Wood Dale

Like so many towns in its day, the City of Wood Dale started to take shape when the railroad came to town. Frederick Lester led the charge to secure a train depot, donated the site, and contributed to its construction. By 1873 the line that stretched from Chicago to Elgin included a depot next to Lester’s home. Lester built a cheese factory next to the depot, the first industry in town. The depot was later moved to build an inn, cementing the area as a commercial center. The Wood Dale Park District maintains an outdoor water park with a 25-yard L-shaped pool, children’s water play area, two 129-foot water slides, an adult deck, sand volleyball area, sand playground, and a concession stand and picnic area. The community’s proximity to O’Hare International Airport, toll roads, and expressways make Wood Dale an ideal site for industry, including the several major corporations with facilities here. Wood Dale has a station on Metra’s Milwaukee District/West Line with daily service to Union Station. Illinois Route 390 is conveniently located near the city’s northern border.