Southwest Plank Road - Naperville, Illinois
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 41° 47.767 W 088° 06.782
16T E 407527 N 4627738
Plank Road in Naperville was part of the the Southwest Plank Road from Chicago to Naperville.
Waymark Code: WM180P
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 02/17/2007
Views: 59
The Southwest Plank Road completed in 1851 ran from Chicago to Naperville and then to Oswego. The road ran along what is now Ogden Avenue and then on what is now Plank Road. The Southwest Plank Road was partially funded by eight Naperville businessmen. These same businessmen opposed the construction of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad into Naperville in 1851 thus that railway ran north through Wheaton. A second chance for a railroad was realized when the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad ran its line through Naperville in 1864.
The tolls from Naperville on the Southwest Plank Road to the next county lines were:
Tolls for people heading east to Cook County (Chicago):
- Wagon & 2 horses - 37 ½ cents
- Post coach and 4 horses - 50 cents
- 1 horse - 10 cents
- Head of cattle - 4 cents
- 1 hog or sheep - 3 cents
Tolls for people heading west to Kane County:
- Wagon and 2 horses - 18 3/4 cents
- Post coach and 4 horses - 25 cents
- Horse - 5 cents
- Head of cattle - 2 cents
1 hog or sheep - 1 ½ cents