Cozy little river town of East Dundee holds on to its charm

East Dundee is a quaint town on the Fox River, or as Realtor Hilda Jones puts it, "a cozy little river town."

Jones recalls the delights of growing up in this small-town atmosphere.

"I walked the bridge every day to school. We walked everywhere," she said. "We'd cross the bridge and feed the ducks. Who doesn't like to do that? It's really special in the spring and summer when people can enjoy the outdoors."

The downtown Dairy Queen remains a big local gathering place, and there are a lot of little shops and lounges and some restaurants, Jones said. "It's very nice."

The town is looking to draw more businesses and visitors to its downtown area and along River Street, said Realtor Robert Wisdom.

"The bike path runs through town and along the river, which is really nice, and people love that," he said. "The Anvil Club has been around forever, and that's been popular. Bandito Barney's is also a popular place. And there's a neat little bike repair shop right on the bike path in an old factory building."

The historic district along the river and Main Street features a collection of shops, restaurants and pubs. The Anvil Club was built on the foundation of an old blacksmith shop, while Bandito Barney's Beach Club occupies an 1894 building and is known as the Fox River Valley's "Corner Tavern."

Other town attractions include the River Trading Post, which offers museum-quality American Indian fine art and artifacts, and the Haeger Pottery factory, an East Dundee landmark. People travel in buses to this 135-year-old jewel - a fourth-generation family-owned business that turns out fine pottery and ceramics known worldwide.

Housing in East Dundee reflects the character and age of the town, with historical homes and appealing mature neighborhoods. "This is an older town, so it's not like new subdivisions built on cornfields," Jones said.

"We have a variety of types of housing and a very affordable range of pricing. You can find something in the lower end up to homes in secluded neighborhoods with more land. There is some attached housing, but mostly single-family homes. People can start in the $175,000 to $200,000 range," Jones said.

There are a lot of wooded areas north of town also, Wisdom added

Recreation in East Dundee includes everything from strolling along the river to water activities, such as boating, kayaking and fishing.

The Dundee Township Park District operates two area golf courses, Randall Oaks Golf Club just west of Randall Road in West Dundee and the Bonnie Dundee Golf Club in Carpentersville. It also maintains several small parks down by the river as well as neighborhood parks.

"The park district is awesome," Jones said. "It's very convenient and very affordable, too."

The Fox River, along the village's western border, separates East Dundee from its neighbor West Dundee. Although the towns have attempted to come together over the years, they still remain separate. Each town's identity dates back to earlier days when East Dundee's German heritage kept it apart from its Scottish and English neighbors.

The Dundee Township Historical Society Museum offers several events throughout the year to foster an appreciation of the area's history. The museum has permanent and changing exhibits.

For area shopping, Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee is convenient. The area at Routes 59 and 72 is developed with plenty of retail businesses, and there are all kinds of shopping and services in Algonquin and along Randall Road. Residents have easy access to I-90 via Route 25 for commuting to the city or other suburbs.