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The village of Downers Grove is located 22 miles west of Chicago, with convenient access to the city via train and most major expressways. This prime location has made Downers Grove an ideal place to live and work. Recognized as one of America’s Friendliest Towns by Forbes and one of the Top 10 Livable Cities for Kids by Livability.com, Downers Grove offers residents highly ranked schools and expansive amenities.
Owing to its close proximity to Chicago and its large rail siding, the village became a major site for mail-order housing sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co. between 1908 and 1940. With up to two hundred possible Sears houses identified, Downers Grove has one of the largest concentrations of existing Sears houses in the world. Besides Sears houses Downers Grove has a varied housing stock, ranging from historic homes from the mid-1800's, a large amount of teardowns, new construction, townhomes and condominiums. The community has been ranked by CNN as one of the best places in the U.S. for a healthy retirement due to the community's numerous parks as well as doctors and hospitals.
Downers Grove, located 21 miles West of the Loop, was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer, a religious evangelist from New York. Its other early settlers included the Blodgett, Curtiss, and Carpenter families. The original settlers were mostly migrants from the Northeastern United States and Northern Europe. The first schoolhouse was built in 1844. During the American Civil War, 119 soldiers from Downers Grove served in the Union Army; at least one of these was interred in the cemetery downtown. There was an abolitionist presence in the village, and some of the older homes are thought to have been stops on the Underground Railroad. However, there is no evidence to substantiate this claim. With the advent of the expressway system in the post–World War II era, the automobile accelerated Downers Grove's expansion, just as the railroad had done almost a century earlier. By 2000, the village of Downers Grove consisted of 13 square miles, with 48,724 residents. Its diverse economy included corporate headquarters, light industry, service, and retail businesses. The Tivoli Theatre, which was built in 1928, was the second theater in the nation constructed specifically for sound motion pictures.
As suburban experts, Dream Town has successfully sold properties in Downers Grove. Dream Town holds a well-earned reputation for its impressive sales volume and dedication to personal, attentive service. Benefit from the Dream Town advantage when selling your Downers Grove home. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, Dream Town drives more sales than any other Chicago brokerage.
School data provided by GreatSchools.School service boundaries are intended to be used as reference only. To verify enrollment eligibility for a property, contact the school directly. GreatSchools Ratings provided by GreatSchools.org.
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