Chronological Time Line
New Bremen - Tinley Park: A Chronology
Timeline created by the Tinley Park Historical Society.
1662 Illinois is part of the Connecticut "Sea to Sea" Land Grant.
1809 The Illinois Territory is established.
1818 Illinois becomes the 21st state. York Precinct includes Bremen an Orland townships.
1837 Village of Chicago is incorporated as a city.
1841 John Fulton Sr. and family arrive in the US from Ireland, settling in New York State.
1843 Bachelors Grove post office established by Stephen Rexford near present day 151st Street and Harlem.
1844 The Fulton Family acquires land near 167th and Central. Once they arrive, they begin a farm.
1845 The beginning of New Bremen starts near the junction of Bachelors and Illini Trials. A general store is erected by Mr. Kittle.
1847 Johann Henry Vogt and family immigrate from Hesse, Germany and settle near 167th and Cicero (present site of Orchard Hill School).
1847 John Fulton Sr. helps Mr. Clark from Chicago locate a site for a public school.
1847 Rock Island and LaSalle Railroad receives charter to build a railroad west from Chicago to the Pacific.
1848 Cooper's Grove post office established by Cyrus B. Ingham.
1848 Illinois Constitution allows the establishment of the township system of local government.
1849 Cook and Will counties elect the township system of local government at November elections. Bremen, Orland Worth, Palos, and Lemont Townships are established out of the former York Precinct effective in April 1850.
1850 US census population – Bremen Township: 249, Orland Township: 1,059 and Rich Township: 1,143.
1850 Local post office changes name in recognition of new township name. Bachelors Grove becomes the Bremen post office, and the Coopers Grove post office becomes the New Bremen post office.
1850 Present day Kirby School District is established as District 4 in Orland Township. First School for the district is erected near 80th Avenue on 171st Street.
1851 Chicago and Rock Island Rail Road Company formed.
1852 Construction of the Chicago and Rock Island Rail Road completed from Chicago to Joliet. First train, "The Rocket", is run in October and has to back up for return trip to Chicago.
1853 A plat for the Village of Bremen on the path of the new railroad is filed by Dr. Samuel Rush Haven.
1854 James Kiddle constructs the first commercial structure, a general store, in the Village of Bremen.
1854 Samuel Tinley, Sr. becomes the first station agent for the Bremen station on the Chicago and Rock Island Rail Road.
1854 The Pacific Hotel is opened by H. Reibling.
1854 Dr. Moses Ballard becomes the first postmaster in the Village of Bremen.
1854 Outbreak of Cholera. Dr. Ballard treats 33 individuals and 28 recover.
1855 Illinois census populations - Bremen Township: 1,036 (202 subject to military duty), Orland Township: 556 (99 subject to military duty).
1857 Carl F. Vogt (son of Johann Henry Vogt) builds a saloon and general store in the Village of Bremen at southeast corner of Die Linden Strasse and Am Markt Platz (67th Court and 174th Street).
1859 The "New Bremen Religious Society" is formed. Later known as the Orland Township or German Methodist Church. The church and cemetery are established at the southwest corner of 171st Street and 84th Avenue.
1859 Trinity Lutheran Church (also known as the Batchelor Grove Church) is established north of159th Street on Batchelor Grove Road (Oak Park Avenue).
1860 Methodists aid escaping slaves with a "station" in Bremen village as part of the Underground Railroad.
1860 US Census Bremen Township: 790, Orland Township: 1,049, Rich Township: 1,143.
1861 Company G of the 39th Illinois Volunteer Infantry is organized by William Slaughter, a Methodist minister from Blue Island; Oscar Rudd, also of Blue Island; and Amos Savage, an educator with an interest in politics from Marley. Several men from the Village of Bremen (New Bremen), Bremen and Orland Townships join the unit.
1861 Village of Bremen business community consists of Von Berge & Finsler and Carl F. Vogt, merchants; H. Reibling hotel proprietor; James Kiddle, Carl Deist, and John Hartung carpenters; M. Schneider wagon maker; Carl Deist and Carl F. Vogt saloonkeepers; H.W. Schmitt blacksmith; J. Sipple shoemaker.
