Hey sisters! We recently received a question from a reader who is around our age and curious about what it was like growing up in Western Springs. And honestly? What a joy it is to revisit those memories. If you were a 90s kid—or if you raised one—you know exactly the magic I’m talking about.
So, grab a cozy beverage, because we’re going back in time.
Long Live the 90s, Western Springs
Picture this: It’s the summer of 1994 in Springdale.
I’m sporting braces, glasses, headgear, and bangs so puffy they deserved their own zip code. A bunch of us kids have just wrapped up an intense round of night games—Ghost in the Graveyard and Kick the Can being the official sports of the neighborhood.
Next stop: Blockbuster in the Garden Market to pick out a VHS or two. Heavyweights and My Girl were weekend staples—cue the belly laughs and inevitable tears.
Before heading home, we’d grab a scoop of Gold Medal Ribbon from Baskin Robbins. And for whatever reason, that flavor always made me instantly parched, so I’d chug a tiny paper cup of water before hopping back on my bike.
Basically—the perfect Friday night.
Timber Trails: The Summertime Mecca
The rest of the weekend? Timber Trails Pool, located at Wolf Road and Plainfield.
To us, Timber Trails wasn’t just a pool. It was the pool. It was our summertime kingdom. Swedish Fish, hot pretzels with cheese, and the scent of Ban de Soleil floating through the air. And of course—the lifeguards. The coolest humans in all the land.
There was even an adults-only rooftop deck rumored to host topless sunbathers. In the immortal words of Maury Povich… that was a lie.
Or was it?
Clubs, Creativity, and the Little Ball Muffins
If we weren’t at the pool, we were tearing around Springdale or busy with our neighborhood club: The 50th Place Kids, lovingly called The Little Ball Muffins.
This elite club consisted of my siblings and the McGuire girls, who lived two houses down. We had a clubhouse, staged musicals, created a flag, and followed a strict hierarchy—from oldest to youngest, naturally.
To this day, those friends remain my people. Thirty years strong.
A Neighborhood Straight Out of The Burbs
Life on 50th Place was hilarious and full of colorful characters—very The Burbs vibes, starring Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher.
One of my favorite stories: A neighbor once handcuffed her boyfriend to the bed before leaving for work. Hours later, our friend’s mom heard him yelling for help from outside and called the police.
When asked why she’d locked him up?
“I just didn’t want him to leave.”
Our friend’s mom: an icon. A community hero.
So many neighbors. So many stories. Honestly, I should write a book.
BP—Before Phones
Summer in the 90s really was incredible because it was BP: Before Phones.
We lived outside.
We gossiped on the corner after school.
We rode bikes, TP’d the houses of our foes, spied on our crushes, and only went home when our parents forced us back inside.
We were dirty, sweaty, exhausted, and happy. Then it was bath time, bedtime, and reruns of Roseanne with my sister—whispering so we wouldn’t get caught.
Every day felt like a new adventure.
It truly was the best.
Let’s Bring the 90s Back—Just a Little
Maybe this summer, look up the rules to some old-school night games. Get the kids to start a club. Create a 90s movie night outdoors and have a cozy little discussion afterward with s’mores.
We all talk about “back in the day,” because back in the day was simpler. You had what you had—and you made fun with it.
Let’s make old-school 90s cool again and let the young ones experience a little slice of what we had.
Thank you for this question. And now I’m left to wonder… how many other boyfriends did my neighbor handcuff that The Little Ball Muffins never got the chance to save?
Stay Cozy,
Lauren Massarella
This article was originally written for Hillgrove Ave Magazine.
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