NoeFlandre/osm-polygon-wikidata-only huggingface dataset:
Washington Block

Washington Block is a Chicago Landmark building located in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Designed by Frederick and Edward Baumann, it was built between 1873 and 1874 in the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on January 14, 1997. When completed, Washington Block was one of the tallest buildings in the city of Chicago and is described as a rare example of the "isolated pier foundation" (see below) which contributed to the foundation of knowledge that has made Chicago the birthplace of the skyscraper. The building has limestone facades and originally included an exterior staircase that led to a second-floor corner entrance. The lobby has a curving hardwood staircase. Today the first floor is occupied by a 7-Eleven and the second floor occupied by Carter Legal Group PC. The building, which is located at the corner of North Wells Street and West Washington Street is five stories tall. The building was originally intended to host upscale offices for companies wanting to be close to the nearby then-blossoming LaSalle Street financial district. However, when the Chicago 'L' was built next to the building, the upscale commercial customer found the building undesirable. During the mid-1900s, the owner hammered off ground-level architectural details in order to modernize the storefronts. 21st century owners have recast some of the details during a restoration. The isolated pier technique uses several separate foundations, one at each of the load-bearing points underground. Thus, instead of using a single foundation that would crack as the building shifted on sandy soil, a building may be built on a much longer-lasting and sturdier foundation. The Washington Block's foundation enabled it to be built on soft, compressible soil, instead of the solid bedrock formerly seen as a requirement. This ability allowed skyscrapers to be built in places like Chicago, and many of them were. Notes External links Loop Landmark map
Washington Street/Grayslake station

Washington Street/Grayslake is a station on Metra's North Central Service in Grayslake, Illinois. The station is 46.5 miles (74.8 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the southern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Washington Street is in zone 4. As of 2018, Washington Street is the 196th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 86 weekday boardings. Washington Street was opened on January 30, 2006, along with three other stations on the North Central Service. As of February 15, 2024, Washington Street is served by all 14 trains (seven in each direction) on weekdays. References External links Metra – Stations – Washington Street/Grayslake station Station from Washington Street from Google Maps Street View
Wauconda Area Library

The Wauconda Area Library is a public library located in Wauconda, Illinois. The library district covers portions of Lake and McHenry Counties in Illinois and is a member of the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS). History The library was founded in 1939 by the Wauconda Women's Club as one shelf of books at Wauconda High School. In 1948 as book count increased the library was moved to the larger space at the local sports shop and officially became known as Wauconda Public Library. In 1950 the library was moved to a room in the Village Hall due to the rent costs of the previous space. In 1962 a referendum was passed which led to transferring of the library title to the library board and becoming a township library. In 1963 the library was moved again to 212 Osage Street renting the front part of the building which was later bought in whole in 1971. In 1982 land was purchased to accommodate growing needs and a new building opened by 1987. In 1988 the library became a public library district. In 1997 a remodel occurred to expand the capacity of the library. The library earned the Distinguished Building Award in 1998 from the American Institute of Architects. In 2015, the library underwent a renovation of the interior of the building. It added a kids play area downstairs, along with various other features. In 2018 a renovation occurred to the exterior of the library after feedback from the community. In 2020, the library started offering patrons remote reservations and contactless checkouts through MyLIBRO application. References External links The Wauconda Area Library Homepage The Wauconda Area Library Catalog
Wauconda High School

Wauconda High School, officially Wauconda Community High School, and most commonly WHS, is a public four-year high school located in Wauconda, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Wauconda Community Unit School District 118. History Wauconda High School first opened its doors in September 1915. Campus Wauconda High School has a medium-sized campus. It is divided into wings lettered A-G, an auditorium, 3 gymnasiums (not including the fitness center), a common area for all students, and several courtyards. There are two cafeterias, the smaller of which is only used by freshmen. The school has a full-time police officer employed, as well as a number of security officers. There is a cafe inside the school, called the Bulldog Brew, which sells items such as snacks, muffins, and most popularly coffee which is operated by student volunteers in yearbook, and is open from 6:50 until 7:20 in the morning, and for a few minutes after the final bell. There are many outside facilities used for athletic events and gym classes, including two baseball fields, a softball field, a tennis court complex with eight total courts, a track and football field, and a soccer field. The school has a 500+ seat auditorium that is home to a band, choir, and theatre program as well as being available for rent. The theatre program has taken several productions to the Illinois High School Theatre Festival. Additionally, the art program at Wauconda High School is recognized as an Illinois Art Education School of Distinction. Academics The staff consists of roughly 110 teachers in various subjects and roles (Athletics, Career Tech Education, Creative Arts, English, Foreign Language Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science, Counseling, Social Work, etc.) as well as 20 or so instructional aides and members of the student services department. Athletics Wauconda competes in the Northern Lake County Conference and Illinois High School Association. The school's teams compete as the Bulldogs, and its colors are purple and gold. The following sports are offered at Wauconda: Alumni Dr Manhattan, Rock Band Grace Lynn Keller (class of 2017), Miss Iowa 2021 and Miss Iowa USA 2023 References External links Official website
Weinberg-King State Park