1863 First public school is built in the Village of Bremen, with Mrs. Everdon as school mistress and Daniel Robinson as a teacher.
1865 Christian Andres, Sr. assumes operation of Thornworth's general store.
1865 Frederick Nielsen establishes a blacksmith shop.
1870 US Census - Bremen Village: 164; Bremen Township:1,130; Rich Township 1,539
1871 Jacob C. Funk opens a general store.
1871 German Lutherans organize the Bremen Church in New Bremen.
1872 Carl F. Vogt builds brick building in the Italianate style on the southwest corner of Batchelor Grove Road (Oak Park Avenue) and Hickory
1872 Henry Vogt, Sr. takes over the general store and saloon built by his brother Carl F. Vogt.
1872 George Bartels has large windmill built north of the village (at the present northeast corner of 171st Street and Oak Park Avenue).
1876 Christian Andres, Sr. builds a grain elevator and coal yard northeast of railroad station.
1876 George Boldt assumes operation of H. Reibling's hotel and renames it the Pacific Hotel.
1880 US Census – Bremen Village: 210, Bremen Township: 1,653, Orland Township: 1,208, Rich Township: 1,702. Manufacturing census indicates that the village contains two general stores, two wagon shops, two blacksmiths, two cobbler shops, a cheese factory, a grain elevator, and three saloons.
1880 Samuel Tinley, Sr. retires as station agent. Christian Andres, Sr. takes the position.
1880 Henry C. Andres takes over operation of his father's general store.
1880 New village schoolhouse is built to replace the 1863 school house on Kirchen Strasse (174th Place).
1881 The Bremen Church reorganizes as the German Evangelical Lutheran Zions Church.
1882 Henry Vogt, Sr provides land and parsonage for the Lutheran Zions Church.
1882 Samuel Tinley, Sr. dies.
1883 John Fulton, Sr. dies and is buried in Bachelors Grove Cemetery.
1884 John Klepper and John Mohr build new church for Lutheran congregation.
1886 Henry Vogt, Sr. builds brick general store for his expanding business. It is the first brick commercial structure built in the village and also is the first with a manual operated freight elevator.
1888 George Schreiber becomes a cobbler.
1889 Herman Stoeckmann begins soda bottling works in village.
1890 Postmaster Henry Vogt, Sr. requests the name of the post office be changed from New Bremen to Tinley Park, presumably in recognition of the village's first railroad station agent who served the community for over 25 years in the position.
1891 New name of Tinley Park is officially adopted on New Year's Day. Newspaper accounts indicate it may not have been the popular choice of the public.
1892 Peter Nielsen erects the Columbia Hotel and saloon at the northwest corner of Batchelor Grove Road and Andres Avenue (Oak Park Avenue and 173rd Place).
1892 Evangelical Lutheran Zions Church is incorporated.
1892 Citizens gather at the railroad depot to vote to incorporate as the Village of Tinley Park on June 27th. A majority vote of 34 to 24 approved the formation of the local government. The results were filed and recorded with Cook County on June 28th.
1892 Henry Vogt, Sr. is elected the first village president (mayor).
1892 William Funk opens his Undertaking, Embalming and Livery shop.
1892 First four meetings of the Village Board held at Schmaedeke's Saloon (174th Street and 67th Court). After some ill feelings over licensing of saloon keepers, the Board decides to meet at schoolhouse (on 174th Place) after that.
1893 Dr. Charles Bishop is elected village president.
1894 Fred Schmeidenicht is chosen as Village Marshall and Lamplighter.
1894 George Schreiber opens his shoe shop.
1894 Village purchases schoolhouse for a village hall at a cost of $505.
1895 New two room schoolhouse is built at the northeast corner of Hickory and Nielsen Avenues (173rd Street and 67th Court).
