Mochel Hardware Store
Levi Mertz and Charles Mochel constructed the original building at 36 S Main (later renumbered 5122 Main Street), where the two partners opened their business, Mertz & Mochel, on June […]
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2013: Montrew Dunham
The Downers Grove Historical Society honored Montrew Dunham as the inaugural Historian of the Year of the year in 2013. Montrew dedicated her life to making a difference in the lives
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The Charles Blodgett House
The 1892 Charles Blodgett House on Maple Avenue has served as the Downers Museum since 1976. The museum, located in Pauline Wandschneider Park, is owned and operated by the Downers
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Masonic Temple Building
The architects for this building were Fugard and Knapp. The cornerstone for this building was laid on July 24, 1924. Grove Lodge held their first meeting in their new temple
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Downers Grove Civil War Memorial
In honor of the citizens of Downers Grove buried here and elsewhere who served in the Civil War 1861-1865, this Civil War monument is located in Main Street Cemetery. This
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Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank
In 1892, the Farmers and Merchants Bank opened as Downers Grove’s first bank. William James Herring was the contractor for the Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank Building as well as several other
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Whittier School
Whittier School was selected as one of the two Historic Sites of the Year for 2009. The other was it’s sister school Longfellow School, which was demolished in 2022. Whittier
![Longfellow School [demolished]](https://dghistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Longfellow-School-gray-1024x684.jpg)
Longfellow School
Longfellow School was selected as one of the two Historic Sites of the Year for 2009. The other was it’s sister school Whittier School. In 2022, the Downers Grove School
Downers Grove North High School
In 1928, the Forest Avenue entrance welcomed 311 students to Downers Grove Community High School, a three-story building with 20 classrooms and an auditorium/gymnasium. In subsequent years, several additions expanded
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Historic Brick Streets
The brick streets were first laid in Downers Grove in the early 1900’s to replace dusty, dirt roads of the time. Main Street was the first street bricked in 1906;
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