Arlington Heights Facts at a Glance ...

1855 First Presbyterian Society of Dunton was founded.

1856 The First Presbyterian Church of Dunton was formally organized and a church building was constructed at Dunton and Eastman -- the current site of The First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights.

1860 A methodist church and St. Peters Lutheran church were organized in 1860.

1880 The village population was 995.

Arlington Heights had its own post office in 1885.

Village of Arlington Heights incorporated in 1887.

1889 The village population was 1424.

1892 C&NW Railroad built a second track and a new depot.

October 8, 1894, Volunteer Fire Department organized. First engine was purchased (a Howe hand-pumper) for $650.

1895 the first major well was constructed ... delivered forty gallons a minute

1897 the first telephone was installed as a toll station in R.C. Nehls Drug Store on E. Davis

1899 Frederick Redecker built a brick building for his general store at the corner of Vail and Campbell streets  (now Harry's).

First sewer line in 1899.

1900 The village population was 1380.

1902 St. Johns Church organized and water main work begun.

1903 A water tower (60,000 gallon steel tank & tower) was built at the corner of Chestnut and Hawthorne

1904 Gas main work begins and the completion of the first water main, which is located from downtown area along Vail Street to Euclid Ave. and west to Chestnut.

1909 Electricity is installed.

1910 The village population was 1943 and the first high school class graduated.

1914 First paved streets installed.

1918 Mail delivery was established.

1920 The village population was 2250.

1922 Arlington Heights Township School District 214 High School building was completed ...

1925 Northwest Highway opened and became the major road between Jefferson Park and Barrington. Arlington Heights Park District was founded.

1929 Arlington Park Race Track opened and Scarsdale, Stonegate and Sherwood subdivisions started. Vail Davis Building constructed.

1930 the village population was 4952.

1936 Works Progress Administration approved Park District project to build Recreation Park.

1939 Recreation Park pool and fieldhouse dedicated and officially opened.

1940 the village population was 5600. As World War II started US government bought 100 acres south of Central Rd. to construct auxillary air field to Glenview Naval Air Station. German prisoners were held there.

1942 Navy designated 360 acres (Arlington Field) at the southeast corner of Wilke and Central as an auxiliary air training station field to use in conjunctin with the Naval Air Station at Glenview.

1943 Construction of housing and a hangar began at Arlington Field.

1945 German prisoner of war camp opened at Arlington Field near Central and Dwyer.

1947 Area Code 312 is assigned to Chicago and suburbs.

1950 the village population was 8727. Population boom begins as thousands of homes are constructed.

1955 Arlington Field becomes part of the Integrated Fire Control Site for the Nike surface-to-air battery C-80 of the 45th Antiaircraft Brigade ... gradually obsolete as an air field.

1957 Pioneer Park fieldhouse, pool and maintenance garage officially opened. April 28, 1957, new fire station (AHFD Station #2) was dedicated at 709 N. Arlington Heights Road as first paid firefighters began service.

1959 NIKE base at Central and Wilke becomes a more advanced Missile Master guidance system. Heavy land acquisition and annexation program began for Arlington Heights Park District.

Photo on file at the

1960 the village population was 27878. NIKE base becomes fully operational as five radar towers with golf ball-like domes were constructed and used for a long-range air defense radar unit.

1961 The 45th Artillery Bridade Air Defense (NIKE base) was manned by about 1000 soldiers. The 755th Air Control & Warning Squadron relocated to the NIKE base from Williams Bay Air Force Station in Wisconsin.

1962 Municipal Building was constructed at Sigwalt and Arlington Heights Road. The NIKE base began SAGE (semi-automated ground environment) operations, which was a system for collecting, tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s. The SAGE computers were made of 55,000 vacuum tubes, occupied 1/2 acre of floor space, weighed 275 tons and used up to three megawatts of power. The automated system replaced a manual system that wasn't fast enough to intercept low-flying Russian jet bombers.

1963 Hasbrook Park fieldhouse opened.

1967 a special census showed Arlington Heights growing to 52800. John Hersey High School opened.

1968 the Arlington Heights Memorial Library Building at 500 North Dunton was constructed.

1970 the village population was 64884. Fieldhouses and swimming pools opened at Camelot, Frontier, Heritage, and Olympic Parks. Olympic Pool operated and funded jointly with High School District 214. NIKE base radar towers were dismantled in the 1970's. Russian ICBM's (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles) made the NIKE SAGE system obsolete.

1973 Forest View Tennis Club (6 indoor courts) opened. Portion of Nike Base site (12 acres) on East Central Road conveyed to Park District by Federal government.

1974 Additional 52 acres of the Nike Base site on East Central Road conveyed to the Park District by the Federal government.

1979 Arlington Lakes Golf Club opened on Nike Base site. A training center and maintenance building was constructed for the

1980 the village population was 66116. Sunset Meadows Driving Range and ballfields opened.

1982 Park Place Senior Center opened.

1984 Arlington High School closes in June, 1984.

1985 Land acquired (11.1 acres) through land dedication in the Lake Terramere Subdivision. July 31, 1985 The Arlington Park Racetrack was destroyed by fire (the largest fire in the history of the village). New Police/Fire Building attached to Municipal Building.

1986 Dunton Tower (first major high-rise) opens.

1987 Arlington Heights Park District purchased North School from School District 25 for $465,000 to develop as park district headquarters.

1988 Village of Arlington Heights and Arlington Heights Park District jointly purchase the North School Playlot for $400,000. Arlington Heights Park District Administration Center opens at former North School. Grand "re-opening" of Recreation Park Pool.

1989 Area Code 708 is assigned to Chicago suburbs including Arlington Heights.

1990 the village population was 75460. North School Park and Lake Arlington were developed.

1991 North School Park with fountain, playground and amphitheater was officially dedicated in July 1991.

1994 Arlington Heights Park District entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the Mt. Prospect Park District, Village of Mt. Prospect, and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to develop the west side of Melas Park into an athletic complex.
The 12th 'Special Forces' Group (Airborne) based at the former NIKE base was deactivated.

1995 Lake Arlington Boathouse construction completed. Nickol Knoll Clubhouse construction completed at a cost of $412,747.

1996 Area Code 847 is assigned to the northern region of Chicago suburbs, including Arlington Heights. Later in 1996, Area Code 773 is assigned to closest suburbs of Chicago and parts of City of Chicago outside the Loop. Area Code 630 is assigned to west and south suburbs.

2000 The village population was 76031. Arlington Town Square is constructed, after Davis Street is closed at Arlington Heights Road. Major downtown re-development with Village Green, a new train station and Metropolis theater on the west and Arlington Town Square and Arlington Theater on the east of downtown.

2002 Area Code 224 is assigned to overlay Chicago suburban area code 847 including Arlington Heights.