Timeline
1833 | - | Treaty of Chicago signed, requiring Potawatamie Indians to leave
Northern Illinois. Hezehiah Dunklee and Mason Smith come to Dunklee's Grove in Addison Township. |
1835 | - | 12 German familes arrive from Benzen, Germany. Village of Lester's Station started. (It became WoodDale) Erie Canal opened. |
1837 | - | Buckhorn Tavern Stage top and Grand and York. 30 families are living at Dunklee's Grove. First German congregation formed. (See Churches) |
1842 | - | First schools organized. |
1847 | - | Fischer Mill started. Flax mill built in Bensenville, ? on Wood Street between Mason and Barron. Flax seed oil was a key cash crop. |
1848 | - | St. John's Evangelical Church established. |
1850 | - | Plank roads built creating ties to Chicago. |
1852 | - | Korthauer Log House built on Green Street |
1854 | - | United Methodist Church begins. |
1859 | - | Immanuel Church formed. |
1860 | - | Abraham Lincoln elected President of the United States. |
1861 | - | Civil War between the U. S. and the Confederacy begins. |
1873 | - | The plat of land that was to become the Village of Bensenville was recorded, and originally called Tioga. |
1884 | - | The Village of Bensenville was incorporated. George Cogswell was the first President. |
1885 | - | School District 2 was formed. |
1886 | - | The first school was built on Green Street. |
1894 | - | Bensenville Volunteer Fire Department was organized. |
1895 | - | The Bensenville Home Society's "Castle" was built. |
1900 | - | Franzen Brothers Bank established. |
1902 | - | The first telephone was installed in Bensenville. Switchboard was at
Korthauer's Hardware Store. Peace Church organized. |
1904 | - | 64 people in Bensenville have telephones. |
1905 | - | The first fire bell was purchased and hung in town center. Railroad was a key employer in town. |
1908 | - | The first Village hall was built on Railroad Avenue, completed in 1909. |
1910 | - | Electricity came to Bensenville |
1916 | - | Roundhouse on Green Street built by Milwaukee Road. |
1917 | - | Second Green Street School was built. High School started in one of the rooms. |
1925 | - | Community High School District 100 was organized |
1926 | - | First high school graduating class |
1927 | - | Bensenville Community High School opened on York Road across from the
"Castle" Population is 902. |
1930 | - | Referendum passed to build Tioga School. Population is 1680. 52 passenger trains and 27 freight trains pass through Bensenville daily. |
1932 | - | Plentywood Farm Restaurant opens in a log cabin. Greenhouses built to add to Bensenville's economy. |
1935 | - | 90% of village's workforce work for the Milwaukee Road Railroad. |
1940 | - | Bensenville's population reached 1875. |
1943 | - | Douglas aircraft plant, later to become O'Hare Airport, was built. 40% of workforce working for Douglas. |
1946 | - | The Bensenville Chamber of Commerce was established. Chicago buys Orchard Airfield and 1,900 farms for O'Hare Field. |
1947 | - | First Bensenville public school kindergarten opened. |
1954 | - | Construction of Fenton High School |
1957 | - | Mohawk School built Influx of manufacturers to Bensenville. |
1958 | - | Wesley A. Johnson School built. |
1959 | - | Luessenhop Farm at York and Grand bought and becomes Brentwood subdivision and shopping center |
1960 | - | Referendums passed creating Bensenville Park District and Bensenville Community Public Library
District. Eight major new industries move to Bensenville. |
1967 | - | Second Village Hall dedicated at southwest corner of Irving Park and Church Roads. |
1974 | - | Public Safety building built at junction of Main Street and Church Road. |
1978 | - | Current library building built at 200 South Church Road. |
1981 | - | Bensenville Arts Council formed. |
1984 | - | Bensenville celebrated its Centennial |
1985 | - | Bensenville Historical Commission created. Bensenville Water Park opened. |
1989 | - | Deer Grove Leisure Center opens. |
1995 | - | Population is 17,767. |
1997 | - | CLeaRNET was opened to the public (April 16, 1997) CLeaRNET graphical side was opened to the public (Dec. 14, 1997) |
2001 | - |
CLeaRNET
received its
1,000,000th e-mail |
2005 | - | Sadly, CLeaRNET was shut down on June 30th. |