Weinberg-King State Fish and Wildlife Area is an Illinois state park on 772 acres (312 ha) in Schuyler County, Illinois, United States. It is located near Augusta, Illinois. Geology and history Weinberg-King State Fish and Wildlife Area is located on the western edge of a large plain of glacial till left behind by the ice sheets of the Illinois Glaciation, which spanned from 300,000 to 125,000 years before the present. Because the park is at the edge of the till plain, the park's streams, especially Williams Creek, have eroded down through the till to a bed of Pennsylvanian sandstone. The park is based on a 500 acres (200 ha) parcel of open space formerly owned by the Weinberg-King family, who donated the land to the state of Illinois in 1968. Today The park is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Ponds in the park have many beautiful creatures such as bass, bluegill, and catfish. There are nearly 30 miles of trails maintained within the park. The park offers resources for upland game and bird hunting, including squirrels, doves, quail, rabbits, woodcock, white-tailed deer, and wild turkey. Illinois Route 101 passes through the park. References
Wells Street Bridge (Chicago)

The Wells Street Bridge is a bascule bridge over the Chicago River, in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States, which was built in 1922. Standing east of the Franklin Street Bridge and southeast of the Merchandise Mart, the bridge connects the Near North Side with "The Loop". The bridge is double-decked, the lower deck carrying three lanes of traffic south over the river with sidewalks on both sides of the street. The upper deck serves as a bridge for the Chicago Transit Authority's Brown and Purple lines. Bridge tenders' houses for controlling the bridge are on the northwest and southeast corners of the bridge. History The bridge was constructed during the first term of William Hale Thompson. The Chicago Plan Commission and Chicago Art Commission provided design input to architect E. H. Bennett. The bridge was completely rebuilt 2012-2013 by the Chicago Department of Transportation. The two leaves (north and south) were built off-site and floated on the river to Wells Street for installation. The other half of the bridge was rebuilt in place – the two portions closest to each river bank, containing the counterweights for the bascule bridge. The second period of the reconstruction that affects Chicago Transit Authority train service on the upper level began at 10 pm April 26, 2013 and ended before the morning rush hour Monday May 6, 2013. The north leaf of the bridge was installed in the nine-day period, again floating the section on the Chicago River from its construction site to the bridge. The bridge reopened fully on November 21, 2013, when the lower level of the bridge opened to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. The bridge tender houses are also part of the rehabilitation of the bridge. See also List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Illinois References External links Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IL-52, "Chicago River Bascule Bridge, Wells Street, Spanning South Branch Chicago River at North Wells Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL"
West Chicago station

West Chicago is a station on Metra's Union Pacific West Line, located in West Chicago, Illinois. The station is 29.7 miles (47.8 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center, the eastern terminus of the West Line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Chicago is in zone 4. As of 2018, West Chicago is the 88th busiest of the 236 non-downtown stations in the Metra system, with an average of 586 weekday boardings. Unless otherwise announced, inbound trains use the north (side) platform and outbound trains use the south (island) platform. As of September 8, 2025, West Chicago is served by 51 trains (26 inbound, 25 outbound) on weekdays, by all 20 trains (10 in each direction) on Saturdays, and by all 18 trains (nine in each direction) on Sundays and holidays. One inbound train originates at West Chicago on weekdays. West Chicago station lies south of the West Chicago City Hall and next to the Wilson Avenue Bridge. It is located at ground level and consists of two platforms and three tracks. Two tracks separate the side and island platforms, and one track lies south of the island platform. The island platform is accessed via a tunnel between the parking lot and the tracks. There is an unstaffed station house at the north side of the station, with a waiting room that is open from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. History The original West Chicago station served the main line of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad which never reached its western terminus before being acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1864. The line became part of Metra during the 1980s, while C&NW's successor. In 1988, the West Chicago City Council announced plans to build a new commuter train station to replace a waiting room leased by the rail company at the West Chicago Community Center. Metra budgeted $1.69 million for projects including the station building, new lighting, track drainage, and parking spaces for 200 cars. Metra allocated $235,000 of that funding to the station building. According to policy, Metra allocated only enough money to fund a standard commuter station. West Chicago added an extra $25,000 from the city's capital projects fund to alter the modern architectural style to a vintage, 19th-century look. The station officially opened on July 14, 1990. The opening coincided with the city's annual "Railroad Days" celebration, celebrating West Chicago's heritage as a railroad town. A new parking lot was opened in 2001 and added more than 170 spots, doubling the commuter parking available at the station. City officials had hoped that expansion would attract more traffic to the train station and bring commercial development to the nearby downtown area. The second lot is located east of the first lot, and started to provide daily parking at $1 per day. The original parking lot was changed to permit parking only. References External links Metra – Stations – West Chicago station
West Hinsdale station

