St. Charles. Illinois

St Charles was the location of the chief of the Pottawatomie that used to inhabit the area. After the Black Hawk War of 1832, the entire area was opened for American settlement. Evan Shelby and William Franklin staked the first claim in 1833. They returned a year later with their families, and were joined by over a dozen other families later in the year. The township was originally called Charleston, but this name was already taken so the name of St. Charles was adopted in 1839.