How Chicago "stole" Western Springs' Village Hall

In 1938, the United States was slowly digging itself out of the Great Depression. Many people were out of work and the economy was still in a recovery mode. So, in that same year, the State of Illinois decided to give local municipalities more flexibility in issuing bonds. This was designed to encourage more construction projects with associated job creation.

This came as good news to the Village of Western Springs. Prior to this, the Village was resigned to the fact that it would have to continue using its iconic but aging Water Tower for all of its governmental offices. To say the Tower’s facilities were inadequate would be an understatement.

There was only one small unisex restroom and the Tower was always humid due to the presence of the huge steel water tank above the offices. In fact, condensation was always a major problem. The police department occupied the ground floor of the Tower, but had no jail facilities. The second floor served as the courtroom and Village Board meeting room. That left only the third floor, a mere 500 square feet, for all of the remaining village office staff.

So, when the State of Illinois increased its bonding authority, the Village started planning the construction of a new $63,000 Village Hall, or roughly $1.4 million in 2015 dollars.

The Village first applied for and received preliminary approval for a $28,000 grant from the federal government’s Public Works Administration. The Village then turned to local residents for the remaining $35,000. And, while the federal grant was all but certain, the local share was not. So, to help “sell” the idea to its cost-conscious residents, an architect was hired to further develop the proposed structure (see photo).

The new building was to be located near what is now the main fire station. It would be a two-story brick colonial structure, 42 feet by 70 feet in size, complete with a decorative cupola. The new building would house the police department, including a two-cell jail in the basement. It would also have sufficient office space for the village manager, building inspector, budget manager, and clerical staff. A new courtroom and a multi-purpose auditorium for public meetings would also be included.

To many people’s surprise, the bond referendum was approved by voters, which would allow the sale of $35,000 in construction bonds. But, the federal funding was now another matter. Just as the project was about to move forward, the City of Chicago submitted a huge grant request to the federal government for the construction of its proposed subway system. Almost overnight, Western Springs and other Illinois communities were notified that the Public Works Administration was redirecting all of its Illinois grant money to the massive subway project. So, without the federal funds, the Village Hall project was doomed.

In the 1950’s, a small “temporary” one-story building would be built to house some of the village offices. But, it would not be until 1968 that the Village was able to bring all of the governmental functions together into today’s Village Hall on the corner of Wolf & Hillgrove Avenues.

Each week, the Western Springs Historical Society presents a “Blast from the Past”. To view prior stories, visit us at www.westernspringshistory.org or just click on the author’s name shown above.