Glen Ellyn in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Glen Ellyn's Great Fire of 1891 Started Here
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 10, 2025
1. Glen Ellyn's Great Fire of 1891 Started Here Marker
466 Main
Erected by Glen Ellyn Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is November 6, 1891.
Location. 41° 52.607′ N, 88° 4.009′ W. Marker is in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Main Street near Crescent Boulevard. The marker is one of several embedded into the sidewalk in downtown Glen Ellyn. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 466 North Main Street, Glen Ellyn IL 60137, 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: Fleming's Grocery (a few steps from this marker); McChesney & Miller Grocery Store (a few steps from this marker); A Creek Went Under Main Street Here (a few steps from this marker); McChesney Store (a few steps from this marker); Johansen Tower (a few steps from this marker); First Glen Ellyn Movie Theater (within shouting distance of this marker); Flour Barrel Bakery (within shouting distance of this marker); DuPage Co. State Bank / Glen Ellyn Township High School 1916-1923 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Glen Ellyn.
Also see . . . The Great Fire of 1891. From the Glen Ellyn Historical Society.
Excerpt: "In those days(Submitted on October 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)Glen Ellyn had no fire company of its own. Furthermore, it had no municipal water system to supply water for fighting a fire. The fire started on the west side of Main Street one building north of Crescent Boulevard. As was the case with the great Chicago fire of 1871, strong southerly winds pushed the fire north toward Pennsylvania Avenue. Boyd Brothers Hardware Store was the next victim, followed by the office building of G.M.H. Wagner, the drug store of W.S. Ryder, the grocery store of John Mertz and the W.H. Myers Meat Market. The fire burned all night until it had consumed every building on the west side of Main except for one that was just south of where the fire started. In 1891, this constituted most of the commercial buildings in Glen Ellyn."
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Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 10, 2025
2. Glen Ellyn's Great Fire of 1891 Started Here Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 54 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
