In partnership with the Elmhurst History Museum, DuPage County Stormwater Management will offer the public a rare opportunity to tour its Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility on Saturday, Oct. 1.
With a floodwater capacity of 2.7 billion gallons, the Elmhurst Quarry is the largest of DuPage County’s 17 flood control facilities countywide. Using a predetermined operating plan, DuPage County Stormwater Management staff allows floodwater to enter the Elmhurst Quarry via a 400-foot tunnel, which runs under Illinois Route 83. The Quarry holds the floodwater until water elevations recede enough to pump the water back into Salt Creek.
Stormwater Management Committee Chairman Jim Zay is pleased to offer this opportunity to residents after a three-year hiatus.
“It’s not every day that you can tour a facility of this magnitude with this much history,” Zay said. “This tour gives us an opportunity show how we transformed an active quarry into a flood control facility. We are excited to welcome people back to the Elmhurst Quarry. When we’ve offered this ‘sneak peek’ into Quarry operations, we’ve had a great deal of interest from the community.”
Tours will depart from the Elmhurst History Museum’s Education Center, located at 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst, via bus every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Each tour will last approximately two hours. The cost for the tour is $15 per person, payable to the Elmhurst History Museum.
Following the Quarry visit, participants can take a self-guided tour of the Elmhurst History Museum’s exhibit “By All Accounts: The Story of Elmhurst,” which includes more information and a video about the Quarry’s history.
“The Elmhurst Quarry was one of the city’s oldest businesses with a rich history, and it has always been a source of curiosity for area residents,” said Dave Oberg, Executive Director of the Elmhurst History Museum. “The Quarry Tour is one of our most popular offerings as it gives participants a behind-the-scenes opportunity to learn about its history and get a close-up view of the inner workings from viewing platforms that are usually closed to the public.”
Elmhurst Quarry Tour ticket sales will begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1. The event has sold out quickly in the past. Tickets can be purchased online only on the Elmhurst History Museum’s website at www.elmhursthistory.org or directly through Eventbrite at https://tinyurl.com/2y7vxbrd. Children 10 and over are permitted but must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call the Elmhurst History Museum at (630) 833-1457.