Clean, safe and with strong community pride, Elmwood Park is a stable, multi-generational neighborhood.
Established as a village in 1914, the suburb is very neat and tidy with blocks and blocks of well-maintained, uniform family homes. Located only ten miles from the Chicago Loop, Elmwood offers city professionals affordable homes with reasonable property taxes. The Metra transportation line offers service to and from Chicago to the east and Elgin to the west.
Many come to Elmwood Park from Chicago land to dine at the delicious and authentic Italian restaurants and to shop at the Italian markets with fresh pasta, seafood and produce. The many bakeries offer their versions of Tiramisu, cannoli and bruschetta. In the markets, you can over hear the lively banter in Italian and within recent decades, Polish and Spanish.
Elmwood Park residents who have made their distinctive mark on the world include Lee Loughnane, founding member of the rock group Chicago; Val Belmonte, former college hockey coach and Ben Ponzio, 2007 World Series of Poker Bracelet Winner.
Elmwood Park is host to the beloved 4th of July Freedom festival at Elmwood Park high school. Arts and crafts booths, entertainment, food from many Elmwood Park establishments, a marching parade and more make this truly an All American celebration. There are also several festivals around the Conti Parkway, home of the library and community buildings.
Elmwood Park is very family oriented with a strong parks and recreation system with nine centers ranging from the indoor Recreation Center with a gym, senior center and pre-school to Fullerton Court for skating and basketball. The Elmwood Park Community Chorus welcomes anyone with a song in their heart and a friendly personality. The Aquatic Center is the place for swimming and summer fun.
The summer also brings an outdoor annual concert series in Central Park with music ranging from big band to rockabilly to country, free to all to enjoy under the stars.
Elmwood Park, like many western suburbs, was founded by Native Americans who established mounds along the DesPlaines' river's bluffs. Then called Orison, farmers later settled the area in the 1840's. Railroad tracks were laid in the 1870's by the Chicago & Pacific Railroad and tracks ran down Old Army Trail (now Grand Avenue) .The farmers subdivided their land for residential area and Orison soon became Elmwood Park. Local residents successfully lobbied for the further development, in 1905, of extending the Grand Avenue streetcar line and paved streets, installed street lighting, sewers, water systems and more to make this an attractive, modern place to live.
Elmwood Park experienced its greatest population growth in 1920 and 1928, where many houses, municipal buildings, a church and more were erected. Westwood, a subdivision developed by John Mills and Sons, contained 1679 residential lots and 146 commercial sites.
Elmwood Park continues to grow and is a solid, community with much to offer.
