Then and Now

Palatine, Illinois still has an air of newness to it, but the town actually has a rich history that dates back to the 1830s when settlers from New England migrated west, taking over vast tracts of land in the area for farming. Development was gradual for the next few decades until the Illinois and Wisconsin Railroad built a train line in the early 1850s that passed through the region, making a stop in Palatine at Deer Grove Trading Post. As with many of the other small towns and suburbs that surround Chicago, the construction of the railroad and the addition of a station caused development and the area's population to rapidly increase.

The emerging village grew around the rail station, which gave residents access to that little boomtown to the southeast – Chicago. One of the residents who made a home in Palatine during the town's rise was Joel Wood. Mr. Wood had big ideals for the tiny settlement, though, and after spending a few years surveying the land he completed plans for the Village of Palatine in 1855. The town was incorporated in 1866 and three years later it was chartered by the state. Housing development rose steadily through the beginning of the 20th century in Palatine, spiking after the end of the Second World War with the construction of the Palanois Park subdivision. The Cook County Fair was held in Palatine between 1914 and 1931, but the fairground was later converted into a residential subdivision as well.

In the second half of the 20th century, the population of Palatine multiplied at an unprecedented rate. The number of inhabitants more than doubled in the 1960s, growing from just over 10,000 people in 1960 to more than 25,000 people in 1970. The population count in Palatine today is closer 65,000 with about two dozen schools in operation. Witness Palatine's rich history first-hand at the George S. Clayson House Museum and Library (224 E Palatine Rd), a home built in 1873 that has recently been restored to its beautiful 19th century glory.
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Park is the Place

The Palatine Parks District boasts an impressive network of parks and golf courses to suffice residents' outdoor pastimes and leisure activities. One of the most widely used Park District features is the 15-mile-long Palatine Trail, an extensive bike track that provides access to several Palatine schools and parks. The route connects with other biking trails in the northwest suburbs, too. Another Park District spot that's popular (particularly among teens) is the skate park. During regular hours the skate park is busy with skateboarders and inline-skaters, but on Saturday mornings and Thursday nights, bicycles, scooters, and skateboards are all permitted.

The Palatine Park District is also home to a handful of public swimming pools that overflow with splashing kids and bathing beauties in the summer. The Family Aquatic Center (340 E Palatine Rd, 847-991-1700) is a favorite among Palatine locals. It has a large swimming and wading pool surrounded by dozens of lawn chairs and recliners, in addition to a towering fake-rock installation. Some of the other neighborhood pools, such as the Birchwood Pool (435 W Illinois Ave, 847-359-9697) have fun features like water slides as well.
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Hit the Links

Palatine, Illinois has several golf courses – public and private – that get plenty of use by area residents. The most impressive golf course in Palatine is the Inverness Golf Club (102 Roselle Rd, 847-359-0244), which is one of the most prestigious and attractive courses in the Chicago suburbs. The club was first established in the 1920s as a luxury retreat for the employees of the Cudahy Packing Company. The greens here are steeped in tradition, but they are also especially challenging and scenic. The 18-hole course is a difficult par 72 with more than 6,750 yards of fairways and greens. The gorgeous, onsite clubhouse is spacious and proves a perfect spot to enjoy a beer following an afternoon golf game. Many Palatine residents make a visit to the Inverness clubhouse just to have dinner with family and friends, skipping the round of golf altogether.

Another good option for the golf-lover in the family is Palatine Hills Golf Course (512 W Northwest Hwy, 847-359-4020). Play 18 holes on grounds owned and operated by the Palatine Parks District, so it's quite a bit cheaper than some of the other places in the area. Palatine Hills is a par-72 championship course, and it also features an excellent pro shop and clubhouse.
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Real Estate

When it comes to the Chicago suburbs, the Palatine real estate market offers some of the best bargains around. The housing options here appeal both to new families looking to buy a home for the first time and to lifelong homeowners looking to upgrade to a bigger house. Palatine, Illinois is conveniently located less than 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, making for a comfortable commute. Plus, it's only 15 miles from O'Hare International Airport, making it an ideal location for jet setters, too.

The actual composition of the town is a pretty even mix of residential and commercial property, with plenty of office and industrial space to keep a sufficient number of jobs in Palatine. As one of the older suburbs in the area, Palatine is sprinkled with stately vintage-style homes and classic architecture, but there's also a large selection of new construction homes and other houses built within the past decade.

The average sale price for a detached, single-family home in Palatine is around $340,000 for a three-bedroom house, $504,000 for homes with four bedrooms, and $577,000 for properties with five or more bedrooms. Attached homes in Palatine, such as condos and townhouses, have an average sale price of $132,000 for a one-bedroom place, $203,000 for condos with two bedrooms, and $277,000 for three-bedroom properties. 

Palatine Residential Real Estate Info for Single-Family Detached Homes

Average Sale Price 2005-2006	Average # of Days on the Market	Number of Sales 2005-2006	One Year Price Change	Price Change Since 94
$435,654	80	453	10%	121%

Source: Multiple Listings Service of Northern Illinois
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What's on the Menu?

