Downers Grove, Illinois

History

Downers Grove was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer, a settler from New York. The town was incorporated in March 1873. Downers Grove's original settlers were primarily from the Northeastern states and Northern Europe. Today Downers Grove's population includes an array of backgrounds, including large Filipino and Indian populations.

Related Topics:
1873 - Filipino - Indian

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In April, 1947, a Burlington Railroad Zephyr passenger train wrecked, killing 2, including the engineer. Part of the train crashed through a wall of Main Street Station.

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A farming community for much of its existence, Downers Grove has become a bustling suburb with many diverse businesses, including the headquarters for FTD, Lovejoy,ServiceMaster, Swift-Eckrich, Arrow Gear, Magnetrol, Spiegel and Butterball.

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Downers Grove offers a unique collection of homes that range from well over 100 years of age (primarily around the downtown area of the community) to homes of each generation until today. Although the last large scale housing developments ended in the 1980s, Downers Grove has witnessed one of the highest teardown rates in DuPage County, which has been the source of much controversy within the village.

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The main line of the BNSF Railway (BNSF) (also served by Metra commuter rail), and Interstate Highways 355, 88 and 55 all pass through the community. Downers Grove is served by the Pace Bus Service as a system of suburban public transportation. Downers Grove is also the home of Midwestern University.

Related Topics:
BNSF Railway - Metra - 355 - 88 - 55 - Midwestern University

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