I am a history appreciator and railfan, born and raised in Chicago but now residing in Lake County, IL. A few years ago, through a friend, I was introduced to the Prairie and Great Western Bike paths which I really enjoy riding on. Thank you very much for your hard work to provide the rich history of which we pass by every time we enjoy these paths. Exceptionally well done! 👍
Very glad that you are enjoying these videos and that they provide some information. That makes us glad, as then we know it's all worth the effort. There is quite a bit out there - we often feel like we are only scratching the surface. Thanks again for watching and commenting!
We resident riders/runners/hikers of “Greater Chicagoland” are SO fortunate to have so many outstanding/historic locations From First Nations to Atomic Age. We can travel from effigy mounds to the resting place of the world’s first TWO nuclear reactors! Thanks to all the volunteers and Governmental Units for their efforts!
This is an icnredible video! Thank you. I reside in River Grove and bicycled to Maywood then took the trail all the way to the rails to the trails segment in Elgin endign up at a dairy farm.
Thanks for watching our video - and very glad that you found it informative! It sounds as if you ended up at Kline Creek Farm, which is just to the north of the Elgin Branch of the CA&E. That was quite a long trip from River Grove! Being from River Grove, you might enjoy our recent video regarding the Kennicott Mounds, a site which sits between River Grove and Elmwood Park. Thanks again!
Back yrs ago I rode my bike every weekend 30 miles north to Elgin from Aurora Illinois very good riding on that trail right along the fox River good fishing to thanks
Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences of this railway and trail! Wow, that was a long ride every weekend! And the riverfront has probably changed quite a bit since that time. Glad that you enjoyed the video and that it brought back good memories!
From late 80s to 1994 and beyond, I lived in Wheaton and backyard was along the Illinois Prairie Path..off Weissbrook Road...and I used to jog..and take long walks up to St James Farm..and went to a few horse shows as well..back then...I moved to Florida in 2010 and built a new home there..but up til then still took walks along the Prairie Path..and also made a calendar of photos I took called it "Seasons Of the Prairie Path"..taken photos in spring and summer, winter and fall and best photos made into a calendar...I miss it...I had rented the upstairs of a house off the Prairie Path for many years..I still miss that.
Thanks very much for watching and sharing your memories of the IPP! Yes, it is a remarkable resource for people in the area - for exercise, for serene walks/runs, for traveling from town to town. Your seasonal photos and calendar sound like a very interesting project indeed. For those of us who've been fortunate to make use of the IPP, it is an organic and necessary part of the landscape. But its constant presence can also make it very easy to take for granted. Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks for watching and for the comment! Yes, the IPP is indeed a treasure - and we need to watch over it and ensure that it remains whole in the decades to come. Thanks again!
Just watched the history of the C, A & Elgin on the Wheaton library UA-cam channel last night. They list your channel at the end. Now I’m going to binge watch most of not all of your videos. Starting with this one.
Glad that you found our Wheaton Historic Commission video at the Wheaton Public Library - and glad too that you found our channel! Hope that you enjoy the content! Thanks for watching and commenting!
*Amazing* , all the various foliage that has grown around and over the once bare & open-cut-view path of the CA&E in so many places where the P. Path now traverses, especially in spots like the former Elmhurst/York Road station. I wonder how much was planted, and how much nature 'took back' on its own. Without all the old photos, a person otherwise largely unaware of the railroad's history would not realize or even guess a major rail line once ran there, while walking along the path.
Thanks for commenting! Yes, it is quite different that when the line was actually in operation. We sometimes think that parts of the Geneva Spur and the Aurora Branch (Church Road to Eola Road) are much more like the ROW from the early part of the 20th century, in terms of vegitation. We believe that much of the foliage is wild, taking root in the early 1960s when the railway no longer cut it back.
Thank you for this wonderful video of the historic locations near the Illinois Prairie Path. Happy New Year! I am looking forward to more interesting video from you in 2023.
Thanks for watchin, commenting, and supporting our channel over the past few years! We very much appreciate all of your supportive comments, as well as the many times you've added very helpful information! Thank you again!
So cool to learn the history behind all these different spots along the path, thank you for the intriguing video. I’ve gone on countless bike rides over the years as far east as Bellwood and as far west as West Chicago. During my rides I would record garbage trucks (as seen on my channel) just as a hobby
Thanks very much for watching and commenting! Very much appreciated! Very glad that you are enjoying the CGW series. It is a bigger enterprise than we anticipated - but the stories along the entire line are both interesting and compelling to us.
Happy New Year! Great Summary. So many historic sites near the path. Though the railroads were wonderful, what a great idea to restore the roadway to a good use. That story might be the subject for a future video.
Happy New Year to you as well! And thanks for the continued support of our channel - and the kind words! We very much appreciate it! Indeed, the history of the IPP may very well be a topic for a future video. Our problem is that there are just too many interesting stories to tell - and so little time. :-) Thanks again!
I am a history appreciator and railfan, born and raised in Chicago but now residing in Lake County, IL. A few years ago, through a friend, I was introduced to the Prairie and Great Western Bike paths which I really enjoy riding on. Thank you very much for your hard work to provide the rich history of which we pass by every time we enjoy these paths. Exceptionally well done! 👍
Very glad that you are enjoying these videos and that they provide some information. That makes us glad, as then we know it's all worth the effort. There is quite a bit out there - we often feel like we are only scratching the surface. Thanks again for watching and commenting!
We resident riders/runners/hikers of “Greater Chicagoland” are SO fortunate to have so many outstanding/historic locations From First Nations to Atomic Age. We can travel from effigy mounds to the resting place of the world’s first TWO nuclear reactors!