West Hinsdale is one of three stations on Metra's BNSF Line in Hinsdale, Illinois. The station is 17.8 miles (28.6 km) from Union Station, the eastern terminus of the line. It is closed on weekends and holidays. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Hinsdale is in zone 3. As of 2018, West Hinsdale is the 143rd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 306 weekday boardings. There is an unstaffed weather shelter used only during rush hour. The station is immediately adjacent to Stough Park in Hinsdale and is located 0.5 miles from downtown Clarendon Hills, Illinois. As of September 8, 2025, West Hinsdale is served by 26 trains (13 in each direction) on weekdays. References External links Metra – Stations – West Hinsdale station Station from Stough Street from Google Maps Street View
West Pullman station

West Pullman is a commuter rail station along the Blue Island Branch of the Metra Electric line in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is located over Halsted Street halfway between 120th and 122nd Streets, and is 16.7 miles (26.9 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Pullman is in zone 2. As of 2018, West Pullman is the 232nd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 13 weekday boardings. Although most of the Blue Island Branch contains only one track, there are two tracks at West Pullman, making it a passing siding. The only other station along the branch that has two tracks is the terminus at Blue Island itself. One parking lot exists on the north side of the tracks along the southbound lane of Halsted Street. Due to its close proximity to the outskirts of Chicago, the station provides bus connections from both the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace suburban bus system. A station typology adopted by the Chicago Plan Commission on October 16, 2014, assigns the West Pullman station a typology of Mixed Residential/Industrial Neighborhood (MRIN). This typology is an area in which the Metra station serves both residential and industrial uses. Like most of the MRIN stations, it does not have access to CTA rail. Bus connections CTA 8A South Halsted 108 Halsted/95th (weekday rush hours only) Pace 352 Halsted 359 Robbins/South Kedzie Avenue References External links Metra – Stations – West Pullman Halsted Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
Western Avenue station (Milwaukee District)

Western Avenue is a railroad station owned by Metra, located in the West Town community area of Chicago, Illinois near Western Avenue. The station is 2.9 miles (4.7 km) away from Union Station, the inbound terminus of the line. Western Avenue station serves the Milwaukee District West Line, North Central Service, and Milwaukee District North Line, and is the last inbound stop for these three lines before the terminus at Union Station. Although it is not a station stop, Amtrak's Hiawatha, Borealis, and the Empire Builder also pass through here. The station was previously used by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Located near the station are the California Coach Yard, and the Western Avenue Rail Yard, the latter of which host to Metra's remaining EMD F40Cs. Just southeast of the station platforms is a diamond where the Milwaukee Road Metra routes cross the tracks of the Union Pacific West Line to Ogilvie Transportation Center, then turn to run parallel to them. This goes on for about a mile before they split, as the West Line tracks continue to Ogilvie. The junction is controlled by the nearby A-2 tower. Service As of 2018, Western Avenue is the 61st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 836 weekday boardings. Western Avenue is served by a total of 117 Metra trains on weekdays, by 44 trains on Saturdays, and by 36 trains on Sundays and holidays. This includes all inbound trains from the three lines, as well as all outbound trains save for one outbound Milwaukee District North Line train on weekdays. Bus connections CTA 49 Western (Owl Service) X49 Western Express (weekday rush hours only) 65 Grand References External links Metra – Stations – Western Avenue station (Milwaukee District) Station House from Google Maps Street View
Western Springs station

Western Springs is a station on Metra's BNSF Line in Western Springs, Illinois. The station is 15.4 miles (24.8 km) from Union Station, the east end of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Western Springs is in zone 3. As of 2018, Western Springs is the 38th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,134 weekday boardings. There is a staffed station building. During the spring and summer of 2008 the north platform of the station was rebuilt to match the architecture of the station building. As of September 8, 2025, Western Springs is served by 59 trains (30 inbound, 29 outbound) on weekdays, and by 36 trains (18 in each direction) on weekends and holidays. References External links Metra – Stations – Western Springs station Station from Wolf Road from Google Maps Street View
Western Springs Water Tower

