Early township maps prominently show Twin Groves, two large groves of native trees on both sides of Willow Creek, after which the township was named. The main branch of Willow Creek begins west of Paw Paw, meanders north into the township, and then westerly to join Green River at the Great Inlet, an impediment that at one time backed up the water to form Inlet Swamp.

The earliest recorded dwelling in the area was built in the south portion of the groves by James Thompson. The cabin was built of split logs with a native grass roof. Legend tells us the cabin was burned by Indians, who made regular stopovers in the area. Settlers passed through, and in 1847 pioneers started to buy land for permanent farms. The land where the settlement of Scarboro is located was purchased from the U.S. Government in 1851 by Gilbert Durin. It was sold to William Grove in 1865, and resold to L. G. Durin in 1877.

Scarboro is a village with a small population and is located in the township of Willow Creek in the east end of Lee County. It is two and one half miles east of Highway 251 and one mile north of Highway U.S. 30. It came into existence in 1904 when the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad built a new railroad from Rockford to Ladd for the purpose of hauling coal from the mines to northern parts of the state, and it was decided that this would be a good location for a town. At first a box car was used for a depot, but as soon as possible a depot was built. From 1904 until 1929 it was served with passenger, mail and express service by the railroad, but due to changing conditions this was discontinued, and mail is now delivered by rural mail service from Steward, which is five miles to the north. The depot was closed around 1970, and the building demolished.

The first residence in the new town was built by Lewis G. Durin about 1900. He wanted to get back to the farm after having lived in Rockford with his wife and daughter, Miss Ida M. Durin, after retiring from farming in 1892. He lived in this house until his death in 1903.

Since Scarboro is located in the center of a rich grain section, grain elevators were the first large buildings erected. In 1904 Shearer Brothers of Steward built a fifty thousand bushel elevator. This firm sold out in 1926 to the Scarboro Elevator Company. The second elevator was also built in 1904 by the Neola Elevator Company, who owned a chain of elevators. This was sold in 1908 to a group of farmers who were incorporated under the name of the Scarboro Elevator Company. Numerous grain storage bins have been added through the years with total capacity of over one million bushels.

The first general store was erected early in 1905 and was owned and operated by Ray Anderson of Rochelle. In 1908 he sold the store to Mr. P. J. Schoenholtz, who operated the business until his retirement, when he turned it over to his son, P. C. Shoenholtz. The store was closed after the death of Mr. Schoenholtz, and opened for about two years in 1964 and 1965 as a community gathering center.

In 1908 Mr. P. J. Schoenholtz was appointed postmaster for the Post Office in Scarboro, which was located in his store, where it remained until 1918 when Mrs. John Grove was appointed postmaster. The Post Office was then moved to the John Grove store, where it remained until it was discontinued in 1929. This store was built by Mr. Cass Byrd in 1910 and was used as a general store by John Grove until 1948 when it was sold and remodeled into a home. Mr. Grove then moved his business into the Rees building which was formerly a garage. In 1907 Mr. Harry D. Riley started a blacksmith shop which he operated until he moved to a farm near Lee Center.

Some of the early settlers of this territory whose descendants still reside near here are as follows with the year in which they came to Twin Grove: James Thompson 1844, William Burd 1852, Cummings Noe 1844, Henry Cobb 1852, Jacob Hochstrasser 1849, Jacob Fisher 1855, Lars L. Risetter 1847, John L. Lutz 1859, Lewis G. Durin 1849, Ira S. Durin 1849, Gilbert E. Durin 1849, Ethan Durin 1853, Joseph Barnhard 1851, William Ambler 1859, and John Yetter 1859.

The first concern of these early settlers, after they moved into their homes, was of their churches and schools. There are no records of early churches, but know that church services were held in the early school houses.

The first records of a school near what is now Scarboro, then called District No. 3 and known as the Twin Grove School, show that in July 1852 the voters of the district met at the home of Isaac Gardnew for the purpose of electing three school directors. James Thompson, Isaac Gardnew and L. G. Durin were elected the first directors. From the records still remaining, it seems that school was held in an old house until 1857, when this house was sold at auction and the amount realized, $125.00, was used to build a new school house. The records for the next few years show mostly only the names of the directors elected, and that the coal, lumber and other supplies were hauled both from Bigner's store at Earlville and from Lane, Illinois, which is now Rochelle. In 1866 an entry shows that the textbooks to be adopted were to be McGuffey's series of spelling books and readers and Ray's arithmetic’s and algebra’s. In March, 1869 this school building with all books and apparatus belonging to the district burned.

During the week after the fire, a meeting of the directors was called to make plans for a new school building, and on March 22nd a contract was signed for a building 18 ft. by 24 ft. and 11 1/2 ft. high, on a stone wall two feet high. Sills to be of good pine 6 by 8 inches, studding 2 by 6 inches, joist 2 by 8 inches, lath, and three coats of plaster.

To be seated with twenty seats with patent iron standards; six windows, one door; chimney: two coats of paint; Venetian blinds painted green; and all to be done in a workman-like manner and to be completed by June first. Cost to be $825.00 and Bonds payable in one, two and three years were issued to the amount of $600.00. This new building for some unknown reason was built across the road from where the old one stood in a grove, and was used here as a school until 1908 when it was moved to Scarboro and served as a school for three years until a new one was built in 1911.

One of the best known teachers of this school was Mr. L. W. Miller, later of Dixon, who began his career as an instructor in November, 1888 at the age of eighteen years. His salary was $30.00 per month and as his home was four miles from the school, he rode a bronco pony back and forth. He later was elected Lee County Superintendent of Schools and held this office for twenty-eight years.

In 1911 a fine new one-room school was built on the south side of the town. Miss Ida Durin contributed one half of the cost of this new building. This school closed in 1952 and became the residence of Mr. George LeFevre.

In 1874 a meeting was called at the home of Mr. John Yetter to consider the building of a church. Mr. John Yetter, Mr. William. Dunkelberger, Mr. John Hochstrasser, Mr. J. L. Lutz, and Mr. Gotlieb Hochstrasser were elected to serve on a building committee. Mr. J. J. Meyer was given the contract to build the church. In November, 1875 this building was completed and dedicated as The Twin Grove German Evangelical Church, with Bishop J. J. Esher officiating, assisted by Reverend J. Schaefle, Presiding Elder.

This Church was located about one mile east of Scarboro, and in 1907 Mr. George Noe, Mr. George Yetter and Mr. T. C. Kelly were appointed to have charge of moving of this church to Scarboro. Others who helped with the moving were Student Pastor Reverend I. L. Sweitzer, later District Superintendent, and Mr. G. W. Durin, who gave the land for the new site adjoining the school grounds. In 1916 the David Wilman home located across the street was purchased for a parsonage.

The Ladies Aid society of the church was organized in 1907 at the home of Mrs. George Yetter. The first officers elected were Mrs. George Yetter, President; Mrs. George Noe, Vice President; and Mrs. Florence Smith, Treasurer; and meetings were to be held twice a month on Thursdays in their homes. They ruled that not more than six kinds of food could be served at each meeting and each member was to pay ten cents. This society was in continuous activity until 1963.

(This history of the community was updated and edited from an article originally written for the Centennial Issue of the Dixon Evening Telegraph in 1951. The article was prepared by Nellie M. Grove, and Fred E. Durin.)

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