Romeoville

by Nancy Hackett, the Romeoville Area Historical Society

Overview

Romeoville, one of the fastest-growing villages in Will County, was originally named Romeo and, along with nearby Juliet, was built for the workers constructing the Illinois and Michigan Canal. For 100 years, farming was the area's business. Peabody's Diner served race fans and grew into the noted White Fence Farm restaurant. Romeo Beach was a popular summer resort, and Gleaners Hall provided opportunities for socializing. Neil Murphy's Café served both town and beach. Lewis University began as Holy Name Technical School, which specialized in aviation instruction. Early on, children attended one-room schools. The Valley View School District eventually replaced them, and monumental growth led to an innovative year-round school schedule. Mayor Neal Murphy's 40-year term led Romeoville toward the creation of Hampton Park in the 1950s, when houses arrived on railroad cars. Many farming and Hampton Park families are still prominent in the area. Residential and industrial growth expanded in the 1990s, doubling the population.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467110655
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	08/19/2013
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Nancy Hackett, a retired librarian, is president of the Romeoville Area Historical Society. The society chose photographs from its files that exemplify Romeoville's multistage history; Romeoville residents and businesses also supplied pictures to enhance the collection.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 Before Romeoville Began 13

2 Island Neighbors 23

3 Birth of Romeoville 29

4 Old-fashioned Farming 39

5 Farm Schools to Colleges 53

6 Homes Built in a Day 63

7 Valley View Schools Year-round 81

8 A Diverse Community 91

9 Family Businesses to Corporate Giants 103

10 Romeoville Today 117