The area that is now Arlington Heights was once a rather barren place, noted for its absence of trees. That began to change in 1853, with the establishment of a stop on the Illinois and Wisconsin railroad. By the end of that decade, the once-barren land was lush with orchards, truck farms and greenhouses that supplied Chicago with potatoes, cherries, apples, pears and flowers.

By the time the town was incorporated as Arlington Heights in 1887, there were about a thousand inhabitants, mostly German farmers who had emigrated from Saxony. Already, however, there were people commuting to Chicago from this bucolic town. By the turn of the century, population had risen to about 1,400.

In 1927, a California millionaire known as H.D. "Curly" Brown built Arlington Park, which opened with 20,000 spectators. This race track has been home to a number of "firsts," including the first electronic tote board, photo finish camera, electric starting gate and Trifecta. The world's first million-dollar race was run here in 1981, when the famed Willie Shoemaker came from behind to win on John Henry. Despite a destructive fire and other problems, the track is still a major draw in the Chicago area.

In the '50s and '60s, the proliferation of the automobile brought Arlington Heights within easy commuting distance of Chicago, and the town continued to grow. Today, the population stands at over 76,000, making it the largest village in Illinois. Arlington Heights has now become such a desirable community that one of its largest problems is finding room for everyone who wants to live there.