Wayne, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Wayne is a village in DuPage
and Kane County, Illinois
. The eastern portion, in DuPage County, is in Wayne Township while the western portion, in Kane County, is in St. Charles Township. The population was 2,137 at the 2000 census.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Wayne was a prominent center of horse breeding
and farming research. The community was known for breeding French Percheron
horses, a draft horse
similar to a Clydesdale.
). The first railroad arrived in 1849, and Solomon Dunham arranged for an inn, a general store, and a house to be built east of the Chicago and Northwestern tracks at Army Trail Road
, where he became station agent and postmaster for a settlement area named Wayne Station. By 1861, all the land in the township had been settled, with business districts at Wayne Center near present day Fair Oaks Road at Army Trail and Wayne Station, now known as the Village of Wayne.
Three railroads etched their way through Wayne Township by 1888, followed by the electric interurban
Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
in 1903, which also provided electricity for streetlights.
Wayne was incorporated in 1958. Previously, the community was administered as a private association called the "Wayne Community Association" with voluntary contributions funding Village services including police.
Since World War II, Wayne has grown steadily, adding subdivisions near Illinois Route 59, off Munger Road, near Smith Road, near Dunham Castle at Army Trail Road, along Powis Road, and filling in throughout the Village. For work, residents are primarily commuters to Chicago via railroad stations in Geneva, Bartlett, or West Chicago or drive to Chicago or other suburbs particularly in Kane, DuPage, Lake, Cook, or McHenry County. A growing number of residents have home-based businesses or home offices.
In October, 2007, the historic Chicago and Northwestern railway station was relocated from Dunham Castle to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad (now Union Pacific) tracks at Army Trail Road. The station was originally at that location, but moved to Dunham Castle during the 1940s or 1950s; the old station was converted to a horse stable. Through grants and contributions from Dunham Castle's owners, the station was moved back to its original location and is currently being restored. This building is locally called "The Depot".
castle and was built by one of Wayne's first pioneers, Mark Dunham, a Percheron
horse breeder.
Mark Dunham's horse farm, Oaklawn Farm
, founded in Wayne in 1866, was one of the earliest Percheron
breeding farms in the U.S.; Dunham is known as the “Father of the Percheron
in North America”. During the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
, a train from Chicago to Wayne brought guests to see the Percheron horses at the 2000 acres (8.1 km²) farm. Those that made the trip included Cyrus McCormick
, George Pullman
, and the Duke of Veragua.
At the height of the Percheron
business, Dunham built a house, now called Dunham Castle, near the farm, on the northwest corner of Army Trail Road and Dunham Road. The Dunhams based the idea for the design of their new home on that of French chateaux. The building, of brick, and stone, with different colored slate roofing, stands surrounded by woods, gardens, and a gently sloping lawn. The interior has parquet floors, statues, tapestries, and copies of fine, French artwork. The castle is now a private residence and as such is never open to tours.
When Marc Dunham finished the construction of Dunham Castle, made it his primary residence, the original Dunham home evolved into an inn and sales pavilion for the Dunham family’s Oaklawn Farm. However, Percheron
horse demand declined steadily as gas-powered cars, trucks, and farm implements grew in popularity, finally making Percheron
s a novelty or parade horse, and Oaklawn Farm ceased operation as a commercial enterprise. The offices of Dunham's farm, then popularly known as the “Inn”, are well-preserved, now home to Wayne's only dining establishment and social club, the Dunham Woods Riding Club.
In 1961, the Wayne-DuPage Hunt was instrumental in purchasing more land from Dunham’s Inc., including the Kennels and Upper Barn. This purchase was made in the name of the Dunham Woods Riding Club. Additional land was purchased in 1975, which included the outdoor riding rings, indoor riding ring, outside cross-country course, tenant house, and new pole barn all of which are leased to the Hunt by the Club.
In 1979, the four corners comprising the intersection of Army Trail
and Dunham Roads, The Dunham Woods Riding Club and Dunham Castle, together with the additional surrounding land and outbuildings were accepted into the National Register of Historic Places
.
The Dunham Woods Riding Club is an active social and tennis club, with three dining rooms, two private rooms, a terrace, and a patio. The club hosts a variety of social event and private parties and is open February through December. Club members are primarily Wayne residents, as well as residents from neighboring communities such as St. Charles and Geneva.
