YESTERDAY & TODAY

Bloomingdale is rich with history from its earliest roots as one of the first villages settled in DuPage County. Its first settlers, mainly from Germany and England, settled here in 1833, nearly 200 years ago. It was originally named Meacham’s Grove and founded by the Meacham brothers, Lyman, Silas, and Harvey Meacham, who started farming an area of 1,200 acres of land in an area now known as Medinah.

Looking back at history and cherishing Bloomingdale’s past provides area residents a context of how far the Village has grown and advanced for the benefit of its community. Today, Bloomingdale has combined a carefully integrated environment with commercial, office and retail development within a country-like environment. There is a strong variety of living, working, shopping and recreational opportunities and the valued importance of a carefully preserved heritage.

There are a number of these landmarks that exist today to visit and remember the culture of the past and the traditions of today.

One of the larger buildings in town, the Old Pan American Bank and Trust at 108 W. Lake St., has had a number of uses over the years. Originally a school house, it has also served as the Village Hall with a police and fire station, as well as the Chamber.

The first Village Board meeting was held there in 1938 after the building was converted from a schoolhouse to the Village Hall. However, the school district maintained ownership of the building until 1950, when it was acquired by the village.

The Bloomingdale Park District Museum building, built in 1849 as the First Baptist Church of Christ, is the oldest building in the village that is still standing. Located at 108 S. Bloomingdale Rd., it offers the community up to seven exhibits and over 1,000 visitors per year. You can view the richness of past – the original 1849 ceiling, knotty pine floor, and some of the original glass pane windows.

A major restoration of the building occurred in 1998 with the addition of an art gallery. Much of the original architecture was restored and refurbished. It truly is a shining jewel of the past that gratefully lives on. Old Town in Bloomingdale, located at the intersection of Lake Street and Bloomingdale Road, was the original site of the village’s first settlement. It brings together the best of its vintage past to the amenities of today. To retain the area’s beauty and traditions, the village sparked a revitalization of Old Town in 2016 with infrastructure improvements, new street lights, landscaping, bike racks and benches.

It’s an area that’s active with events, music entertainment, food trucks, and fun in the Square all year long. Enjoy the popular Septemberfest, Tree Lighting, Kris Kringle Market and Festival of Lights, Old Town Brew n BBQ, and the Park District summer concerts.

The Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1982, is housed in a historic building in Old Town, too. Area residents are invited to visit Old Town and the chamber member businesses who are located there, such as: Bloomingdale School of Music, Brambert Chiropractic and Acupuncture, Ltd., Brianna’s Flowers, Highlander Improvement, Hovde & Tufo Law, Kelsey Ruffing Counseling, Pickle Piano Company, Rooster’s Bar, Wolfden Brewery, Bloomingdale Park District Museum and Pan American Bank & Trust. Wright Family Spine & Sports Medicine has moved into the yellow building, known as the old dance hall.

On the east side of Bloomingdale Road is historic Old Town, where Xpressive Mocha Skincare and E & J Staffing Services Inc. are located.

Take time to explore Old Town and all it has to offer you and your family.