OVERVIEW

Long Grove is a village filled with charm and the look of the 1800's. It is located 35 miles northwest of Chicago in southern Lake County. It is also northwest of Route 83 and Old Route 53 - south of Lake Zurich, east of Barrington, west of Buffalo Grove and north of Arlington Heights. Chicago International Airport is about 18 miles away and Midway International Airport is about 34 miles away.

The village, lined with cobblestone sidewalks, has more than 80 shops, galleries and restaurants. The relaxed shopping atmosphere lasts all year round. A friendly atmosphere and easy parking make a visit to Long Grove a day to remember. Buildings are marked with plaques identifying the original owners and their occupations. The 1840's Long Grove Church continues to have regular services since its dedication. Via the covered bridge, you can take a stroll through early America with its one room school, early taverns, and general and specialty stores in search for a variety of furnishings, memorabilia, food and clothing.

The elementary children of Long Grove are served by three districts: District 76, 79 and 96. The High School children attend District 120 or 125. The Long Grove Park District is separate from the village. The Park Districts job is to protect and control the open space and natural areas and to create recreational programs for the community.


HISTORY

Along the southern boundary of Lake County in 1838 there stood large groves of oaks standing in bluestem prairie. One of them was labeled "Long Grove". Sometime before 1840 John Gridley, a Yankee, settled at a minor trail crossing deep in Long Grove. In the mid 1840's German immigrants came to the area and noticed the open prairie had already been claimed then made their claims deep within the grove. German influence was strong in the area and in 1847 a post office was established under the name Muttersholz. This name highlighted the German influence.

By the 1850's, Roman Catholic immigrant families founded their own church, St. Mary's parish at Muttersholtz. An Evangelical Lutheran church also formed at the same time.

Recruitment for the Civil War and job opportunities in Chicago took away most of the Yankee residents. German became the most commonly spoken language. But nativist hostility to German culture during WWI forced residents to use more English. Muttersholz was once again Long Grove.

This small community is an isolated community with the population growing from only 161 in 1870 to 640 in 1960. Due to the number of WWII soldiers that never returned to their farms after the war, there was a lot of German crafted oak furniture and tools left behind. In 1947 the Fanning family opened Farmside Store and part of their inventory was the resale store filled with the antiques. Wealthy Chicagoans came to their store to buy the antiques. This is how Long Grove started in the antique trade.

All this business drew attention from developers. In the early 1950's property owners in the area opposed the major development plan. They wanted to preserve the area's historical character so the countered with a village plat that would require a three acre minimum lot. A referendum was passed in 1956 and the village of Long Grove incorporated. The second president of the village, Robert Coffin, pushed to retain the village's antique style by prohibiting neon signs and the development of convenience and chain stores. All new business construction had to have a 1880's style facade.
Long Grove shops generate so much sales tax revenue that since the mid 1990's no property taxes were levied and all municipal services were contracted. Population has increased from 2,013 in 1980 to 6,735 in 2000.


GOVERNMENT OFFICES

Village of Long Grove
3110 Old McHenry Road
Long Grove, IL 60047
847-634-9408

Long Grove Fire Protection District
Non-emergency 847-634-343
Emergency 911

Countryside Fire District
Emergency 911

Long Grove Police Dept.
Non-emergency 847-549-5200
Emergency 911


UTILITIES

NICOR Gas
P.O. Box 190
Aurora, IL 60507-0190

888-642-6748

ComEd Electric
P.O. Box 805379
Chicago, IL 60680-5379
800-334-7661

AT&T
30 South Wacker Drive, 34th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606
800-244-4444

Comcast Cable
866-594-1234


SCHOOLS

Country Meadows Elementary School
6360 Gilmer Road
Long Grove, IL 60047
847-949-8006

Kildeer Countryside School
3100 Old McHenry Road
Long Grove, IL 60047
847-821-7570

Kildeer Elementary School
Box 3100 RFD
Long Grove, IL 60047
847-634-3243

Long Grove Country School
20400 Old Hicks Road
Long Grove, IL 60047
847-438-4834

Woodlawn Middle School
6362 Gilomer Road
Long Grove, IL 60047
847-353-8500


TRIVIA

Birthplace of Major League Soccer player Mike Magee (Metro Stars).

The village is the summer home of James Matthew Wolff, local folk music icon and civil rights leader.

Area historical tornado activity is 54% greater than the overall U.S. average.