Chicago Ridge

Chicago Ridge has never lost its small-town feel, with generations of families building long-standing businesses and residents cultivating a sense of civic pride. Developed around Stony Creek and the Wabash Railroad and located 15 miles southwest of Chicago, Chicago Ridge acquired its name after eight trains of fill were used to build up the grounds of the Columbian Exposition, leaving a "ridge" in the landscape. Transformed into a feeder canal, Stony Creek proved alluring to settlers in the 1840s. With the expansion of the Wabash Railroad in 1882, German and Dutch immigrants established farms along the railway. The village incorporated in 1914 and benefited from the economic influence of a slot-machine factory and nearby racetrack. The 1950s arrived with an increase in population and the expansion of road networks. Residents joined civic organizations and stood behind one another, much as they do today.

Chicago Ridge Public Library is committed to preserving the village’s past. This endeavor began with the library’s first director, Anne Pote, and continues under the guidance of librarian Kathryn Sofianos. All photographs in this publication were donated to the library and can be found in its local history room. Ed Maurer Jr. is a lifelong resident of Chicago Ridge and a board member of Transitions, a local community outreach organization.