The Meyer General Store and the Bank of Max Meyer, c. 1900. The northwest corner of Elm and Green Bay has been home to a bank since 1894.
While the development of the railroad brought an influx of settlers to Winnetka, the population remained relatively small for decades. A few stores, like the Graves General Store, opened in the 1850s to serve the village’s residents. After the Great Chicago Fire destroyed much of the city, Winnetka experienced a second population boom and by 1890, it had more than doubled. As the population grew, however, so too did the needs of the residents.
In the late 19th century, Winnetka experienced its first wave of commercial development. Over twenty new businesses opened to meet local needs by offering fuel, building materials, food, laundry services, and repairs. Notably, in 1894, the village’s first bank, the Bank of Max Meyer, was founded inside the Meyer General Store, formerly the Graves General Store, at the corner of Elm Street and Green Bay Road.
Max Meyer and his wife, 1893.
Proposed village center in the Plan of Winnetka, 1921.
In 1921, the Plan of Winnetka was completed, laying out the village’s central hub for shopping, transportation, dining, and conducting business, including that of the village at the new Village Hall. The Plan of Winnetka also prioritized the maintenance of green space and, notably, the lowering of the train tracks to ensure the safety of its residents.
Early Winnetka settlers first accessed water through individual wells. As the population grew, wells became inadequate and in 1893, the village decided to build its own pumping station. In 1900, the first electric generating equipment was added to the plant, creating the Municipal Plant that still provides Winnetka’s residents with water and power in 2024.