Naperville, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Naperville is a city in DuPage
and Will Counties
in Illinois
in the United States
, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago
, neighboring Aurora
, Rockford
, and Joliet
. Approximately 100,000 Napervillians live in DuPage County, while about 45,000 reside in Will County. Once a quaint farming town, Naperville has evolved into an affluent city with numerous corporate headquarters located in the city. In a 2010 study, Naperville was named as the wealthiest city in the Midwest and eleventh in the nation with a population over 75,000.
In July 1831, Joseph Naper
arrived at the west bank of the DuPage River
with his family and friends to found what would be known as Naper's Settlement. Among those original settlers were Naper's wife Almeda Landon, his brother John with wife Betsy Goff, his sister Amy with husband John Murray
, and his mother Sarah. Their arrival followed a nearly two-month voyage across three Great Lakes in the Naper brothers' schooner, the Telegraph. Also on that journey were several families who remained in the still raw settlement that would become Chicago
, including that of Dexter Graves who is memorialized in Graceland Cemetery
by a well-known Lorado Taft
statue.
By 1832, over one hundred settlers had arrived at Naper's Settlement. Following the news of the Indian Creek massacre
during the Black Hawk War
, these settlers were temporarily displaced to Fort Dearborn
for protection from an anticipated attack by the Sauk tribe. Fort Payne was built at Naper's Settlement, the settlers returned and the attack never materialized. The Pre-Emption House was constructed in 1834, as the Settlement became a stage-coach stop on the road from Chicago to Galena
. Reconstructions of Fort Payne and the Pre-Emption House stand as part of Naper Settlement
outdoor museum village, which was first established by the Naperville Heritage Society and the Naperville Park District
in 1969 to preserve some of the community's oldest buildings.
After DuPage County was split from Cook County
in 1839, Naper's Settlement became the DuPage county seat
, a distinction it held until 1868. Naper's Settlement was incorporated as the Village of Naperville in 1857, at which time it had a population of 2,000. Reincorporation as a city occurred in 1890.
A predominantly rural community for most of its existence, Naperville experienced a population explosion starting in the 1960s, but largely during the 1980s and 1990s, following the construction of the East-West Tollway (now known as the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway) and Interstate 355
(originally known as the North-South Tollway, now the Veterans Memorial Tollway). In the past two decades, it has nearly quadrupled in size as Chicagoland
's urban sprawl
brought corporation
s, jobs
, and wealth
to the area.
On April 26, 1946, Naperville was the site of one of the worst train disasters
in Chicagoland history. Two Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
trains, the Advance Flyer and the Exposition Flyer, collided 'head to tail' on a single track just west of the Loomis Street grade crossing. The accident killed 45 and injured more than 1000 residents. This event is commemorated in a metal inlay map of Naperville on the southeast corner of the Nichols Library's sidewalk area.
The March 2006 issue of Chicago
magazine cites a mid-1970s decision to make and keep all parking in downtown Naperville free, in order to keep downtown Naperville "alive" in the face of competition with Fox Valley Mall
in Aurora and the subsequent sprawl of strip shopping malls. Existing parking meters were taken down, parking in garages built in the 1980s and 1990s is free, and parking is still available on major thoroughfare
s during non-peak hours.
Naperville marked the 175th anniversary of its 1831 founding in 2006. The anniversary events included a series of celebrations, concerts and a balloon parade.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 35.5 square miles (91.9 km²). 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it is water. Portions of the city of Naperville drain to the West Branch of the DuPage River
within DuPage County. Specifically, in the flood of 1996, downtown businesses in the City of Naperville incurred a significant amount of damage. Overall, however, Forest Preserve District ownership of a large amount of property along the West Branch has minimized development in flood plains and has helped reduce the amount of damages resulting from overbank flooding that have occurred in more developed watersheds in the County.
Naperville borders the communities of Warrenville
, Wheaton
, Lisle
, Woodridge
, Bolingbrook
, Plainfield
, and Aurora
.
According to the 2005 American Community Survery, the population density
was 4,162.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,606.3/km²). There were 51,636 housing units at an average density of 561.3/km² (1454.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.00% White, 2.54% African American, 0.07% Native American, 12.65% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.23% of the population.
