Wheaton, County seat in DuPage County, Illinois, US
Wheaton sits about 25 miles (40 km) west of Chicago in DuPage County and consists mainly of residential neighborhoods with wide avenues and many mature trees. The city spreads across several gentle hills and has a compact downtown with brick buildings from the late 1800s.
Warren Wheaton acquired the land in the 1830s and founded a small settlement that became a supply station for travelers heading west. The town received village status in 1859 and became a city in 1890 as railroad lines boosted commerce.
The city hosts the Billy Graham Center, a religious archive and museum building that draws daily visitors from across the country. Around the historic downtown core, independent bookshops and antique stores line the streets, especially busy on weekends.
The former railroad corridor Illinois Prairie Path runs through the city as a cycling and walking route, connecting several parks along the way. On weekdays, parking is easier in public lots near Front Street, while on weekends the spaces behind the library tend to be more available.
In the late 1800s, the city served as a major hub for milk deliveries from surrounding farms to Chicago. Today, an old cooling house from that era at the edge of the train depot grounds recalls the importance of dairy trade for the early prosperity of the region.
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