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Northwest Suburbs
of Chicago |
| THE BARRINGTONS |
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Barrington Hills,
Barrington,
North Barrington,
South Barrington and
Lake Barrington:
This entire region is known for its easy country lifestyle, its commitment to open green spaces and its historic preservation endeavors. Here charming small towns feature compact downtown districts, expansive equestrian farms, wooded, gently rolling landscapes and idyllic lakes. It is not uncommon to see residents coming and going everywhere-accompanied by their four-legged BFF! Veterinarians and Saddle Shops abound. Residents and businesses are active in the community, taking pride in all aspects of life here. Fine restaurants, unique shops, extraordinary homes and lovely views make this area a prime destination for discriminating homeowners.
The Chicago Metra Station is centrally located in downtown
Barrington for fast and convenient rail service to downtown Chicago. Barrington also offers a library, churches, schools, and fine stores and boutiques for a pleasant shopping experience. |
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Barrington Hills is renowned as horse country, offering sweeping vistas of thoroughbred farms, such as Hill ‘n Dale Farm, a 600-acre horse breeding farm owned by Dick Duchossois who owns nearby Arlington Park Racetrack. The area is a magnet for polo and fox hunting enthusiasts, as well. Home sites here are limited to a five-acre minimum for a lush country feel. |
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North Barrington is the home of Wynstone, one of the most prestigious gated, golf course communities in Chicagoland, which is designed around an award-winning Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course -- rated among the top 100 courses in the U.S. Wynstone offers 440 home sites comprised of estate homes on one-plus acre lots, golf villas and single family maintenance-free homes. |
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South Barrington offers select estate-size homes to the north and a mix of corporate and recreational offerings to its south, including easy proximity to Chicago via I-90. This attractive community boats two nature preserves, 45 private lakes and ponds and the South Barrington Park and Tennis Club. |
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Lake Barrington is unique in its countryside character and open spaces. With historic old trees, wetlands and recreational opportunities, it’s an ideal choice for families. |
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Lake Barrington Shores is a gated golf course community in a lake setting that features townhouses and single family homes. Its clubhouse, pool, and hiking trails and canoeing and kayaking make this an extremely desirable location. |
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| LONG GROVE |
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Long Grove is named for the large grove of oak and hickory trees that defined the area, the village is unique among suburban communities–an oasis free from urban sprawl where residents can enjoy a relaxed and rural lifestyle 30 minutes from the bustling city of Chicago. Strict zoning regulations preserve the rural character of the open spaces. With a population of 6,700 in an area of 18 square miles, Long Grove provides privacy and an abundance of natural beauty for its lucky residents. Long Grove is best known for its unique specialty shops and many dining selections in the Historic Business District, the first of its kind in the state. Here the aroma of apple pies and home made cider wafts from the Apple Haus, and The Long Grove Popcorn Shoppe artfully presents numerous varieties of this all-American favorite, including delicious cheese corn and caramel corn. Long Grove is the site of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club and golf course community, which also offers paddle tennis, a traditional sport in the Northeast that is rapidly gaining in popularity here in the Midwest. |
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| KILDEER |
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Kildeer was established in 1958 and ranks as one of the top suburbs in which to live, based on its schools, amenities, services, and transportation. Neighbor to Lake Zurich, Deer Park, Long Grove, Hawthorn Woods and Barrington, Kildeer’s growth has been carefully planned and thoughtfully guided. The entire area is comprised of custom homes, wooded areas, and picturesque ponds and lakes. With a population of 3,600, Kildeer offers a distinctive lifestyle in a quiet and regal community. The renowned Kemper Lakes Golf Course here has hosted the 1989 PGA Championship, Six Senior PGA Tour Events, Four Grand Slam of Golf Events and a USGA Women’s Amateur Championship. In addition, Kemper Lakes is undergoing a renovation to become a coveted private, gated golf course community offering a variety of lifestyle choices. As a private club, its membership will be limited to 300 members. |
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| DEER PARK |
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The Village of
