The 7 Best Things About Living in Norridge, Illinois

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Next to Chicago is Norridge, Illinois, a town with an impressive history that makes it one of a kind. The tight-knit community of Norridge works to make all of its citizens feel like part of a family. Discover the significance of Norridge by learning more about its history and what makes it such a great place to live in today.

It Has a Rich History

When Norridge was first established, not many residents called this townhome as it had little to no streets and felt more like a swamp with its many trees, poor drainage, and large areas of grass. One of the few residents owned a goat farm, which caused many people to refer to this city as "goat village." This subdivision was only around 80 acres long and started on Ozanam Avenue stretching to Olcott Avenue. It also reached from Irving Park Road to Montrose Avenue.

Since it sits right outside of Chicago, officials tried to absorb Norridge as part of Chicago. In 1948, an improvement association swooped in and incorporated the town as an independent village, causing Chicago to back off. Later that year, the village residents elected a man named Karl Kuchar to be their first official president.

Throughout the 1950s, residents got to work making the village more livable and bring in more citizens. They paved sidewalks and streets, built waterworks systems, and installed sewer systems. It now has a population of over 14,000 residents proud to call this town their home.

It's Also Known as an Island within a City

Norridge and another city right next to it, called Harwood Heights, both sit in the middle of Chicago, but aren't technically a part of the city of Chicago. Since they're instead considered their own town or village and the city of Chicago surrounds them, many people refer to them as islands. Therefore, people consider Norridge an island within a city as many admire its independence and the citizens' ability to maintain their own village without help from Chicago.

You're Right Next to Chicago

A great benefit of living in Norridge is that you're approximately 20 minutes away from the city. If there's a job you wish to pursue that's located in the city, and you'd rather live outside of it, you can easily accomplish this by living in Norridge. It's also a convenient place to be if you enjoy visiting the city regularly, but want to live in a smaller town that isn't as fast-paced.

When you're ready to spend a day or two in Chicago, there are many simple ways to get there. If you're taking the subway, hop on the Blue Line of the subway from Cumberland station. You'll find yourself at Jackson station in Chicago in approximately 40 minutes. You can also take the line 56 bus from Lawrence and Canfield and stop at Washington and LaSalle in an hour and a half. If you prefer to drive, you can take 1-90 East into Chicago and arrive at your destination in approximately 20 minutes.

There Are Impressive Schools in the District

Norridge is known as a family-friendly area that many people settle down in. If you're moving kids into the village with you, you'll love the schools. An impressive one is Pennoyer Elementary School, which is a highly rated public school on North Cumberland Street, offering education to kids from Kindergarten to 8th grade with 428 kids total.

Another great elementary school in the area is J. Leigh Elementary School, with 614 students total in grades pre-school to 4th. The teachers work to provide a strong curriculum with a family-friendly atmosphere. An impressive public high school in Norridge is Ridgewood Community High School that has 860 students in grades 9th through 12th with an average graduation rate of 93%.

You Can Live in One of Many Friendly Neighborhoods

Since Norridge is a smaller community, many residents consider it a neighborhood all on its own with many friendly neighbors and plenty of activities to do within walking distance from several residences. If you're purchasing a house, there are many gorgeous and affordable homes located all around Norridge.

If you're looking to rent from a residential building, try Norridge Point. It was built in the 1980s and offers many midsize townhouses, lofts, or condo units at affordable prices. Another great neighborhood is Terrace Point Condos that offers cozy and comfortable homes. This neighborhood is very friendly and well-taken care of with plenty of lofts and condos available.

There are Several Places to Get Active

If you love heading outside and getting active by yourself or with family, Norridge is a wonderful place to do that. The Norridge Park District offers many outdoor sports and activities you can engage in, including six baseball fields, three outdoor basketball courts, and an in-line hockey rink. You can also visit the Norridge Recreation Center to use a recreation-size gymnasium, four multi-purpose rooms, and two music studios offering piano and guitar lessons.

Behind the recreation center is the Earl J. Field Memorial Playground you can take your kids to. They can play on climbing areas, a swinging bridge, swings, and slides.

Many Events Regularly Take Place in the Village

Norridge residents are proud to live in a town that offers plenty to do and many fun events to attend. These events are held to successfully bring together the citizens of the town to give them all a chance to get to know one another while participating in exciting village events and traditions. Here are a few events Norridge puts on:

• Coffee and Conversation with the President of Norridge
• Village recycling day
• Fall clean-up week
• The annual Norridge car show
• Village of Norridge Earth Day

 

These are just a few of the many things to love about the unique village of Norridge, Illinois. At Automatic Appliance Parts, we're proud to call the village of Norridge our home as we've been a part of this friendly community for over 50 years. We hope this list convinces you to make this village your new home as well.