History of Schaumburg IL

Schaumburg, IL was first inhabited by the Sauk, Fox, Pottawatomie and Kickapoo Native American tribes. Settlers from Germany and the eastern United States began to travel to the area in the mid 1800’s.The first recorded settler was Johann Sunderlage, a German immigrant, who was part of the survey team that divided Cook County into townships in 1833. Three years later, Sunderlage moved his family from Germany to the township later known as Schaumburg.

Many of Schaumburg’s early settlers originally from the eastern United States continued to travel west looking for new open lands. By 1870, Schaumburg Township land records verify that all the property was owned by German immigrants or their descendants. German heritage had a great impact on the development of the area, including the name Schaumburg.

Schaumburg was originally referred to as Sarah's Grove, due to a grove a trees in the northwest portion of the township and three young women named Sarah that lived near the grove. However the name was never made official. At a Township meeting in 1850, residents decided on the name Schaumburg, after Schaumburg-Lippe, the part of Germany where many of the residents immigrated from.

Schaumburg Township prospered as a farming community, growing potatoes, dairy products and raising cattle. In 1858, a small market area emerged at what is now the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads. This Schaumburg Centre included two general stores, four cheese factories, a cobbler, tailor, wagon maker and a blacksmith.

Schaumburg, IL remained isolated as a small, rural town as it was not accessible by the area’s major railroads. Schaumburg did not begin to expand until the 1950’s, with the development of O'Hare as a major international airport and the construction of the Northwest Tollway in 1956. These developments put Schaumburg in an ideal location for suburban growth. At the time of incorporation in 1956, Schaumburg, IL was two square miles and had a population of 130 residents.

Early Schaumburg village leaders provided precise development plans for the village, with large tracts of land for industrial, commercial, and office development. In 1959, Alfred Campanelli began construction of the first residential subdivision known as Weathersfield. Built over twenty years, the subdivision now contains over 6,800 single-family homes, nearly 20% of all housing available in Schaumburg today. In 1967, the International Village apartment complex opened, and the following year, Motorola began to construct its corporate headquarters adjacent to the Northwest Tollway in Schaumburg, IL.

By 1970, the village population had increased 1,800% in just 10 years. A second expressway, Interstate 290, opened on the eastern boundary of the village, providing another link to Chicago. Within the year, Woodfield Mall shopping center opened in Schaumburg, marking the next wave of commercial, office, industrial and residential development.

Schaumburg, IL Today

The expansion and development in Schaumburg began to level off in the 1990’s. With limited open lands available, Schaumburg’s residential and office development began to diminish, but the commercial market continued to expand. Today, Schaumburg, IL enjoys one of the largest commercial areas in the country, including an expanded Woodfield Mall, the Streets of Woodfield and Woodfield Village Green. Second only to the city of Chicago, Schaumburg, IL has the highest retail sales in the state with over 9.5 million square feet of commercial space.

Schaumburg has grown to become a comfortable and welcoming place to live, work and simply enjoy life. Residents of Schaumburg, IL experience the attraction of suburban life with big city amenities nearby. The thriving commercial and employment center in Schaumburg attracts many residents and visitors. More than 5,700 businesses are located within Schaumburg, employing nearly 80,000 people. Major employers in Schaumburg are Motorola, Woodfield Mall, Zurich American Insurance Group, Experian, Cingular and IBM.

Schaumburg, IL Real Estate

Schaumburg, IL real estate offers options for a variety of families and lifestyles. From single family homes to garden homes and multifamily communities, Schaumburg, IL real estate provides many styles and home designs. Much of Schaumburg, IL real estate offers neighborhoods with adjacent parks and nature preserves, as well as convenient access to shopping, transportation and other amenities. A genuine sense of community is found among the residents who chose to purchase Schaumburg, IL real estate.

The village of Schaumburg has never levied a municipal property tax, as income received from other sources, primarily sales tax, has been sufficient to cover the services typically provided through property taxes. This means extra money in your pocket, if you are considering purchasing Schaumburg, IL real estate.