Prospect Heights, IL, Website

Prospect Heights, Illinois.In 1935, two young developers, Carlton Smith and Allen Dawson, built their first homes on farmland along Elmhurst Road as the start of a well-planned community to meet the dreams of depression-weary families. The first family moved in during January 1936 and by the end of the year there were six affordable homes in the pleasant rural area to be called Prospect Heights.

The development firm worked with the families to create and maintain a responsible community in which they could raise their children with pride. In 1938, they formed the Prospect Heights improvement Association (PHIA). It served as a virtual government of the community for 38 years without legal authority because Prospect Heights was an unincorporated area.

January 31, 1976, exactly 40 years after the first family moved in, the City of Prospect Heights was born. With incorporation, Prospect Heights continues to grow and assume a new character. In addition to the single-family half-acre homes, the City now proudly includes a multifamily area, as well as increasing numbers of businesses.