Fearing an onslaught of Chicagoans armed with blankets and picnic baskets, a century ago the people of Wilmette opposed efforts to extend elevated train service from the Loop to their southern border.
Today, more than 315,000 people per year board the “L” in Wilmette. On Saturday, the station’s history and success will be celebrated by the village and the Chicago Transit Authority.
The station originally came as an unwelcome overnight surprise. After coming to loggerheads with village officials, a crew secretly worked “under cover of darkness” to create a small depot at Fourth Street and Linden Avenue.
According to a story in the Chicago Tribune on April 3, 1912: “During the night the Northwestern Elevated company invaded the suburb with a large force of men. At dawn the evidence of their work was plainly visible.”
Back then, the people of Wilmette enjoyed their lakefront, and their seclusion.
“Exclusive residents opposed the entrance of a new line largely because they believe trainloads of picnic parties will be dumped there in summer,” the Tribune story said.
Some things haven’t changed. During a recent Wilmette Park District discussion regarding a fence to limit access to the south beach at Gillson Park, resident Fred Fitzsimmons referred to nonresidents picnicking lakeside as “freeloaders.”
“How are we going to collect from them sufficient revenues in order to pay for the added supervision and control of that free beach?” he asked.
The Park District last month opted against building the fence, after a petition campaign supported leaving the beach open-access, though swimming is still not permitted. While many municipalities with Lake Michigan access charge admission — usually more for nonresidents — the unfettered access to the sands of Gillson Park’s south beach is a rarity, state officials have said.
Wilmette Village President Chris Canning said the train has been a benefit to the North Shore suburb. He recalled passing through the historic Prairie-style terminal station at Linden Avenue to take the “L” as a youngster to see the Chicago Cubs.
There’s another thing that hasn’t changed in 100 years, he noted — the Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908.
