River Forest history

Before the arrival of Europeans, the area that now comprises the village of River Forest was home to several different Native American tribes. The construction of a sawmill on the banks of the Des Plaines River in 1831 spurred interest in the area and led to the earliest incarnation of the town known as Novesville (which would eventually become the Chicago suburb of River Forest). The settlement's riverside location was convenient for early industry and the fertile top soil of the surrounding land was ideal for both crop farming and for raising livestock.

The close proximity to the growing city of Chicago to the east certainly did not impede the region's development. When Chicago's first rail line, The Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, was constructed in 1848, it ran through nearby Oak Park, which drew even more people to the area. The population continued to rise throughout the second half of the century, experiencing a large boost after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when many of the city's residents were forced to look for housing beyond city limits.

The town was incorporated as River Forest in 1880, due mostly to pressure fueled by the temperance movement aimed at trimming down alcohol consumption in the region. It seems many of the community's residents were concerned with the mounting number of taverns located on the town's east side and wanted a governing body to help control development. The incorporation was challenged in the courts but was eventually upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Population growth in River Forest started to level off in the early 1900s. Several subdivisions were constructed since that time, however, the number of residents in River Forest has held steady at around 13,000 for nearly four decades.