DuPage County, Illinois was formed from Cook County in 1839. With the completion of the Erie Canal, numerous families from Pomfret, CT and other New England towns settled the area in the 1830's and 1840's. The prairie offered rich farmland and the development of the rail system brought settlers from throughout the Eastern states. By 1855, the population stood at about 13,000 people. Agriculture remained the principle economic activity until recent decades during which DuPage County has become urbanized.
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