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Its origin as a community began in 1936 when the real estate developers, Smith and Dawson, constructed homes in the area bounded by Willow Road on the north, McDonald Road on the south, Elmhurst Road on the east, and Schoenbeck Road on the west. During t he next twelve years, Smith and Dawson developed most of the area bounded by Euclid Avenue north to Palatine Road and Wheeling Road west to Schoenbeck Road. Elmhurst Road served as a dividing line running north and south. The center of the community bec ame the intersection of Elmhurst and McDonald Roads. It was there that one of the first shopping centers in the state was constructed.
In the 1950's, land north of Palatine Road was developed. The main subdivisions were Country Gardens, Drake Terrace, and Bluett. Characteristic of the original development of Smith and Dawson, the homes were built on large lots with half an acre being t he most common.
A significant trend in home construction began in the late 1950's and early l960's. Developers built on smaller lots, and new residents sought annexation to nearby municipalities. Arlington Vista, Tallyrand, Dunroven, and Sugarbrook subdivisions were built to the west between Schoenbeck Road and Buffalo Grove Road. However, all of the subdivisions were incorporated into the Village of Arlington Heights.
In the 1970's development continued with homes constructed in the Northgate subdivision in the northwest corner of the district bounded by Hintz road on the north, Buffalo Grove Road on the west, and Waterman on the east. This area in Arlington Heights g rew and included the V.I.P. Apartments and Lake of the Winds Condominiums just south of Hintz Road and east of Waterman. The Candlewood Apartments were constructed in Arlington Heights on the corner of Rand Road, Windsor, and McDonald Roads. Additional construction was completed in Prospect Heights with the building of Brandenberry Apartments on McDonald Road on the south, Waterman on the west, Olive on the north, and Dale on the east. In the south portion of the District located in Mt. Prospect, Colon y Country and Wimbleton Condominiums were developed. Also, an area in the Village of Wheeling bounded by Hintz Road on the north, Sherwood on the west, Elmhurst on the east, and Garden Lane on the South was developed with single family homes and the Foru m Apartments and condominiums located north of Palatine Road, east of Elmhurst were constructed.
In the 1980's, single family homes were constructed in the Kingsport and Ridgefield subdivisions located in the Village of Wheeling, along with the single family and carriage homes of Polo Run and the Winetree Apartments. In Arlington Heights, north of W illow Road, and east of Waterman, the Courts of Russetwood were developed with single family homes and just west of there carriage homes were constructed in the development called Arlington on the Ponds. The Hoffman Builders completed the Northgate subdi vision by building homes in the far northwest corner of the district off of Hintz and Windsor Drive. A one hundred and forty acre site across from the MacArthur Junior High School was developed by several builders, called Lake Arlington Towne, it include s single family homes, townhomes, and apartments. Prospect Heights has single family homes being constructed in the developments called Summerset Estates located north of Palatine Road and east of Schoenbeck Roads and Willow Estates, located south of Wil low Road and west of Waterman.
The residents of District 23 have always placed a premium on good schools. Locally, the educational needs of the children are met by Elementary District 23 and high school District 214. The community is fortunate to have two high schools, Wheeling High School and John Hersey High School, built within its boundaries.
The problems of the future for the community are similar to those of other suburban communities. Land developers are attracted by the remaining open spaces. Light industry, which would provide a broader tax base while maintaining the charm of the commun ity, has not moved in. This has its effect on the financial picture of the local schools.
2000 Census demographics for Prospect Heights.