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Barrington Celebrates it 50th Anniversary

Just as families celebrate special life events, so do communities. In 2007, the Barrington area community is celebrating the two Golden Anniversaries of the Village of Barrington Hills and the Village of Deer Park. Special events, functions and enjoyment await all Barrington families in honoring these historic times.

A brief history follows to inform and highlight the pride these communities feel, but it is in no way a complete story. The complete story awaits each resident who joins in the telling and sharing of memories and experiences. All have a time they remember and a place they cherish.

Village of Barrington Hills
The Village of Barrington Hills was incorporated on July 5, 1957, thus formally incorporating other settlements that had begun in the early 1800s. Located 34 miles northwest of Chicago it covers over 28 square miles.

The rich farmland and abundant water supply attracted settlers in the 1830s and 1840s, many of whom were immigrants. Farmers brought crops to nearby markets and dairy farmers were able to support a cheese factory in the late nineteenth century.

At the turn of the century, Chicago executives sought the quiet and openness that Barrington Hills offered. Many of the rolling farms subdivided into large estates where new owners turned from agriculture to horse breeding and riding. By the 1920s, residents began marking bridle paths. The Fox River Valley Hunt Club, founded in the late 1930s, continued marking trails that covered both private property and forest preserve land. By the late 1980s, there were over 70 miles of paths.

Starting in 1945 and held on various estates, the Barrington Horse Show began. In 1965, the 15-acre Barrington Countryside Riding Center became the show’s permanent home.

With a strong desire to retain the open, rustic landscape, the village incorporated in 1957 and in 1962, Barrington Hills annexed the neighboring town of Middlebury. In 1970, the Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) formed to preserve the resources of the seven villages that now constitute the Barrington area. Barrington Hills has maintained its rural climate for property owners who farm, raise horses or just want to enjoy the expansive beauty.

Village of Deer Park
The Village of Deer Park was incorporated on November 13, 1957. It is 37 miles northwest of Chicago, in both Lake and Cook counties. The village purpose is “To protect and maintain the health and safety of our residents, to provide for the orderly development of the land within our boundaries and to preserve green space for ourselves and posterity.”

Some of the earliest residents of the area were the Pottawatomie, Macoutin and Winnebago tribes. In 1833, a treaty signed with Chief Blackhawk moved the native-Americans across the Mississippi River. In 1834, settlers began migrating in from Vermont and Massachusetts. Rand Road, constructed in 1845, was originally a U.S mail route and in 1854, the railroad connected the area to the Chicago ports.

After this, many farmers moved in and settled because of the area’s rich soil and available water. Then, sometime after World War I, Chicago business owners and executives built estates in the communities. These two groups of individuals worked together in maintaining the area’s commitment to keeping the open land just that – open. By incorporating a greenbelt policy toward land use, they were able to protect the surrounding farmlands and the natural environment.

The Village of Deer Park still holds true to that policy and is able to offer the finest in suburban living on a rolling open countryside with a touch of charm.