Picture this You’re standing in Clarendon Hills a charming village 18 miles west of Chicago’s Loop. Rolling hills rise around you. This wasn’t always so.
In 1864 the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad arrived. Farmers initially used it as a milk stop. But the scenic land attracted speculators. James M Walker then president of the railroad envisioned a commuter suburb.
The area was platted in 1873. The design was inspired by Frederick Law Olmsted’s landscape architecture. Winding streets followed the natural contours of the land. The name Clarendon Hills came from a Boston suburb. Despite its beauty and prominent backers the village grew slowly.
North of the tracks Henry C Middaugh owned 270 acres. Instead of developing it he farmed the land. He hoped to lure wealthy investors. He improved the land. He planted trees. In 1893 he built a magnificent 20-room mansion. The Middaugh Mansion entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It was meticulously built. Bronze screws replaced nails. Middaugh supposedly used a billiard ball to check floor levelness. Sadly it was demolished in 2002.
Residential development really took off in the 1920s. Clarendon Hills incorporated as a village in 1923. A one-room school became a two-room brick building. The first police officer was hired in 1924. A business district emerged. Many commuters settled here. More subdivisions were built north of the train station.
After World War II Clarendon Hills boomed. The population soared from 933 in 1930 to 5885 by 1960. Ranches Cape Cods and split-levels were built. New residents formed Episcopal Roman Catholic and Lutheran congregations. The Lions Club founded in 1950 built the community’s first public swimming pool. By 2000 the population reached 7610.
Clarendon Hills grew from a quiet prairie to a thriving community. It blended its natural beauty with thoughtful planning and a strong sense of community spirit. Its history is a testament to vision perseverance and the enduring appeal of a well-planned suburb. And you are experiencing its charm today.