Neighborhood profile: Dover Pond in Deer Park
A small subdivision with East Coast charm, Dover Pond, features semi-custom homes in a partially wooded setting, rolling hills and open space.
The open, rural feel of Dover Pond attracted Barbara and Stephen Nordquist to the Deer Park neighborhood 22 years ago when Arlington Heights began getting too crowded for them.
“We found a builder, Landmark, liked the product line and the acre lot; liked it, liked it, and bought it,” Barbara Nordquist said.
“The house is a wonderful traditional Williamsburg colonial that suits the land beautifully,” Nordquist said. “It has a lot of millwork and charm that you don't find today in tract housing. Landmark is known for its millwork. There are chair rails and panel molding all over, a cathedral ceiling and a spacious master bath. The house just has an overall great feeling, or we wouldn't be here this long.”
Dover Pond is bounded on the north by Long Grove Road, south by Lake-Cook Road; east is Quentin Road and west is Deerpath Road.
Dover Pond is a pretty little subdivision with a pond and a village park with tennis courts and playground, said Julie Anne, broker associate with Keller Williams Success Realty in Barrington.
“The homes are well-tended with gorgeous exterior and interior finishes and typically feature open floor plans with lots of windows and average about 2,800 to 3,800 square feet,” Anne said. “Many homes include popular two-story family rooms and foyers; large room sizes, including three to four bedrooms; bonus rooms, large kitchens and three-car garages. Many have sunrooms, three-season additions and plenty of mature landscaping.”
Residents of the subdivision tend to stay, and there's very little turnover with a nice mix of ages. Lots are a little smaller than some of the surrounding subdivisions, so houses are closer together, which is conducive to meeting your neighbors. “We've had the same nice neighbors for many years,” Nordquist said.
The Nordquists like having no sidewalks. Barbara Nordquist said the area makes her feel like she's in the country, yet she's not 50 miles from modern conveniences. Nordquist likes living close to Deer Park Town Center and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital.
Many residents also enjoy being in their own little place, yet just seven blocks from Deer Park, which has become a shopping and dining destination, and also includes a movie theater. Dover Pond is also a few miles from the expressway and 10 minutes from the Metra station in downtown Barrington, from where commuters can reach the Loop in 64 minutes.
Many residents, including the Nordquists, also enjoy the nearby Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve, a gold mine for bird-watchers and a haven for hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing. Just south of the village and subdivision is the 1,800-acre Deer Grove Forest Preserve, which offers more biking, hiking and ski trails, picnic areas, a 5-acre lake, baseball diamond and a toboggan hill.
Deer Park is home to the historical Vehe Farm, a Centennial Illinois Farm and educational center owned by the village that originally included the main barn, two corn cribs, two machine sheds, a milk house and a chicken coop.
The farm reflects the community's rural beginnings when the area was predominately farm land in the early 1900s. Residents enjoyed the country atmosphere, and Deer Park remained a sleepy community until the late 1970s when large houses were built. The population grew from 1,368 in 1980 to 3,902 by 2000.
Restoration and renovation of the Vehe barn was completed in the fall of 2007. The interior features space for cultural art exhibits, educational programs, museum exhibits, a meeting room and reception area accommodating up to 120 guests.
Listing sheet
Price range: $500,000 to $600,000
Age of homes: 22 years old
Schools: Quentin Elementary, Lake Zurich South Middle and Lake Zurich High schools in Lake Zurich Unit District 95
Parks: Village of Deer Park