Fun Facts Naperville Illinois

Naperville Riverwalk

This location is known as Naperville’s crown jewel. A magnificent and quiet setting can be found on the banks of the Dupage River. It has 1.75 miles of walled walkways, fountains, bridges, gathering and event locations, outdoor sculptures and artwork, recreational features, and memorials. The Naperville Riverwalk was built in 1981 to commemorate the city’s 150th anniversary. To the east is Fredenhagen Park, with its characteristic clock tower and Exchange Club Memories fountain.

In the centre, you’ll find the Dandelion Fountain, the Rowing Boat Quarry, and the eye-catching Bell Tower. Centennial Beach is located further west, with water depths varying from zero to fifteen feet.

FUN FACT:

It is classified as a beach rather than a swimming pool by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The water is chlorinated, recirculated, and manually cleaned to remove impurities, but it is not filtered as in a traditional swimming pool. To the west are Centennial Park’s inline skating/skateboarding facilities and the Jaycee Playground.

The Naperville Riverwalk is one of several unique and free types of entertainment in the area.
With about 1.75 miles of walled walks that pass by calm scenery, fountains, parks, artwork, and the DuPage River, the Riverwalk provides a soothing experience.

“I enjoy the Riverwalk – there is an upper brick, lower concrete walk or jog you can go down the river, which I do most days – there are plants, flowers, fish, ducks, kayakers, different families, water fountains, covered bridges, occasional snakes, frogs, and even a heron or two to observe.” Jenna Wilson’s

Great place for sundowners or sunsets – bikes are not permitted – it is light, so you can even walk at dusk – lots of people of all ages, babies in strollers, on the trail – early morning and peaceful – there is a new playground west of the quarry – clean restrooms, access to many restaurants – paddle boats and kayaks can be rented from May to September –

It is also possible to climb Carillon and see the surrounding area from above during specific weekend hours.

The Historic District of Naperville

The Naperville Historic District in downtown Naperville is a fantastic recreation area.
The most significant historic site is the Naper Settlement. The Naperville Historic District is a collection of 613 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Naperville’s oldest eastern part. This historical museum exhibits renovated historic structures transported from several Naperville neighbourhoods. The grounds around the Naper Settlement are exceedingly beautiful and offer numerous recreation opportunities.

The Park District of Naperville

The Naperville Park District manages and provides recreational and leisure activities to residents of Naperville and the surrounding region. A vote established the district in 1966.
In 2007, the Park District was in charge of more than 10 square kilometres of open space, which included approximately 130 parks and four sports facilities.

The Park District also manages Springbrook and Naperbrook golf courses. The Park District is also in charge of the Naperville Riverwalk, which was built to mark the 150th anniversary of Joseph Naper’s first settlement in 1981. The Park District also oversees Centennial Beach and Centennial Park, two skateboard and in-line skating parks at the Frontier Sports Complex and Centennial Park, Commissioners Park, which opened in 2006 and included Naperville’s first official cricket field, the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, and the West Street Community Garden Plots. Knoch Knolls Park has a short mountain biking track and a nine-hole Frisbee golf course and is located south of Ring Road and 95th Street.

Naperville Quarry Lake

Quarry Lake has boating and fishing opportunities during the season. The river footbridges are beautiful. Moser Tower is another must-see attraction. Overall, a visit to Naperville’s historic district will be immensely entertaining.

The Millennium Carillon and the Moser Tower

Naperville was designated a White House Millennium Community in 1999 due to the construction of the Moser Tower and the Millennium Carillon. The tower is a bell tower in Riverwalk Park, north of Aurora Avenue, at the foot of Rotary Hill. The carillon has 72 bells and is one of only four carillons worldwide with a six-octave range.
It was dedicated on June 29, 2000, as part of a more significant Independence Day celebration that included performances by the Naperville Municipal Band, the Naperville Men’s Glee Club, and the Festival Chorus. The carillon can be played either manually or automatically.
The majority of the bells are rung manually. However, half of them are rung by a computerised system at specific times of the day.

The carillon is currently in use and can be seen after performances.
FACT: The Naperville City Council debated finance issues for the tower’s construction in the fall of 2005. (and have not been resolved to date).

The Precast/Pretensioned Concrete Institute recognised the tower’s design as the best-suited solution.

Where Are the Municipalities of Naperville?

Naperville is made up of six municipalities spread over two counties. Winfield Township contains the northwest half of Dupage County, Milton Township contains the northeast half, Naperville Township contains the west central area, and Lisle Township contains the east central piece.

Wheatland Township covers the southwest of Will County, while DuPage Township covers the southeast. Lisle Township has the most population in Naperville, followed by Naperville Township.

Naperville North Central College

North Central College is situated on a 23.9-acre campus on Chicago Avenue in Naperville, Illinois.
It has been located in Naperville since 1870, founded in 1861 by a forerunner congregation of the United Methodist Church.

