Curious about Willow Springs? It’s a village with a story etched in every corner. Willow Springs was founded in 1892. The village got its name from the springs along the Des Plaines River.
Willow Springs history stretches back much further. Archaeological evidence reveals Native Americans once hunted here. They even buried their dead in this area.
In the late 1830s, the Illinois & Michigan Canal commissioners built Archer Avenue. It was meant to connect Chicago with Lockport. Canal construction began in 1836. George W. Beebe was one of the contractors. He also ran a boardinghouse for canal diggers. After the canal was done, Beebe opened a popular tavern on Archer Avenue.
Cutting timber became the major industry. It supplied the Canal Commission and later the railroads. After 1854, the Joliet & Chicago Railroad arrived. Willow Springs became a popular picnic spot. Chicagoans flocked to “Lake Willow Springs.” It was actually a wide section of the Des Plaines River. They brought many kegs of beer.
In 1873, Henry Dietrich and others bought 300 acres. They planned the Mt. Forest subdivision near Willow Springs. In 1883, the Chicago, St. Louis & South-Western Railroad came to town. It was the start of today’s Metra line.
Ice harvesting from the Des Plaines River became a major business in the 1870s and 1880s. The construction of the Sanitary and Ship Canal from 1892 to 1899 brought new workers. Many Italians came to the Willow Springs area. In 1892, the village incorporated. Mt. Forest and Willow Springs combined their names to form Spring Forest. The name changed to Willow Springs in 1937.
Willow Springs gained a reputation. It was known as a place with many saloons. Prohibition in 1920 did little to stop the liquor trade. Speakeasies, moonshiners, and prostitution were common. The Cook County Sheriff’s Police were the only law until 1952. That’s when Willow Springs formed its own police department.
The 1940 census counted only 948 people. There were 246 homes and 35 businesses. A post-World War II housing boom brought new residents. It also improved services. By 1970, the population reached 3,318. Since then, Willow Springs has seen an expanding housing market.
Most villagers have Polish, German, Italian, or Irish roots. Very few are African American or Hispanic. The town remembers its connection to the I&M Canal. It hosts the annual I&M Canal Rendezvous. Willow Springs also maintains a bike trail along the canal.
Interstates 294 and 55 run through Willow Springs. Metra’s Heritage Corridor line stops here. This improves transportation for residents. A large part of the village is owned by the Cook County Forest Preserve. This provides residents with great recreation.
Willow Springs station is on Metra’s Heritage Corridor line. It offers weekday rail service. It runs between Joliet and Chicago Union Station. The tracks run near the Illinois and Michigan Canal. They also run near the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
Willow Springs has even been a movie set. The film “The Lake House” was filmed here. Also, parts of the Amazon TV series “Night Sky” used locations in Willow Springs. Sonny Malhi’s horror film “Anguish” also filmed here. So, next time you see Willow Springs, remember its layered past. It is a blend of natural beauty, industrial history, and community spirit.