Villa Park Historical Society celebrates 40th anniversary

The Villa Park Historical Society is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding and the establishment of the village's historical museum.

The museum, operated by the all-volunteer historical society in partnership with the village, is located in the 1929 Chicago, Aurora & Elgin interurban train station that originally served the community as the Villa Avenue stop until 1957.

Its collections honor the history of the village, the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad, and Ovaltine.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986, the museum has served as the Villa Park Visitor Center, providing business information, Prairie Path maps and guides to local restaurants and shopping since 2009.

"Besides having interesting and informative local history displays inside the museum and friendly docents to greet you, visitors are impressed by the building's attractive English Tudor style architecture and its great location along the Prairie Path," museum Executive Director and Historical Society President Carol Marcus said.

"There are outdoor benches to sit and rest, picnic tables under a shady pavilion, and a lovely garden to enjoy."

The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.