History

Community Profile

A new structure cannot be built without a foundation. To understand where a city is going, it is important to view where it has been and how that past has led to current conditions.

HISTORY

The original settlement of Blue Island was erected on the southern edge of a glacial ridge.4 Its success was partially due to the Vincennes Trace, a buffalo migration route used by local Native American tribes such as the Ottawas, Ojibwas, Fox, and Potawatomi. These tribes lived alongside the Little Calumet River until their forced removal in the 1830s. We owe these Tribes recognition for laying the foundation for the future growth of Blue Island, Chicago, and the region, as a whole.5

Blue Island flourished because of its location, a mere 16-mile distance from Chicago. By 1850, half of Blue Island’s population was either foreign-born or the children of foreign-born residents, leading to a city of diversity, which is still a strength of Blue Island.6 The discovery of clay deposits from the glacial lake bed turned Blue Island into a prominent brickmaking town that well lasted over a century. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad company arrived later in 1852, and over the next four decades built several railroad tracks and expansive freight yards, shops, and a roundhouse, transforming the city from a mere stop along the Vincennes Trace into a major hub of rail and industry. These industrial enterprises led to waves of immigrants, many hailing from Germany, in search of economic opportunity.7 Most