Tickets go on sale for behind-the-scenes tours of Elmhurst Quarry

Upcoming tours of an old limestone quarry will give a unique glimpse into an Elmhurst landmark that was transformed into a massive reservoir capable of storing up to 2.7 billion gallons of floodwater.

After a three-year hiatus, DuPage County Stormwater Management will again offer behind-the-scenes tours of the Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility on Saturday, Oct. 1. Tickets will go on sale for the popular event, held in partnership with the Elmhurst History Museum, at 9 a.m. Sept. 1.

"It's not every day that you can tour a facility of this magnitude with this much history," Stormwater Management Committee Chairman Jim Zay said in a statement.

During heavy rains, water can be diverted into the reservoir via a 400-foot tunnel under Route 83 to keep Salt Creek inside its banks.

Quarry tours will depart from the Elmhurst History Museum's Education Center, at 120 E. Park Ave., via bus every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 1. Each tour will last about two hours. The cost is $15 per person, payable to the Elmhurst History Museum.

Tickets can be purchased online only on the museum's website at elmhursthistory.org or directly through Eventbrite at https://tinyurl.com/2y7vxbrd. Children 10 and over are permitted but must be accompanied by an adult.

"When we've offered this 'sneak peek' into quarry operations, we've had a great deal of interest from the community," Zay said.

For details, call the Elmhurst museum at (630) 833-1457.