There were 48,655 households out of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the city, the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.9 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $101,894, and the median income for a family was $130,164. Males had a median income of $82,515 versus $46,533 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $48,239. About 2.5% of the population was below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
. Employers contributing to the population explosion of the 1980s and 1990s included: Bell Labs
and Western Electric
(now Alcatel-Lucent
), Amoco
Research Laboratories, Nalco
, Nicor
, and Edward Hospital
. Tellabs
has its corporate headquarters in Naperville, and ConAgra
's Grocery division branch office employs approximately 400 workers. OfficeMax
moved its corporate headquarters there in 2006. Kraft Foods
opened their Naperville site in 1968, and employs over 200 individuals at the plant, which supplies all Triscuit
products for North America. Naperville is also home to the headquarters of Dukane Precast, and their double-wall precast concrete
manufacturing plant. Fermilab
and Argonne National Laboratory
are also located nearby. Naperville was one of the ten fastest growing communities in the United States during the 1990s.
The Naperville area is home to many popular retailers, restaurants and shopping centers, such as downtown Naperville, Freedom Commons, Springbrook Prairie Pavilion, and the Route 59
and Ogden Avenue corridors. Naperville has over eleven automobile dealerships, and in October 2006, the city opened the country's first public-private automobile test track, situated on a 9 acres (3.6 ha) course, at a cost of $1.5 million.
There are three public library locations within the city limits:
In May 2005, a local technology company was contracted to install fingerprint scanners as a more convenient access method to the libraries internet computers, provoking some controversy. After further testing, the technology was not implemented.
The three libraries are used heavily by the public, including around one and a half million visitors and a circulation of about five million items yearly.
Naperville is home of the Naperville Independent Film Festival
, an annual film festival
which features the work of independent film
makers.
is a set of 613 buildings, located in the older eastern section of Naperville and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
is specially designated as a Grand Carillon, with 72 bells, and is one of only four worldwide that span six octaves. It was dedicated in an Independence Day
event on June 29, 2000, with a reception attended by over 15,000, and a performance by the Naperville Municipal Band and the Naperville Men's Glee Club and Festival Chorus. The Carillon is both manually and also computer-playable, with most performances being done by hand, but with half the bells played by a computer-controlled system at set times during the day. At present, the Carillon is operational and tours are available after concerts. Disputes over funding the completion of the tower were debated before the Naperville City Council during the fall of 2005 (and are still not resolved). The design of the tower won an award for "Best Custom Solution" from the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI).
, the Northeast portion is in Milton Township
, the West central portion is in Naperville Township
, and the East central portion is in Lisle Township
. In Will County, the Southwest portion is in Wheatland Township
, and the Southeast portion is in DuPage Township
. The largest number of Naperville residents live in Lisle Township, followed by Naperville Township.
and Lisle
). Within the state of Illinois, school districts are numbered by their county.
Naperville Community Unit School District 203
, established in 1972 through the merger of elementary and high school districts, serves central Naperville (as well as portions of neighboring Lisle and Bolingbrook
). The current District 203 school buildings were constructed between 1928 (Ellsworth) and 2010 (Ann Reid Early Childhood Center).
The district has two high schools: Naperville Central High School
and Naperville North High School
, five junior high schools: Jefferson Junior High School, Kennedy Junior High School, Lincoln Junior High School, Madison Junior High School and Washington Junior High School; it has thirteen elementary schools within Naperville city limits. Additionally, the school district has one junior high and one elementary school located in Lisle.
Indian Prairie School District 204
(IPSD) was also formed through merged districts in 1972. Neuqua Valley High School
, along with five middle schools and 14 elementary schools from this district, are within Naperville city limits. In total, IPSD runs and maintains 3 high schools, 7 junior high schools, 21 elementary schools, 1 preschool, and 1 alternative high school. The district serves western and southwestern Naperville, along with eastern Aurora and parts of Bolingbrook and Plainfield.
Private schools located in the city limits include St. Raphael Catholic School, SS. Peter and Paul Catholic School, All Saints Catholic Academy, Naperville Christian Classical Academy, Calvary Christian School, and Chesterbrook Academy.
show called Female Forces which follows female officers from the Naperville Police Department.
