Picnic Escape for City Dwellers

Did you know the Village Green was once known as Barrenscheen’s Grove, a favorite 19th-century picnic escape for city dwellers? From its early days as East Northfield, Sherman, and Shermerville, to the arrival of the railroad in 1871, and now Northbrook, this land at the center of the Village has plenty of stories to tell. Artifacts like arrowheads found by the creek hint at centuries of heritage, while the downtown area itself dates back to the 1840s and the formation of Northfield Township. The Northbrook Park District preserved these ten acres in 1944, ensuring that future generations can relax under the same historic oaks that shaded the pioneers. 

Schilling Family Picnic circa 1910

Public at Village Green in 1946

Aerial view of Village Green in 1950