The area that is now Brookfield was once home to Native American tribes who long ago developed agriculture and corn cultivation, built villages and burial mounds, invented the bow and arrow, and made beautiful pottery. It was in 1888, 70 years after Illinois became a state, that Chicago lawyer Samuel Eberly Gross, considered the founder of Brookfield, began buying large parcels of farm, prairie, and woods along the recently completed railroad from Chicago to Aurora. He immediately began planning to divide the area into streets and lots, and drafted a complex plan for a village with affordable housing for working class families. In 1893 the village of Grossdale was officially incorporated which later came to be known as Brookfield. In July of 1934, The Chicago Zoological Park opened. Now known, by its more commonly used name, the Brookfield Zoo, the Park quickly grew to gain international fame as a zoo, educational institution, and research facility.

The Village of Brookfield features great schools that consistently produce students who go on to many of the nearby colleges and universities. Brookfield is served by several local hospitals including the Loyola University Medical Center. The Village of Brookfield offers several parks for residents to enjoy, as well as a fantastic library. Oakbrook Shopping Center, in neighboring Oak Brook, provides prime shopping opportunities in an outdoor mall setting. Housing high-end department stores, large home-decorating stores, and small specialty shops, Oakbrook Center satisfies the shopping needs of any shopper.

Brookfield residents also enjoy close proximity to the metropolitan city of Chicago. Chicago is known for its world-class museums and arts, imposing skyline and beautiful location on the shores of Lake Michigan. The Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago and Sears Tower are just a few of the must-see locations in Chicago. Holiday season at the shops along the “Magnificent Mile” in downtown Chicago is also not to be missed.

Chicago has teams in each of the major team sports and the Chicago Cubs home at Wrigley Field is considered by many to be the greatest ballpark in America to see a game. The new United Center is home to the NBA Bulls and the NHL Blackhawks and features all the amenities of a modern sports arena. The recently renovated Soldier Field on the shores of Lake Michigan is one of the great stadiums in the NFL.