Downers Grove IL is a village in DuPage County, Illinois with a population of approximately 50,000 residents. Downers Grove is located 29 miles west of the downtown Chicago Loop.
The first European to set foot in Downers Grove was Louis Joliet who passed through the area on his journey to the Great Lakes in 1673. Two different sets of European settlers, primarily farmers from England and Germany arrived in Downers Grove during the early 1800s. The first post office was built in 1837 by Chester Blanchard along with railroad service arriving three years later. By 1870, Downers Grove had 1,000 residents, and all essential services including churches, schools, and stores were established. Today, many famous places to visit include Argonne National Laboratory; Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory which houses the world’s largest particle accelerator, and Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital.
In addition to being a popular place for families with young children, Downers Grove IL has been named as one of Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live” in the US seven times since 1999. In addition, Downers Grove, IL is included among CNN/Money Magazine’s 2012 America’s Best Small Cities where it ranked #8 overall and was listed as #6 for Best Family-Friendly City and #7 for Healthiest Housing Market.