. Wayne-DuPage is a drag hunt, not chasing live foxes. The hunt involves kennels for some 60 fox hounds and a membership list of 150, though 80 riders represent a good turnout on a crisp fall weekend. Traditions such as the stirrup cup, sherry or brandy served at the start, and the hunt breakfast, refreshments served at the end, have been preserved. The Wayne-DuPage Hunt Pony Club
is a related organization for teaching young people riding, training and horse care.
in June each year with a parade and picnic on the Sunday nearest June 14. This parade often features more participants than spectators. The parade begins at the General Store near Railroad Street at Army Trail Road and is open to all. The parade ends at the Little Home Church 1025¼ feet east. Wayne residents and guests in the church courtyard eat donated cakes and bring picnics. A Jazz band serenades the guests. A Wayne Citizen of the Year, honored for contributions to the Village, is traditionally chosen at this event. This event is run by the Wayne Community Association in conjunction with the Village of Wayne. Until recently this event served as the annual meeting of the Wayne Community Association.
from 1940 to 1971 and her horse Misty. Marguerite, meeting with her literary agent in the 1940s at a cocktail party, became aware of the Chincoteague
Pony Penning
. She flew to Virginia, witnessed the 1945 penning, and wrote "Misty of Chincoteague". Despite the fictionalized account of the Beebe children keeping Misty, Marguerite actually owned Misty and kept her on her Army Trail Road
estate named "Mole Meadow". Misty arrived in Wayne on November 18, 1946 after being shipped to Geneva, Illinois
on the Chicago and North Western Railway
train #3 from Virginia. Marguerite annually brought Misty to Wayne Elementary School and celebrated the horse's birthday with the schoolchildren. The horse was later returned to Chincoteague and died there in 1972. Misty's Corner, a small natural area on the northeast corner of Army Trail and Dunham Road, is named after Misty of Chincoteague.
Other prominent residents have included:
. Located in the county’s northwest corner, the preserve’s 3462 acres (14 km²) combine with Illinois Department of Natural Resource land adjacent on the north to form a continuous 4000 acres (16.2 km²) stretch of land, a scarce resource in a growing urban area. The savanna
s, marsh
es, meadow
s and wetland
s of Pratt’s Wayne Woods offer a myriad of nature-loving opportunities and recreational excursions. The preserve’s Brewster Creek area is the site of a major wetland restoration program.
The area now known as Pratt’s Wayne Woods first took form in 1965 with a donation of 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) by the state of Illinois. Thanks to the efforts of George Pratt, a township supervisor and a preserve commissioner during the 1960s and 1970s, the Forest Preserve District began to purchase additional lands that comprise Pratt’s Wayne Woods today.
The first private land owner of this area was Mark Wentworth Fletcher, a surveyor who made his living in Geneva, Dundee, Elgin, St. Charles and Wayne. Fletcher purchased 320 acres (1.3 km²) from the federal government on February 18, 1846, and built a farmhouse along Dunham Road.
After Fletcher’s death in 1900, the land changed ownership a few times before Mark Morton
purchased it in 1926. One of the founders of the Morton Salt Company, Morton excavated the farm’s southwest corner for sand and gravel. Land that was not used in the mineral operations was farmed for grain and corn up until a few years before Morton’s death in 1951.
The land was later purchased by Franz Palm, who transformed the area into a sportsman’s hunting and fishing lodge. The Palm family had originally intended their park to be their retirement place; however, the state of Illinois had other plans. The state purchased the original 320 acres (1.3 km²) with the intention of creating a state park. Once this idea was abandoned, George Pratt convinced the District to purchase the quarry area for a forest preserve. In 1974, Pratt expanded the preserve by selling his adjacent 250 acres (1 km²) Maple Spring Farm to the District.
Since the early 20th century, the complex of wetlands in Pratt’s Wayne Woods’ Brewster Creek area have been artificially drained by a system of buried clay pipes. The Forest Preserve District is now removing these drain tiles to restore this vital habitat, which over the years has become home to several threatened and endangered plant and animal species.
In 1990, plans to form DuPage County’s only state park were revived when the state and the Forest Preserve District purchased more than 300 acres (1.2 km²) in the area of Pratt’s Wayne Woods for that purpose. Tri-County State Park is located just north of Pratt’s Wayne Woods. A 24,000 square foot (2,200 m²) visitors center that also houses the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Region 2 headquarters opened in April 2003.
