History

The Village of Bensenville officially incorporated on May 10, 1884, by vote of its residents. The history, of course, dates back much earlier. The Miami tribe had resided in what is now northeastern Illinois prior to the arrival any Europeans. Later, the Sauk, Kickapoo, Winnebago, and then Potawatomi migrated into this same land. Because the pattern of settlement in Illinois was from south to north, those of European descent looking to build a home did not begin to arrive until the mid-1830s.

Those from the Kingdoms of Hanover and Prussia broke the prairie sod, felled trees and built their homes and dairy farms. But the settlers did not stop there. They built a church, a school, a windmill, a blacksmith shop and two general stores. Soon, an active community was taking shape.

These farmers took their dairy products to Chicago by way of what is now Irving Park Road and Grand Avenue. This route continued until 1873 when the railroad stretching out of Chicago reached the village being referred to as Bensenville. The population grew. Those of Latino origin, many from Mexico, and others from the nations of Eastern Europe began arriving in the village.

Again, driven by the need for a school, the village was incorporated and a school was built on Green Street. In the early to mid-20th century others schools were built with names reflecting the earlier Native Americans presence – Tioga, Chippewa, Mohawk and Blackhawk.

In 1946, the Army Air Corps plant at Orchard field was purchased by the City of Chicago and converted into a commercial airport named after a World War II fighter pilot – Edward O’Hare. The airport brought new opportunities for business just as the railroad had previously. Today, companies performing metal finishing services, sign and banner production, industrial equipment manufacturing and precision machining are all located in Bensenville.

Italian restaurants, Mexican restaurants, as well as Mexican grocery stores and a bakery are a part of the village. The Village of Bensenville, Bensenville Park District, Bensenville Community Public Library, Bensenville Elementary School District 2 and Fenton Community High School District 100 all provide numerous services and programs to the residents in a vibrant, thriving community.


Bensenville Community Public Library

The Bensenville Community Public Library is a dynamic community center for learning, discovering and connecting, providing services, programs, and resources for all ages. Formed in 1956, the library incorporated in 1960 and moved into its present 28,000-square-foot facility in 1978. In 1999, the library, in partnership with Bensenville School District 2, expanded the library’s structure to include school district administration offices and the Lifelong Learning Center auditorium. Recently, the library received a Live and Learn construction grant from the State of Illinois to complete its new Early Childhood Room, which overlooks the beautiful and historic garden.

Today, the library provides meeting rooms, a computer lab, free Wi-Fi, study rooms, robust resource collections, eBooks, online continuing education courses, computer instruction, homebound delivery and senior outreach services and an array of programs for adults and kids. Special centers for business and career information are designed for local business use.

The newly redesigned youth services area offers a center for early learning, a place where every preschool-age child has an opportunity to learn and play, and where the library inspires imagination, enhances education and nurtures families. Structured and informal programs for preschoolers and their families, as well as for school-aged children, are offered all year long. Library staff works with all local schools to provide curriculum support and to inspire a love of reading.

The library extends itself into the community through partnerships with the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce, the Bensenville Arts Council, the Bensenville Intergovernmental Group, College of DuPage, the North DuPage Special Education Cooperative and the Youth Services Coalition, along with partnerships with Bensenville’s other taxing bodies and local parochial schools.

For more information, visit www.benlib.org or stop by and visit the library.


Schools in Bensenville

Bensenville Elementary School District 2

At Bensenville Elementary School District 2, our mission is to “Maximize the unique potential of each child by honoring a natural curiosity and igniting a desire to learn.”

Our Board of Education, administrators, teachers and support staff strive to deliver a high-quality education to each of our more than 2,350 students, and to prepare them for a world of opportunity as college and career-ready citizens with 21st century skills. That effort begins with the different early childhood programs now offered in the district’s new early learning center. It then transitions to all-day kindergarten in two new elementary schools, and concludes at the middle school with the promotion of eighth-graders to Fenton High School.

As a leader in education in the state, the district offers a consistent continuous-progress curriculum based on the rigorous Illinois Learning Standards. That curriculum is developed in district by its teaching staff, which takes great pride in providing innovative instruction that engages students’ different learning styles and meets their unique academic, social and emotional needs. The district’s newly renovated schools offer safe, state-of-the-art learning environments that enhance everyday teaching and learning, and the community schools program offers expanded support services to help the diverse population of students and families succeed in the classroom and at home.

For more information, visit www.bsd2.org.

Fenton Community High School District 100

Since 1955, Fenton Community High School District 100 has offered a comprehensive educational program to students in grades 9‐12 who live within the communities of Bensenville, Wood Dale and a small portion of Addison. With an average enrollment of 1,500, Fenton offers a wide range of programs to meet the needs and interests of students while preparing them to be college and career ready.

The mission of Fenton High School, “to educate and inspire each student,” is the motivating factor behind decisions involving curriculum, discipline and the overall educational experience for students. Fenton is a 1:1 school where every student is issued a laptop computer for school and home use during their four years in high school at no cost to the family.