Deer Park is located in both Lake and Cook Counties, east of Barrington and south of Lake Zurich. Village zoning restrains development to largely one-acre residential lots, with a portion of the perimeter zoned for business, office and research. The current mission of the village is to maintain the health and safety of its residents, provide for orderly development of land and preserve green space for its present residents. Deer Park offers charming suburban living with ponds and lakes, marshes and forest preserves, and rolling open countryside. Wonderful shopping opportunities abound at the upscale Deer Park Mall, with its wide variety of name fashions, fresh food markets, and fine dining choices. |
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| HAWTHORN WOODS |
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Characterized by the large converted barn that serves as the village center,
Hawthorn Woods is a community of 6,000 located 40 miles northwest of Chicago. Its rural setting and one-acre home sites attract families who value the outdoors, an active community and distinctive amenities. A centerpiece of the community is the Arnold Palmer golf course at the gated Hawthorn Woods Country Club community. |
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| IVANHOE |
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Ivanhoe is a tiny picturesque hamlet and has grown up around the Ivanhoe Club, an exclusive, nationally recognized golf club located in the center of Lake County. The club, on 380 acres surrounded by estate homes and various other housing choices, boasts a 67,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, tennis courts, and competition-size pool. Its three courses with a total of 27 holes have been regularly recognized as among the Top 25 Championship Golf Courses in Illinois. Life here is easy and the views are scenic. With its Countryside Forest Preserve, it’s the ideal choice for families who desire the good life in a relaxed setting. |
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| INVERNESS |
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From its beginnings, Inverness was designed as a distinctive community in a country-like atmosphere.
Inverness today continues to offer wooded land and meadows with fine custom homes. The center for recreation in the early years was the Inverness Golf Club, and in 1985 the Village Hall was relocated to its present location at the Four Silos, which has become a famous landmark and gateway to the community. Williamsburg Village, the only business development in the village, maintains the rural character and natural beauty that attracted its first residents 70 years ago. Today Inverness is a quiet, stable residential community of attractive homes and a population of 6,800. |
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North Shore of
Chicago |
| BANNOCKBURN |
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Bannockburn
is in Lake
County, 25 miles NW of the Loop. The village of Bannockburn
is a somewhat inconspicuous upper-middleclass suburb that
has catered to its mostly residential population through
zoning and service provisions. Established in 1924 by
developer William Aitken, the settlement was intended to be
an exclusive community for members of his bridge group and
country club. The original charter called for homes to be
built on no less than one-acre plots; the community has
since expanded requirements to two acres. |
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| NORTHBROOK |
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Northbrook is in Cook
County, 20 miles NW of the Loop. Prior to the establishment of a
brick industry, Northbrook was a sleepy little settlement. In
1843 James M. Strode and Silas W. Sherman laid claim to 160
acres and eventually purchased enough acreage to own a
substantial part of the town. In 1850 the Shep- ards arrived and
set up a kiln in their home for brickmaking. They also opened a
general store and a tavern, which became a stopover for
travelers going to and from Chicago and Milwaukee. German
farmers bought land in the area before the Civil War.
In 1950 the population was 3,348; within a decade it more than
tripled to 11,635, and grew to 33,435 by 2000. In the late 1960s
developer J. Gould had an option to buy 300 acres of farmland
adjacent to the village on Lake-Cook Road. His intention was to
put up 2,300 apartments in 12-story high-rise buildings.
Residents protested the development, which was nicknamed
“Instant City” by newspapers. Another proposal to build a
shopping center resulted in Northbrook's annexation of the land.
Northbrook Court, a 130-acre upscale mall, opened in 1976.
While Northbrook Court added to the village's tax base, large
companies have also contributed. Northbrook became home to
Allstate, United Parcel, and Underwriters Laboratories. Techny
property has been annexed by Northbrook; plans for the 770-acre
parcel include a mixed use of residential, commercial,
industrial, and park land, and a golf course. |
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| LAKE FOREST |
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Lake Forest is
considered by many to be the crown jewel of Chicago's North
Shore communities. On the shore of Lake Michigan 31 miles
north of the Loop, Lake Forest covers more than 17 square
miles and is home to nearly 21,000 residents. Long
recognized for its natual beauty, the community has spacious
wooded home sites, winding gas-lit streets, deep ravines,
grand estates, historic building and landscapes that create
a relaxed small town feel.
