This is the first of a two-part Adventure Lab to commemorate Berkeley's Centennial Celebration, 1924-2024! Present day Berkeley is located on the western edge of Cook County about 14 miles west of downtown Chicago. I-290 and I-294 form the western and part of the southern border. The Union Pacific Railroad and the Proviso railyards distinguish the northern boundary. Nearest neighbors are Elmhurst, Bellwood and Hillside. Population as of 2020 census is 5,300. This was the land of the Potawatomi in the 1800s. The Chicago Treaty signed on September 26, 1833 opened this property and much of Wisconsin and Michigan for sale by the United States Government. The first settlers, mostly German and Dutch with names like Bohlander, Diebert, Glos, Fippenger and Darmstadt, arrived around 1835. They established farms and helped each other through the hard times. These settlers also partnered with the town of St. Charles, 30 miles to the west, to improve a trail from St. Charles through Berkeley to Chicago. Completed in 1836, St. Charles Road opened transportation, communication and trade through this route. The Frick, Walker & Co. stagecoach line, which established an office in Chicago in 1845, used this route to carry passengers and the U.S. Mail. There are 5 sites, which can be visited in any order. Part one is a walking tour. Limited parking is available at the Village Hall lot located at 5819 Electric Ave. Berkeley, IL 60163 Additional information and references: "From Oats to Roses: The History of Berkeley" by Rosemarie Johnson; Village of Berkeley Website - History of Berkeley; Wikipedia - Berkeley, Illinois; Wikipedia - Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad; Wikipedia - 1833 Treaty of Chicago; The Digital Research Library of Illinois History; Great Third Rail.org; and Berkeley Public Library.
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