Lindenhurst: Picturesque community is a real natural beauty

Posted November 12, 2009 10:00 pm

By Sherry Giewald Daily Herald Correspondent

The 295-acre McDonald Woods Forest Preserve includes miles of trails for biking, hiking and cross-country skiing. Bob Chwedyk | Staff Photographer

Lindenhurst, a beautifully wooded village nearly surrounded by forest preserves, looks like a picture postcard in every season.

The most notable is springtime when yellow daffodils bloom all over town - a village effort to beautify the community. Thus, since 2006, Lindenhurst has been known as the Daffodil Capital of Illinois.

"When you drive through town, you see daffodils galore, and it's just beautiful," said Dawn Hagy, Realtor with RE/MAX Advantage Realty.

Its many forest preserves, six lakes, 18 parks and two beaches all contribute to the beauty of the community.

The large McDonald Woods Forest Preserve is comprised of rolling hills, steep ravines, restored prairies and oak woodlands. Much of its picturesque beauty can be attributed to former landowner A.B. McDonald, who created a private nature preserve in the 1940s. Today, the preserve spans 295 acres and includes miles of trails for biking, hiking and cross-country skiing along this section of the Millennium Trail.

Residents have access to even more recreation through the Lindenhurst Park District, which receives rave reviews from Broker-Realtor Christopher Hoelz of RE/MAX Advisors.

"The park district is a big draw for homebuyers," he said, "and it really reaches out to people in the community." Since 1988, the park district has been one of the fastest growing park and recreation agencies in Lake County in terms of programs, parks and facilities.

With all its natural beauty, Lindenhurst offers lakefront property and homes that back up to the forest preserves.

"Although homes on such desirable property can reach up to $1 million or more, you can still get a nice home for less than $200,000 in Lindenhurst," Hagy said.

"We have such a range and variety of homes for first-time buyers, and you can get a very nice house in that lower price range with an average lot at 80-by-130 or -140 feet. Also, homes have a good resale value."

While Lindenhurst began as an offshoot of Lake Villa, its more recent growth has been to the east, toward Millburn, Old Mill Creek and Gurnee.

The village offers many newer subdivisions as well as several brand-new communities. "I just sold the model at Grant's Grove by Pulte," Hoelz said. "We definitely have new homes and more new ones to be built.

"I work with a lot of people who commute or who work at companies out here, such as Abbott and Baxter. We have a lot of employment in the area, which also attracts people to Lindenhurst."

The village's residential growth sparked its motto "Developing Today for Tomorrow." Officials have kept the village's small-town flavor mainly by selective land annexation and carefully choosing developers for high-quality but diversified housing, including single family, townhouses and condominiums. All the housing is integrated with the lakes, marshes, open space and forested areas of the village.

With its smaller population, Lindenhurst has become a close-knit community, Hagy said. "We're known for our annual Lindenfest with bands, rides, parade, Miss Lindenhurst and everything, and a lot of people participate in that. - (In the fall) they have a haunted hay ride and bonfire, and a lot of people go to the bonfire. The village really does a lot to bring families together."

Lindenhurst is a well-run village with a nice small-town appeal, Hoelz said.

"Its good location, excellent schools and park district are big attractions for the community," he said.

Although Lindenhurst is a young community, it is home to a historical gem - the Bonner Heritage Farm - a turn-of-the-century working farm where visitors learn about the history of agriculture. The farm was originally the homestead of Scottish immigrants William and Margaret Bonner. In 1995, their great-grandson Howard "Shorty" Bonner donated eight acres and a cluster of buildings from the farm to the Lake County Forest Preserve District.

The most historically significant structure on the property is the main barn, built in 1848, while the small structure is a 19th-century outhouse. The entrance to the farm is on Country Place off Sand Lake Road, just west of Route 45.

Lindenhurst's Memorial Day ceremony is among the village's favorite annual events. Paul Valade | Staff Photographer

Visitors can learn about agriculture at Bonner Heritage Farm, a turn-of-the-century working farm. Bob Chwedyk | Staff Photographer

A pond greets visitors at the entrance to the Country Place subdivision in Lindenhurst. Bob Chwedyk | Staff Photographer

A historic general store sits on the corner of Route 45 and Grass Lake Road. Bob Chwedyk | Staff Photographer

Historical timeline 1952-1953: Morton Engle subdivides the 600-acre Lehmann farm and builds the first homes behind what is now Linden Plaza. 1956: Lindenhurst incorporates as a village. 1958: B.J. Hooper School is the first school built in Lindenhurst. 1960: Linden Plaza is the first major commercial development. 1961: Lindenhurst Civic Center built. 1963: A full-time police position is created; village acquires a reputation as a "speed trap" because of radar use by Police Chief Ron Coles. 1980s: First stoplight goes up at Grand Avenue and Sand Lake Road; village gains cable TV access and fast food restaurants. 1983: Volunteers organize Lindenfest using tents and booths set up in the village hall parking lot. Today it is a popular village festival. 1988: Lindenhurst Park District forms.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Business Communities Counties Lake County Lifestyle Lindenhurst Real Estate

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.