Milestones of History

Milestones of History. . , 1832 Pioneers begin to settle here as the Black Hawk War ends. By 1841, land sales begin at $1.25 per acre, 1837 Chamblee Post Office, named for Chief Shabbona, opens in log cabin of Mancel Talcott, near the Des Plaines River, 1843 Monroe Congregational Church is organized here. First building erected 1848 near Talcott and Dee Roads, 1850 Maine Township, population of 548, is our first local government, at the suggestion of Socrates Rand , , 1854 Penny and Meacham Brick Yard makes clay bricks at Elm and Grand. The town is called Pennyville, 1856 Railroad service begins here as Chicago, St. Paul and Fond-du-Lac trains stop to serve the Brick Yard, 1857 Pennyville becomes Brickton, Illinois as the Brickton Post Office is established on Northwest Highway, 1858 Town of Maine Cemetery at Touhy and Dee chartered on land purchased from Dr. Frederick T. Miner, 1861-1865 In U. S. Civil War, twelve soldiers from Brickton, Illinois or surrounding area die in service, 1870 Grant Place School opens as first permanent local school. Built of Brickton bricks, with two classrooms, 1873 Brickton incorporates as Village of Park Ridge, with population of 405. George B. Carpenter is first President, 1876 Composer John Alden Carpenter is born here. He adds an American flavor to symphonic music, 1880’s Heated greenhouses flourish, growing flowers and vegetables. One local specialty is growing mint, 1886 Captain William P. Black, Park Ridge lawyer and Civil War hero, defends Haymarket anarchists on trial, 1890 Village of Park Ridge hires first Police Officer. In 1893, a volunteer Fire Company is created, 1894 Electricity comes to Park Ridge when a generator is built at Electric Hall, Main Street at Fairview, 1895 An artists’ colony begins with painters, sculptors and designers locating homes and studios here, 1896 First Village Hall is built at Touhy and Northwest Highway, on land donated by George B. Carpenter, 1902 Maine High School opens on Thacker Street for 35 students. It relocates to Dempster and Potter in 1930, 1903 Frederic W. Goudy, printer and type designer, establishes Village Press, prints fine books in his barn, 1905 Clara Barck Welles opens Kalo Studio on Grant Place making fine handmade silverware sold in Chicago, 1906 Park Ridge Country Club is established by a local tennis club. They leased former Robb family farm, 1908 The first bank opens in office of Barrows Lumber and Coal Co. at Touhy and Meacham Avenues, 1908 Illinois Industrial School for Girls relocates from Evanston, builds campus on North Prospect Avenue (becomes Park Ridge School for Girls), 1910 Park Ridge, population of 2009, votes to incorporate as City. , Dr. Albert Buchheit (a dentist) is elected as first Mayor, 1913 The Park Ridge Public Library opens Uptown in new building donated by Andrew Carnegie of Pittsburgh, 1914 Park Ridge Park District created by referendum as a separate government. Park Commissioners are elected, 1917 During World War I, Mother Francis X. Cabrini from Italy, first U.S. saint, purchases a farm here, 1928 Pickwick Theatre is built on Prospect Avenue. It replaces the 1924 Ridge Theater on Vine Avenue, 1936 Tri-M Music Honor Society is founded at Maine Township High School. The society now has chapters around the world, 1943 Douglas Aircraft of Orchard Place at Mannheim and Higgins builds C-54 Skymasters for World War II. (This site will become O’Hare Airport in 1949.) , 1959 Lutheran General Hospital is dedicated in new building on Dempster Street in Park Ridge, 1960 Park Ridge city flag is designed by Mayor Raymond Hollis. The Northwest (Kennedy) Expressway opens, 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton is candidate for U.S. President , U.S. Secretary of State 2009 , U.S. Senator 2001 , First Lady 1993 , Maine South 1965