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History of Melrose Park
An Overview of Its Beginnings

 

The Early Years

In 1836, Simon Z. Haven obtained the land bounded by Madison and Division Streets and Ninth and Twenty-fifth Avenues.  Due to financial difficulties that area was divided in 1864 by order of the Superior Court of Chicago.  The 460.84 acres between Ninth and Twenty-fifth Avenues, Division Street and the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks into five "lots".  The court awarded two of the "lots" to Haven's heirs and the other three to Haven's creditors.

In 1871, Allen Eaton and Edward Cuyler formed the Melrose Realty Company to develop the land west of Maywood.  They purchased three "lots" west of Twelfth Avenue (342.74 acres). That land became "Melrose Subdivision and Town".

There were several communities in the United States which bore the name of Melrose but there was no Melrose Park. 

The Village of Melrose was incorporated September 11, 1882.

A movement began in 1893 to change the village's name.  A petition to change the name to Melrose Park was received by the Board of Trustees on February 15, 1893.  At a public meeting on March 13, 1893 the majority of the citizen favored the change and the Board of Trustees authorized the change of name.  On May 21, 1894 the State of Illinois finally completed the process and the name change was legal.  At that time president of the Melrose was Daniel C. Gojen.  As no election was necessary with the village's name change, Mr. Gojen became the first president of Melrose Park.

Like many of the area's communities many families have lived here for generations.  In Melrose Park one such prominent family is the Weiss Family.  Six generations have lived in Melrose Park starting with Frederick and Laura Weiss  who settled there in 1848.  Their farm ran south of North Avenue to near Augusta and from the DesPlaines River to Ninth Avenue.

Since that time the Weiss descendents have been an active part of the community.  For more on this family, visit the Melrose Park Historic Center that their library and see the book "Melrose Park -- 100 Years of Progress".

For more on Melrose park, visit the Melrose Park Historic Center (at the library) or visit their website at Melrose Park Historic Center.

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Last Modified:  09/28/2007