Settlement in the neighborhood began in the 1830s, when a saloon was opened for truck farmers carrying produce to the city by George Merrill. His saloon was opened in his home which was the first business in the area and was located at Armitage and Grand.
The area remained rural until the 1880s, when the Cragin Brothers & Company moved their tin plate and iron processing plant into the area, along with a rivet company. Moving employees from Connecticut, along with a newly opened railroad station a housing boom sparked in the area. Industrialization further developed the neighborhood allowing for more businesses, shopping districts, and increased transportation services.
