The City of Prospect Heights is a small city with a unique history. Most know it as a city in Cook County and a suburb of Chicago. Fun fact, did you know that one of the Youtube co-founders, Steve Chen is from Prospect Heights?

History
In 1935, two young developers, Carlton Smith and Allen Dawson, built their first homes on farmland along Elmhurst Road, ushering in a well-planned community that made the dreams of depressed families come true. The first family moved to the area in January 1936, and by the end of the year, six affordable houses had appeared in the pleasant countryside called Prospect Heights.

The development company worked with sustainable and caring families to create and maintain a responsible community to raise their children with pride. In 1938, they formed the Prospect Heights Improvement Association (PHIA). It served as the community's virtual government for 38 years, albeit without legal authority because Prospect Heights was an unincorporated neighborhood in Cook County. By 1955, there were nearly 600 unincorporated homes.

In the 1960s, the development boom was causing severe problems. Residents could not control this growth, and PHIA decided that incorporation was the only solution. More than 50% of the residents voted for the registry. Thus, on January 31, 1976, exactly 40 years after the first family's arrival, the city of Prospect Heights was born.

Education
The Prospect Heights school systems are well known for their commitment to excellence and their genuine sense of interest. For Elementary School, most of Prospect Heights is served by Primary District 23, Primary Districts 21 and 26. The Wheeling Village Discovery Center offers a separate science building for children in District 21. There are also two private schools near Prospect Heights.

High Schools in Prospect Heights Avenue are served by District 214. High school students attend Wheeling High School or John Hersey High School. Both schools have been honored with the Education Excellence Awards sponsored by the US Department of Education. Both high schools meet students' unique needs and interests by offering extensive sports activities and programs.

One option for higher education is William Rainey Harper College, located in Palatine, which offers many different certificates and two-year degree programs and has an additional campus in Prospect Heights.

Parks and Recreation
Prospect Heights has many parks and recreation centers. SOme of those are Claire Lane Park, Country Gardens Park, East Wedgewood Park, Gary Morava Recreation Center, Izaak Walton Park, Jaycee Park, and John Muir Park. Most notable in our opinion is the Old Orchard Country Club.

Old Orchard was founded in 1932 by the Wickersham family, then acquired by the Newman family in 1952, and later aquired by the Prospect Heights Park District in 1999, which is committed to continuing to offer country club services and facilities to the general public.

The Old Orchard Country Club is one of the most challenging courses in the Chicagoland area. Old Orchard is conveniently located near downtown Chicago and O'Hare Airport. It offers country club relaxation to the general public and a personalized service and learning environment that rivals private clubs.

Transportation
In addition to PACE buses, the City of Prospect Heights has not one but two Metra lines. There is a Union Station service from a station on the North Central Service, while the Union Pacific / Northwest Line has two stations nearby. There are PACE buses and an airport that is shared between Wheeling and Prospect Heights.

Chicago Executive Airport
Wheeling (along with Prospect Heights) owns the Chicago Executive Airport. Founded in 1925 as Gauthier's airfield, Chicago Executive Airport has evolved from a 40-acre open area with unpaved runways to a general aviation airport serving the Chicago metropolitan area and one of the busiest airports in the country.

Currently, there are 325 aircraft at Chicago Executive Airport, including 57 corporate jets. The Chicago Executive Airport has three operating runways and covers more than 412 acres; Chicago Executive Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Illinois and plays a critical role in nurturing the region that includes O'Hare International Airport.

The airport is open 24 hours a day throughout the year. The control tower is staffed by the FAA and operates every day from 6 am Monday through Friday (7 am on weekends) until 10 pm. The Chicago Executive Airport's primary users are private jet owners, flight schools, companies that service their planes at the airport, and large national corporations.