Meet us where the history is made possible
The historic Grossdale Station is both a testament to community advocacy and the preservation of history.
Built in 1889 by Chicago real estate developer Samuel Eberly Gross, who both funded and designed the station, Gross viewed access to rail transportation as critical to Brookfield's continued prosperity as a village. With its red brick facade, limestone windowsills, oak ceiling and maple floor, it was a state-of-the-art hub of transportation, with a separate waiting room for men and women, customary of the time.
However, it is through the efforts of a group of dedicated Brookfield citizens that the station remains standing today. Having fallen into disrepair nearly 100 years after its construction, the building was set for demolition with a new station to be erected in its place. This plan led Brookfield resident Greg Gall to found the Brookfield Historical Society in 1977 to save the original Grossdale Station.
The Brookfield Historical Society was successful in its endeavor and five years later, Grossdale Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Not long after, on April 9, 1981, Grossdale Station was lifted from its foundation, placed on a bed of steel beams and slowly moved via truck from its original location on Prairie Avenue across the railway tracks to where it currently stands, which happens to be where the original Brookfield Village Hall used to sit. Only one chimney was destroyed during the move; the rest of the building remained intact.
Now beautifully restored, Grossdale Station houses a small museum dedicated to Brookfield history.
Wander the grounds of Grossdale Station any time to take pictures of the restored historical building that is more than 130 years old. The Brookfield Historical Society hosts open houses during festivals or special events.
Admission is free when the Brookfield Historical Society hosts open houses.
The Historic Homes & Gardens Tour combines three Oak Park architectural gems into one tour: the Oak Park Conservatory, Pleasant Home, and Cheney Mansion. The cost is $35 per person, including lunch.
The Brookfield Historical Society was born from a historical call to arms. When the original train station for the area fell into disrepair, the railroad determined it was time to tear down the building.
That’s when five Brookfield residents got together to save the old station. Their original meeting in a Brookfield living room grew from five people to seven and then 15 members when the Brookfield Historical Society was created to save the station.
The original station for Brookfield is located on the northeast corner of Brookfield and Forest avenues. The station was relocated from its original position across the train tracks and now sits where the old village hall once stood.
