Schiller Park Real Estate

• Then and Now
• Park is the Place
• Real Estate
• What's on the Menu?
• School's in Session

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Home » Suburban Real Estate » Schiller Park

Schiller Park

Then and Now

For anyone who's ever enjoyed the sweet, savory, cream-filled goodness of a Hostess Twinkie, you'll be happy to know Schiller Park is where the delectable sugar-packed recipe originated. The notable snack cake was invented right here in Schiller Park by a local baker during the Depression as an economical dessert. Over the years the distinctive yellow sponge cakes have became a symbol of classic Americana. While the popularity of the Twinkie has grown to worldwide fame, its birthplace remains a modest Chicago suburb with a tasty bit of history to its name.

Schiller Park is a mid-sized Chicago suburb located on the far northwest edge of the city, just south of O'Hare International Airport. The village has well over 11,000 residents and is an active transportation nexus for planes, trains and automobiles. The Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and the largest air travel hub in the region hug the west side of Schiller Park, while the Metra North Central Service runs directly through the middle of town, housing a massive train yard near the northern end.

But before Schiller Park was known as Twinkie's hometown; and prior to the time when you could reach the region by any type of transport imaginable, the suburb was nothing more than a vast expanse of fields and woodland along the Des Plaines River. Back in the early 1800s, the land surrounding the waterway was occupied by several Native American tribes, including the Ottawa, Ojiba and Potawatomi. In the late 1820s, a little over 1,200 acres of the territory were deeded to Alexander Robinson (a tribal chief whose mother was Ottawa Indiana and father was a Scottish trader). Robinson's sprawling forested parcel straddled the river and was an ideal spot to settle down with his family.

Little by little, Robinson sold off pieces of his extensive property, which pretty much covered the area of present-day Schiller Park. During the 1850s some immigrants started to move into the region, headed up by a sizeable group of German farmers. After Robinson died in 1872, the small settlement swelled with a new wave of newcomers who were mainly from Poland, Italy and Spain. By 1900, the community was a cookie-cutter of westward expansion with pockmarked mud roads, a hardworking blacksmith, two dusty saloons, a one-room schoolhouse, backyard well pumps, livestock corralled outside front porches, and wood outhouses tucked behind the buildings. In 1910, the population grew to 258 and Schiller Park was incorporated as a village in 1914.

Schiller Park's list of "firsts" includes more than the creation of a spongy plastic-wrapped treat, the state's first woman mayor also came out of this small suburban settlement. In 1931, Julia Marenga Kolze was elected mayor of Schiller Park and in doing so was the first-ever female in Illinois to take the title. A couple decades later, the town experienced a post-World War II population explosion that brought the number of inhabitants up to 5,000. The construction of the Tri-State Tollway and O'Hare Airport in the '60s nearly doubled the amount of residents in Schiller Park again. Things finally leveled off in the 1980s although the village continued to grow in community pride and infrastructure with the addition of a Metra commuter train station, beautification efforts in the form of newly planted trees, a planned housing development for senior citizens, and a commitment to maintain a "small town feel with the world at its touch."

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Park is the Place

When it comes to open green space in Schiller Park, nothing compares to the acres of wilderness and natural beauty at Schiller Woods Forest Preserve. Huge grass-covered fields and picnic groves are surrounded by miles of trees, hiking and biking trails, scenic riverbanks, and plenty of flora and fauna to keep any outdoor enthusiast entertained. In addition to outlined football and soccer fields where visitors are welcome to organize a game, the Forest Preserve has wide obstacle-free meadows that are ideal for playing Frisbee, flying a kite and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Schiller Woods is to the east of the village, separated by River Road, which turns into Des Plaines River Road at Irving Park Road. The southern stretches of the Preserves give way to Indian Boundary Golf Course, a picturesque 18-hole site with sand traps, water challenges and thickets of trees to give the average golfer a tricky yet enjoyable trip to the links.

Schiller Woods is actually part of a chain of forest preserves that extends for miles along the Des Plaines. The protected areas provide recreation-seekers with a nonstop sweep of untouched wildlife, nature paths and native vegetation that crawl through the suburbs of Northern Illinois.

There are several lovely landscaped retreats tucked within the built-up blocks of the village, offering residents additional options for well-maintained public park grounds and athletic facilities. Anna Montana Water Park (open seasonally) is Schiller Park's biggest center for summer fun in the sun. This large aquatic playland includes a tube slide, lap pool, kiddy area, spray pool, dive zone, and concessions pavilion. The adjoining Schiller Park playground is a great spot to bring the tiny tots for some jungle gym action and the next door Eden Memorial is an attractive cemetery with long peaceful drives that welcome respectful visitors looking for quiet respite from a hectic day.

