Oswego in Kendall County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

World War I

(1914-1918)

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 3, 2025

1. World War I Marker

Inscription. World War I, also known as "The War to End All Wars", was a global military conflict that took place mostly in Europe between 1914 and 1918, It left millions dead and shaped the modern world. The Allied Powers, led by France, Russia, and the British Empire, and later Italy and the United States, defeated the Central Powers: Austria-Hungary, the German Empire, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. Much of the fighting in World War I took place along the Western Front, within a system of manned trenches and fortifications called "no man's land." Hostilities also occurred for the first time in the air and with submarine warfare. The war ended with the signing of the Armistice of November 11, 1918.

Total American casualties were 321,000.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • War, World I. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.

Location. 41° 41.122′ N, 88° 21.1′ W. Marker is in Oswego, Illinois, in Kendall County. It can be reached from Main Street near Jefferson Street. The marker is behind the Oswego Veterans Memorial Plaza, on a pathway towards the Fox River.

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Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Oswego IL 60543, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

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 II (here, next to this marker); Korean Conflict (here, next to this marker); American Civil War (a few steps from this marker); Spanish-American War (a few steps from this marker); Vietnam Conflict (a few steps from this marker); War of 1812 (a few steps from this marker); Mexican-American War (a few steps from this marker); Fox River Fording (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oswego.

Also see . . . Veterans of World War I from Kendall County, IL. (Submitted on May 7, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 3, 2025

2. World War I Marker

On the left side is Waubonsie Creek, which empties nearby into the Fox River. In the far background is the Oswego Veterans Memorial Plaza. The boulder in the grass between the marker and the plaza is a 1978 historical marker related to this location's pre-settlement prominence as a spot for travelers to ford the Fox River.

Historical markers about American wars on the pathway behind Oswego Veterans Memorial Plaza image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 3, 2025

3. Historical markers about American wars on the pathway behind Oswego Veterans Memorial Plaza

Credits. This page was last revised on May 7, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 5, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.