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census, the village had a total population of 13,629.
From the Wikipedia article Western Springs, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Theatre of Western Springs
Cinema and theater · 0.6 mi
4384 Hampton Avenue, Western Springs
Museums and landmarks30
La Grange Village Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
53 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Western Springs Water Tower
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Water tower in Illinois, United States of America
914 Hillgrove Avenue, Western Springs
Butler School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic school building in Oak Brook, Illinois
Downtown Hinsdale Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Francis Stuyvesant Peabody House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
George E. Purple House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
Graue Mill
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Water-wheel grist mill in Oak Brook, Illinois
Grossdale Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic railway station in Brookfield, Illinois, United States
Henry C. Middaugh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
La Grange Village Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Mayslake Peabody Estate
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Orland P. Bassett House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
18 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds54
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42 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes109
Blueberry Hill Breakfast Cafe
Restaurant · American, Breakfast, Brunch · 1.8 mi
49 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Mo-Su 06:00-15:00
Mak's House
Bar and pub · Burger, Sandwich · 1.8 mi
46 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-00:00
Prasino
Restaurant · Fine Dining · 1.8 mi
93 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Su-Th 08:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-21:00
Vie
Restaurant · Farm-To-Table, Health Food · 0.4 mi
4471 Lawn Avenue, Western Springs
Tu-Th 17:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 17:00-22:00
97 more on the map.
History
Around the turn of the 18th century, nomadic Potawatomi Native Americans settled in the Western Springs area. Whether they built a village is unclear, but evidence of temporary campsites has been found near Flagg Creek in Forest Hills. The natives were gone by the end of 1835, but Potawatomi artifacts may still be found buried in the Springdale neighborhood. The last Cook County campground of the Potawatomi was within what is now the Timber Trails subdivision.
The first known settler in the area near Western Springs was Elijah Wentworth. By 1834, after the Black Hawk War, farmer Joseph Vial had moved from New York and built a cabin along what is now Plainfield Road, a former Native American trail in the south of Western Springs. This cabin served as a stagecoach station, hotel, general store, and post office for the entire area.
The CB&Q Railroad built a line through Western Springs in 1863, filling in much of the westside swamp in the process. In 1870, the Western Springs Land Association, consisting of promoter Thomas Clarkson Hill, William Page and two sons of Phillip F. W. Peck, bought the three tracts that make up the area for $105,000. In 1872, Hill moved to the area from Chicago, and the community began organizing to attract more commuters. Residents built a wooden schoolhouse (1872) and a post office (1873).
From the History section of Western Springs, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship35
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Church · Anglican · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
203 South Kensington Avenue
First Congregational Church of Western Springs
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Immanuel Hall
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Presbyterian Church of Western Springs
Church · Presbyterian · 0.6 mi
5250 Wolf Road, Western Springs
Highlands Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 1.4 mi
1902 West 59th Street, La Grange Highlands
Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.0 mi
201 North Oak Street, Hinsdale
All Saints Episcopal Church
Church · Anglican · 0.6 mi
4370 Woodland Avenue, Western Springs
Shopping17
Lilett' Candies Gourmet Candy Shop
Shop · 1.7 mi
104 West Calendar Avenue, La Grange
Gas and EV charging12
Schools, colleges and libraries76
Lyons Township High School North Campus
School · 1.2 mi
100 South Brainard Avenue, La Grange
Lyons Township High School South Campus
School · 0.4 mi
4900 Willow Springs Road, Western Springs
Nazareth Academy
School · 1.5 mi
1209 West Ogden Avenue, La Grange Park
Park Junior High School
School · 1.6 mi
333 North Park Road, La Grange Park
Healthcare8
DuPage Medical Group
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
512 West Burlington Avenue, La Grange
Passport Health Hinsdale Travel Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.7 mi
911 North Elm Street, Hinsdale
Map of Western Springs
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cook County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2023-11-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- La Grange 1 mi east, about 2 min by car
- Hinsdale 1 mi west, about 2 min by car
- La Grange Park 2 mi northeast, about 4 min by car
- Brookfield 3 mi northeast, about 5 min by car
- Westchester 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Burr Ridge 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Lyons 4 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Summit 5 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Justice 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Darien 6 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Western Springs Baptist Church-0057, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Baptist Church-0055, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Baptist Church-0056, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Baptist Church-0054, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Baptist Church-0053, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 19970426 10 BNSF @ Western Springs (5760423698), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19970426 09 SSWN @ Western Springs, Illinois (5760423750), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19970426 11 Bob and David Blount, Western Springs, IL (5760423576), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 20160113 02 Metra Station, Western Springs, Illinois (26095906311), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0036, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0033, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0038, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0048, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0035, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0043, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0012, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0030, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0039, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0029, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0044, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0034, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Water Tower-0040, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0032, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0047, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0042, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0037, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Springs Station Illinois-0011, Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20160113 01 BNSF Western Springs, Illinois (26095906771), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Western springs il water tower, Mikebetzel, CC0
- Western Springs IL Water Tower 3, Mikebetzel, CC0
- Western Springs IL Water Tower 5, Mikebetzel, CC0
- Western Springs IL Water Tower 2, Mikebetzel, CC0
- Western Springs IL Water Tower 4, Mikebetzel, CC0
- LaGrange Village Hall exterior 02, MrHarman, CC BY 3.0
- WesternSpringsWaterTower, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Emmanuel Episcopal Church (LaGrange, Illinois), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Robert A. and Mary Childs House, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- ButlerSchoolOakBrook, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mayslake Peabody Estate - Mayslake Hall, Dima Sergiyenko; Please attribute this image as the work of " DiscoverWithDima .", CC BY-SA 4.0
- Immanuel Evangelical Church Hinsdale, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
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