Mammoth Springs

Can you imagine what it must have been like to walk along Spring Road in the 1880s? You’d be strolling along a dirt path lined with trees and fields, surrounded by the fresh air and scents of nature. But what you might not have known is that underneath your feet flowed a hidden treasure: Mammoth Springs. Mammoth Springs was a huge spring that burst out of the ground in 1861, unleashing a powerful surge of water that changed the landscape and the lives of the people who lived nearby. It was like a gift from the earth itself, a source of life and sustenance for a growing community. The water wasn’t just used for drinking; it also powered a thriving ice industry. In the late 1800s, a company called the Mammoth Springs Ice Company built a giant ice house nearby. They would cut blocks of ice from nearby Salt Creek in the winter and store them in the building, using an elaborate system of pulleys and horses to lift the heavy blocks. The ice was then sold to nearby towns like LaGrange, Western Springs, Hinsdale, and South Elmhurst, keeping their drinks cold during the summer. Of course, there were no refrigerators back then, so the ice was a valuable commodity, essential for preserving food and keeping people cool in the summertime. But life was not a constant summer festival. And Mammoth Springs would eventually be depleted after it supplied water to Elmhurst for about three decades. The company that relied on it was sold in 1910, the ice house disappeared over time, and the spring’s original trough was destroyed in 1979 when Spring Road was expanded. All that remains of Mammoth Springs today is a few old timbers sticking out of the bank of Salt Creek, a silent reminder of the spring’s power and importance to the community. They are tangible witnesses of the past, and they add another layer to this fascinating story of a community’s growth and resilience. That’s the story of Mammoth Springs, the great source of water for Elmhurst, and the story of the ice industry that once thrived here, hidden in plain sight.