Village of Antioch history

The history of Antioch Township began on a December day in 1836.

Brothers Darius and Thomas Gage were among the earliest to file land claims and build houses along Sequoit Creek after the winter of 1837.

In February 1838, Thomas Warner returned, bringing with him his wife and at least seven of his ten children.

Hiram Buttrick built a sawmill on the creek in 1839.

In 1843, the residents gave the settlement the biblical name “Antioch”, and started a school.

Small shops were established in the village, and in 1856 John Elliott built a steam gristmill to accompany the sawmill.

Tourism grew quickly once the rail line to Chicago was laid in 1886.

Antioch incorporated as a village in 1892.

After a series of fires, the village installed a public water system in 1905 and began to build more brick buildings.

A volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1913.

The Pickard China company moved to Antioch from Chicago in 1937 as it expanded its operation from hand-decorating imported china to full-scale domestic production.

In the 1950’s, the village developed the large industrial park along Anita Avenue, which greatly contributes to the tax and employment base.

After 1990 there was more rapid residential development, with developers building hundreds of homes in several new subdivisions.