The Naperville satellite campus of Northern Illinois University

The satellite campus of Northern Illinois University on Diehl Road offers numerous degree programmes in 10,500 square feet, whereas DePaul University’s satellite campus is on Warrenville Road. The College of DuPage Naperville Regional Center is located on Rickett Drive.

State University has also built a satellite campus on West 95th Street in Naperville, while Northwestern College has a facility on North Mill Street.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign opened a Business & Industrial Services campus in Naperville in 2007.

Primary and secondary education in Naperville

Naperville is served by two public primary and secondary school systems (along with several private, parochial schools, including public schools in neighbouring Aurora and Lisle).
Illinois school districts are awarded numbers based on their district.

FACT: In 1972, the elementary and secondary school districts amalgamated to form Naperville Community Unit School District 203, which encompasses downtown Naperville (as well as portions of the neighbouring cities of Lisle and Bolingbrook).

District 203’s current school buildings were built between 1928 (Ellsworth) and 2010. (Ann Reid Early Childhood Education Center).

The district administers two high schools, Naperville Central High School and Naperville North High School, four middle schools, and thirteen elementary schools inside the city limits of Naperville. In addition, Lisle has one primary school and one high school.
As a result of district consolidation, Indian Prairie School District 204 (IPSD) was established in 1972.

Naperville Health Care Systems

Edward Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, and two other hospitals in adjacent Aurora serve Naperville. Edward Hospital and others have attempted to build a new hospital in Naperville for many years, but their proposal has been rejected. As a result, Naperville is the only large Illinois city with only one hospital. Edward Hospital is now attempting to open a hospital near Plainfield to lessen commuting time for Naperville residents.

Streets and Highways in Naperville

The automobile is the primary form of mobility in Naperville, as it is in most American suburbs. The Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88’s toll segment) is located near the northern city limits of Naperville, with three exits at IL 59, Winfield Road (near Warrenville), and Naperville Road. I-55 runs through Bolingbrook and Romeoville, about 5 miles south of town. To get to Naperville from I-55, use the Weber Road exit and head north.

Route 34 Ogden Avenue approaches Naperville from the west at Illinois Route 59 from Oswego and Aurora at an east-northwest/west-southwest angle. US 34 Ogden Ave turns north at Rickert Drive and runs under the BNSF Railroad bridge before turning east at North Aurora Road/Raymond Dr US 34 Ogden Avenue leaves the city’s eastern outskirts at Naper Boulevard and heads to Lisle and Downers Grove.

Illinois Route 59 runs north and south through the city, entering from Plainfield to the south (south of 111th Street) and Warrenville to the north (north of 111th Street) (at I-88).
Route 59 establishes Aurora’s western limit from US 34 Ogden Avenue to the BNSF railroad bridge.

East-west streets include 111th St (Hassert Blvd), 95th St (Knoch Knolls Rd), 87th St, Aurora Ave, North Aurora Rd, Diehl Rd, Rickert Dr, Royce Rd, Bailey Rd, and Hobson Rd.
Major north-south roadways include Raymond Dr, Book Rd, River Rd, West St, Naperville-Plainfield Rd, Modaff Rd, Washington St, Naper Blvd (Naperville Rd), and Wehrli Rd.

Naperville’s east-west numbered streets follow the same grid as Chicago’s from 75th Street south.

If 75th Street extended east from its junction with Illinois Route 83 in Willowbrook, it would become the same 75th Street as in the Chicago metropolitan area.

However, the older area of Naperville has a second number grid that runs north of the BNSF rails from downtown Main and Benton to 15th Avenue through 4th and 5th Avenues.
The numbers in the older system increase from south to north from downtown, but the numbers in the other grids increase from north to south. There is also a geographical naming system, with streets to the west and north establishing the ancient city limits.

Roadways are called for the city they lead to, such as Naper/Plainfield Road, Aurora Avenue, and Chicago Avenue (in neighbouring Lisle it becomes Maple Ave. before becoming 55th Street in Downers Grove).

Rail links in Naperville

In 1864, the first rail connection to Chicago was created. Today, three BNSF Railway tracks run through the northern part of Naperville, while Metra and Amtrak offer passenger service. Amtrak services that travel through Naperville include the Illinois Zephyr, California Zephyr, and Southwest Chief. A third Metra stop for the STAR line is proposed at Wolfs Crossing.

The Naperville Transit System

Pace has been contracted to provide shuttle bus service to Metra stations and local lunch service.
There are further bus lines connecting Naperville, Aurora (Westfield Fox Valley Mall), and Wheaton (serving College of DuPage).
Airports Near Naperville

Chicago OHare Airport, like other localities in this section of Illinois, is your best bet. Chicago Midway Airport is roughly 45 and 40 kilometres from Naperville, respectively, while the private Naper Aero Club Field (LL-10) is located on the city’s western fringes. The Lima Flying Squadron calls this field home.