Midlothian History: The Dupont Connection
While commerce began centralizing in what would become Tinley Park, Illinois around the train station in what was once called New Bremen prior to 1892 (including the building of a grain elevator) the Midlothian area remained relatively farm land and untouched by the movement towards a more industrialized existence. The existing whistle stop known originally as Rexford Crossing was considered a milk stop and served local farmers and possibly materials and workers to and from the limestone quarry owned by a William Schwartz of Blue Island where the Secretary of State Midlothian DMV is now situated on Pulaski between 145th and 144th.
Opening in 1894, the DuPont Farm and Ammunition Storage facility had its own track spur off of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad in between the Rexford Crossing and Oak Forest whistle stops as well as a listing in the train schedule as a recognized station. The primary product manufactured at the location was smokeless gunpowder, which was a clear game-changer in the ammunition industry, as well as forever altering the face of warfare. The DuPont station served as both a passenger drop off and pick up location for staff along with the occasion guest while providing a means to begin their distribution process of their product they were manufacturing.
Explosions were not uncommon in gunpowder factories and storage facilities and 12 years later in 1906, an explosion leveled the DuPont facility. Although there is currently no clear evidence as to the precise location of the facility, apparently the shock-waves from the explosion traveled a decent enough distance in which the windows of the Midlothian Country Club were shattered, according to a report on November 8, 1906 in the Charlotte News. It also appears the Associated Press distributed the geographical location of the facility to be situated in Tinley Park, however a 1900 Homesteader's Map shows the DuPont property to be closer to what would become Oak Forest in 1947 rather than Tinley Park.
Eventually the northern portion of the DuPont Farm and Ammunition Storage property was eventually annexed by the Village of Midlothian, while the rest of the DuPont property was acquired by Cook County, Illinois and developed into what is now the Midlothian Meadows Forest Preserve (part of the Cook County Forest Preserve system)
The Cache:
Traditional Hide. Recommended that you start from the parking lot.
Notes:
This area may be a challenge after a heavy rainfall. In the summer, watch for poison ivy and have plenty of bug spray.
** Placed for the 18th Chicagoland Geocachers Picnic, August 18, 2018 **