Des Plaines was the site of Ray Kroc 's first McDonald 's franchise , which opened in 1955 . The restaurant was demolished in 1984 , and a replica was built on the site as a museum dedicated to McDonald 's history . In 2017 , McDonald 's announced plans to demolish the building due to repeated flooding . The building has since been demolished . In 1979 , Des Plaines was the site of the accident of American Airlines Flight 191 , in which a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 departing from O'Hare lost an engine and wing material and crashed near a local trailer park just north of Touhy Avenue . All 271 people onboard the aircraft died , as did two workers at a repair garage . Two more , along with three civilians , were injured
American Airlines Flight 191
American Airlines Flight 191
Des Plaines, Illinois