Palatine was incorporated as a village at a meeting of voters held April 2, 1866. The town then experienced a slow, steady growth, and the first development on a large scale started around 1920. In 1925 farms were selling for $400 an acre, a sewer system had just been completed, the streets were paved with reinforced concrete, and elaborate street lighting had been installed. Through the years, the Palatine Historical Society has developed an extensive collection of photographs dating back close to the beginning of Palatine Township and the
Village of Palatine. Many of these treasured photos were donations from the families of earlier residents. Efforts have been made by Alice Rosenberg and the Palatine Historical Society to identify the people and places in the historic photos contained herein. Through the use of this collection, the Palatine Historical Society has put together a fascinating book that serves as a tribute to the preservation efforts put forth in the Village of
Palatine. In the 133 years since the Village of Palatine was incorporated, numerous annexations have occurred, and many subdivisions have been built. The small, farm village located about 35 miles from the center of Chicago, out on the prairie, is now a suburb with a population of 62,000.