Downtown Hinsdale Historic District - Hinsdale, IL - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Architects and builders: Clark,E. Krausck, West,P. Zook, R.H., Barfield, William Gibson
Architectural Styles: Late Victorian, Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals

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From Architectural Resources in the Town of Hinsdale Historic Certification Consultants, 2001

Hinsdale is an example of the upper middle-class railroad suburb that developed across the country from 1850 through 1880. Chicago, with a network of eleven separate railroad lines that entered the city from 1847 through 1861, had more than 100 railroad suburbs surrounding the city by 1873. The railroad suburb has a distinctive landscape based on the picturesque English ideal of the country house set in a naturalistic, landscaped garden. Single-family homes were developed near rail stations to allow the wealthy to escape the ills of the city.

The 1890s saw an era of extensive improvements in the village. Bonds were issued for a waterworks (1890), drainage system (1891), and electrical lines (1896). Streets were paved beginning in 1892 and cement sidewalks replaced the old wood plank walks in 1904. The Hinsdale Doings, a newspaper that continues publication to this day, began in 1894. Hinsdale came to be regarded as one of the most beautiful and desirable middle class suburbs. Its status was enhanced by the publication of an article entitled, “Hinsdale the Beautiful” in the November 1897, issue of Campbell’s Illustrated Journal. This journal focused on household affairs and interior decoration of the period.

Street address: Roughly Bounded by Maple St., Lincoln St., Garfield St. and Second St. Hinsdale, IL USA 60521 County / Borough / Parish: Dupage County Year listed: 2006 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949, 1950-1974 Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Government, Transportation Current function: Commerce/Trade, Government, Transportation Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2009 To: 12/31/2009 Hours of operation: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Privately owned?: Not Listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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