Did you know this ONE building probably influenced Elmhurst history more than any other?!
Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist anymore, but its story is incredible!
The Glos Block was built in 1874 by prominent businessman Henry L. Glos to house all his businesses.
But it became way more than that: it housed our post office from 1884-1918 AND was the original location of the Elmhurst Public Library starting in 1916.
The original building was torn down in 1927 for a more modern structure (which is what stands on the corner of York & Park today), but two decorative finials from the old building remain on the Elmhurst History Museum lawn!
Next time you’re there, check out this important piece of Elmhurst’s early history!
👉 Share with local history lovers!
(And special thanks to the Elmhurst History Museum for the images!)
Transcript
Hey Elmhurst! Which one building probably influenced Elmhurst history more than any other? Unfortunately, this building doesn't exist anymore.
The original Glos Block building was built by Henry L. Glos in 1874. You've probably heard his name before because Henry Glos was a super prominent businessman here in Elmhurst. He had a ton of businesses. So in order to have a place for all these businesses, he actually built the Glos Block building.
It was right here on the train tracks as you can hear. But the Glos Block wasn't just used for Glos' own businesses. It actually housed our post office from 1884 to 1918. This was also the original location of the Elmhurst Public Library. It started there in 1916, and then it was moved to the Wilder Mansion in 1922.
Unfortunately, the original building was torn down in 1927 to make room for a way more modern building in its place. But good news! There are two decorative finials that are left over from the old building on the lawn of the Elmhurst History Museum.
So next time you're over there, definitely check out an important part of Elmhurst early history. My name's Amara, and I make video marketing easy for small businesses, and I keep up on all things Elmhurst so you don't have to.
