The village of West Dundee, in Kane County, Illinois, was settled in 1835 with the establishment of a store and tavern. The settlers drew lots to see who would name the town, and Alexander Gardiner won, naming the town Dundee, in honor of his home in Scotland. One of the early settlers was Allan Pinkerton, who immigrated there in 1843 and was a cooper before he began the famed detective firm.