Fox River Grove known for ski jumping, down-home atmosphere
Fox River Grove, a small town with one school district, captures the hearts of those who live there.
"People like the small town and its good schools with small classes," said Gary Koopman, Realtor with Century 21 Sketchbook. "Some of them stay for generations. There's a street named Opatrny, and there are still people in the area with that name."
Situated along the picturesque Fox River, Fox River Grove offers more than 100 acres of public parks and recreation, including fishing, boating, swimming, picnicking and sports activities. Lions Park hosts many community events while Picnic Grove Park's sledding hill is a popular spot in the wintertime.
Although the village has no park district, the all-volunteer Recreation Council organizes many community sports teams and activities for residents.
Metra commuter service and easy access to I-90 and other major roads helped the village develop from an agricultural community and weekend resort to a year-round residential community.
Today the town offers a good mix of housing, ranging from $100,000 to about $500,000 with three pretty new subdivisions, said William Hauck, Realtor with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest.
"More homes are available now, and property values are a little higher. Right now we have 49 houses for sale in Fox River Grove where before people had a choice of about 25 homes."
Although there is not a lot of land to develop, Hunter's Farm is an 81-home, upscale development abutting Route 22 with the most expensive homes in town. The Picnic Grove borders the river and has some semi-custom homes there with some of the property dedicated to conservation and wildlife, Koopman said.
"Not long ago, people who wanted a larger home had to leave town. Now they have Foxmoor, about 30 years old with the largest home about 2,000 square feet, and Picnic Grove where homes have up to 3,000 square feet - real nice upgrade homes," he said.
Big attractions for the small town include the Norge Ski Jump, a world-class jump that has been upgraded from a 70- to 90-meter hill. The hill is run by the oldest continuous ski jumping organization in North America. Since 1905, the Norge Ski Club has been host to many of the top ski jumpers in the world.
"This year they're lighting the jump every night, so when people drive through town or get a look at it from a distance, it's really cool to see," Koopman said.
For a family adventure, hot air ballooning at Windy City Balloon Port could be a memorable experience. The company has been launching hot air balloons for many years and is among the oldest and safest air ballooning sites in the country. Flights begin in the bowl of the Norge Ski Jump.
Theodore Bettendorf spent 20 years building Vianden Castle. Born in Vianden, Luxembourg, Bettendorf played at the original castle when it was in ruins. After his death in 1967, new owners rented it out as a honeymoon retreat. Today, it is a private home, mostly obscured by trees and closed to visitors.
Although Fox River Grove still has a small town, rural feel, it is catching up with the times with some new shopping, Koopman said. Stone Hill Shopping Center at the northwest corner of Routes 22 and 14 complements the town's business district, mainly around Lincoln and Illinois streets along Route 14.