Join us at the Sheldon Peck Homestead for the opening of our new family-friendly exhibit, Lombard-A Three Train Town, on July 29th from Noon to 4pm.
The Creamery Ice Cream Truck will be here
with “pay as you go” ice cream treats!
Plank Road Folk Music Society; n. d.
For the Opening only - Don’t miss the model train exhibit. Members of the Chicagoland T-Track will set up one of their configurations and they will be there to answer questions from noon to 4 pm, Saturday, July 29, 2023 only.
Don’t miss the Plank Road String Band! They will perform twice for the Opening only, at 1:00 pm and at 2 pm, for 2 - 45 minutes concerts.
This 1940 census map of central Lombard shows the three rail lines that once transected the village. Running east to west within a few blocks of each other, the three lines connected Lombard to Chicago and to places further west.
First to be constructed was the line of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. It operated as the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad from 1848 to 1864, then the Chicago and Northwestern Railway (C & NW) from 1864 to 1995.
The second rail line built through Lombard arrived in 1887. Although this line had several different names over the years, for most of its life it was called the Chicago Great Western Railway (CGW).
The third rail line began in 1902 as the Aurora Elgin & Chicago Railway. The name later changed to the Chicago Aurora & Elgin Railroad (CA & E), also known locally as the “Roarin’ Elgin” or the “Great 3rd Rail.”
Learn about the impact of all the train expansion on the growth and identity of Lombard.
Dr. Patricia Rose, Professor Emeritus of Geography at Concordia University Chicago, and an 18- year resident of Lombard, Illinois, is the primary contributor for this exhibit.
Separate Event
Also, for those who enjoy learning about the history of trains in Lombard, be sure to mark your calendar for Brian & Joyce Ostberg’s presentation, “The History of the Lombard Train Stations,” on Wednesday, August 16 at 7 pm in person at the Carriage House at 23 West Maple Street in Lombard, IL. This lecture is free, however, we recommend that you register in advance: lombardhistory.org.
Please let us know if you plan to attend.