In 2004, an area east of Honey Hill Road and south of Army Trail Road was purchased by the DuPage Forest Preserve District from Oliver-Hoffman Corporation. This area, still under park development, is known as Dunham Woods and is adjacent to portions of Pratts Wayne Woods in its southeast section.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all of it land. Wayne is dotted by small streams, wetlands, and small ponds.
of 2000, there were 2,137 people, 726 households, and 630 families residing in the village. The population density
was 367.4 people per square mile (141.8/km²). There were 746 housing units at an average density of 128.3 per square mile (49.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 94.81% White, 0.37% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.75% from other races
, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.74% of the population.
There were 726 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 81.8% were married couples
living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.1% were non-families. 10.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the village the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $115,338, and the median income for a family was $124,571. Males had a median income of $91,873 versus $36,786 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $54,990. None of the families and 0.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 4.0% of those over 64.
in its central, north, and east portions. U-46 serves an area of some 90 square miles (233.1 km²) in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties. Almost 40,000 children of school age are in its area. U-46 is second largest school district in Illinois. Wayne has its own elementary school, Wayne Elementary, part of U-46, serving 600 children in grades K-6 from Wayne and surrounding communities.
DuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
and Kane County, Illinois
Kane County, Illinois
Kane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 515,269, which is an increase of 27.5% from 404,119 in 2000. Its county seat is Geneva, and its largest city is Aurora.- Geography :...
. The eastern portion, in DuPage County, is in Wayne Township while the western portion, in Kane County, is in St. Charles Township. The population was 2,137 at the 2000 census.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Wayne was a prominent center of horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
and farming research. The community was known for breeding French Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
horses, a draft horse
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
similar to a Clydesdale.
History
In May 1834, settlers began to move into Wayne Township (believed to be named after Maj. Gen. Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
). The first railroad arrived in 1849, and Solomon Dunham arranged for an inn, a general store, and a house to be built east of the Chicago and Northwestern tracks at Army Trail Road
Army Trail Road
Army Trail Road is a county road in parts of DuPage and Kane Counties, Illinois. Army Trail Road begins at the Addison Village Hall east of John F. Kennedy Drive in a cul de sac in Addison, Illinois. It ends at Illinois Route 25 in Wayne, Illinois. The portion of Army Trail Road from Illinois 53 to...
, where he became station agent and postmaster for a settlement area named Wayne Station. By 1861, all the land in the township had been settled, with business districts at Wayne Center near present day Fair Oaks Road at Army Trail and Wayne Station, now known as the Village of Wayne.
Three railroads etched their way through Wayne Township by 1888, followed by the electric interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
The Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad , known colloquially as the "Roarin' Elgin" or the "Great Third Rail", was an interurban railroad that operated passenger and freight service on its line between Chicago, Illinois and Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, and Elgin. The railroad also operated...
in 1903, which also provided electricity for streetlights.
Wayne was incorporated in 1958. Previously, the community was administered as a private association called the "Wayne Community Association" with voluntary contributions funding Village services including police.
Since World War II, Wayne has grown steadily, adding subdivisions near Illinois Route 59, off Munger Road, near Smith Road, near Dunham Castle at Army Trail Road, along Powis Road, and filling in throughout the Village. For work, residents are primarily commuters to Chicago via railroad stations in Geneva, Bartlett, or West Chicago or drive to Chicago or other suburbs particularly in Kane, DuPage, Lake, Cook, or McHenry County. A growing number of residents have home-based businesses or home offices.
In October, 2007, the historic Chicago and Northwestern railway station was relocated from Dunham Castle to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad (now Union Pacific) tracks at Army Trail Road. The station was originally at that location, but moved to Dunham Castle during the 1940s or 1950s; the old station was converted to a horse stable. Through grants and contributions from Dunham Castle's owners, the station was moved back to its original location and is currently being restored. This building is locally called "The Depot".
Oaklawn Farm and Dunham Castle
Wayne's primary landmark is the Dunham Castle, originally built between 1878 and 1882. The stone structure, complete with turret, was inspired by a NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
castle and was built by one of Wayne's first pioneers, Mark Dunham, a Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
horse breeder.
Mark Dunham's horse farm, Oaklawn Farm
Oaklawn Farm
Oaklawn Farm is a historic property in Wayne, Illinois. The farm was operated by the Dunham family, who successfully bred Percheron horses. The property features the chateauesque Dunham Castle, which was built by Mark Wentworth Dunham in 1880. Nine other buildings from the time period still stand...