Palatine has a rich selection of restaurants to choose from when those hunger pangs hit. And unlike the stereotypical suburban scene that consists of strip malls and chain restaurants, the majority of Palatine dining spots are independent, locally-owned eateries. There's a wide variety of cuisine to appease the appetite, too, from sushi and pizza to rib tips and German goulash.

Speaking of goulash, the Christl's German Inn (45 W Slade St, 847-991-1040) specializes in authentic German fare. Christl's is a family-friendly restaurant that serves the area's German population, in addition to anyone else who's fond of Bavarian-inspired food. And like any good German restaurant should, the folks at Christl's stake their name on the Wiener schnitzel with sauerkraut and goulash. They also offer roast duck, a fish special that changes daily, and the popular pork shank with potato pancakes. And, study up on your German music before heading over to Christl's because they've got a jukebox full of tunes straight from the Deutschland.

Arguably Palatine's most popular place for Italian grub, Ristorante Arenella (2001 N Rand Rd, 847-221-2663) is an impressive café-style restaurant with a vast menu. Like any Italian restaurant, Arenella has a lengthy pasta list, but that's really just the beginning of exquisite culinary delights available at this Palatine favorite. There's also a nice selection of fish and chicken dishes, and an entire section of the menu is devoted to veal, with more than 10 meals to choose from.

And, for those nights when you're too tired to cook, or if you're just in the mood for a slice, there are a bunch of great pizza places in Palatine to indulge your hankering for the ‘za. Graziano's Brick Oven Pizza (5960 W Touhy Ave, 847-647-4096) should be your first choice for fancier, authentic Neapolitan-style pies. The folks at Graziano's cook their pizzas in brick ovens that heat up to between 700 and 900 degrees, which makes the thin crust nice and crispy. Graziano's isn't limited to pizza though; it's also got a fairly extensive menu of other authentic Italian dishes, including a bowtie pasta with vodka sauce that will intoxicate your taste buds with mouthwatering savor. Another place in Palatine to find upscale pizza (but slightly more conventional, at least by American standards) is the Chicago Pizza Authority (1645 N Baldwin Rd, 847-358-8811), a Chicago-based chain that serves up some of the best pizza in the area.

A Palatine restaurant that has enjoyed critical acclaim over the past few years is the Brockway Chophouse (110 N Brockway St, 8470963-0600), a brewpub with a rotating beer selection and some of the finest steak cuts around. The Chophouse was built where an ale house named Emmett's Tavern used to be, so the owners inherited the brewing equipment from the old bar. The food, though, is what really changed when Brockway took over, and by all accounts it's a huge improvement. Diners will find just about any type of steak their heart desires – from rib eye to New York strip steak to filet mignon. In the summer guests can dine al fresco on the nice outdoor patio that looks out on the Palatine Metra train station, but all year round you're welcome to sign up for beer tastings and classes that are sure to take your taste buds from amateur to connoisseur status.
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Best Shopping Stops

The suburb of Palatine supports a healthy commercial district with a diverse collection of shops. There are a number of independently owned stores in town, in addition to a large selection of big box retailers where you can do your one-stop shopping. Clothing and accessory destinations are always crowded with evening and weekend shoppers making the rounds to national chains like Famous Footwear (663 E Dundee Rd, 847-776-6840) and popular women's clothing stores such as Fashion Bug (1315 N Rand Rd, 8470963-0419) and Dress Barn (727 E Dundee Rd, 847-202-8370). Of course, the all-in-one home goods supplier Linens ‘n Things (715 E Dundee Rd, 847-776-6790) is another common stop when taking a shopping outing in Palatine, Illinois.

Palatine has its share of convenient superstores – you know, the places where you can get just about anything you need under one roof. There's a Wal-Mart (155 N Rand Rd, 847-202-9491), a Kmart (537 N Hicks Rd, 847-358-8362), and a Target (679 E Dundee Rd, 847-202-5130), but sometimes the mega marts can be a bit overwhelming. So, for more specialized needs, you can head over to Home Depot (825 E Dundee Rd, 847-705-6801) for home improvement, hardware and everyday fix-it type items, Office Max (1381 N Rand Rd, 847-705-7605) and Staples (761 E Dundee Rd, 847-934-1497) for office supplies, and Radio Shack (315 E Northwest Hwy, 847-359-0076) for electronics and other high-tech gismos.
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Mark Your Calendar

Every year there are a number of summer and winter time events that Palatine residents look forward to, but the one date that's sure to be circled on local calendars is for the Palatine Downtown Street Fest (200 E Wood St, 847-359-9043), which takes place in late August. The roads between Palatine Road, Smith Street, and the Metra train tracks are closed off for the well-anticipated outdoor block party. Music is the main attraction at the Downtown Street Fest, with performances by more than a dozen different bands on the main stage. But that isn't the only draw; there's also a 3-K "Feet Fest Fun Run," the Palatine Police Bike Challenge, and a number of rides, games and live entertainment.
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School's in Session

