History

French explorers, who first traveled down the Des Plaines River in the late 1600’s, found the Des Plaines River Valley occupied by the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa tribes of Native Americans. The first few but hardy settlers arrived from New York, New England and Germany in the 1830’s to farm the prairie. In 1857, when the railroad introduced daily train service between Chicago and Wisconsin, an area was identified as the “Town of Rand”, named after Socrates Rand, an influential early settler.

Though popularly held to have been first settled in 1835, the Village of Des Plaines was incorporated in 1869, reincorporated in 1873, and officially organized in 1874 with the election of the first village board. The present form of government was adopted in 1925.

Photo: Socrates Rand overlooking the present Des Plaines Historical Society Museum in downtown Des Plaines.