In 1837 William and Mary Dwyer and Mary's brother Dr. Richard Murphy settled on the west side of the Green Bay Trail, north of what is now West Washington Avenue in Lake Bluff. This property included the current site of the Lake Bluff Elementary School.The Dwyers established an inn, which became one of three relay stations located along the Green Bay Trail in Lake County providing overnight lodging and food for travelers. In addition to a stagecoach stop and tavern, the Dwyer Settlement grew to include St. Anne’s church and cemetery (1844), neighboring farms, and cabins for a community of 40 people. The tavern was the first polling place in the area and the site of the first Shields Township meeting on April 2, 1852.The Dwyer Settlement became the area’s social focal point and provided a foundation for the future village of Lake Bluff.
