Itasca, Illinois
| Itasca, Illinois | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
| Village of Itasca | |
| Motto: Committed to Our Future, Inspired by Our Past | |
 Location in DuPage County and the state of Illinois. |
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | DuPage |
| Settled | 1841 |
| Incorporated | 1890 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Village Board of Trustees |
| • Mayor | Jeff Pruyn |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 8,649 |
| Time zone | (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | (CDT) (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 630 |
| Website | www |
Itasca /aɪˈtæskə/ is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. It is located approximately 27 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. It is close to O'Hare International Airport, major expressways, and rail transportation. The population was 8,649 at the 2010 census. In 2009, BusinessWeek rated Itasca as the 'Best Affordable Suburb' in the state of Illinois.
Itasca was first settled by Elijah Smith in 1841. Smith practiced medicine in Boston. In May 1841, at the advice of his colleagues he set out to find a suitable site for doctoring, farming, and raising a family. He traveled from New York via Detroit and headed toward DuPage County. His parchment government land title dated March 10, 1843, was signed by John Tyler, President of the United States. The document gave Smith title to the land that is now bounded by the railroad tracks on the south, Maple Street on the west, Cherry Street on the east, and Division Street on the north. The post office was established in 1846 and took on various names, such as Bremen, Pierce (after Charles Pierce, who ran a trading post), and Sagon. The name Itasca comes from Lake Itasca. In the 1860s the first school was built. It was a small wooden structure with one room. The building was located on a site near the present First Presbyterian Church.
In 1873 Smith plotted eighty acres of his land into lots. The Chicago and Pacific Railroad was completed from Chicago to Elgin, with stations at Bensenville, Wood Dale (called Lester) and Itasca. Smith gave the right-of-way to encourage location of the tracks through the settlement. He donated $400 to help build a station.
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