Rondout in Lake County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Rondout Train Robbery

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, March 29, 2012

1. The Rondout Train Robbery Marker

Inscription.
On June 12, 1924, the largest train robbery in U.S. history occurred near here. Bandits boarded the train in Chicago and forced postal clerks to surrender sacks containing more than two-million dollars in securities and cash. Local police apprehended the gunmen within a few days. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case and identified the masterminds, one of whom was a trusted employee of the Postal Service. Some of the loot was never recovered. In all, eight men were convicted in Federal court and sentenced within seven months of the robbery.

Erected 2011 by Libertyville / Mundelein Historical Society, Lake County Museum Association, Village of Green Oaks, The Illinois State Historical Society, and the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1874.

Location. 42° 16.808′ N, 87° 53.864′ W. Marker is in Rondout, Illinois, in Lake County. Marker is on Rockland Road (Illinois Route 176) 0.1 miles east of Energy Drive, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13620 Rockland Rd, Lake Bluff IL 60044, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Dwyer Settlement in Lake County, Illinois (approx. 2.1 miles away); Cook Memorial Library (approx. 3 miles away); Douglas A-4 "Skyhawk" (approx. 3.6 miles away); Fighting Tradesmen (approx. 3.7 miles away); Base Realignment and Closure (approx. 3.7 miles away); Wings over Great Lakes (approx. 3.7 miles away); Great Lakes History Trail (approx. 3.7 miles away); Building Five (approx. 3.7 miles away).

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, March 29, 2012

2. The Rondout Train Robbery Marker

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, March 29, 2012

3. The Rondout Train Robbery Marker

Looking east along Ill Rte 176 toward the railroad crossing.

Investigators searching for clues on train shortly after robbery. image. Click for more information.

via Still Life, 1924

4. Investigators searching for clues on train shortly after robbery.

"The Great Rondout Train Robbery – Part One"
Still Life: Cook Memorial Public Library website entry
Click for more information.

The Rondout Train Robbery site, 1924 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Chicago Daily Herald, 1924

5. The Rondout Train Robbery site, 1924

Credits. This page was last revised on December 5, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2012, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 4,851 times since then and 191 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 2, 2012, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. 4. submitted on May 11, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 5. submitted on November 8, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.