A Young Community on the Rise

The 1950s brought incredible growth to Northbrook. The Village’s population more than tripled, growing from 3,319 residents in 1950 to 11,635 by 1960. This is the largest increase over any 10-year period in Northbrook’s history.

And Northbrook was getting younger, too. The median age dropped from 29.5 in 1950 to just 26.1 by 1960, making Northbrook the youngest community on the North Shore at the time.

These photos from the 1950s offer a glimpse into a community in the midst of change, from young families building new homes in growing subdivisions to Scout parades, local service clubs, and high school football. It was a decade that helped shape the Northbrook we know today.