Yorkville brims with small-town charm, recreation

Posted August 19, 2010 11:00 pm

By Sherry Giewald

The United City of Yorkville's many beautiful parks, abundance of recreation, small-town charm and good schools make it an ideal place for families to settle and raise their families.

There are so many wonderful parks and park district activities for families in Yorkville, said Michele McComb, managing broker with Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell. "We have the new Raging Waves water park, which is a fantastic attraction locally and for the surrounding areas."

Jim Lemar, managing broker with Century 21 Lemar Realty, echoes McComb's park district compliments. "And plans are in the works for a new indoor sports center, which would be a big boon for the community," he said.

Yorkville's Parks and Recreation Department runs more than 40 parks and playgrounds throughout the city.

Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to read a book, an exciting sports event or music under the stars, there's a park for you.

Beecher Community Park features more than 22 acres of athletic fields, playgrounds and baseball fields while West Hydraulic Park, a small natural area, provides a picnic area along the Fox River.

Reconstructed by community volunteers, Bicentennial Riverfront Park is a favorite of visitors and residents during the summertime months. The park provides fishing access to the Fox River in a beautifully landscaped setting, playground, small picnic shelters and walkway areas.

Creative themes highlight many neighborhood parks such as a castle theme complete with an imaginary moat in Raintree Village, a circus theme in Bristol Bay and a firehouse-themed tot lot in the large park in the Prairie Meadows development

Parks and Recreation also operates the REC Center, a full-service fitness and recreation facility. "This is a gorgeous facility and is very well attended," Lemar said.

Town Square, situated in the heart of downtown, hosts several seasonal events and is the prime site for the tree donation program. "The park hosts the farmers market, movies under the stars and all summer long a guy sells hot dogs there," Lemar said.

Shopping areas combine the flavor of downtown charm along with some newer areas with major big box stores, McComb said. "It's a nice downtown; many people like the downtown atmosphere." "And there's a lot of nice little restaurants around town," Lemar said.

Affordable land (now housing) and a good life along the Fox River drew people to Yorkville more than 150 years ago, just as it does today. The town that straddles the Fox River has a rural flavor that appeals to families looking for a taste of the country, McComb said.

Yorkville offers many housing options ranging from beginner homes, condos and townhouses up to executive home estates on some acreage.

There are a number of new home developments that especially appeal to growing families. And a historic area of older homes original to the community includes some homes dating back to the turn of the century.

"Many residents have grown up here, but those who are new to the area acclimate very quickly and feel like they've been here their whole lives," McComb said. "It's a very welcoming community."

Yorkville also offers a healthy business climate and job opportunities with some of the new businesses coming in. "They're building up the business districts around Yorkville, so we're getting better shopping," Lemar said.

We have a very strong and active Chamber of Commerce that is supportive of new businesses both large and small coming into the area," McComb said.

A big attraction near Yorkville is the Farnsworth House, one of the most significant works of Mies van der Rohe. Tours take about 90 minutes and include a one-quarter mile stroll along the scenic river path and the exterior and interior of the house. "It's a very interesting all-glass house," Lemar said. "Brad Pitt came out to see it about a year ago."

Yorkville was first settled in 1833 and incorporated in 1874. Tanit Jarusan | Staff Photographer

Facts and figures

Population: 16,838

Largest employers:

Yorkville School District

Kendall County

Wrigley Manufacturing Company

Famous son:

Dennis Hastert

Favorite annual events:

Music Under the Stars

Hometown Days Festival

Holidays Under the Stars

Historical timeline

1833: Settlers arrive in Yorkville and Earl Adams builds the first log cabin on Courthouse Hill.

1874: Yorkville incorporates as a village.

1928: The Yorkville Airport opens one mile north of town. Charles Lindbergh lands there on Sept. 9.

1959: Yorkville High School opens on Game Farm Road.

1972: Fox Industrial Park opens on the south side of Yorkville.

1976: Residents develop Bicentennial Riverfront Park along the south bank of the Fox River.

1984: A four-lane bridge is built over the Fox River on Route 47.

1999: Former Yorkville High School teacher and coach Dennis Hastert is elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

2007: The city celebrates its 50th anniversary of the uniting of the Village of Bristol and the Village of Yorkville, thus the "United City of Yorkville."

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