On the corner of Mill and Ogden, there are some things that won’t ever change – like the fact that the last bell can never come quickly enough, or that we should really get wider halls. And the parking lot? Don’t even mention it. Getting out of that place gives me nightmares.
But before all this – before the chaotic morning traffic, too-slow bells, and senior pranks – there was just Mill, Ogden, and a whole load of corn in between.
No—seriously.
Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. It happened a little something like this: when Joseph Naper arrived in Naperville all the way back in 1831, he and his brother John built a mill to saw boards for homes. Basically, it was the predecessor to our modern-day lumber shop. Seeing the connection yet?
Yeah, you guessed it. That mill stood at the end of what’s now Mill Street, and is exactly the reason why it was named that.
And Ogden? Although it was originally called Southwest Plank Road, it was renamed in 1877 after the death of Chicago’s first mayor, William B. Ogden. He was a pretty influential guy – he was famous for lobbying for a transcontinental railroad, so I suppose the next best thing would be to name a road after him.
But here’s a little fun fact: before the Great Chicago Fire burned down most of his belongings, Ogden owned a lumber company in Wisconsin, which ended up burning the same day as the Chicago Fire.
Heh. All these lumber shops really shine a new light on taking that woodworking class, don’t they?
Just some food for thought.
Jamie Olsen • Feb 5, 2013 at 4:59 pm
This girl is hilarious. Why wasn’t she given a blog before? Looking forward to more articles.