First Evangelical Church
If you lived in Downers Grove before 1960, you might remember what the northeast corner of Maple Avenue and Main Street looked like back them. Today, the corner is the […]
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Downtown Building
Sucher Blacksmith Shop
5300 Main Street Blacksmith and ironworker, James William Sucher, erected this humble brick building in 1875 as his smithy. James and his father, Phillip, established the business in 1854. This is
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Herberts for Men and Boys
5123 Main Street In 1940, Herb Karroll opened Herbert’s for Men and Boys at this location. Herbert’s was briefly owned by Goldblatt’s. Laurie Handelsman acquired the store in 1945 and
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Jewel Foods
5157 Main Street In August of 1951, a brand new ultra-modern Jewel Food Store opened at this location with over 6500 people attending a grand opening celebration held in the
Giesche Shoes
5150 Main Street On this spot, years ago, the St. Joseph Creek flowed through the Downers Grove downtown. In the early 1960s, the creek was rerouted underground by way of
Eichmann Motor Sales
5101 Mochel Drive Before the addition of Mochel Drive in 2006, this location was 945 Burlington Avenue. In the 1940s, Eichmann Motor Sales sold Nash automobiles here. From the 1950s through 1970s,
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Downers Grove News Agency
1027 Burlington Ave In 1892, a two-story wooden frame building was erected at this location. Among the early businesses located here were the Downers Grove News Agency, W. R. Cole
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Grant E. Dicke Fire Station
The first fire station, Fire Station #1, was built in 1928 and remained the only fire station until Fire Station #2 was built in 1953 at Main and Summit. It
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Penner Building
This building, which was built circa 1894, represents a part of the early history of Downers Grove. Conrad Penner was born in Germany in 1862 and came to America as
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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