, founded in Wayne in 1866, was one of the earliest Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
breeding farms in the U.S.; Dunham is known as the “Father of the Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
in North America”. During the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
, a train from Chicago to Wayne brought guests to see the Percheron horses at the 2000 acres (8.1 km²) farm. Those that made the trip included Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus Hall McCormick, Sr. was an American inventor and founder of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which became part of International Harvester Company in 1902.He and many members of the McCormick family became prominent Chicagoans....
, George Pullman
George Pullman
George Mortimer Pullman was an American inventor and industrialist. He is known as the inventor of the Pullman sleeping car, and for violently suppressing striking workers in the company town he created, Pullman .-Background:Born in Brocton, New York, his family moved to Albion,...
, and the Duke of Veragua.
At the height of the Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
business, Dunham built a house, now called Dunham Castle, near the farm, on the northwest corner of Army Trail Road and Dunham Road. The Dunhams based the idea for the design of their new home on that of French chateaux. The building, of brick, and stone, with different colored slate roofing, stands surrounded by woods, gardens, and a gently sloping lawn. The interior has parquet floors, statues, tapestries, and copies of fine, French artwork. The castle is now a private residence and as such is never open to tours.
When Marc Dunham finished the construction of Dunham Castle, made it his primary residence, the original Dunham home evolved into an inn and sales pavilion for the Dunham family’s Oaklawn Farm. However, Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
horse demand declined steadily as gas-powered cars, trucks, and farm implements grew in popularity, finally making Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
s a novelty or parade horse, and Oaklawn Farm ceased operation as a commercial enterprise. The offices of Dunham's farm, then popularly known as the “Inn”, are well-preserved, now home to Wayne's only dining establishment and social club, the Dunham Woods Riding Club.
Dunham Woods Riding Club
The Dunham Woods Riding Club was founded in 1934 by a group of Wayne and Geneva residents who leased the original Dunham family home. A fire destroyed the original old coach house in 1950 and the proceeds of the insurance were utilized by the club to purchase the Inn, the Lower Barn, swimming pool, tennis courts, and surrounding land. The Gray Room ballroom, Formal Dining Room and a new kitchen were added in 1957.In 1961, the Wayne-DuPage Hunt was instrumental in purchasing more land from Dunham’s Inc., including the Kennels and Upper Barn. This purchase was made in the name of the Dunham Woods Riding Club. Additional land was purchased in 1975, which included the outdoor riding rings, indoor riding ring, outside cross-country course, tenant house, and new pole barn all of which are leased to the Hunt by the Club.
In 1979, the four corners comprising the intersection of Army Trail
Army Trail Road
Army Trail Road is a county road in parts of DuPage and Kane Counties, Illinois. Army Trail Road begins at the Addison Village Hall east of John F. Kennedy Drive in a cul de sac in Addison, Illinois. It ends at Illinois Route 25 in Wayne, Illinois. The portion of Army Trail Road from Illinois 53 to...
and Dunham Roads, The Dunham Woods Riding Club and Dunham Castle, together with the additional surrounding land and outbuildings were accepted into the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The Dunham Woods Riding Club is an active social and tennis club, with three dining rooms, two private rooms, a terrace, and a patio. The club hosts a variety of social event and private parties and is open February through December. Club members are primarily Wayne residents, as well as residents from neighboring communities such as St. Charles and Geneva.
Equestrian Traditions
The Village of Wayne is committed to preserving its equestrian nature and reputation. The village has miles of equestrian paths, as well as dozens of horse farms, riding centers, and boarding stables. The Wayne-DuPage Hunt, founded in the 1920s, is one of only two fox hunt groups continuing to hunt within metro Chicago, the other being the Mill Creek Hunt in far north WadsworthWadsworth, Illinois
Wadsworth is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,083 at the 2000 census. It is named after , who was on the board of directors for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St...
. Wayne-DuPage is a drag hunt, not chasing live foxes. The hunt involves kennels for some 60 fox hounds and a membership list of 150, though 80 riders represent a good turnout on a crisp fall weekend. Traditions such as the stirrup cup, sherry or brandy served at the start, and the hunt breakfast, refreshments served at the end, have been preserved. The Wayne-DuPage Hunt Pony Club
Pony Club
Pony Club is an international youth organization devoted to the educating youths about horses and riding. Pony Club organizations exist in over 30 countries worldwide...
is a related organization for teaching young people riding, training and horse care.
