Sugar Grove Home Inspector
Lawson Home Inspection & Radon Testing has served Sugar Grove, Illinois buyers, sellers, real estate agents, and attorneys for more than twenty-five years. Robin Lawson is a Illinois licensed property inspector and a Illinois licensed radon tester.
Sugar Grove was named after an Indian name Sin- Qua-Sip,", had its beginning in the Spring of 1834 at what is now known as Bliss Woods Forest Preserve. Six men, coming from different areas of the east, met at Black Swamp, Ohio, and decided to journey west together. These men, James and Issac Isbell, their nephew Parmeno Isbell, James Carmen and Mr. Bishop, were the founding fathers of Sugar Grove. At this time, the area was populated by Indians, hence when these men arrived, they found an abandoned Indian sugar camp where they took shelter in a brush wigwam, until they were able to build their first log cabin. In 1835, the first white women to arrive were the mother and sister of James and Issac and their brother Lyman and his wife who arrived in the spring of 1835.
In 1839 and the 1840's, the United States Surveyors came to survey and layout the section lines. These sections were one square mile and were sold at an auction in Chicago in 1842 for $1.25 an acre.
The Village of Sugar Grove was incorporated in 1957 with a population of 125. At that time, municipal offices were located in the basement of the Community House. Sugar Grove remained predominantly a farming community until the early 1960's when residential development began on the east side of Route 47. Development continued on the west side of Route 47 throughout the 1970's, with annexation of Dugan Woods subdivision occurring in 1977. Development of the Windstone, Black Walnut Trails, Strafford Woods, Mallard Point, and Chelsea Meadows subdivisions began in late 1980's and has continued into the late 1990's. The late 1990's into the early 2000's saw the development of Windsor Pointe and the Walnut Woods Subdivision.
Under a newly adopted State Constitution, the first town meeting in Sugar Grove was held April 2, 1850 at the home of S.G. Paull, at the southwest corner of Bliss Road and Route 47. The 1850 Census lists 136 families and 720 people in the township. The Annual Meetings were held at the Town House north of Sugar Grove. After it burned in 1874, it was built in present day Sugar Grove, on Main Street, where the Community House now stands.
Electricity came to town in 1925. The Northern Illinois Gas pipelines were laid out in 1963The water system was a private system, owned by Kitty Lorah, and evolving from the Old Hotel. Pipes were in the ground and the billing was just a rate paid to Mrs. Lorah. In 1948, the Sugar Grove Water District was formed. Well #1 was dug behind the fire house on Main Street and pipes were laid to all homes within the Village.
The Village was incorporated in 1957 with the sewer system being installed in 1974. By this time the Village had assumed control of the water system, and Well #2 was dug and the water tower was erected. .The phones originally were connected by an operator living in the Old Hotel, then in a residence on Maple Street and later on the second floor of Keck's Store. The first switching building was located behind Keck's Store. The present day building was built on Main Street north of Cross Street in 1983.
When the first settlers arrived, transportation was limited to old Indian trails. The dirt roads which were laid out by the 1860's were paved during the period 1920-1960. The present day Sugar Grove was established at its present site, when the Chicago and Iowa Railroad was platted in 1871. The depot was located in the Old Hotel until a building was provided by the railroad. The Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad bought the Chicago and Iowa Railroad in 1881. A stock yard to load cattle was south of Main Street. This railroad was an essential link for farmers and their agricultural business as well as providing transportation for the residents of the community. In 1970, the Burlington Northern was formed when the CB&Q merged with several western railroads. When Amtrak took over passenger service, they discontinued passenger trains on this track. The depot was torn down in the 1970's. In 1996, the Burlington Northern merged with the Santa Fe.