Welcome to the DuPage County, Illinois
Geneology and History Website
Downers Grove, Illinois
In 1874 Downers Grove had a population of 450 inhabitants.
Downers grove was founded in the year 1834 by settlers J. Blodgett,
Mr. Curtiss, Judge Blanchard and a few others. The name was derived
from one of its residents named "Downer" and a large
grove of trees in the area. Downers Grove is situated on the Burlington
Northern Rail Road Tracks. The village had rich soil and was adapted
to growing fruits and vegtables. In
1874 350 acres of land was owned by a Chicago Company (H.G. Powers,
L.L. Greenleaf, A.C. Ducat, and others) who proposed to turn it
into a beautiful residential park. 25 of the residents at this
time were Chicago businessmen, and there were 90 residential houses
at that time (some very good), 3 general
stores, a meat market, coal and lumber yard, a drug store,
a 2 story high brick school house, 4 churches and a nice hotel.
One of the citizens at this time was also contemplating building
a steam mill.
Source: "Downers Grove." Chicago and It's
Suburbs, Everett Chamberlain, Chicago, T.A. Hunderford & Co.,
1874, p. 422
