Welcome to Wheatland Township

Township Government is the oldest form of government in this country.  In 1636 immigrants in Rhode Island established the first townships.  The basic responsibility of the township is to assess real property for local taxation, the maintenance of roads and bridges under its jurisdiction and general assistance. 

Most of Wheatland Township was originally owned by Native Americans, the Potawatomis, until 1833.  The Treaty of Chicago obtained this land and officially made it available for settlement.  Growth was slow during the 1930s due to a lack of significant wooded lands.  Farmers depended on wood for building and a source of fuel.  They believed if the land could not grow trees then it would not be beneficial for farming.

As adjacent townships grew, small settlements developed around rural crossroads, schools, churches and post offices.  These centers were determined by the distance the area farmers could complete a round trip in one-half day's time.  These included:  Tamarack, East Wheatland Post Office, Wolf's Crossing Post Office, Hoddam, Tokio Post Office and Normantown.

Wheatland Presbyterian Church, Zion Lutheran Church and a third church that was located at 248th and 111th Streets, whose name has been lost through the years, also aided in the settelement of the township.

Farming was the main industry of the township in the late 1800s.  Some of the early farming families were the Boardman, Boughton, Clow, Fry, Hafenrichter and Patterson families.  Currently, there are approximately six family-owned farms with over 80 acres left in Wheatland Township.

Some of the original farmhouses are still in existence today and can be seen throughout the township.  For example, the Boughton family farmhouse is located on Plainfield-Naperville Road.  The Clow farmhouse and barn have been preserved by the Will County Forest Preserve and is located near 111th and Book Road.

Our township has grown from its 1,098 population in 1880 to over 44,349 according to the last census held in 2000.