Fox River Trail - Poplar Creek Bridge

In the late 19th Century, electric interurban railways became popular throughout the United States, particularly in suburban and rural areas.  During the 1890s, proposals were made to connect cities located in the Fox Valley, some 35 miles west of Chicago, to Chicago by electric railways.  The Fox Valley already had a profitable electric railway, which extended from Aurora to Carpentersville.  After at least three failed attempts to connect the Fox Valley to Chicago, the Aurora, Wheaton & Chicago Railway and the Elgin & Chicago Railway were formed in 1899 to connect Aurora to Wheaton and Chicago, and Elgin to Wheaton.  A third railroad, the Batavia & Eastern Railway Company was incorporated to construct a branch from the Aurora line into Batavia.  Preliminary grading on the railroad lines was begun in 1900.  The three railroads were consolidated into the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Railway (AE&C) in 1901, and construction began the same year.  The AE&C opened to traffic in 1902.  The main stem of the route extended from Laramie Avenue in Chicago, westwards to Wheaton.  At Wheaton, the route would diverge into the Aurora Branch and the Elgin Branch.  The Elgin Branch left the main line at Wheaton, extending northwest through northwestern DuPage County.  The railroad line entered Elgin along the east bank of the Fox River, where it connected to the Chicago & North Western Railway and the Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric Railway (AE&FRE). The Aurora Branch continued west, entering Aurora from the northeast, interchanging with the AE&FRE as well as other electric railroads.  An additional branch to Batavia was constructed, proving an additional connection to the AE&FRE. 

Beginning in 1905, the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad allowed the AE&C to use the elevated tracks to reach Chicago.  An additional branch line was constructed from near West Chicago into Geneva in 1909, where the line also connected with the AE&FRE.  The line would be extended to St. Charles the following year.  While interurban railroads gradually became unprofitable in the early 20th Century, the AE&C saw a steady revenue.  The railroad served passengers wishing to reach Chicago from outlying suburban areas, and provided an alternative to traditional commuter service offered by railroads.  The railroad entered bankruptcy in 1919, having been reorganized as the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad (CA&E).  As the automobile became a staple of American lifestyle in the mid-20th Century, plans were made to construct the Eisenhower Expressway (present day Interstate 290) along the right-of-way of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad.  The CA&E objected to these plans, but agreed to cut service back to Forest Park, ending continuous travel into Chicago.  Within months, many of the railroads passengers abandoned the route, leading to financial hardship for the railroad.   On July 3rd, 1957; passenger service was abruptly ended midday, stranding passengers in Chicago.  By 1961, the entire railroad would be abandoned, and by 1963, plans were underway to convert the railroad to a trail.  The Illinois Prairie Path opened to pedestrians and bicyclists soon after, and was one of the first rail-trail projects in the United States.  Today, much of the CA&E right-of-way continues to serve the Illinois Prairie Path, which has become a popular trail in the Chicago suburbs.