Housing
Housing in the Village of Wayne varies from small bungalows to multi-million dollar estates. There are several subdivisions within the Village with house size and value more or less uniform within a given subdivision. Most subdivisions have one to 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) zoning. Much of the modern housing has been built since the 1970s. Some houses in the Village date to the late 19th century. In DuPage County, a minimum of 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) is needed to keep horses. In Kane County, property outside of subdivisions must be at least 4 acres (16,187.4 m²). A property with at least 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) in either county is locally called "zoned horses" with one horse allowed per acre. Outbuildings are permitted but must follow Village rules that restrict usage generally to horse stables. Architecture varies within the Village but there is a larger than usual number of "New England" style homes.Flag Day
Residents and guests celebrate Flag DayFlag Day
A flag day is a flag-related holiday—either a day designated for flying a certain flag , or a day set aside to celebrate a historical event such as a nation's adoption of its flag....
in June each year with a parade and picnic on the Sunday nearest June 14. This parade often features more participants than spectators. The parade begins at the General Store near Railroad Street at Army Trail Road and is open to all. The parade ends at the Little Home Church 1025¼ feet east. Wayne residents and guests in the church courtyard eat donated cakes and bring picnics. A Jazz band serenades the guests. A Wayne Citizen of the Year, honored for contributions to the Village, is traditionally chosen at this event. This event is run by the Wayne Community Association in conjunction with the Village of Wayne. Until recently this event served as the annual meeting of the Wayne Community Association.
Wayne Day
Residents and guests celebrate Wayne Day around the first Saturday in October each year in the fields west of the Dunham Club with a kite flying, picnic, and evening bonfire. Started around 1997, this annual event highlights community organizations, local politicians, and historic exhibits. This event is run by community organizations in conjunction with the Village of Wayne. The 2009 event commorated the 175th anniversary of the founding of Wayne.Famous residents
Wayne was home of the author Marguerite HenryMarguerite Henry
Marguerite Henry was an American writer. Henry inspired children all over the world with her love of animals, especially horses. The author of fifty-nine books based on true stories of horses and other animals, her work has captivated entire generations of children and young adults and won...
from 1940 to 1971 and her horse Misty. Marguerite, meeting with her literary agent in the 1940s at a cocktail party, became aware of the Chincoteague
Chincoteague
Chincoteague may refer to:Geography*Chincoteague Bay, a bay on the coast of Maryland and Virginia*Chincoteague Channel, a channel in Virginia connecting Chincoteague Bay and Chincoteague Inlet*Chincoteague Inlet, an inlet on the coast of Virginia...
Pony Penning
Pony Penning
Pony Penning is an annual event held in Chincoteague, Virginia on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department conducts the event and it consists of a Wild Pony Swim on Wednesday and a Pony Auction on Thursday...
. She flew to Virginia, witnessed the 1945 penning, and wrote "Misty of Chincoteague". Despite the fictionalized account of the Beebe children keeping Misty, Marguerite actually owned Misty and kept her on her Army Trail Road
Army Trail Road
Army Trail Road is a county road in parts of DuPage and Kane Counties, Illinois. Army Trail Road begins at the Addison Village Hall east of John F. Kennedy Drive in a cul de sac in Addison, Illinois. It ends at Illinois Route 25 in Wayne, Illinois. The portion of Army Trail Road from Illinois 53 to...
estate named "Mole Meadow". Misty arrived in Wayne on November 18, 1946 after being shipped to Geneva, Illinois
Geneva, Illinois
Geneva is the county seat of Kane County, Illinois. It is located on the western fringe of the Chicago suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 26,652. Geneva is part of a tri-city area, along with St. Charles and Batavia...
on the Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
train #3 from Virginia. Marguerite annually brought Misty to Wayne Elementary School and celebrated the horse's birthday with the schoolchildren. The horse was later returned to Chincoteague and died there in 1972. Misty's Corner, a small natural area on the northeast corner of Army Trail and Dunham Road, is named after Misty of Chincoteague.
Other prominent residents have included:
- Joy Morton, of Morton Salt fame, who was an early president of Dunham Woods back in the 1930s.
- Brooks McCormack, CEO of International Harvester Co. through the 1960s and '70s, was once a regular in the local fox hunt.
- Gaylord A. Freeman Jr., CEO of First National Bank of Chicago lived on White Thorn Road for several decades before his death in 1991 at age 81.
- John Idle, president of Oak Brook-based Elkay Manufacturing Co., moved away in 1990 when he was transferred, then bought another house in Wayne after he returned to the area in 1998.
