Palatine history

Palatine, Illinois still has an air of newness to it, but the town actually has a rich history that dates back to the 1830s when settlers from New England migrated west, taking over vast tracts of land in the area for farming. Development was gradual for the next few decades until the Illinois and Wisconsin Railroad built a train line in the early 1850s that passed through the region, making a stop in Palatine at Deer Grove Trading Post. As with many of the other small towns and suburbs that surround Chicago, the construction of the railroad and the addition of a station caused development and the area's population to rapidly increase.

The emerging village grew around the rail station, which gave residents access to that little boomtown to the southeast – Chicago. One of the residents who made a home in Palatine during the town's rise was Joel Wood. Mr. Wood had big ideals for the tiny settlement, though, and after spending a few years surveying the land he completed plans for the Village of Palatine in 1855. The town was incorporated in 1866 and three years later it was chartered by the state. Housing development rose steadily through the beginning of the 20th century in Palatine, spiking after the end of the Second World War with the construction of the Palanois Park subdivision. The Cook County Fair was held in Palatine between 1914 and 1931, but the fairground was later converted into a residential subdivision as well.

In the second half of the 20th century, the population of Palatine multiplied at an unprecedented rate. The number of inhabitants more than doubled in the 1960s, growing from just over 10,000 people in 1960 to more than 25,000 people in 1970. The population count in Palatine today is closer 65,000 with about two dozen schools in operation. Witness Palatine's rich history first-hand at the George S. Clayson House Museum and Library (224 E Palatine Rd), a home built in 1873 that has recently been restored to its beautiful 19th century glory.