Tales Tombstones Tell 2025 - Caroline “Carrie” Kaesser Kress
36th Annual Tales Tombstones Tell Self - Guided Tour
Step back in time with us for the 36th annual Tales Tombstones Tell — a beloved community tradition that brings local history to life, one gravestone at a time.
Each video in this series features a stop from our Oakwood Cemetery walk, sharing the stories of the people, families, and events that helped shape our town’s past. Whether you’re exploring for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, these tales reveal the humanity, humor, and heart found among the stones.
Caroline Kress (1831–1911) immigrated from Germany in the 1840s and helped establish one of the region’s earliest farming communities. Her family’s name lives on in Kress Creek and Kress Park — landmarks that remind us of the immigrant roots of West Chicago.
Interpreted by: Pam
Now, if you recall, in the 1840s, Germany — including Bonn, where I was born — was in turmoil. There was no unified Germany then, and many people were unhappy. Churches were divided, and it was not a good time for Germans of any region to stay.
My family was part of that unrest. We began to realize that perhaps we should look toward the New World — the United States.
And so, like many others, we decided to leave and come to America.
But even though there was hope for us here, it was a horrible trip across the ocean in the steerage of a ship. Some of us were on that boat for twelve weeks, enduring storms, winds, and being crammed into tiny spaces.
The food was poor, the bunks were rough, and it was far from comfortable.
But we wanted to come — and so we did.
When we arrived, there was no one to greet us.
They simply said, “Get off the ship,” and we did. There was no Ellis Island yet. There were no welcoming groups to help us settle.
We had to do everything ourselves.
Eventually, my family found our way to what is now West Chicago.
We were farmers, and so we farmed.
If you know where Kress Creek is — that was our land. It still exists today.
And there’s also Kress Park, over on Joliet Street.
My family did well. In 1861, I married Chris, and we were together until I died in 1911.
Our farm was in what is now Wayne Township.
Our families and our lives were tied closely to the German community.
We brought our customs, our religion, and all the things that kept us connected. Those of us who learned English — and there were quite a few — became really the first bilingual community and ethnic group here in West Chicago.
We farmed, and we did well.
DuPage County was quiet until the railroad came. When it did, everything changed.
The railroad realized this was a perfect place for a junction of different lines, and railroading became the next chapter in many of our lives.
A lot of our people went to work on the railroads, and commerce followed.
If you know how Turner was laid out in the beginning, you might remember that the original train line ran along the street behind where the museum stands today. That was good for all of us — it gave us something new to work for and build upon.
As for me, well — I’m about 180 years old now.
I lived a long life. I later lived here in West Chicago, in what’s now Ward Two, and I spent my time with other German families.
I realized, before I crossed over on April 30, 1911, that I was one of the first ones here — and that was something to be proud of.
I left behind the story of an immigrant who found success and belonging here in West Chicago.
Thank you.
