After the Civil War, an influx of Polish immigrants came to Downers Grove. They lived on the east side of Downers Grove near the location of the modern-day St. Mary of Gostyn Parish. This area was original referred to as East Grove, but later become known as Gostyn by the predominantly Polish residents, named for a town in Poland.
During the Great Depression, Gostyn was increasingly referred to as “Dinoville” by those that lived there. The young boys called themselves “Dinos.” One legend says the young boys of the Alexander, Karesh, and Frankowicz families came up with the name to define their “turf.” This was typical of the times as a group of boys around 63rd and Main Streets called themselves “Anderson,” as that area was referred to as “Andersonville.”
Today, the name “Gostyn” has largely been relegated to the past and is no longer populated only by Polish immigrants, but this neighborhood played a key role in the history of the village and remains an important part of Downers Grove today.
