Riverside History
Settled in 1836, Riverside, known then as the Aux Plaines,
first welcomed the Forbes family to its serene riverbanks and
beautiful forest areas.
Others soon discovered the
desirability of the area. However, only a handful of
individuals held large land holdings in Riverside, and
consequently, land development, from approximately 1840
to 1868, was minimal. In 1869, the Riverside Improvement
Company was incorporated and set forth to fulfill the
company’s dream of developing “a perfect village in a
perfect setting”, in which nature would become an integral
and essential part of everyday living for all its residents.
The company selected Frederick Law Olmsted as their
architect of choice, and based on Olmsted’s plan, the
community began to take shape and resemble the Riverside
we know today. In 1873, the Riverside Improvement
Company failed, creating conditions that warranted Village
incorporation in order to carry on municipal functions. On
June 25, 1875, the Cook County court was petitioned to
organize the Village of Riverside, and soon after, on August
8, 1875, the first Village President, Carol Gaytes, and first
trustees were elected.
Over the past 130 years since incorporation, Riverside has
matured into a beautiful, vibrant “Village in the Forest”.
Many of the original elements of Olmsted’s plan, including
expansive green parkways, gas-lit street lanterns and
curvilinear streets are still intact, and as a result, the Village
has enjoyed a National Historic Landmark designation since
1970.
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