A handful of smaller neighborhood parks are scattered among the residential streets of Schiller Park, equipped with baseball/softball fields and other sports accommodations. Between the forest preserves and community recreation sites in Schiller Park, locals have a wide choice of convenient locations to exercise and participate in their favorite pastimes.

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Real Estate

Schiller Park's residential areas offer a variety of housing options, from spacious single-family homes with large yards to tightly-packed townhouses with shared gardens. Many neighborhoods are uniform blocks of similar design residences and evenly spaced driveways, however there are several pockets of architectural diversity where homes do not seem to follow any preset style and the lots vary in size and contour.

Real estate values in Schiller Park offer a lot of room to shop around for a great property with an affordable price. Smaller detached homes are available for under $150,000, but for the most part, three-bedroom houses start around $200,000 in this northwest Chicago neighborhood. The majority of houses in Schiller Park are one-story constructions or raised ranches. Once prices get into the $300,000s, you start to see more double-story homes and split-levels. The most expensive real estate in the village is generally newer four and five bedroom properties with nicely upgraded kitchens outfitted in granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The current market shows listings into the $600,000s for these higher-end homes. Some properties may include outdoor swimming pools (although finding an in-ground pool is rare).

Attached residences in Schiller Park provide smaller living spaces with smaller price tags to match. One-bedroom condominiums start at around $75,000 and can cost as much as $140,000. Two and three bedrooms are available for a range of prices, but the most you'll pay for a condo or townhome in Schiller Park is around $380,000.

Schiller Park Residential Real Estate Info for Single-Family Detached and Attached Homes

Source: Multiple Listings Service of Northern Illinois

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What's on the Menu?

The culinary hotspots in Schiller Park are located along the suburb's main streets, Irving Park Road and River Road. Of course, being the transit mecca that it is, Schiller Park is loaded with the typical fast food fanfare. But foodies needn't fret because the dining opportunities in this town go far beyond the hamburger, fries and drink combo.

Great Escape (950 Irving Park Rd, 847-671-7171) is an easy-going place to get a good meal in Schiller Park. The casual class atmosphere and menu infused with seafood, steak and chicken specialties is a perfect combination for total dining bliss. Prices are reasonable and portions are plentiful. Guests can also grab a drink at the Great Escape's antique bar, originally built in 1889. Another family-run restaurant that Schiller Park residents enjoy is Giannotti Italian Steakhouse (4926 N River Rd, 847-678-2800). The current owner took over for his father, keeping the family tradition alive with made-from-scratch dishes, fresh ingredients and a friendly environment. When it comes to pizza, though, we recommend Bacci Pizzeria -- a Chicago-based chain that has spread to a select few suburban locations. As you would expect from a truly authentic Chicago pizza place, Bacci offers stuffed pizza, as well as pan style and the Jumbo Pizza Puff, which is a calzone either baked or deep fried.

When asked "Where's the Beef" in Schiller's Park, look no further than Jay's Beef (9732 Irving Park Rd, 847-671-0033). This low-key sandwich shop gets rave reviews for its inexpensively priced, mouthwateringly good beef hoagies. Rogs Pub and Eatery (4255 Old River Rd, 847-678-1974) is a hometown watering hole with a tasty selection of appetizers to complement your beverage of choice. Hamburgers are also a popular order here, but most visitors come for the drink menu. For the best Asian cuisine in Schiller Park, grab a table at Chinese Kitchen (3926 N 25th Ave, 847-233-0120). This cozy restaurant has a humungous range of entrées that includes chop suey, chow mein, seafood plates, fried rice, and tons of chicken, beef, pork, beef, fish, and vegetarian dishes. If you don't have time to stay for dinner, call ahead for carry out or Chinese Kitchen delivers, too.

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School's In Session

School-aged children in Schiller Park are served by a handful of primary education institutions. There are three public facilities and two Catholic schools located within the suburb's borders.

• Washington School (4th and 5th Grades) 4835 Michigan Ave., 847-671-1922
• Kennedy School (Pre-K through 3rd Grade) 3945 Wehrman, 847-671-0250
• Lincoln Middle School (6th through 8th Grade) 4050 Wagner Ave., 847-678-2916
• St. Maria Goretti Parish (Pre-K through 8th Grade) 10050 W. Ivanhoe, 847-678-2560
• St. Beatrice Parish 4141 (Pre-K through 8th Grade) Atlantic Ave., 847-678-1752

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