Thanks to all the volunteers and Governmental Units for their efforts!
We are indeed fortunate! And there are so many other places to visit as well - this was just a sampling. :-) Thanks for commenting!
This is an icnredible video! Thank you. I reside in River Grove and bicycled to Maywood then took the trail all the way to the rails to the trails segment in Elgin endign up at a dairy farm.
Thanks for watching our video - and very glad that you found it informative! It sounds as if you ended up at Kline Creek Farm, which is just to the north of the Elgin Branch of the CA&E. That was quite a long trip from River Grove! Being from River Grove, you might enjoy our recent video regarding the Kennicott Mounds, a site which sits between River Grove and Elmwood Park. Thanks again!
I ride 3 times a week every week during summer on the prairie path and love it, great video
Very glad that you enjoyed the video! The IPP is indeed a wonderful resource for the area. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Back yrs ago I rode my bike every weekend 30 miles north to Elgin from Aurora Illinois very good riding on that trail right along the fox River good fishing to thanks
Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences of this railway and trail! Wow, that was a long ride every weekend! And the riverfront has probably changed quite a bit since that time. Glad that you enjoyed the video and that it brought back good memories!
From late 80s to 1994 and beyond, I lived in Wheaton and backyard was along the Illinois Prairie Path..off Weissbrook Road...and I used to jog..and take long walks up to St James Farm..and went to a few horse shows as well..back then...I moved to Florida in 2010 and built a new home there..but up til then still took walks along the Prairie Path..and also made a calendar of photos I took called it "Seasons Of the Prairie Path"..taken photos in spring and summer, winter and fall and best photos made into a calendar...I miss it...I had rented the upstairs of a house off the Prairie Path for many years..I still miss that.
Thanks very much for watching and sharing your memories of the IPP! Yes, it is a remarkable resource for people in the area - for exercise, for serene walks/runs, for traveling from town to town. Your seasonal photos and calendar sound like a very interesting project indeed. For those of us who've been fortunate to make use of the IPP, it is an organic and necessary part of the landscape. But its constant presence can also make it very easy to take for granted. Thanks again for sharing!
I used to take the prairie path to school. It is a simple hidden beauty.
Thanks for watching and for the comment! Yes, the IPP is indeed a treasure - and we need to watch over it and ensure that it remains whole in the decades to come. Thanks again!
Just watched the history of the C, A & Elgin on the Wheaton library UA-cam channel last night. They list your channel at the end. Now I’m going to binge watch most of not all of your videos. Starting with this one.
Glad that you found our Wheaton Historic Commission video at the Wheaton Public Library - and glad too that you found our channel! Hope that you enjoy the content! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Excellent content and Narrations.
Thanks for the comment and kind words! Thank you for watching!
I found baby mastodon teeth in Illinois . Also bison teeth and hog bone all near the river areas! Wonderful deposit of many fossils!!!!
Wow, that's amazing! Thanks for watching our videos and for sharing your own personal experiences with fossil hunting in Illinois! We appreciate it!
*Amazing* , all the various foliage that has grown around and over the once bare & open-cut-view path of the CA&E in so many places where the P. Path now traverses, especially in spots like the former Elmhurst/York Road station. I wonder how much was planted, and how much nature 'took back' on its own. Without all the old photos, a person otherwise largely unaware of the railroad's history would not realize or even guess a major rail line once ran there, while walking along the path.
Thanks for commenting! Yes, it is quite different that when the line was actually in operation. We sometimes think that parts of the Geneva Spur and the Aurora Branch (Church Road to Eola Road) are much more like the ROW from the early part of the 20th century, in terms of vegitation. We believe that much of the foliage is wild, taking root in the early 1960s when the railway no longer cut it back.
Thank you for this wonderful video of the historic locations near the Illinois Prairie Path. Happy New Year! I am looking forward to more interesting video from you in 2023.
Thanks for watchin, commenting, and supporting our channel over the past few years! We very much appreciate all of your supportive comments, as well as the many times you've added very helpful information! Thank you again!
So cool to learn the history behind all these different spots along the path, thank you for the intriguing video. I’ve gone on countless bike rides over the years as far east as Bellwood and as far west as West Chicago. During my rides I would record garbage trucks (as seen on my channel) just as a hobby
Thanks for watching and commenting! We will have to check out your channel!
Use to ride my bike from Villa Park to Lombard on the path in the early 80’s
Thanks for sharing your memories and for watching the video! Very much appreciated!
Your videos are great! I really enjoy the history behind this part of Northern Illinois. My favorites are the Chicago Great Western series.
Thanks very much for watching and commenting! Very much appreciated! Very glad that you are enjoying the CGW series. It is a bigger enterprise than we anticipated - but the stories along the entire line are both interesting and compelling to us.
Beautiful video as always!
Thanks for the kind words and for supporting our channel!
Great Video as Always. Happy Holidays Also
Thanks for watching the video and supporting our channel!
Happy New Year! Great Summary. So many historic sites near the path. Though the railroads were wonderful, what a great idea to restore the roadway to a good use. That story might be the subject for a future video.
Happy New Year to you as well! And thanks for the continued support of our channel - and the kind words! We very much appreciate it! Indeed, the history of the IPP may very well be a topic for a future video. Our problem is that there are just too many interesting stories to tell - and so little time. :-) Thanks again!
Well done!! Very interesting, educational and enjoyable!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for supporting our channel and for helping us on our journeys! We very much appreciate it!
It’s not Ellinois, it’s Illinois
Prairie state
Indeed!
I stopped watching when called Ellinois.. It’s Illinois.
OK - thanks for watching - and thanks for taking the time to comment.