The first settlers to the area where Bannockburn stands today arrived in 1835 from County Meath, Ireland. Michael Meehan built a log cabin near what is now the northwest corner of Hilltop Lane and Telegraph Road and gradually acquired a total of 283 acres.
William Aitken was an architect and builder who is credited with bringing modern real estate development to the Village. He created a master plan covering 110 acres where he intended to build “country estates” for people who wanted that genteel style of living. Aitken was born in Scotland and used the name ”Bannockburn” for his own home and in the names of his subdivisions.
The first homes went up in 1924 and by 1929, when application was made to incorporate the area, there were 30 families in the community—on Meadow Lane, Robin Road, Aitken Drive, Telegraph Road, and in the Wilmot Road/Sunset Lane area. Early residents were very active in developing and shaping the community that they loved, serving as trustees on the village board, organizing the Bannockburn school, creating zoning ordinances that formed the basis of our current zoning codes, and organizing a garden club and numerous charitable activities.
Over the years more land was acquired and today the Village encompasses 1,318 acres located approximately 30 miles north of Chicago, and 4 miles west of Lake Michigan. The original intent of William Aitken—to create a residential community with homes on large tracts of land within a rural atmosphere comprising natural landscapes and open spaces—is preserved to this day, due to the commitment of the residents of the Village of Bannockburn, past and present.