Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, is a vibrant, thriving city home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Ranked as a top community to raise children, retire and start a business, those moving to Naperville will discover nationally acclaimed schools, a fine public library system, a remarkably low crime rate and a lower unemployment rate than the state's average.
History:
Mr. Joseph Naper is credited with founding Naperville along the DuPage River in 1831. In 1857, when the village of Naperville was incorporated, he was elected the first president of the board. Naperville became a significant stop at the crossroads of two main stage routes that ran from Chicago to Galena and to Ottawa. Naperville's growth for the next century was tied to this easy rail connection to Chicago. Between 1890 and 1920, residents began receiving city services such as water, sewers, electricity and telephones. Thanks to the improvements, the city grew to nearly 13,000 residents by 1960. While the suburban boom began in the near western suburbs after World War II, Naperville remained out of the range of this growth until the mid-1950s, when plans for the East-West toll road were announced. The route, which skirted the northern edge of Naperville and included an interchange, linked the city to downtown Chicago via the just completed Eisenhower Expressway. Because of this new access, residential, retail, industrial and service industries boomed in and around Naperville. The city grew to 50 square miles in 1993, with a population of 128,358 in 2000. Among municipalities in the metropolitan area, only Aurora and Chicago itself are larger.
Economy:
Naperville is located in the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor. Employers contributing to the population boom of the 1980s and 1990s include Nalco, Bell Labs and Western Electric, BP Amoco Labs, Porsche Finance and Edward Hospital. ConAgra's Grocery division offices are also located in Naperville, and OfficeMax moved corporate headquarters to Naperville in 2006. Naperville was one of the ten fastest growing communities in the U.S. during the 1990s. The city is also home to one of the largest congregations of automobile retailers in the state, as part of the "Ogden Avenue Strip," which extends from Hinsdale to Aurora and includes every major make of automobile on the road today. AutoNation and Bill Jacobs are two of the largest groups within the city itself. In addition, Naperville is home to a plant and the headquarters of Dukane Precast, a precast concrete manufacturer.
Tourism:
If you like parks, Naperville is the place for you. The Naperville Park District maintains hundreds of parks around the city, including an extension of the riverwalk where bicycling, rollerblading and skateboarding are acceptable. If you love to spend, many major retailers have set up shop in downtown Naperville, including Ann Taylor, Eddie Baur, Talbots and the Gap. There are also plenty of charming local stores throughout the city to explore. If you are looking for outdoor activities, Naperville's outdoor activities have been one of the reasons it has been voted the second best place in the country to live. Naperville's summertime Ribfest and the Memorial Day parade, which draws great bands from schools around the region, are popular events, attracting visitors from around the country. Naperville is filled with activities for the tastes of anyone. In the evening, there are local bars, diners and lounges in downtown Naperville you can enjoy well into the morning hours.