Des Plaines, IL

Des Plaines on When It Was is 10 addresses and the 17 businesses that have occupied them, the oldest from 1860. 10 are still open today; 7 are gone, and 1 of the buildings themselves have been demolished. Every entry below opens a page with the full history of that address, and the map lets you slide the year and watch the city change.

Start here

Des Plaines, decade by decade

• 1860s
  1 opened — Des Plaines Methodist Camp GroundSee the map in 1865 →
• 1880s
  1 opened — St. Mary's Training School for Boys (Feehanville)See the map in 1885 →
• 1890s
  1 opened — Feehan's VillaSee the map in 1895 →
• 1900s
  1 opened — Kinder House (Benjamin F. and Elizabeth Kinder residence)See the map in 1905 →
• 1920s
  2 opened — Des Plaines Theatre, Sugar Bowl Sweet ShopSee the map in 1925 →
• 1950s
  3 opened — McDonald's No. 1 Store (Ray Kroc Franchise), The Choo-Choo, Maryville AcademySee the map in 1955 →
• 1970s
  1 opened — Des Plaines History Center / Kinder House MuseumSee the map in 1975 →
• 1980s
  2 opened — Paradise Pup, Oakton Community College - Des Plaines CampusSee the map in 1985 →
• 1990s
  1 opened — Sugar Bowl (Vlahopoulos era)See the map in 1995 →
• 2000s
  1 opened — Sugar Bowl RestaurantSee the map in 2005 →
• 2010s
  1 opened — Rivers Casino Des PlainesSee the map in 2015 →
• 2020s
  2 opened — Des Plaines Theatre (Onesti Entertainment), Oakton CollegeSee the map in 2025 →

Still here, and gone

By kind of place

Restaurant (5)

McDonald's No. 1 Store (Ray Kroc Franchise) · The Choo-Choo · Sugar Bowl Restaurant · Sugar Bowl (Vlahopoulos era) · Sugar Bowl Sweet Shop

School (4)

Maryville Academy · St. Mary's Training School for Boys (Feehanville) · Oakton College · Oakton Community College - Des Plaines Campus

Theater (2)

Des Plaines Theatre (Onesti Entertainment) · Des Plaines Theatre

Other (2)

Feehan's Villa · Kinder House (Benjamin F. and Elizabeth Kinder residence)

Burgers / Hot Dogs (1)

Paradise Pup

Church (1)

Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground

Casino (1)

Rivers Casino Des Plaines

Museum (1)

Des Plaines History Center / Kinder House Museum

Every place in Des Plaines (10)

• Des Plaines History Center / Kinder House Museum 781 Pearson Street · 1978–present · 2 businesses
• Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground 1250 Campground Road · 1860–present
• Des Plaines Theatre (Onesti Entertainment) 1476 Miner Street · 2021–present · 2 businesses
• Maryville Academy 1150 N River Road · 1950–present · 3 businesses
• McDonald's No. 1 Store (Ray Kroc Franchise) 400 Lee Street · 1955–1984
• Oakton College 1600 E Golf Road · 2023–present · 2 businesses
• Paradise Pup 1724 S. River Rd. · 1983–present
• Rivers Casino Des Plaines 3000 S River Road · 2011–present
• Sugar Bowl Restaurant 1494 Miner Street · 2009–present · 3 businesses
• The Choo-Choo 600 Lee Street · 1951–present