Glenview, IL

Before World War II, Glenview was largely a collection of family farms with an economy centered on agriculture. How fitting, then, that Glenview - now a thriving and affluent suburb 16 miles northwest of Chicago - is known for its spectacular outdoor opportunities. While the last working family farm of the area is gone, land still remains an important focus of the community. Glenview is bordered by a forest preserve to its east and its west. In addition, the Glenview Park District is responsible for more than 450 acres of parkland, including several unique facilities such as the Grove, a prairie grove land preservation, and Wagner Farm, a working dairy farm open to the public.

Incorporated in 1899, the village of Glenview was originally called South Northfield. After several name changes the town eventually settled on the name Glenview. The village is home to more than 46,000 residents.

FAMILY FUN

Tyner Interpretative Center at Air Station Prairie: This slice of tall-grass prairies hearkens back to presettlement Glenview. Visitors can use the walking paths to see the prairie up close or visit the state-of-the-art environmental learning center to find out about the history and ecology of the local Illinois prairie ecosystem.

Wagner Farm: When Glenview's last Wagner family member died and left her farmland for sale, the Glenview Park District swooped in and snatched it up to create a living museum honoring the city's agricultural heritage. Wagner Farm is now one of the last working dairy farms in Cook County (some lucky visitors even get to milk the farm's cows). The complex features a restored farmhouse and barn (complete with the cows, as well as chickens, draft horses and pigs) and a Heritage Center with interactive exhibits.

James Woodworth Prairie: Woodworth Prairie, sometimes referred to as Peacock Prairie, is a remnant of virgin black-soil prairie land. One of only a handful of virgin-soil prairie areas left in Illinois, Woodworth Prairie has never been plowed or otherwise heavily impacted by people. The University of Illinois at Chicago owns and manages the site as a botanical research center, but visitors are welcome.

Glenview Ice Center: The center features two indoor ice rinks offering public skating as well as figure skating and hockey lessons. Hockey and broomball leagues are available.

Glenview Park Golf Club: Glenview's 18-hole, par-70 community golf course has been part of the park district since 1955.

Glenview Tennis Club: This park district club has eight indoor courts and offers lessons for all levels of play.

Park Center: Glenview's award-winning community center is in The Glen on the shores of Lake Glenview. The facility boasts a fitness center, basketball courts, an indoor track and Splash Landings -rated by North Shore Magazine as the best indoor water park in Chicago's North Shore region.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Glenview's workforce is highly educated and decidedly white collar, with almost 90 percent of the residents employed in white-collar professions and nearly 55 percent of the population holding at least a four-year college degree. This accounts for the village's impressive median family income.

In a chicken-and-the-egg scenario, Glenview is also home to a number of heavy-hitting corporations - including several corporate headquarters. Whether the companies came for the highly educated employees or the employees moved for the businesses is unclear. Corporate citizens include Avon, Illinois Tool Works, Anixter International and Pearson Scott Foresman publishers.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Any discussion of neighborhoods in Glenview has to lead with the hugely successful new commercial and residential area, The Glen. Sitting on land that was once the Glenview Naval Air Station (which closed in 1995), The Glen is now a thriving mixed-use district packed with amenities (including two golf courses and various parks and playgrounds). It is also home to the Glen Town Center, a pedestrian-friendly shopping area filled with stores, restaurants and a movie theater. The Glen covers about 15 percent of the village of Glenview's available land.

Glenview as a whole can be broken up into 10 sections, with most of the more expensive areas clustering around the Village Center. The Village Center - while not the city's most pricy area - tends to have a more artsy feel and more character.

The city's most expensive sections are to the north and south of the Village Center neighborhood. The most expensive area, Golf, is just to the north of Golf Road and south of the Village Center.

While most of Glenview's housing stock is single-family detached homes in traditional subdivided neighborhoods, there are also a handful of rowhouses and condominium complexes available. The majority of available housing is evenly split between two-, three- and four-bedroom houses, with the biggest chunk of housing having been built from about 1940 to 1969. The Glen offers a mix of larger and smaller houses as well as a mix of low- and high-density areas. As with the rest of Glenview, the majority of housing is single-family detached homes; however, The Glen also offers townhomes and apartment buildings as well as special senior-specific housing areas. Housing areas in the Glen tend to be more pedestrian-friendly than those in the rest of Glenview.

EDUCATION

FOR VISITORS

The Grove: This plot of land managed by the Glenview Park District features several of the village's historic buildings from original settlers as well as a vast natural area devoted to the ecologically diverse prairie grove land. Among other experiences, visitors can learn about native plants and animals, perform pioneer chores in a log cabin or tour a restored 1856 Gothic Revival House. This site - unique in its historic and ecological importance - is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago: This museum - geared toward kids from birth up to 8 years old - is a hands-on learning laboratory. Designed with the idea that children learn best through play, the museum features interactive exhibits in its more than 20,000 square feet of public space. Exhibits focus on everything from art and music to water and nature.