Lake Forest is only 30 minutes from O'Hare airport and just
minutes from several regional shopping malls. Two commuter
train lines serve the community. Either will bring you to
Chicago in less than an hour. |
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| WILMETTE |
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Wilmette is in
Cook County, 14 miles N of the Loop. The village of Wilmette
is named for Antoine Ouilmette, a French-Canadian fur trader
who settled in Chicago in 1790 on the north bank of the
Chicago River. Ouilmetteand his part-Potawatomi wife,
Archange Chevallier, moved to the Lake Michigan shore of
present-day Wilmette around 1826. Ouilmette was instrumental
in convincing local Indians to sign the 1829 Treaty of
Prairie du Chien, which gave the federal government title to
much of northern Illinois. In appreciation, the government
deeded 1,280 acres, encompassing much of present-day
Wilmette and part of Evanston, to Archange and her children.
Wilmette's population peaked in 1970 at 32,134. The
population of Wilmette consistently has been over 90 percent
white, a percentage that declined in the late 1990s with an
increase of Asians in the village. The economic status of
the residents has remained among the highest in the Chicago
area throughout the twentieth century. In 1980, the median
income was $41,640, the fifth highest in the country, and by
2000 the figure had increased to $106,773. |
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| GLENVIEW |
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| HIGHLAND PARK |
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The Star of the North Shore, the City of
Highland Park, extends
north from Lake Cook Road. It's about half way through
the band of prestigious suburbs that stretches along Lake
Michigan from the northern edge of Chicago. Like the
other North Shore suburbs, the city lies along Sheridan
Road, the scenic drive that parallels the lake shore and is
perhaps the finest residential street for beautiful houses
and views anywhere. In Highland Park, Sheridan and
nearby streets feature Frank Lloyd Wright houses, panoramas
from bluffs over the Lake and views of wooded ravines that
are part of the city's signature. |
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| LAKE BLUFF |
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Being the most distant Chicago suburb, just 34 miles north
of the Loop,
Lake Bluff provides all
the advantages of a North Shore community without the
congestion. Located in Lake County with easy access to
neighboring Wisconsin and an abundance of open lands within
minutes, Lake Bluff's advantages are just beginning. |
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| GLENCOE |
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Glencoe's growth
followed the pattern of many Chicago suburbs, accelerating
rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s. Its population peaked at
10,542 in 1970. Glencoe's demography remained predominately
affluent and white. Along with some of its North Shore
neighbors, the village became home to a significant number
of Chicago's Jewish population in the middle decades of the
twentieth century. North Shore Congregation Israel was
organized in 1920 and built its current grandiose synagogue
on Sheridan Road in 1964.
In recent years, Glencoe's population has declined, falling
to 8,762 in 2000—95 percent of whom were white—while incomes
remained among the highest in the state and the country. In
1999 the median household income was $164,432. Partly due to
the prestige of New Trier High School—the district's public
school—the village remains attractive to families, with 46
percent of households having children under 18. |
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| WINNETKA |
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Winnetka is an Indian name
meaning "beautiful land". What a perfect name for this
truly unique and inspiring community. The significant,
tasteful homes and wooded physical beauty on the shores of Lake
Michigan are all immediately apparent, but it is the underlying
sprit of its residents that makes Winnetka so special.
Winnetka's focus is on family.
Therefore, the schools are second to none. New Trier High
School may be the best in the country with so many levels of
academics and such depth of theater, arts, music and sports.
So many young, successful, involved families are moving to
Winnetka that its future promises to be even more exciting than
its past. |
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| KENILWORTH |
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Kenilworth is a village
of 2,400 on a tree-shaded square mile along the shore of
Lake Michigan. Founder Joseph Sears envisioned in the
1890s, a place where families could flourish, away from the
soot and noise of the city but still within commuting
distance. His vision is best illustrated today by the
annual Memorial Day parade when everyone marches and few are
left to watch. Sears' careful planning resulted in a
gracious enclave where the streets are laid at an angle so
all the houses get the most possible light during the day.
