Some More Information on Rand Road, US-12, in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs

From the July 18, 1997 Chicago Tribune "Rand Road Smorgasboard: nature, Sprawl and All" by Jean Latz Griffin.

Rand Road is named after Socrates Rand, who came from Massachusetts in 1835 and settled in Des Plaines. Much of all the early history of the Northwest Suburbs revolved around Socrates, who lived to be 97. Des Plaines was actually called Rand from 1857 to 1869.

He was the area's first justice of the peace and performed the first marriage in 1836, started one of the area's first schools in his living room in 1838 and was the first chairman of Maine Township.

The name Rand Road is associated with US-12 clear out to Volo. Somewhere between Volo and the Wisconsin state line, it loses the name. South of Lake Zurich and south of Wauconda, there are signs on the four-lane US-12 for Old Rand Road. US-12 used to go through the downtowns of both communities until the bypass was built.

Randhurst opened in 1962, one of the first indoor shopping centers in the United States.

That Road Is Really Involved in My Life. --RoadDog