1895 Henry Vogt's store also becomes known as the Bremen Cash Store.
1897 The Tinley Park Union Church, also known as the English Methodist Church, is organized.
1898 Henry C. Andres elected village president.
1898 Chicago Telephone Company installs first phone in the village in Henry C. Andres' store.
1900 First water tower is erected, and distribution system installed is financed by loans from local citizens.
1900 Old public school/village hall is moved to Andres Avenue (173rd Place).
1900 Martha E. Bettenhausen acquires the Carl F. Vogt building.
1901 Henry Vogt, Sr. reelected as village president.
1901 The Tinley Park Volunteer Fire Department is established.
1901 John C. Funk takes over Henry C. Hopman's general store.
1902 Henry C. Hopman elected village president.
1902 Albert Buddenhagen becomes pastor for Zion Lutheran Church.
1903 Henry Vogt, Sr. erects Saenger Hall dance hall addition to saloon at the southeast corner of Am Markt Platz and Die Linden Strasse (174th Street and 67th Court).
1904 Diamond Spiral Manufacturing Company is established at the southwest corner of Oak Forest and Ridgeland Avenues. The company produced two models of washing machines and a butter churn.
1905 Carl Goebel acquires the soda bottling works.
1906 Christian Andres, Sr. builds Andres Block on Batchelor Grove Road (Oak Park Avenue).
1907 John M. Rauhoff opens Ironite Factory producing an additive for waterproofing concrete.
1909 Tinley Park Light and Power Company established to provide electric service to businesses, street lights, and homes in the village.
1911 Francis A. Harper elected village president.
1911 Bartels windmill is dismantled. A home is built on the site using some of the materials.
1912 Bremen State Bank opens. Christian Andres, Sr. is its first president.
1912 Henry Vogt, Sr. retires from his store and begins real estate development. A parade and a huge party are thrown at the Linden Garden for over 2,000 guests in honor of his 40 years in the store business.
1913 Water and sewer system is expanded and improved. The first bond issued to the village is used to provide the necessary funds.
1915 I.N.R. Beatty Lumber Company is founded.
1917 Goodall Aircraft Company is founded in the former Diamond Spiral Manufacturing plant. The prototype tri-wing plane did not fly well, and the plant was quickly closed.
1917 Whooping cough epidemic strikes.
1918 John C. Andres elected village president.
1918 Permits are required to raise hogs within the village limits.
1919 Gambling and the sale of liquor are forbidden in the village saloons.
1920 Diphtheria and influenza epidemic strikes village.
1921 Parenti's Ice Cream Parlor opens.
1922 Oak Park Avenue is paved.
1922 A motor car ordinance is passed, requiring a fee of $2.00.
1923 Henry W. Wyman is elected village president.
1924 Electric street lights installed.
1924 Henry Bettenhausen begins his plumbing business.
1924 New two story Tinley Park School is built to replace 1895 schoolhouse Helen B. Sandidge is hired as a grade school teacher.
1925 John C. Andres is elected village president for second term.
1927 William Funk elected village president.
1927 Tinley Park Garden Club is formed.
1927 William Semmler of Mokena begins publishing the Tinley Park Times.
1929 Grover C. Elmore begins the Poultry Farm Colony development.
1931 William J. Mohr is elected village president.
1931 New addition to the Tinley Park School is opened.
1932 Bandits rob Vogt's Store.
1933 Charles F. Nielsen is elected village president.
1933 The end of Prohibition is celebrated at Saenger Hall.
1934 First Roman Catholic mass held in former 1895 schoolhouse.
1934 Henry J. Bettenhausen opens hardware store in the Andres Block.
1934 Lack of funds causes a crisis in the local school district (146).
1935 August F. Habenicht is elected village president.
1936 Ernst E. Rice is elected village president.
1937 Francis A. Harper is elected village president for second term.
1937 Alan Cavett opens drug store.
1938 Christ Steinhagen is appointed as police chief.
1938 The Orland Township Methodist Church is struck by lightning and burns to the ground. Congregation merges with the town Methodist Church.
1939 Construction of new Methodist Church is begun.
1940 New Methodist Church is dedicated.
1941 Charles A. Nieman is elected village president.
1941 Walter Fierke is appointed as principal for the public grade schools.
1941 Dial phones replace the operator switchboard for phone service
1942 Prosperi Airport is opened.
1944 Recreation Commission is formed.
1944 Memorial Park property is acquired loan monies for the purchase.
1945 Wesley J. Stem is elected village president
1945 Centennial of Tinley Park's founding is celebrated. (Later research indicates that this celebration was probably held eight or nine years too early).
