Oak Brook is a small village in DuPage County, Illinois, and though it may have a population of less than 8,000, it is very well known.
Both Lions Clubs International and global food chain McDonald's call this village home.
However, there is much more to this Chicago suburb than the largest service club organization and the once-largest restaurant chain in the world.
Early Days of Oak Brook In the earliest days, Indians used the 5,302 acres that constitute this village as part of their hunting domain.
Artifacts from Indian campsites date back 8,000 years.
Elisha Fish is thought to be the first settler and several pioneer families followed in the mid 1800s.
After the Civil War, settlers arrived in droves, many of them emigrating from Germany and other portions of Europe.
They built homes, farmed, and worshipped, creating a small community.
For thirty years beginning in the early 1900s, Natoma Dairy Farm was the only commercial enterprise in this area.
The dairy attracted people from other areas, increasing the population of the village.
Real estate activity increased but the Great Depression brought a collapse.
By the 1930s, people were again purchasing small parcels of land and constructing homes.
In 1958, the village was incorporated and in 1962, a shopping mall opened its doors.
Unique Aspects of Oak Brook Civic leader Paul Butler, who played a large role in the incorporation of the village, loved sports.
The Sports Core was constructed in his honor and it features tennis and swimming facilities, polo fields, and a golf course that was once the venue for the Western Open.
In 1975, a historical society was established to advocate for village preservation.
Restoration of the Old Butler School will soon yield a heritage center that will offer historical exhibits, programs, and a research library.
This planned village has achieved national recognition due to the hard work of Mr.
Butler and a team of experts.
Residential areas are divided into four zones and the total residential development plan will eventually accommodate 10,000 people.
Different sections of this village are connected and enhanced by bicycle and pedestrian paths.
Civic pride abounds in this small village and residential and commercial development are balanced by more than 140 acres of park district.
This is one place that has managed to hold onto the past while embracing the present.
The volunteer fireman's association still exists, establishing its place alongside a fire department staffed by paid professionals.
Both Lions Clubs International and global food chain McDonald's call this village home.
However, there is much more to this Chicago suburb than the largest service club organization and the once-largest restaurant chain in the world.
Early Days of Oak Brook In the earliest days, Indians used the 5,302 acres that constitute this village as part of their hunting domain.
Artifacts from Indian campsites date back 8,000 years.
Elisha Fish is thought to be the first settler and several pioneer families followed in the mid 1800s.
After the Civil War, settlers arrived in droves, many of them emigrating from Germany and other portions of Europe.
They built homes, farmed, and worshipped, creating a small community.
For thirty years beginning in the early 1900s, Natoma Dairy Farm was the only commercial enterprise in this area.
The dairy attracted people from other areas, increasing the population of the village.
Real estate activity increased but the Great Depression brought a collapse.
By the 1930s, people were again purchasing small parcels of land and constructing homes.
In 1958, the village was incorporated and in 1962, a shopping mall opened its doors.
Unique Aspects of Oak Brook Civic leader Paul Butler, who played a large role in the incorporation of the village, loved sports.
The Sports Core was constructed in his honor and it features tennis and swimming facilities, polo fields, and a golf course that was once the venue for the Western Open.
In 1975, a historical society was established to advocate for village preservation.
Restoration of the Old Butler School will soon yield a heritage center that will offer historical exhibits, programs, and a research library.
This planned village has achieved national recognition due to the hard work of Mr.
Butler and a team of experts.
Residential areas are divided into four zones and the total residential development plan will eventually accommodate 10,000 people.
Different sections of this village are connected and enhanced by bicycle and pedestrian paths.
Civic pride abounds in this small village and residential and commercial development are balanced by more than 140 acres of park district.
This is one place that has managed to hold onto the past while embracing the present.
The volunteer fireman's association still exists, establishing its place alongside a fire department staffed by paid professionals.
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