The spiritual foundation of the Chicago society was laid decades before its formal incorporation. In September 1893, Swami Vivekananda arrived in Chicago to represent Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions. His electrifying opening address, which began with the famous words, "Sisters and brothers of America," introduced Vedantic philosophy and the concept of religious harmony to the Western world. Although Vivekananda traveled extensively thereafter, returning briefly to Chicago in 1900 to visit close friends, the city remained the spiritual epicenter of his American triumph.

It was not until thirty years after Vivekananda’s final visit that the Ramakrishna Order officially established a center in the city. In December 1929, Swami Jnaneswarananda arrived in Chicago with the explicit mission of founding a Vedanta society. On January 19, 1930, the Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago was formally established. In its early years, the congregation did not have a dedicated temple. Swami Jnaneswarananda resided at 120 E. Delaware Place, while spiritual classes and Sunday lectures were held in the downtown Masonic Temple.

Following Swami Jnaneswarananda, leadership passed to Swami Vishwananda. Under his guidance, the Society acquired its first dedicated spaces, moving initially to a rented apartment on Deming Place, and later, in 1955, to a more permanent residence on East Elm Street.

The Society experienced rapid expansion under its next minister-in-charge, Swami Bhashyananda. Supported by the generosity of congregation members—most notably Chester Carlson, the inventor of Xerox—the Society purchased a substantial property at 5423 S. Hyde Park Boulevard in 1966. Recognizing the need for a dedicated space for intensive spiritual practice outside the urban environment, Swami Bhashyananda also established the Vivekananda Retreat in Ganges, Michigan, in 1971. During his tenure, he traveled extensively, establishing over forty satellite Vedanta groups across the United States and Canada.

In 1993, Swami Chidananda assumed leadership, steering the Society through its efforts to honor the centenary of Swami Vivekananda's historic 1893 address. His initiatives successfully placed a commemorative plaque at the Art Institute of Chicago and led to the renaming of a portion of Michigan Avenue to "Vivekananda Way."

As the congregation outgrew its Hyde Park location, the Society initiated a major relocation project. In September 2008, a spacious new temple was inaugurated in the suburb of Homer Glen, which now serves as the main headquarters. Since 2013, the center has been led by Swami Ishatmananda, who continues to oversee weekly classes on Vedantic texts, Sunday services, and extensive community outreach, ensuring that the eternal message of Vedanta endures in the very city where it first captured the American imagination.