100 years: Villa Park thrives on Ovaltine, railroads

VILLA PARK – When Gottlieb Steiner came to the United States in 1917, he was looking for an ideal place to build a manufacturing plant for Ovaltine, the popular drink mixture made by the Switzerland-based Wander Company.

Steiner found a perfect match in the newly incorporated village of Ardmore, which two years later would become Villa Park. For eight decades, the industry helped the village thrive.

Along with the abundant supply of eggs, milk and water from local farms, Steiner also found reliable transportation – the Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railroad and the Chicago Great Western Railroad lines both provided service into Chicago.

"Ovaltine came after the Great Western was built," said Frank Carlson, treasurer of the Villa Park Historical Society. "They had two railroads so if one went on strike, they still had service."

Ovaltine helped Villa Park grow by supplying jobs but also by occasionally supplying the town with water from its three private wells, creating one of the first employee-sponsored health care systems, and aiding in the development of local business.

Ovaltine also was responsible for the construction of a first-class post office in 1935, a result of an over-saturation of mail from the company's sponsorship of Little Orphan Annie and Captain Midnight promotions.

"It was such a huge amount of stuff, we got our own post office," Carlson said.

Farmland to incorporation

Aside from transporting Ovaltine, the railroads were crucial to the initial growth of Villa Park.

"In 1902, there were probably two vehicles in the whole township," Carlson said. "If you wanted to go someplace, that was the only way to travel."

The Villa Park area was originally farmland settled in the 1940s by German and Swedish immigrants who bought land at $1.25 per acre, according to "Your Villa Park," published in 1970 by the League of Women Voters of Villa Park.

Between 1908 and 1910, two subdivisions – Villa Park and Ardmore– were formed.

Four years later, on Aug. 8, 1914, the residents of both subdivisions agreed to join together and incorporate as the village of Ardmore. The main reason for incorporation was so the municipality could acquire tax money for community improvements, according to "Recollections," published in 1976.

In 1917, bickering between residents over the village's name led to a referendum question asking voters to approve a name change, from Ardmore to Villa Park. In Sept. 17, 1917, voters approved the referendum, officially changing the name to Villa Park.

Population spikes

Between the 1920s and 1950s, the population grew immensely in the wake of World War I and World War II, and many organizations were founded, including the Villa Park Woman's Club, the Villa Park American Legion Post 652, York High School, Villa Park Village Hall, the Villa Park VFW Post 2801, and the Villa Park Chamber of Commerce.

"Villa Park grew mostly in the 1920s as the housing built up," Carlson said. "Then there was a second boom after World War II."

In the 1960s and 70s, the village would see additional growth, as the population jumped over 25,000. In the decades since, it has declined slightly – the 2010 census listed the village near 21,900.

"It's a bedroom community," Carlson said. "We were always caught between Lombard and Elmhurst, so the only place we could build was in-between."

Close-knit community

Through the decades, Villa Park has maintained a unique sense of community, said Rae Rupp-Srch, former village president and a resident for more than 50 years.

"We have evolved into being a very active town — there is something for everybody," she said. "I think we've been open while trying to maintain that community spirit."

State Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park, who moved to Villa Park last year from Elmhurst, believes the small town still has room to grow.

"It's such a beautiful town with a sense of community," Conroy said. "I'd like to see us build more small businesses. There are so many great opportunities along the Prairie Path and by the train station."

For Carlson, a resident since 1963, Villa Park has maintained its identity.

"I like it because nobody is walking around with their nose in the air," he said. "You are what you are and it's no big deal."