Grossdale Station Celebrating 125th

On Sunday, October 26, at 2:00 Brookfield‘s Grossdale Station will celebrate its 125th anniversary. The station was built in 1889 on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy rail line by developer S. E. Gross. In 1981 the Brookfield Historical Society moved the station across the tracks to its present location. The building, located at 8820 1/2 Brookfield Avenue, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The festive event will be held outdoors, weather permitting. Ice cream will be served, accompanied by live railroading music. Featured speaker will be Christopher A. Stach. He is the author of the definitive book on the Grossdale Station, A Handsome Depot, which commemorated the station’s first 100 years.

Music will be provided by Ed Ellis and Jeff Lee, who have been playing together for 10 years. Ed is a lifelong railroader, who started as a switchman about the time he started playing train songs on the guitar. His wife Peggy sometimes plays and sings with him. Jeff is an artist whose accomplishments include being the designer of Q*bert, a critically acclaimed arcade game. He is also the illustrator of the children’s book Train to Christmas Town, written by Ed’s wife Peggy. Six of Jeff’s murals can be seen on the Union Pacific viaduct in Oak Park. Jeff’s wife Ann sometimes plays and sings, too. All four musician can be found one Wednesday evening a month playing as The Unbroken Circle at the First United Methodist Church of La Grange. Some Monday nights they play at the Salt Creek Wine Bar in Brookfield.

Also at the event, the society will dedicate a brick walkway section in front of the station. Supporters of the society and the Grossdale Station can order customized bricks. For more information on the anniversary event or ordering bricks, see www.brookfieldhistory.org.