Winfield in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Hedges Station, 1849
Besch House
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, November 11, 2025
1. Hedges Station, 1849 Marker
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1849.
Location. 41° 52.921′ N, 88° 9.389′ W. Marker is in Winfield, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Winfield Road (County Route 13) 0.1 miles south of Waterford Drive, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 0N557 Winfield Road, Winfield IL 60190, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in 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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Hedges Station 1849 Depot (a few steps from this marker); Veterans Memorial Bridge (approx. one mile away); 9/11 Memorial
this page online
Regarding Hedges Station, 1849. This station was originally located along the railroad tracks through Winfield, which stand about Ύ of a mile south of here. It was built for the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, which in 1848 became the first railroad to be built out of Chicago. While subsequent depots opened starting in 1854, this one remained at the same site along the railroad until 1978, when it was slated for demolition for an expansion of the Winfield Village Hall and its parking lot. The Winfield Historical Society was created to save the depot, and in 1981 it was moved to its current location.
Also see . . .
1. Winfield Park District: Hedges Station Museum.
Excerpt: "The oldest building in Winfield, IL was built in 1849 by Jim Hodges. From 1849 to 1854, it was used as a rail passenger depot(Submitted on November 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)along a strap-rail track segment laid when the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad came through the area. It served as a train depot up until 1854, when Galena and Chicago Union Railroad built another depot on the south side of the tracks going through town. The building also served as a Post Office, and Inn/Tavern for railroad travelers and lastly as the residence of the Besch family. It also is the oldest remaining train depot in the State of Illinois. The depot was previously located on village-owned property adjacent to the Winfield Village Hall."Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, November 11, 20252. Hedges Station, 1849 Marker
2. Winfield Historical Society: Hedges Station. The Winfield Historical Society was created in the late 1970s to preserve this historic railroad depot.
Excerpt: "The move of the depot took place August, 1981. The Winfield Historical Society has a current agreement with the Winfield Park District that states the district owns the building, the society is responsible for its restoration, while the district takes care of utilities and grounds maintenance."(Submitted on November 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, November 11, 2025
3. "Strap-rail" tracks at Hedges Station
These tracks are on display in front of the depot. Strap-rail tracks were, for a time, a popular method of building railroads in the United States, as they required far less iron than the typical railroad track. According to the Hedges Station official site, this small stretch in Winfield is the only example of strap-rail tracks in the Midwest.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
