Barrington Estate District

Uncommon Depression-era map of Barrington Hills and the surrounding area

This uncommon real estate map of Barrington Hills, Illinois was copyrighted in 1935 as a collaborative effort between the Glenview real estate firm of Wyatt & Coons and the Wilmette-based engineering firm of D.J.L. Walther. It was issued to promote Elmer E. Stults, Inc. – a Chicago-based real estate company.

The image shows the affluent suburban region, located about 35 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, during a period of gradual growth and development. Golf courses and lavish country estates began to replace the local farms and dairies during the Roaring 20s, though the pace declined during the Depression.

Chicago’s notorious gangster culture, especially prominent at the time, would also seep into the area. Bootleggers would occasionally use the primary roads, represented with thick black lines. The violent Battle of Barrington between Baby Face Nelson and two lawmen, Herman Hollis and Samuel Cowley, took place the year prior to publication, Red overprinting across much of the presented area gives the impression that the reach of Elmer E. Stults, Inc. encompasses all.