Plano was not founded on a desolate terrain as were many villages. This area had been occupied by a few early Kendall County settlers who had been here for several years. A Mr. Ball had built a saw and grist mill on the Big Rock Creek 1 mile south of Plano in 1835. He sold this mill to John Schneider 2 years later. Mr. Schneider had built the first mill at Yorkville in 1832, being an early settler there. Other mills were built nearby along the creeks and Fox River. David and Benjamin Evans were among the first settlers who claimed land where Plano is now located. Plano is the Spanish word for plain. They sold out to Marcus Steward in 1838. Archibald Sears and Cornelius Henning settled in 1836 from New York State.