Charles Quentin Elementary School 21250 W Shirley Rd (847) 438-2420
Gray M Sanborn Elementary School 101 N Oak St (847) 963-7000
Jane Addams Elementary School 1020 Sayles Dr (847) 963-5000
Kirk School 520 S Plum Grove Rd (847) 485-2600
Lake Louise Elementary School 500 N Jonathan Dr (847) 485-2600
Lincoln Elementary School 1021 Ridgewood Ln (847) 963-5700
Marion Jordan Elementary School 100 N Harrison Ave (847) 963-5500
Palatine High School 1111 N Rohlwing Rd (847) 755-1610
Pleasant Hill Elementary School 434 W Illinois Ave (847) 963-5900
Quest Academy 500 N Benton St (847) 202-8035
Virginia Lake Elementary School 925 N Glenn Dr (847) 963-7100
William Fremd High School 1000 S Quentin Rd (847) 755-2610
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Basic Needs

Dining

American Cuisine
Alemar's Restaurant 795 W Dundee Rd (847) 705-0220
BBQ Patio 828 S Hicks Rd (847) 991-6858
Beale Street Blues Café 1550 N Rand Rd (847) 776-9850
Brockway Chop House 110 N Brockway St (847) 963-0600
Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que 1101 E Dundee Rd (847) 202-2214
Marlowe's Restaurant 704 W Euclid Ave (847) 991-7540
Palatine Inn Restaurant 95 W Northwest Hwy (847) 991-4430

Asian Cuisine
Asahi Japanese Restaurant 851 N Quentin Rd (847) 359-7097
Fortune Kookie Restaurant 570 N Smith St (847) 776-7770
Heng Wing Restaurant 121 W Palatine Rd (847) 358-3061

German Cuisine
Christl's German Inn 45 W Slade St (847) 991-1040

Italian Cuisine
Ristorante Arenella 2001 Rand Rd (847) 221-2663

Pizza
Chicago Pizza Authority 1645 N Baldwin Rd (847) 358-8811
Graziano's Brick Oven Pizza 5960 W Touhy Ave (847) 647-4096
Papa John's Pizza 859 N Quinten (847) 991-7272
Tony's Pizza Peddler's Restaurant 1540 N Rand Rd (847) 991-7020

Bars/Nightlife

Duffy's Sports Pub & Restaurant 2070 N Rand Rd (847) 991-0002
Durty Nellie's Pub 180 N Smith St (847) 358-9150
Gator's Pub & Grill North 1719 N rand Rd (847) 705-0555

Emergency Rooms

Northwest Community Hospital 500 N Hicks Rd (847) 221-2087

Grocery Stores

Dominick's Finer Foods 615 E Dundee Rd (847) 776-0119
Jewel-Osco 45 S Plum Grove Rd (847) 991-1888
La Rosita Grocery Store 1190 E Dundee Rd (847) 934-9750
Old Village Pantry 301 S Rohlwing Rd (847) 359-0160
Whole Foods Market 1331 N Rand Rd (847) 776-8080

Gyms

Curves for Women 1937 S Plum Grove Rd (847) 202-9292
Fitness Together 837 N Quentin Rd (847) 776-7000
Health Quest Fitness 220 N Smith St (847) 202-9700
Motion Fitness 501 W Colfax St (847) 963-9700
Signature World Gym 1546 E Dundee Rd (866) 471-8870
World Gym Fitness center 1546 E Dundee Rd (847) 991-9300

Libraries

Palatine Public Library 700 N North Ct (847) 358-5881

Pharmacies

Jewel-Osco - 2502 N Waukegan Rd (847) 486-0864
Osco Drug - 2775 Pfingsten Rd (847) 564-8480
Target Pharmacy - 2241 Willow Rd (847) 657-0096
Walgreens - 1403 Waukegan Rd (847) 998-1422

Shopping

Dress Barn 727 E Dundee rd (847) 202-8370
Edge Home Audio & Video 130 S Northwest Hwy (847) 776-8888
Exquisite Jewelers 1590 N Rand Rd (847) 202-7889
Famous Footwear 663 E Dundee Rd (847) 776-6840
Fashion Bug 1315 N Rand Rd (847) 963-0419
Golden Tobacco 545 E Dundee Rd (847) 963-0451
Hobby Lobby 223 E Northwest Hwy (847) 963-1336
Home Depot 825 E Dundee Rd (847) 705-6801
Kmart 537 N Hicks Rd (847) 358-8362
Linens 'n Things 715 E Dundee Rd (847) 776-6790
Menards 1775 N Rand Rd (847) 934-9749
OfficeMax 1381 N Rand Rd (847) 705-7605
Radio Shack 315 E Northwest Hwy (847) 359-0076
Sport Scene 712 E Northwest Hwy (847) 359-5040
Staples 761 E Dundee Rd (847) 934-1497
Target 679 E Dundee Rd (847) 202-5130
Top Shelf Books 47 E Northwest Hwy (847) 705-9940
Varied Treasure Artisan Shoppe 117 W Slade St (847) 202-0509
Wal-Mart 155 N Rand Rd (847) 202-9491
Window Fashions Unlimited 120 S Northwest Hwy (847) 358-6050
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