it in honor of Octave Chanute, a railroad civil engineer.

Settlers had begun populating the area as early as 1856. With the LL&G Railroad set to arrive shortly thereafter, the early residents of the communities of Tioga, Chicago Junction, Alliance, and New Chicago needed an innovative solution to an escalating dispute over which would claim the right to house the LL&G Railroad's new land office. They were unable to settle their differences until an individual by the name of Octave Chanute arrived.