page_title: Schaumburg, Illinois
section_title: 20th century
hierarchical_section_title: Schaumburg, Illinois / History / 20th century
caption_attribution_description: Lakeside, Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts
context_page_description: Schaumburg is a village in Cook County and DuPage County in northeastern Illinois, United States. It is a northwestern suburb of Chicago and part of the Golden Corridor. Schaumburg is roughly 28 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop and 10 miles northwest of O'Hare International Airport. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 74,227. In 2018 Money magazine ranked the Village of Schaumburg the Best Place to Live in Illinois. In 2017 Money ranked Schaumburg the 9th-best place to live in the United States.
  Schaumburg has one of Illinois's two IKEA stores. It contains the Woodfield Mall, the 11th largest mall in the United States, which at most times has over 300 stores. Schaumburg's transition from a rural community to a suburban city began with Alfred Campanelli's first large-scale suburban-style development in 1959 and Woodfield Mall's opening on September 9, 1971.
  Schaumburg is bordered by Hoffman Estates and Palatine to the north, Rolling Meadows to the northeast, Elk Grove Village to the southeast, Roselle to the south, Hanover Park to the southwest, and Streamwood to the west.
context_section_description: In 1900, a 50-year anniversary brochure reported the following account: "Schaumburg has the reputation of being the model community of Cook County. Also, the town of Schaumburg is an example of a community for all other towns in Cook County and probably in other counties, too. Schaumburg is prompt in the payment of its taxes; it supports churches and schools; it has also the best roads in the land and – Schaumburg has never had a jail. Finally, it is not just for the settlers only, but also for foreigners."
  In 1925, O. D. Jennings, the founder of what was once one of the largest manufacturers of slot machines in the United States, purchased a house in the village. It would be his and his wife's home until his death in 1953. On the death of his widow, the house and its surrounding park lands were donated to the village and used as the Village Hall until 1971.
  Schaumburg's relative isolation was broken, however, as the automobile became the primary mode of travel. The construction of O'Hare International Airport near Rosemont (about 11 miles (18 km) away) in 1955 in what was previously O'Hare field, the construction of the Northwest Tollway through the farmlands in 1956 and the presence of a technical and business workforce at the Pure Oil Company in Schaumburg now put Schaumburg in a location rampant with suburban growth. In response to development pressures, the area encompassing what was known as Schaumburg Centre was incorporated in 1956. At the time of incorporation, the village consisted of two square miles and a population of 130 residents.
  Incorporation enabled the village to control its growth and development. Early village leaders are credited with the foresight and planning that has made later economic growth possible. The original comprehensive plan adopted by the Village Board in 1961 reserved large tracts of land for industrial, commercial, and office development; mostly the Woodfield area surrounding what is now Woodfield Mall. Growth in these sectors has made the village a major employer in the area and the home of Illinois's second-largest retail center.
  Schaumburg's expansion during the 1960s changed the character of the community dramatically. Schaumburg was no longer a quiet rural community. In 1959, Alfred Campanelli began construction of the first large residential subdivision in the village, known as Weathersfield. This area contains several thousand single-family homes built in 22 stages over two decades. In total, Campanelli constructed over 6,800 housing units or approximately 20% of the village's housing stock. Schaumburg's YMCA is named after him.
  In 1967, an apartment complex called International Village (located at the intersection of Meacham and Algonquin roads) was built as Schaumburg's first residential area not entirely occupied by single-family homes. The following year, Motorola began to construct its corporate headquarters across the street.
  During this time, country singer Bob Atcher ("You Are My Sunshine"), who had become known on WLS' National Barn Dance radio program, became the Schaumburg village president. He held that position until 1975.
  In the 1970s, the tremendous growth that had taken place in the previous decade continued. By 1970, the village population had grown to 18,730. That same year, a second expressway, Interstate 290, opened on the eastern boundary of the village. This provided another link to Chicago and further enhanced its stature in the eyes of the region's many developers. The following year, Woodfield Mall opened in Schaumburg. During the remainder of the decade, Schaumburg experienced phenomenal commercial, industrial and residential development.
  In 1978, the Village Board formally established the Olde Schaumburg Centre Overlay District to preserve the character of the area located at the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle roads. The Olde Schaumburg Centre Commission, also established in 1978, reviews new development and restoration projects in the district to ensure the continued historic appeal of the area.
  By 1980, Schaumburg had expanded to 18.3 squar
caption: Lakeside at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts
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