Weston, DuPage County, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Weston, Illinois
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Village (defunct)
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 Weston, Illinois
Location in Illinois
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Dupage County |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Website | http://history.fnal.gov/ |
Weston was a small community in DuPage County, Illinois, in the United States. It was located near the towns of Batavia and Warrenville. Weston no longer exists today because its leaders decided to close it down. This was done to make space for a huge science project called the National Accelerator Laboratory, now known as Fermilab. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission chose this spot on December 16, 1966.
The Story of Weston
Weston actually started as a housing area called West Field. It had about 100 homes. There were big plans to make it much larger, with enough space for 50,000 people.
Early Plans and Problems
A developer named William Riley wanted to build a huge new town. It was going to have the biggest shopping mall in North America, with about 2,000 stores! The plans also included an airport, over 11,000 homes, sports fields, a town center, and even large man-made lakes.
However, DuPage County did not want the town to become an official village. They took the developer to court, saying there was a small mistake in the paperwork. They argued that because the town wasn't properly set up, it couldn't legally add more land for building.
In April 1964, just four months after the big plans were announced, the project fell apart. The developer went bankrupt, meaning he ran out of money and couldn't pay his debts. He blamed the county's lawsuit for this failure.
A New Purpose for the Land
After the project failed, DuPage County took over the West Field area. The few people who already lived there were allowed to stay. These residents then tried again to make their community an official town. They wanted to be free from the county's control.
They even asked the United States government for help through the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. This government group was looking for a place to build a new, very important science lab. Scientists from the National Academy of Sciences also visited the site.
In 1966, after a lot of discussion and disagreement, the Weston community was chosen. It would be the home for the new National Accelerator Laboratory. Soon after, it was announced that the entire town of Weston would be inside the lab's property. This meant that everyone living in Weston had to sell their homes to the State of Illinois. That's how the community of Weston officially ended.
What is There Now?
Today, the houses that used to be in Weston are still being used. They serve as offices and homes for scientists and researchers from all over the world who work at Fermilab. It's like an "academic village" where people who collaborate on science projects can live and work.
