In order to transport agricultural products into
the city of Chicago, construction of a plank road originating in
Chicago began in 1840. The plank road was placed over the nine-mile
swamp separating Chicago and the area that became Westmont, and
reached Naperville, Illinois by 1851. The plank road soon became
inadequate; in 1858, local incorporated towns and villages petitioned
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad to build a branch line
from Chicago to Aurora, Illinois that would pass through their towns.
The railroad line was approved, with the first train in 1864. "Greg’s
Station," from which Westmont developed, was a stop to load
agricultural and dairy products. The town transitioned gradually
from an agricultural community to a commuter community, with the
early growth and development centered around the railroad station.
In the early 1900s, plats for the Village of Westmont were laid
out and roads were dedicated; incorporation, decided by only a narrow
margin, followed in 1921. Westmont was officially incorporated on
November 10, 1921; Vince Pastor served as the first president of
the Village Board. The Village did not encourage concentrated commercial
or industrial growth until the 1950s, with the development of some
light service companies, industrial firms, and wholesaling firms.
However, it was not until the 1960s and 1970s the Westmont began
to grow in earnest; Westmont High School did not open until 1974.
New subdivisions and multiple family housing units led to the tripling
of the population. |