The Western Springs Water Tower is a museum and former water tower in Western Springs, Illinois. The water tower is considered a symbol of Western Springs by residents, and multiple businesses and local organizations have taken their names from the tower. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 4, 1981. History Population growth in Western Springs during the late 19th century caused the natural springs after which the town was named to dry up. With the loss of this water source, it became clear that a new waterworks system was needed to support the growing population. The village hired brothers Benezette and Edgar Williams as well as Ethan Philbrick, all civil engineers residing in Western Springs, to design a new waterworks system. Western Springs Water Tower was constructed as part of this system in 1892 on a triangular plot of land, donated Collins family, known as "Block A" (now Tower Green). The entire system was built at a cost of $79,119, a considerable sum at the time. 156 carloads of Naperville limestone were used in the construction and hand cut on site. Thousands of red bricks were used for the upper portion of the tower. The tower was the village's water storage until a new water tower was constructed in 1962 in Spring Rock Park. In addition to holding water, the tower originally held the Western Springs police department, jail, and municipal offices. The village services all relocated out of the tower in 1957. It remained vacant until the Western Springs Historical Society opened a museum in the tower in 1970 following extensive renovations. On August 30, 1991, a lightning strike set the tower's roof on fire and punctured the water tank. About half of the roof was destroyed and water from the firefighting caused significant damage to the tower's interior. Most of the valuable historical artifacts in the Tower Museum were saved by the fire department. The museum reopened in 1993 after extensive rehabilitation efforts. Structural features Western Springs Water Tower has three floors and a basement. The tower is 112.5 feet (34.3 m) tall and 36.5 feet (11.1 m) in diameter. The limestone is 6.5 feet (2.0 m) thick at the base of the tower and thins to about three feet (0.91 m) thick at the top of the stone portion. The brick portion, which housed the water tank, is about 1.5 feet (0.46 m) thick. The capacity of the water tank was 169,000 U.S. gallons (640,000 liters). The tower is an example of Romanesque Revival architecture. References
Chicago Ridge Mall

Chicago Ridge Mall, formerly Westfield Chicago Ridge from 2004 to 2012, is a shopping mall in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. The mall features Kohl's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Burlington, and Bargain Closeouts as its anchor stores. The mall also has four junior anchors: Aldi, Old Navy, Michaels, and AMC Theatres. The mall also features a food court and the restaurants of Buffalo Wild Wings, Chili's and Chick-fil-A. The mall was built in 1981, and was expanded in 1986. In April 2012, Westfield sold the mall to Starwood Capital Group, with JLL responsible for management. In 2024, Starwood Capital sold the property to Second Horizon Capital. History The Chicago Ridge Mall began construction in 1980 as a $50 billion project at the site of the former Starlite Drive-In Theatre, which closed in 1979 after a 31-year run. The entire mall opened in 1981. The Lenhdorff Group bought the mall in 1986 and sold it to JMB Realty a year later. In July 1981, Essaness Theatres opened its triplex cinema at the mall, which later became a six-screen theater. The theatre later became Cineplex Odeon, then Loews, and finally AMC. In 1987, a two-story Carson Pirie Scott store opened. In 1993, Montgomery Ward was added as an anchor in the space previously occupied by Madigan's. The Montgomery Ward space later became Bed Bath & Beyond and Steve & Barry's, the latter of which closed in 2008. In 2010, Westfield Group confirmed that Aldi would open in 2011 in the space vacated by Steve and Barry's. In August 2015, a two-story H&M opened. Red Robin opened on November 21, 2016. On April 18, 2018, it was announced that the Carson's store would be closing because parent company The Bon-Ton Stores was going out of business. The store closed on August 29, 2018. On June 17, 2020, plans were announced for Dick's Sporting Goods to open in the lower level of the former Carson's space. The store opened on August 6, 2021. On February 12, 2021, it was announced that Sears would also be closing as part of a plan to close 32 stores nationwide. The store closed on May 2, 2021. On July 23, 2021, it was announced that the Disney Store would be closing as part of a plan to close at least 60 stores nationwide. The store closed on August 18, 2021. It was the last location with the original 1990s "pink and green" design. On January 31, 2023, it was announced that Bed Bath & Beyond would close as part of a plan to close 87 stores nationwide, leaving Kohl's and Dick's Sporting Goods as the only anchors left. In March 2024, Burlington announced that it would open on May 31, 2024. The store opened in the space formerly occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond. In the 2020s, Bargain closeouts began renovating the former Sears building into a discount store. The company announced they would open a discount store and operate out of the entire former Sears and the store eventually opened. Bargain Discounts has deals at the store a high as 75% off items. Bus routes Pace 381 95th Street 384 Narragansett/Ridgeland 395 95th/Dan Ryan CTA/UPS Hodgkins (Weekday UPS shifts only) References External links Official website