History
The village incorporated in 1880 as part of Proviso Township. Miss Thatcher, a resident at that time, said, "The Village of River Forest was incorporated as a matter of necessity to defeat the saloonkeepers' project to organize and open a liquor sales district, and destroy our village." However, later that year, the village trustees licensed two saloons in the east part of the village to raise funds for running the government. In 1917, the board of education petitioned the village to create a separate township in an effort to increase revenue to fund growing educational requirements. Cost savings were anticipated by avoiding the duplication of certain village and township officers. Taxes for township roads and bridges were eliminated. The plan also made funds raised by taxation immediately available to the community to support community interests. Finally, it was thought that an in-town assessor would provide a more equitable tax assessment. This separation was approved by citizens via a postcard referendum vote held on April 17, 1917.References
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