Wheaton in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Helen Turner
Photographed by Scott M Milkovich, August 22, 2024
1. Helen Turner Marker
Donated to
The Illinois Prairie Path
in Memory of
Helen Turner
Path Co-Founder
Erected 1988 by Illinois Prairie Path.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical date for this entry is September 30, 1963.
Location. 41° 51.849′ N, 88° 6.983′ W. Marker is in Wheaton, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Illinois Priarie Path near West Liberty Drive, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 S Carlton Ave, Wheaton IL 60187, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: May Theilgaard Watts (approx. Ό mile away); Wheaton's Original Ten Blocks (approx. 0.4 miles away); Site of the World's First Radio Telescope (approx. 0.4 miles away); Grand Theater (approx. 0.4 miles away); Veterans Memorial Bench (approx. half a mile away); Memorial to World Wars I and II (approx. half a mile away); Memorial Plaza (approx. half a mile away); Vietnam Veteran's Memorial (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wheaton.
Also see . . . Illinois Prairie Path History Page.
Volunteers secured a lease to develop a public path (1963-1966).(Submitted on August 25, 2024, by Scott M Milkovich of Glen Ellyn, Illinois.)
The Illinois Prairie Path (IPP)began on Monday, September 30, 1963 when the Chicago Tribune published a letter to the editor from May Theilgaard Watts advocating for a public path on the abandoned route of the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Electric (CA&E) rail line.
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Public response to her letter was immediate and enthusiastic. However, the complexities and challenges involved in developing a public path on the CA&E land were monumental.
Many volunteers donated their time and talents to secure a public path especially the 14 founders: Mrs. Watts, Helen Turner, Lillian Lasch, Elizabeth and Samuel Holmes, Phoebe and George Ryerson, Jane and August Sindt, Dr. Warren Keck, BIll an dBetty Nemec, John Heddens and advisor Gunnar Peterson of Openlands. They organized a board, developed an organization, developed communications, recruited members and volunteers, conducted an intensive grass roots campaign to rally public support for a public path, and met with local, county, state and national government officials. In just 953 days or 2.6 years, they secured a 12-year lease from the largest owner of the right-of-way land DuPage County to develop 27 miles into a public path. The founders didnt have the money, materials, or government assistance to build a path. They signed the lease, determined to proceed. (Click Here to read the Early History of the IPP.)
Photographed by Scott M Milkovich, August 22, 2024
2. Helen Turner Marker
Photographed by Scott M Milkovich, August 22, 2024
3. The drinking fountain
Photographed by Scott M Milkovich, August 22, 2024
4. Railroad signage on the trail
Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2024, by Scott M Milkovich of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. This page has been viewed 160 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 25, 2024, by Scott M Milkovich of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
