Neighborhood profile: Historic downtown Itasca

This year is the 125th anniversary of Itasca, a good time to focus on the village's charming historic downtown.

There's a lot of history in Itasca. You can feel it when you walk along the historic streets, said Don Vehrs, a 40-year resident of the community who has lived in the downtown area for 16 years.

"I love the vintage houses along Walnut (Street), several were built in the 1920s, (and) the mature trees and the old light posts. The homes are all different. A few streets still have the alleys, and a lot of streets have no curbs. It's really neat," he said.

The historical area is bordered by North Street to the north, Bloomingdale Road on the south, east to Cherry Street and west to Catalpa Avenue, said Monica O'Byrne, real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. O'Byrne is also a resident of Itasca and formerly owned and lived in a home in the historic district.

The Walnut Street business district is the focal point of town, O'Byrne said.

"We have a great bakery and nice stores, and with the downtown revitalization, we're attracting more upscale shops and restaurants," she said. "Everything in the historic district is within walking distance of the train and the downtown area.

"I have met quite a few second- and third-generation residents, and their parents and grandparents live here. There's a real sense of loyalty, which breeds a wonderful community."

Vehrs concurs. "We were looking at some old pictures from our childhood, and a lot of old-timers still live in town," he said.

O'Byrne said her family likes the village because it's a small town in an area with much convenience, close to O'Hare International Airport and surrounded by expressways.

"It's such a great location for my husband who does a lot of traveling by car," O'Byrne said.

The village preserves the aesthetic beauty, character and historical integrity of houses and structures built pre-1900 and in the early 1900s. Itasca's historical committee maintains strict standards.

Community leaders have encouraged owners to take homes that were an original part of the community and bring them back to their glory days, O'Byrne said.

O'Byrne and her husband received an Usher award for their first home, which is awarded to those who remodel their house and bring it back to its original beauty. They remodeled inside their home and redid the exterior.

For recreation, the village has a great park district that operates the Springbrook Nature Center and maintains a historic depot on Irving Park Road. It offers many classes and activities.

Shopping abounds along Irving Park Road and at malls in neighboring communities.

Part of the village's redevelopment efforts is the beautiful Riverwalk, which begins on Walnut Street near Irving Park Road and winds through the Springbrook Nature Center. It ends at the municipal complex in the northwest corner of the park.

Itasca's attractive neighborhoods, excellent schools, beautiful parks and quality of life draw homebuyers to the village.

Historical sites include The Spire atop Itasca Baptist Church, also known as the Steeple Church. Rising 107 feet in the air, the steeple is Itasca's most familiar landmark, built in 1907 on what was then the Lutheran Church of St. Luke.

The village also boasts of 13 old churches of varying architectural styles, beautiful Usher Park with its gazebo, and the Itasca Country Club, built in 1925, which was the site of many elegant balls and elaborate parties as the social meeting place for the village.

An appreciation of the community's rich history is seen in its motto, "Committed to Our Future, Inspired by Our Past."

Listing sheet

<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $200,000 to $680,000

<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes:</span> 1843 to 2015

<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Benson Elementary, Franzen Intermediate and Peacock Middle schools in Itasca Elementary District 10 and Lake Park High School in Lake Park High School District 108

<span class="fact box text bold">Parks:</span> Itasca Park District