The Railroad Depot was built in 1926 to service the Chicago Great Western (CGW) Railroad. The railroad track, which passed through Villa Park, was constructed in 1886-87. The Wander Company, makers of Ovaltine, used the railroad to ship and receive goods and to bring in coal for its powerhouse. The CGW also serviced several lumber and fuel supply businesses in town.

Many Sears Catalog house kits were transported by this railroad to a siding. When the shipment came in, the buyer would only have a few days to have the material delivered to their property. In the early days, this was often accomplished by use of a horse and wagon. Indeed it was a monumental effort. The Sears kit contained all of the necessary materials to build a house - pre-sawn lumber, flooring, interior and exterior doors, windows, roofing, bathroom fixtures, lighting and hardware, such as door knobs, hinges, nails, faucets, etc. After the CGW ceased operation, the Village of Villa Park purchased the property including the depot. CGW later removed the tracks. For several winters, the former depot had been used as a refreshment house and supplied piping hot chocolate (or was it Ovaltine) to the ice skaters in the square. In later years, it was used as a storage facility. Other communities acquired the CGW Railroad right-of-way property to establish the "Great Western Trail" along the former tracks. The Village is planning to install lighting along this trail through Villa Park.

Since the late 90's, the Men's Garden Club of Villa Park has been using the building for storing their gardening tools and supplies. They constructed a greenhouse on the property adjacent to the depot. Plantings for Village properties are grown here, as well as plants for the Garden Club's annual fundraiser. This arrangement provides an excellent opportunity for club members and volunteers to gain experience in growing plants and maintaining Villa Park as the "Garden Village".

During the past several years, the Village's Park and Recreation department started a part-time project to restore the depot to its original condition, including the color and signage along with their scheduled maintenance upkeep. Bob Niemann and Dave Elliott were responsible for the repairs and restoration.

On May 14, 2001, the Village of Villa Park received a Historic Preservation plaque to recognize their preservation effort for restoring the depot to its former glory. It is located at Cortesi Park.