A number of the spacious homes, set on generous lots, are
more than 100 years old and carefully preserved. More
than 40 were designed by George Washington Maher, a noted
architect at the beginning of the 1900s whose own home is in
the village. A number of third and fourth generation
families live here, a testament to its attractiveness. |
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Western
Suburbs of Chicago |
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| OAK BROOK |
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Oak Brook is in DuPage
County, 17 miles W of the Loop. Oak Brook is located in the
lower Salt Creek drainage basin, where Salt Creek turns
eastward toward the Des Plaines River. From the late 1600s
to the early 1800s, the region was the location of the
largest Potawatomi settlement in what is now DuPage County.
Oak Brook was then known as Sauganakka.
Beginning in the 1960s, several luxury subdivisions were
built. In the years that followed, many nationally prominent
corporations, such as Armour & Company, Eastman Kodak, and
McDonald's, opened offices in Oak Brook. Development
continued in the 1990s, including a major expansion of the
shopping center. |
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| HINSDALE |
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Hinsdale is in DuPage
and Cook Counties, 16 miles W of the Loop. Hinsdale, a
commutervillage along the Chicago, Burlington &
QuincyRailroad, roughly encompasses the area between Kingery
Highway, 59th Street, Interstate 294, and Ogden Avenue. The
village sits on elevated prairie land. A valley runs east to
west, splitting Hinsdale's morainic hills, some of which
rise to over 70 feet above Lake Michigan.
In 1870, 43 percent of Hinsdaleans were originally from the
northeastern United States. The remaining 50 percent
consisted of German, English, and other northwestern
European immigrants. In 2000 Hinsdale's population was
17,349, twice what it had been in 1950. |
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| CLARENDON
HILLS |
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Clarendon Hills is in
DuPage County, 18 miles W of the Loop. Clarendon Hills, a
commuter village along the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
Railroad, roughly encompasses the area between Ogden Avenue,
Kingery Highway, Richmond Avenue, and 55th Street. The
village consists of elevated prairie land with small rolling
hills to the north and large hills to the south, many rising
to as much as 70 feet above Lake Michigan.
A real boom in Clarendon Hills followed World War II.
Population increased from 933 in 1930 to 5,885 by 1960.
Ranches, Cape Cods, and split-levels were built on the
odd-shaped lots platted almost a century before. New
residents organized Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran
congregations. The Lions Club, formed in 1950, built the
community's first public swimming pool. The population of
Clarendon Hills in 2000 was 7,610. |
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| BURR RIDGE |
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Burr Ridge is in DuPage
County, 17 miles SW of the Loop. Burr Ridge's gently rolling
hills were carved by glaciers at the end of the last ice
age, and most of the village lies on the Valparaiso Moraine.
Flagg Creek, a tributary of the Des Plaines River, runs
through town.
By 1990 the population had risen to 7,669, a 100 percent
increase over 1980. Into the 1990s Burr Ridge continued to
aggressively annex surrounding land, growing to include
seven square miles. The 1998 median home value weighed in at
$470,000. An $8 million project at the turn of the century
upgraded water mains, with water coming via Bedford Park.
The Robert Vial home, relocated to Pleasant Dale Park, now
houses the Flagg Creek Historical Society. |
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| WESTERN
SPRINGS |
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Western Springs is in
Cook County, 15 miles W of the Loop. Western Springs,
located along the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
between Chicago and Aurora, encompasses roughly the area
between Willow Springs Road, Ogden Avenue, Interstate 294,
and 55th Street. Named for local mineral springs on the
southwest side of town, Western Springs originally consisted
of flat prairie land with a swamp on its western border.
Western Springs added many improvements over the years,
including a fire department (1894), electric plant (1898),
telephones (1899), a park district (1923), and a library
(1926). The village expanded south of 47th Street, annexing
the subdivisions of Forest Hills (1927), Springdale (1955),
and Ridgewood (1973). Spring Rock Park was created in 1931,
and four more parks followed in 1945. |
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