Located over both Cook and DuPage Counties and located west of the Loop, Roselle, IL, was first settled by Elijah and Electa Hough in 1836. The Houghs came to the area from Massachusetts and it would later be named for their son, Roselle, who would become a well-known Chicago business person, military colonel, and the driving force behind the town’s development. As was true for much of the area before the Civil War, German and eastern immigrants came to the area to farm and raise livestock.

The town was mapped out and named Roselle in 1874. At the time, churches were the most popular buildings among the few that the farming communities constructed. The German influence in the area was prevalent and the St. John Evangelical Luther Church as well as the adjacent school were built in 1851. A few years later, a Methodist church was erected and by 1899, three congregations came together to form the Lutheran school district. The first school in the district was named Roselle Lutheran School.

Elijah and Electa Hough’s son, Roselle, began farming in the years following the Civil War. While most of the farmers were growing wheat and corn while Roselle chose to grow flax. Although this was lucrative in some respects, Roselle began looking for prospects other than farming and established the Illinois Linen Company. This business manufactured rope and linens. Based on the success of this business, Roselle was able to convince the Chicago and Pacific Railroad Company to route through his land.

Roselle had passed away in 1895 – the soil of his flax fields were exhausted, the mill shut down, and the factory was closed. The factory was purchased and converted into a brick and tile company that would close a short five years later. The area returned its focus to farming and continued to prosper well into the twentieth century by producing lumber, grain, and gristmill. In February 1889, a village nearby called Bloomingdale was incorporated and combined the areas of Roselle and Bloomingdale.

In 1898, the Roselle Park Club was built and quickly became a popular recreational area and in 1962, Shriners built the Medinah Country Club – ultimately, the land around this club would become “Medinah” and would separate from Roselle. Roselle began to grow quickly after the World Wars – single and multiple family homes were developed, helping to bring small industry to the area as well. From 1970 to 200, Roselle’s population grew from just over 6,000 residents to over 23,000 residents.