In its earliest times, the Village of Bartlett, Illinois was served as a hunting and camping ground for the Cherokee, Miami, Potawatomi, and Ottawa Indians.

Throughout the past, the Northwest Territory, Virginia, Indiana, Spain, France and England had staked their claim for Bartlett.

Luther and Sophia Bartlett had decided that a station stop would be beneficial for their town and townspeople.

[citation needed] A petition for incorporation was filed in Springfield on February 11, 1891.

Ashok Selvam of the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, Illinois said that the Asian population growth "could be traced to construction of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir".

On August 8, 2004, the BAPS organization, a sect of Hinduism, opened BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Chicago, a large 22,442-square-foot (2,084.9 m2) temple, or mandir, on Illinois Route 59, just south of U.S. Route 20.

Covering 30 acres (120,000 m2), it is the largest traditional Hindu mandir, of stone and marble, to be constructed in the United States.

[12][13] Bartlett is home to Villa Olivia, a year-round resort with special event venue, an 18-hole golf course and winter sports such as skiing, tubing, and snowboarding.

The championship course filled with mature trees, rolling hills, and beautiful landscaping.

[20] The City of Bartlett was ranked the ninth-safest city in the United States according to the real estate market data platform NeighborhoodScout, with information analyzed from the FBI Crime Database from 2016.

This festival includes a carnival with rides and games, food, beverages, free entertainment for all ages, bingo, a turtle race, a parade, on-site presence for nonprofit groups, skydivers, fireworks, and a great sense of community pride.

[25] The village is served by Illinois Route 59 and by the Milwaukee District West rail line.

Pace provides bus service on Route 554 connecting Bartlett to Elgin, Schaumburg, and other destinations.