The DuPage County Historical Museum continues the history knowledge guest blog series with tales of Route 66 and the lost town of Harvester, Illinois. Once upon a time, a portion of southeastern DuPage County was famous for its pig farms, tractors and massive prison. But now, it’s home to a park dedicated to Route 66, nestled in one of the richest suburbs in DuPage County. Visit our upcoming exhibit, The Mother Road and Iconic DuPage Firsts, which opens on August 15, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66.

International Harvester

Back in the day, over 150 years ago, DuPage County was all about farming. Endless fields of agriculture and small villages of a hundred or so blotted the landscape. Suburban sprawl was many years in the future. In 1917, the International Harvester Company, known for its farm implements and tractors, purchased 414 acres near the DuPage-Cook County border to create an experimental farm. The farm showcased the company’s products, including the world’s first all-purpose tractor, the Farmall. They provided employment while also demonstrating new equipment and farming techniques to local families.

A Local Prison 

An old exterior photograph of Bridewell Prison Farm showing a weathered building with simple, utilitarian architecture from the historic correctional site.At the same time, a prison opened in 1918 on 300 acres south of the Harvester farm plot along County Farm Road. There, low-risk prisoners at Bridewell Prison Farm farmed fruit, vegetables, meat and processed milk for the Bridewell Prison in Chicago. Route 66 ends up splitting right between the prison and the Harvester properties, but more on that later. 

At the end of World War II, urban sprawl began in earnest moving outward from Chicago, transforming low-cost agricultural land into housing developments. Bridewell Prison started selling off some of its land and developers began gobbling it up, converting acreage into country estates with parcels of one to five acres.

By the 1950s, International Harvester had plans for their new research and development center and wanted to construct over 600 houses north of Plainfield Road. The local folks south of Route 66 were concerned that this possible development would devalue their unincorporated area of Hinsdale and decided to take action. They organized and rallied the citizens, joining together to form a new town. On October 30, 1956, ballots were cast and by a vote of 76 votes for and 67 against, the Village of Harvester was born. This new community was roughly one square mile, bound by Highway 66 on the north, 79th Street on the south, County Line Road to the east, and Hamilton Avenue served as its western border. Harvester had 75 homes in the community and numbered about 300 people.

Harvester becomes Burr Ridge 

The new town of Harvester, which was actually south of the International Harvester farm on the other side of Route 66, only existed for six short years. People in other A historical roadside sign marking the change from Harvester to Burr Ridge, showing the updated village name and reflecting the area’s transition over time. housing  developments and subdivisions in unincorporated south Hinsdale, including the area known as Burr Ridge Estates with their five-acre tracts, worried that their large estate homes might become less valuable if Harvester went through with their plans to build housing for their workers. They petitioned Hinsdale to become a part of their town. International Harvester also was in favor of joining Hinsdale. However, the town of Hinsdale voted against this. 

Therefore, in August of 1961, the territory north of Route 66, including the 414-acre International Harvester research facility was annexed to the Village of Harvester. The annexation did not sit well with the International Harvester Company as they feared people would view the Village of Harvester as a “company town,” like the Pullman neighborhood in Chicago. So, in 1962, Harvester changed its name to Burr Ridge, after the "burr ridge" hill of large burr oak trees located in the area. Today, the town of Burr Ridge resides in both DuPage and Cook Counties with over 11,000 residents.

Harvester Park Today

That is not the end of the story. While International Harvester has departed, going out of business in 1984, part of the former farm is now Harvester Park. The park has 20 acres of athletic fields, tennis and pickleball courts, and a large, 17-acre nature area with trails, discovery stations and sections which serve as a wildlife sanctuary for a surprising number of wildlife visitors.

A play truck at the Route 66–themed playground in Harvester Park, designed for climbing and imaginative play, with bright colors and highway‑themed details.

This park offers something so unique that it cannot be found anywhere else in the country! Harvester Park hosts a one-of-a-kind Route 66 area of playground equipment that recreates real roadside attractions from the historic highway. Park builders created custom interactive play areas, including a thirty-foot-tall Chicago skyscraper. Its uniqueness has been featured on television, radio, newspapers, travel and tourism magazines and is very popular on social media.

Take a trip to Harvester Park in Burr Ridge to experience this quirky and uncommon attraction. You and your family will love it!