Once known as the Piano Center of the United States, the Village of Steger is located 32 miles South of Chicago, along Illinois Route One (also called Dixie Highway or Chicago Road). The village was incorporated on February 23, 1897, and given its present name in honor of John V. Steger, who in 1891 purchased ten acres of vacant land in Cook County, in an area which was then the crossroads of the Village of Columbia Heights. Two years later, Mr. Steger began the large-scale business of manufacturing pianos under his name. The first factory, erected in 1892, was a frame building on the east side of what is now known as Chicago Road.

In 1896, Columbia Heights became incorporated as a village. Prior to this, the village was governed by a citizen's council of seven members. It was at that time that the village decided to change its name. A petition and election cost $400, and Mr. Steger volunteered to pay the fee if the population changed the name to Steger. An election was held in November and the Village of Steger was incorporated on December 14, 1896.