[8] Initial Homesteaders sold their land to agricultural Catholic German immigrants, who established St. Mary's Church and a school.

The village features dozens of recreational facilities, parks, and festivals, including a months-long Farmers' market, two golf courses, and the popular "Buffalo Grove Days".

Economically, residents work in health care, education, and professional services, while businesses in the village employ 20,000 daytime workers in 10 million square feet of commercial and industrial space.

[15][16] The first Europeans to stay the winter in what would become Chicago were the French Jesuit explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet in 1673; they established trade relations with the Ojibwe.

The settlers caused a dwindling of food and game; in 1829, a group of Illinois River Potawatomi signed a land cession treaty that included what would become Lake County in exchange for annual delivery of $12,000 in cash and 50 barrels of salt, $12,000 in gifts, and an exclusive blacksmith shop for them.

[20] The Native Americans' efforts to remain on their land failed because of the pressure of westward migration, aided by the recent opening of the Erie Canal.

[23] Some Native Americans who left the area would move onto reservations in western Missouri and Kansas, while others went north into Canada or resettled in northern Michigan and Wisconsin.

[21][20] The first white settler in Vernon Township was Daniel Wright, who arrived in 1833 and established a cabin and crops with the help of remaining natives.

[32] The increasing population caused the village to continue to annex subdivisions such as the Highlands, Green Knolls, and Windfield and establish home rule status, thereby allowing the government greater ability to solve local problems.

[30] In addition to residential subdivisions, the Buffalo Grove Commerce Center was developed in 1981 with 50 acres of industrial park at Lake Cook Road and the Soo Line Railroad tracks.

[40] Before European settlement, the area featured a tallgrass prairie dotted with small wetlands and even now is a nesting spot for grassland birds, including bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks.

[63][64] Being a suburb, Buffalo Grove attracts families looking for a good environment to raise children and avoid the downfalls of living in a city.

[66][67][54] The Buffalo Grove economy includes several corporate business parks, a diverse retail market, and professional services.

[74] The village also created a $7 million tax agreement to incentivize the long-awaited and popular Woodman's Markets to open in Buffalo Grove.

Other large employers include US LBM Holdings, LLC (Hines Supply is a subsidiary), the Village of Buffalo Grove, ARxIUM, Vapor Bus International, and Leica Microsystems Inc.[81]: 179 The Raupp Museum, operated by the Buffalo Grove Park District, chronicles the town's history, starting with the Potawatomi and ending at the "bustling suburb of today".

[83] Dedicated in 1979, the museum regularly receives grants from the state, allowing it to contain and preserve two permanent gallery spaces and changing exhibits while serving around 9,000 visitors a year.

[88] It accommodates the Buffalo Grove Theater and Bowlero: a bowling, arcade, laser tag, and birthday party venue.

The multi-day festival occurs at Mike Rylko Community Park, 951 McHenry Road., located on the east side of McHenry/Route 83, between Buffalo Grove Road and Deerfield Parkway, next to the Spray ’n’ Play waterpark.

[95] It features carnival games, roller coaster rides, arts and craft booths, food vendors, live music, and a parade held at the beginning of the festival.

It lasts every Sunday morning from June to October, presenting "locally grown fruits, vegetables, condiments, gourmet coffee and pastries, and more".

[96] On June 2, 2019, Buffalo Grove held its inaugural pride parade, organized by the Pinta family, and has continued hosting annually.

[102] The library has renovated, moved, and changed multiple times since beginning in a 20-foot by 30-foot frame building and holding fewer than 13,000 items in its collection.

[106] Willow Stream Park along Old Checker Road serves the village with sports fields and courts, a pool, playground, and large open grass areas.

[108] The non-profit corporation Buffalo Grove Recreation Association (BGRA), not affiliated with the park district, provides a youth baseball league for the community.

Felice Herrig, a native of Buffalo Grove,[112] is a kickboxer, Muay Thai fighter, and mixed martial artist.

[113] Zach Borenstein had a .524 batting average as a senior at Buffalo Grove High School and subsequently played at Eastern Illinois University and multiple minor league teams.

[116] Brett Lebda, ice hockey defenseman for multiple teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, attended Buffalo Grove High School.

[117] Buffalo Grove native Megan Bozek is an ice hockey player who plays for the KRS Vanke Rays and the United States national team.

[150] Also, Buffalo Grove flushes hydrants, plows streets, and repairs faulty water meters of private residents.

[154] This contract includes "At Your Door (AYD) Service," which allows a pick-up of hazardous and difficult-to-recycle materials, such as electronics, televisions, paint, and chemicals.