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Plainfield, IL 60544
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Plainfield History

In 1828 Plainfield was founded by preacher Jessie Walker and known as Walker’s Grove. The area was not laid out as a village until 1834. At that time, the village officially became known as Plainfield. Squire Arnold plotted the northern part of the village while Chester Ingersoll plotted the southern part of what is now known as the Village of Plainfield. On February 28, 1861, the northern part of Plainfield (as plotted by Squire Arnold) was incorporated under a special act of the State Legislature. In April 1869, both the northern and southern parts of the village were again incorporated. Then on June 30, 1877, it was incorporated under the general law of the State. The village suffered a series of fires which nearly destroyed all of downtown Plainfield in the late 1880’s and early 1890’s.  The village was rebuilt and an electric inter-urban line was erected which ran from Aurora to the north to Joliet in the south.  The interurban line ran from October 1904 until 1924.  Plainfield was a summer destination for much of northern Illinois. Electric Park opened in October 1904 with the unveiling of the Aurora, Plainfield and Joiet Railway as a way to stimulate business along the railway line.  Including 20 acres of parkland which hosted such activities as dining, dancing, swimming, boating and bowling to name but a few.  After Electric Park’s demise the auditorium became a dance hall and lastly an ice skating/roller skating rink. The structure was finally destroyed by the tornado that struck Plainfield on August 28, 1990.

Read more about the tornado...

The Village of Plainfield is located in Plainfield Township in Will County, 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The Village is bisected east to west by Illinois Route 30, and north to south by Illinois Route 59. Interstate 80 and 88 are seven miles south and eleven miles north respectively. O’Hare International Airport is 38 miles to the north and east. Midway Airport is 34 miles to the east. Today, the Village finds itself one of the nations fastest growing cities with residents living in both Will and Kendall counties.