Pratt’s Wayne Woods
Wayne contains a large forest preserve. Pratt's Wayne Woods is the largest forest preserve in DuPage CountyDuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
. Located in the county’s northwest corner, the preserve’s 3462 acres (14 km²) combine with Illinois Department of Natural Resource land adjacent on the north to form a continuous 4000 acres (16.2 km²) stretch of land, a scarce resource in a growing urban area. The savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
s, marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s of Pratt’s Wayne Woods offer a myriad of nature-loving opportunities and recreational excursions. The preserve’s Brewster Creek area is the site of a major wetland restoration program.
The area now known as Pratt’s Wayne Woods first took form in 1965 with a donation of 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) by the state of Illinois. Thanks to the efforts of George Pratt, a township supervisor and a preserve commissioner during the 1960s and 1970s, the Forest Preserve District began to purchase additional lands that comprise Pratt’s Wayne Woods today.
The first private land owner of this area was Mark Wentworth Fletcher, a surveyor who made his living in Geneva, Dundee, Elgin, St. Charles and Wayne. Fletcher purchased 320 acres (1.3 km²) from the federal government on February 18, 1846, and built a farmhouse along Dunham Road.
After Fletcher’s death in 1900, the land changed ownership a few times before Mark Morton
Mark Morton (businessman)
Mark Morton was an American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the Morton Salt Company.-Early life:...
purchased it in 1926. One of the founders of the Morton Salt Company, Morton excavated the farm’s southwest corner for sand and gravel. Land that was not used in the mineral operations was farmed for grain and corn up until a few years before Morton’s death in 1951.
The land was later purchased by Franz Palm, who transformed the area into a sportsman’s hunting and fishing lodge. The Palm family had originally intended their park to be their retirement place; however, the state of Illinois had other plans. The state purchased the original 320 acres (1.3 km²) with the intention of creating a state park. Once this idea was abandoned, George Pratt convinced the District to purchase the quarry area for a forest preserve. In 1974, Pratt expanded the preserve by selling his adjacent 250 acres (1 km²) Maple Spring Farm to the District.
Since the early 20th century, the complex of wetlands in Pratt’s Wayne Woods’ Brewster Creek area have been artificially drained by a system of buried clay pipes. The Forest Preserve District is now removing these drain tiles to restore this vital habitat, which over the years has become home to several threatened and endangered plant and animal species.
In 1990, plans to form DuPage County’s only state park were revived when the state and the Forest Preserve District purchased more than 300 acres (1.2 km²) in the area of Pratt’s Wayne Woods for that purpose. Tri-County State Park is located just north of Pratt’s Wayne Woods. A 24,000 square foot (2,200 m²) visitors center that also houses the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Region 2 headquarters opened in April 2003.
In 2004, an area east of Honey Hill Road and south of Army Trail Road was purchased by the DuPage Forest Preserve District from Oliver-Hoffman Corporation. This area, still under park development, is known as Dunham Woods and is adjacent to portions of Pratts Wayne Woods in its southeast section.
Geography
Wayne is located at 41°57′4"N 88°15′26"W (41.951032, -88.257229).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all of it land. Wayne is dotted by small streams, wetlands, and small ponds.
Location
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,137 people, 726 households, and 630 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 367.4 people per square mile (141.8/km²). There were 746 housing units at an average density of 128.3 per square mile (49.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 94.81% White, 0.37% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.75% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.74% of the population.
There were 726 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 81.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.1% were non-families. 10.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the village the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $115,338, and the median income for a family was $124,571. Males had a median income of $91,873 versus $36,786 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $54,990. None of the families and 0.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 4.0% of those over 64.
Education
The village is served by St. Charles District 303 in its south and west portions and by Elgin Area School District U-46Elgin Area School District U46
Elgin Area School District U46, often referred to as "U-46", is a unit school district headquartered in Elgin, Kane County, Illinois. Covering , the district serves portions of eleven communities in the northwest suburbs of Chicago in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties. School District U-46 serves over...
in its central, north, and east portions. U-46 serves an area of some 90 square miles (233.1 km²) in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties. Almost 40,000 children of school age are in its area. U-46 is second largest school district in Illinois. Wayne has its own elementary school, Wayne Elementary, part of U-46, serving 600 children in grades K-6 from Wayne and surrounding communities.
External links
- Village of Wayne website
- Lamplight Equestian Center
- James Pate Philip State Park
- See Still Estates for some Wayne history
- An article about Wayne Township from out of print book by Tannisse T. Blatchford