Located 12 miles west of Chicago, Broadview is nestled between Interstate 290 and Roosevelt Road and between 13^th Avenue and 17^th Avenue.  It was incorporated in 1914 and covers almost 2 square miles. With its median age being only 32, it is a “young” city.

The area began as swamp and forest land filled with majestic Elm trees many of which were five feet in diameter. The area was a hunting ground for the local Indian tribes so many arrow heads and Indian artifacts have been found here. But as Chicago grew, the area turned into farmland and then an area of “truck gardens” which supplied the local markets with produce. In 1878, the second house in the area that is now Broadview was built by Ernest Hoermann. At the southwest corner of 17^th Avenue and 14^th Street, it still stands today. The year of the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893, the real estate firm of Foreman and Cummins cleared the rest of the land and subdivided it.

Today, Broadview has a small town vibe despite its proximity to Chicago. A home to many small shops and restaurants. Sawa’s Old Warsaw Restaurant at 9200 W. Cermak Road has been a favorite since 1973. Founded by Polish Immigrant, Walter Sawa, a pork butcher and decorated World War II veteran, Sawa’s became known for its smorgasbord style of dining. Still family owned, it has become an icon of Broadview.  Roosevelt Road is Broadview’s main commercial corridor. Here you can find more small, specialty shops and restaurants along with motel and hotel accommodations.