After the
1833 Treaty of Chicago between the United States government and the
Chippewa,
Odawa, and
Potawatomi tribes, the land northwest of Chicago became available for settlement. Early settlers to the area included Peter Ludby and David S. Dunning. In 1850,
Jefferson Township was established. It was a convenient stop for travelers to and from Chicago. The North West Plank Road (now Irving Park Road), built in 1849, was beneficial to local farmers as a reliable method of transport of goods between Chicago and their settlements. The proximity of Jefferson to this major road and distance from downtown Chicago, was a primary consideration in the area being selected in 1851 by the
Cook County Board of Commissioners as the site for Chicago's new Poorhouse and Insane Asylum.
Cook County Poorhouse and Insane Asylum In 1851, the
Cook County Board of Commissioners purchased 160 acres from Peter Ludby, as the site for a new Poorhouse and Insane Asylum for the city of Chicago. Initially, both facilities, together known as the
Cook County Poor Farm, were housed in a new three-story brick building. After 1855, the complex expanded to support tuberculosis patients. In 1870, the county built a separate building for the insane asylum. In the 1880s, additional buildings were added to support more than 1000 patients, including a schoolhouse for the Poorhouse children. In 1912, the county officially transferred the Poor Farm property to the State of Illinois. The destitute inmates were moved to
Oak Forest Hospital infirmary in
Oak Forest, Illinois. The patients at the insane asylum remained at the Dunning facility, which was renamed the Chicago State Hospital. When the State Hospital closed in 1970, it merged its operation and staff with the
Chicago-Read Mental Health Center. The Scandinavian Lutheran Cemetery Association bought 65 acres south of Dunning's property in 1886 and established the
Mount Olive Cemetery. Jewish families purchased 40 acres between the Scandinavian cemetery and Addison for burials.
Residential development In 1865, David Dunning and his son Andrew bought 120 acres of land south of the Cook County Poorhouse and Asylum. The community experienced a resurgence of commercial, and residential growth in the 1980s and 1990s. By 2000, Dunning's population had climbed to 42,164. ==Notable people==