A recent building renovation provides students with an updated student service center complete with a new College and Career Center, new secured main entrance, Academic Resource Center, Tutoring Center, ChromeZone, student cafeteria, additional classroom spaces and a common area for group collaboration and quiet study.

Fenton is fully accredited by the State of Illinois Board of Education offering a wide variety of academic, vocational, advanced placement and special education programming. The school has been named to the US News and World Report Best High Schools in Illinois List.

For more information about Fenton Community High School District 100, visit www.fenton100.org and follow Fenton on Facebook and Twitter (@FentonHS).

Bensenville Public Schools

Bensenville School District 100
(630) 860-6258

Fenton High School
1000 W. Green St.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-2500

Bensenville School District 2
(630) 766-5940

Blackhawk Middle School
250 S. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-2601

Tioga Elementary School
212 W. Memorial Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-2602

W.A. Johnson School
252 Ridgewood Ave.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-2605

Bensenville Private Schools

Holy Family Catholic School
145 E. Grand Ave.
Bensenville, IL, 60106
(630) 766-0116

Zion-Concord Lutheran School
865 S. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-0228


Bensenville Park District

Businesses See Partnerships as a Value

Bensenville Park District provides wholesome quality leisure experiences and services to the residents and area communities, while creating an avenue for business to market to local customers. The park district strives to enhance the quality of life through the preservation of local history, open spaces and recreational opportunities for all ages to enjoy. Throughout the year, the park district offers many special events, mostly geared toward kid and family enjoyment. Because of their diverse programs and destination facilities, White Pines Golf Club and Fischer Farm offer a variety of events that appeal to all age groups. White Pines hosts events that offer live entertainment, holiday fun and/or sports themes, while Fischer Farm, an American history buff’s favorite, features events such as Civil War reenactments, family campouts, art showcases and live music.

These special events offer area businesses the opportunity to be involved in the community at a whole different level than ever before. Businesses are gravitating toward sponsoring these events to not only boost their community presence, but also to offer coupons and face-to-face interaction with customers.

This type of engagement with consumers garners much more return than alternative advertising methods. Business owners also realize that aligning with the mission of the park district has tremendous value, and is perceived as good will, having a positive message.

In addition, several local businesses currently take advantage of the traffic through the Deer Grove Leisure Center by advertising on digital monitor displays throughout the building.

For more information about advertising and sponsorship opportunities, and/or information about the services and facilities of the Bensenville Park District, call (630) 766-7015 or visit www.bensenvilleparkdistrict.org.

Bensenville Park District Parks & Facilities

Bensenville Park District has 14 parks and maintains approximately 75 acres of park land. Their operations also include White Pines Golf Club at 500 W. Jefferson Ave, a 240-acre 36-hole golf course, restaurant and banquet facility.

Other park district amenities include eight baseball fields, three soccer fields, Fischer Farm, 16w680 Grand Ave. and the Bensenville Water Park & Splash Pad, 1100 W. Wood St. The water park is complete with a 155-foot water slide with plunge pool, diving well, drop slides and sand volleyball court. There are play areas for children, both on land and in the water. The water park also offers full-service concessions, locker rooms, chaise and sun chairs, and arranges private rentals for groups.

The park district’s administrative offices are at the Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood St. The Leisure Center has a state-of-the art weight room, a full-size gymnasium, an indoor track, racquetball courts and is the site for many park district programs and events.


Civic Organizations

American Legion post 1205
203 N. Edgewood Ave.
Wood Dale, IL 60191
(630) 238-1205

Bensenville Chamber of Commerce
161 N. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 860-3800

Bensenville Community Foundation
P.O. Box 371
Bensenville, IL 60106
(708) 227-1216

Bensenville Rotary Club
c/o Bensenville Community Library
200 S. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-4642

Bensenville/Wood Dale Food Pantry
Located in the basement of Faith Community United Church of Christ
192 S. Center St.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-9382

Kiwanis Club of Bensenville/Wood Dale/Franklin Park
P.O. Box 524
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 595-4200


Houses of Worship

Bensenville Bible Church
280 S. York Rd.
Bensenville, IL, 60106
(630) 766-1944

Calvary Baptist Church
306 Park St.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(708) 816-5042

Faith Community United Church of Christ
192 S. Center Street
Bensenville, Illinois 60106
(630) 766-1141

First United Methodist Church of Bensenville
328 S. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-4124

Grace-Gospel Fellowship
4N220 Rte. 83
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 834-0550

Grace Lutheran Church
950 S. York Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-3030

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox
1009 S. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 715-2989

Manav SEVA Mandir
101 S. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 860-9797

St. Alexis Roman Catholic Church
400 W. Wood St.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-3530

St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church
145 E. Grand Ave.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 860-1120

True Jesus Church
4N550 Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 694-1740

Ukrainian Christian Pentecostal Church
644 S. John St.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 595-3342

Zion Lutheran Church
865 S. Church Rd.
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-1039