1945 A new Rock Island depot is constructed on south side of railroad tracks.
1945 Fall Festival Committee is formed.
1945 Jardine's Restaurant opens.
1946 Klepper's Bakery opens.
1946 Grover C. Elmore Plaza begins construction becoming the first shopping center.
1947 Parkside subdivision becomes Tinley Park's first major residential housing development.
1949 Rose M. Brown is elected village president.
1950 Chamber of Commerce is established.
1951 Church of Christ holds first meeting.
1952 Bert H. Fulton School dedicated.
1952 New Cavett's Rexall Drugstore opens in Grover C. Elmore Plaza.
1952 The Church of the Nazarene is organized.
1954 First Baptist Church is organized.
1954 New St. George Church dedicated on 175th Street.
1954 New Municipal Building and Fire House is dedicated on 173rd Place.
1955 New Zion Lutheran Church is dedicated on 171st Street. Former church on 174th Street sold to the Church of Christ.
1955 Tinley Park is included in the Chicago Sanitary District.
1956 Through the efforts of the Women's Club a Tinley Park Library is formed.
1956 The Village Planning Commission is formed.
1956 A tornado strikes the village.
1957 Elmer H. Knudsen is elected village president.
1958 Village Department of Public Works is formed.
1958 State of Illinois Mental Health Center opens.
1958 St Boniface Episcopal Mission is established.
1958 Faith United Presbyterian Church is founded.
1958 Tinley Park Savings and Loan opens.
1959 A new Library Building is dedicated on the southeast corner of 171st Street and 69th Avenue.
1959 Conflict over the development of a sanitary sewer system.
1960 Panduit Company opens in Tinley Park.
1961 Allen Verhage is elected village president.
1961 Tinley Park High School opens.
1961 Tony Bettenhausen is killed in a racing accident.
1962 Saenger Hall is destroyed by fire.
1962 New Post office on 17 5th Street is dedicated.
1963 A tornado strikes village.
1963 Jaycees chapter founded.
1964 John Szaton's statue "The Coal Miner" is dedicated in Springfield.
1964 Leland Rayson is elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.
1964 New Trinity Lutheran Church is dedicated.
1965 Kenneth J. Fulton is elected village president.
1966 Interstate 80 is opened.
1966 A new water tower is dedicated.
1967 Fire closes Vogt's Department Store.
1969 John T. Dunn is elected village president.
1970 Municipal and Fire facilities on 173rd Place enlarged.
1970 Village observes 125th anniversary of its founding allegedly in 1845. (Later research indicates that this celebration was probably held eight or nine years too early).
1971 Grain Elevator torn down.
1972 Tinley Park Bank is opened.
1973 Village Commission for the American Revolution Bicentennial established.
1974 Chicago water arrives in Tinley Park.
1974 Vice President Gerald R. Ford visits Tinley Park.
1974 A new Library facility is dedicated at 171st Street and 71st Avenue.
1974 Bremen Historical Society is formed.
1975 Grissom Junior High School opens.
1975 National Bicentennial Wagon Train encampment in Tinley Park.
1975 A new post office facility is dedicated at the northwest corner of 171st Street and Harlem.
1975 Bremen Historical Society acquires old Zion Lutheran Church on 174th Street.
1977 Landmark Museum is established in the Old Zion Church. Old Zion Church is recognized by the Village Board as a local landmark.
1977 Andrew High School is opened.
1980 First Oktoberfest is held on Hickory Street south of railroad tracks.
1981 Edward J. Zabrocki is elected village president.
1987 Dedication of new village hall on Oak Park Avenue.
1988 Carl F. Vogt Building is placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1989 Buedingen Firemen's Band participate in Oktoberfest. Partnership established between Tinley Park and Buedingen Germany.
1989 Tinley Park Historic District and Historic Preservation established.
1889 World Music Theatre opens.
1990 Tinley Park population is 37,121.