History of Inverness, Illinois.

A brief recap on the history of Inverness.

The Inverness area was first settled in 1836 by George Ela and became known as Deer Grove. After surveying the township area, in 1840 the US Government offered land in the area for $1.25 per acre. By 1854, rail service was established to Deer Grove, and in 1859 the line was incorporated into the Chicago and Northwestern Railway system. The Inverness area was now easily accessible to Chicago.

In 1926, Mr. Arthur T. McIntosh, one of Chicago's leading land developers, bought the Temple farm and house. Over the next 12 years, McIntosh acquired 10 other farms. These lands, combined with the acquisition of the Cudahy Company Golf Course, comprised 1,500 contiguous acres for development. With the area under McIntosh's control, it became known as Inverness after the McIntosh clan home in Scotland. McIntosh's vision was to create a truly distinctive community centered around the golf course. Inverness offered high, wooded land and meadows, which were important to the beauty and vitality of this area.

The first new homes were occupied by 1939. These homes were mostly situated around the edge of the Inverness Golf Club and were designed to be affordable. They were priced from $9,500 to $20,000. After that, the homes were custom built for individuals who purchased lots from McIntosh.

Construction in Inverness was halted during World War II. After the war, Inverness began to grow again. During the early post-war years, the McIntosh Company had complete control over the sale of lots as well as the resale of homes. The exterior appearances and house plans had to be approved by the McIntosh Company. Placement of homes was carefully controlled to protect the character of the community.

The Center for recreation in the community in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s was the Inverness Golf Club. Other clubs also had an important place in the social life of residents. Twenty families founded the Inverness Association in 1944, and dues were $1.00 per year. Today the association has almost 700 families as members. The Garden Club was organized in 1940 at the four silos. The Inverness Book Club was started in 1954. In 1965, the Women's Club of Inverness was organized. All of these clubs are in existence today and offer a wide variety of social interaction for members.

In 1962, Inverness was incorporated as a Village. The first meeting of the Village board was held at the Field House, which was then at the western edge of the Village. In 1977, the Village Hall was relocated to a 100-year old farmhouse on Palatine Road. It was again relocated in 1985 to its present location at the four silos, which has become a famous landmark for the community.