River Forest Township serves approximately 12,100 residents. It is located in western Cook County, bounded by Harlem Avenue, North Avenue, Madison Avenue to Lathrop Avenue, to Central Avenue and back to Harlem. These borders enclose the Village of River Forest.

The Village incorporated in 1880 as part of Proviso Township. Miss Thatcher, a resident at that time, said, "The Village of River Forest was incorporated as a matter of necessity to defeat the saloonkeepers' project to organize and open a liquor sales district, and destroy our village." Ironically, later that year, the village trustees licensed two saloons in the east part of the village to raise funds for running the government.

In 1917, the board of education petitioned the village to create a separate township in an effort to increase revenue to fund growing educational requirements. Cost savings were anticipated by avoiding the duplication of certain village and township officers. Taxes for township roads and bridges were eliminated. The plan also made funds raised by taxation immediately available to the community to support community interests. Finally, it was thought that an in-town assessor would provide a more equitable tax assessment. This separation was approved by citizens via a postcard referendum vote held on April 17, 1917.

In recent years, township officials are most proud of steps taken to open the lines of communication to our residents and with other governmental entities. We now publish a semi-annual newsletter to inform residents of the services available to them. A Youth Services Advisory Committee was formed and an agreement was reached to work jointly with Oak Park Township Youth Services in projects which support the youth of both our communities. A joint Senior Services Committee has also been formed and most of our services to seniors are administered by the Senior Services office in Oak Park. These steps are part of our effort to provide a wider array of services at reasonable cost. Our tax levy has actually decreased the last five tax years without a decline in the number or quality of services provided.