Elmhurst in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Elizabeth's Friendship Walk

Dedicated in Spring of 1995

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 13, 2024

1. Elizabeth's Friendship Walk Marker

Inscription. This garden was named in honor of the enduring friendship between Elizabeth Wadham, an early inhabitant of the Wilder Park Mansion, and her neighbor to the southeast, Elizabeth Case. Mrs. Wadham had a special path cut through the grounds of the estate to the southeast, on which this garden is now located, to join their two homes.

Erected 1995.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1868.

Location. 41° 53.672′ N, 87° 56.626′ W. Marker is in Elmhurst, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Church Street near Prospect Avenue. The marker is on the southern edge of Wilder Park, near the garden referenced on the plaque and the park's conservatory. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 225 South Prospect Avenue, Elmhurst IL 60126, 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: World War I Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Elmhurst Veterans' Memorial (about 300 feet away); Veterans' Square (about 300 feet away); Elmhurst Vietnam Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away); Dr. Frank Mittermeyer (about

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700 feet away); Elmhurst College (about 800 feet away); Haumea (about 800 feet away); Reinhold Niebuhr (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Elmhurst.

More about this marker. Historical sources indicate that the last name of the Elizabeth who lived here was Wadhams, with an "s" at the end. According to a commemorative booklet produced by the Wilder Mansion in 2008, her husband Seth Wadhams was the great-great-grandson of John Wadham, an Englishman who settled in Connecticut in the 1600s—and added an "s" to the end of his name when he arrived.

Regarding Elizabeth's Friendship Walk. Seth and Elizabeth Wadhams established their estate to this area in 1868, and moved into a mansion at this location after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Elizabeth was an avid gardener, and Seth built the greenhouse for her to help her overcome her grief over the death of their son, Dana. When Seth Wadhams, who had founded Chicago's Knickerbocker Ice Company, died in 1888, the home was bequeathed to the daughter of John Case, his long-time friend.

Also see . . .
1. Wilder Mansion Commemorative Booklet (from 2008)

Elizabeth's Friendship Walk image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 13, 2024

2. Elizabeth's Friendship Walk

. (Submitted on September 16, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. Elmhurst History Highlight: Wilder Mansion. From the Elmhurst History Museum (Submitted on September 16, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Wilder Park Rose Garden (1920s) image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of the Bensenville Public Library (Fischer Farm Collection), circa 1925

3. Wilder Park Rose Garden (1920s)

This 1920s photo shows the area of today's Friendship Walk.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 16, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 16, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 413 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 16, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on October 16, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.