Historical Timeline of Elk Grove Village

2006 – Residents celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Schuette-Bierman Farmhouse, 50th Anniversary of the Village of Elk Grove, 40th Anniversary of the Elk Grove Park District and 30th Anniversary of the Elk Grove Historical Society.

2002 – The Schoolhouse Orientation Center is built.

1996 – The village’s 40th Anniversary celebrated, and the Hometown Parade established.

1993 – Jack Claes Pavilion for recreation programming is opened.

1990 – The new library opens at its current location at 1001 Wellington Avenue.

1989 – The population of Elk Grove Village is 33,205.

1985 – The Deike Barn is moved to the Farmhouse Museum Campus.

1983 – The Pirates Cove Adventure Park is built.

1982 – The Tylenol murders (arsenic poisoning) began in Elk Grove Village with the death of a young girl. This event changed the way over-the-counter medicine is packaged.

1980 – Statistics from the 1980 census show the Elk Grove Village resident count to be 28,860 and the housing total as 9,790.

1975 – Astronaut James Lovell (Apollo 13) helps dedicate new village parks. The Elk Grove Historical Society is founded.

1967 – Chicago and its surrounding areas experience one of the largest snowfalls in its history. It began on January 27 and three days later measured twenty-three inches, leaving many residents stranded.

1966 – St. Alexius Hospital opened its doors in the summer of 1966. In November, the “Elk Grove Herald” reported that Centex had acquired one thousand acres west of the Village boundary from Rohlwing Road to Plum Grove Road. More schools are built as the village grows.

1962 – Jaycees initiate the Peony Parade.

1961 – Forty volunteer firemen were sworn in on February 21. Both the Fire and Police Departments moved into an all-purpose building on Landmeier Road along with the Village Clerk.

1959 – The Elk Grove Village Public Library opens on July 18, 1959, one day after the third birthday of Elk Grove Village. The first library was located in one of the original Centex model homes on Forest Lane, and was made possible by the Junior Women’s Club. The Village flag and motto are established – “On this land we build with dignity”. The first Village public schools open: Rupley and Ridge School.

1958 – The Park n’ Shop shopping center opened. The Lions Club and Jaycees are formed.

1957 – The first Village Hall is located at State & Higgins. The village fire engine is kept in a barn on Tonne Rd., along with the first courtroom and Police Dept. These are later moved to 666 Landmeier.

1954-56 – The Centex Corporation becomes the first major developer in the area. Elk Grove is incorporated with a population of 116. Elk Grove Village is officially nicknamed the “Peony Village”.

1939 – The WGN Radio Transmitter is installed.

1922-24 – Ten elk from Jackson Hole, WY are released into Busse Woods.

1902 – School District 59 is established.

1885 – An Old Settlers Reunion is held at the Temperance Hall in Arlington Heights.

1840 – Elk Grove Township is surveyed in August of this year.

1812 – The General Land Office is established to oversee land sales in the new territory. Surveyors divided the land into townships which measured six square miles. These were then divided into 36 sections, with each section being one square mile or 640 acres. They are then designated Congressional Townships.

1787 – The Northwest Ordinance is enacted. This ordinance established a system that would eventually transform this newly settled territory

1785 – The land ordinance is enacted and sets guidelines for the surveying of territory outside of the original Thirteen Colonies.