Ardmore Avenue station is (along with

Villa Avenue station The Villa Avenue Train Station is one of two former Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad (CA&E) stations in Villa Park, Illinois. The building was also used as an office by the Western United Gas and Electric Company. Listed on the National Regist ...

) one of two former

Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad The Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad (CA&E), known colloquially as the "Roarin' Elgin" or the "Great Third Rail", was an interurban railroad that operated passenger and freight service on its line between Chicago and Aurora, Illinois, Aurora, B ...

(CA&E) stations in

Villa Park, Illinois Villa Park is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County, Illinois, United States, within the Chicago metropolitan area. The population as of the 2020 Census was 21,113. History When Ovaltine established its factory, it needed a wa ...

. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1980 as Ardmore Avenue Train Station.

History

The station is a stone-faced structure built in 1910 by the Ballard & Pottinger real estate firm. The station was erected to draw passengers to property that the firm was developing. The plan was successful, and enough people moved into the station vicinity to prompt incorporation as Villa Park in 1917. The station catered to passengers until July 3, 1957, when the CA&E abruptly shut down after years of financial losses. The Ardmore Avenue station is one of very few of what was once seventy-three railroad stations that served the CA&E. On November 21, 1980, it was listed on the

. Today, the station is the headquarters of the Villa Park Chamber of Commerce. The building now lies along the

Illinois Prairie Path The Illinois Prairie Path (often called the Prairie Path and abbreviated IPP) is a network of of bicycle trails, mostly in DuPage County, Illinois. Portions of the trail extend west to Kane County and east to Cook County. Most of the trail i ...

, a recreational path built along the former CA&E right-of-way.Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
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Architecture

The one story structure is built in an English motif and served mostly as a waiting shelter. Doors and windows are made of wood with steel

lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case ...

s. The tile roof has galvanized iron gutters and a brick chimney. The building features a wood

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...

. The station could be heated by a wood-burning fireplace and had electric lighting. Windows are found on all sides and two doors are on the north, leading to the platform. The interior was originally furnished with wood benches and flip-top seats.

References

External links

Villa Park Chamber of Commerce
{{CA&E, Main=y National Register of Historic Places in DuPage County, Illinois Railway stations in the United States opened in 1910 Ardmore Avenue Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois Villa Park, Illinois 1910 establishments in Illinois 1957 disestablishments in Illinois Railway stations in DuPage County, Illinois Railway stations in the United States closed in 1957