Romeoville ‘Loveliest City Name’ Has Romantic Origin

ROMEOVILLE, IL — Romeo and Juliet weren't just star-crossed lovers, they were also the former names of neighboring towns Romeoville and Joliet.

In honor of Valentine's Day, Patch is taking a look back at the towns with a romantic history.

Named one of the towns with the loveliest names by the U.S. Census, Romeoville was incorporated in 1895, but its previous name was actually Romeo.

According to the Romeoville Historical Society website, the plot of Romeo was recorded on Sept. 14, 1835. The residents of Isle a la Cache, where French settlers had built a camp, became part of Romeo.

According to the Encyclopedia of Chicago, Juliet became Joliet in 1845, in honor of Louis Jolliet, who explored the area.

Most Romeoville residents were involved in farming, according to the historical society, although Romeoville did supply limestone as well. In 1957, over 600 acres of farmland were used for the development of Hampton Park, the historical society.

The subdivision's first residents arrived in November 1958, and by 1960 the population had increased from 100 in 1956 to 3,574. Today, the Village's population is near 40,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Much like the romance of Romeo and Juliet, the towns of Romeo and Juliet were also short-lived, but remain an interesting part of area history.