Naperville is also the focal city of the novel The Naperville White House: How One Man's Fantasy Changed Government's Reality (Bancroft Press, 2010). In the novel, a "fantasy government" from Naperville, Illinois becomes involved in a real-life terrorist crisis.
serves Naperville while Good Samaritan in Downers Grove
, Central DuPage in Winfield
and two other hospitals in nearby Aurora
also serve the city. For many years, Edward Hospital and others have tried to introduce a new hospital into Naperville only to have their request turned down. Thus, Naperville remains the only large Illinois city with only one hospital. Edward Hospital currently is trying to open a hospital in nearby Plainfield
to help Naperville citizens with travel times to Edward Hospital.
The Naperville Park District manages and provides leisure and recreational activities for Naperville and nearby residents. The District was established by referendum in 1966. As of 2007, the Park District manages over 2400 acre of open space, including over 130 parks and four sports complexes. The Park District also manages two golf courses, Springbrook and Naperbrook. In addition, the Park District is responsible for the Naperville Riverwalk, construction of which began in 1981, marking the 150th anniversary of the first Joseph Naper's settlement. Some of the other facilities managed by the Park District include:
) runs near the north edge of Naperville, and Interstate 55
runs south of the city, through Bolingbrook
and Romeoville
.
From 75th Street south (including 83rd Street, 87th Street, etc.) Naperville east-west streets and their names roughly follow the same grid layout as the City of Chicago. In other words, if 75th street continued east past its terminus at Illinois Route 83, in Willowbrook
, it would eventually be the same 75th Street as found in Chicago city limits. However, the older part of Naperville has a second numerical grid, starting downtown at Main and Benton, with 4th and 5th Avenues just north of the BNSF tracks, and continuing through 15th Avenue. The difference is that the numbers in the older system go up from downtown, traveling south to north, and the other grid's numbers go up as you travel north to south. There is also a geographical based naming system, with West Street and North Street defining the older boundaries of the city. Along with these are streets named after the city they lead to, i.e., Naper/Plainfield Road heads towards Plainfield, while Aurora Avenue leads to Aurora and Chicago Avenue to Chicago (it becomes Maple Ave. in neighboring Lisle
before becoming 55th Street in Downers Grove
).
The first rail link to Chicago dates to 1864. Naperville currently has three tracks belonging to the BNSF Railway
that run through the north end of town, with passenger rail service provided by Metra
and Amtrak
. Amtrak's three routes through Naperville are the Illinois Zephyr, the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief. A third Metra station is planned on the STAR Line at Wolf's Crossing.
provides feeder bus service to the Metra stations and local midday service, both operated under contract. It also operates bus routes from Naperville to Aurora
(which serves Aurora's Westfield Fox Valley
Mall) and Wheaton
(which serves the College of DuPage
).
.
Nitra
, Slovakia
and
Pátzcuaro
, Mexico
are Naperville's official sister cities. The partnership with Nitra became official on November 17, 1993, and the partnership with Pátzcuaro became official on November 13, 2010.
Nitra was chosen, in part, due to a desire to create a special bond with a city in one of the newly formed democracies brought about by the fall of the Iron Curtain
. Nitra was also chosen due to several similarities between the two cities, such as:
Since the inception of this partnership, the Naperville Sister Cities Commission has worked to strengthen the bond between Naperville and Nitra through its support of various events and delegations. The primary goal of such sister city programs is to increase awareness of other cultures and promote international friendship, and the Naperville-Nitra partnership has so far been a successful one.
In 2002, the Sister Cities Commission supported a youth baseball
exchange, sending the Naperville Patriots baseball team, composed of 15 high school age ballplayers representing each of the four high schools, Naperville Central, Naperville North, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, in the Naperville area, to Nitra. The team travelled throughout Slovakia, and played with and held clinics for the newly formed Nitra "Little Giants" baseball team. Head coach Dave Perillo and captains Jason Fitterer and Rob Losik were responsible for organizing the clinic for the Nitra players, which proved to be a success. The Naperville Patriots also enjoyed the distinction of being the first baseball team from the United States ever to travel to the nation of Slovakia.
In addition to this exchange, the City of Naperville has supported several other events to strengthen the bond with Nitra, including:
The community at large has enthusiastically supported the Naperville-Nitra partnership, as well. In 1999, Naperville's Our Savior's Lutheran Church raised $275,000 to rebuild a church in Nitra, which was then dedicated the following year. NALCO
and school districts 203 and 204 have also shipped 6,000 pounds of books to Nitra since 1993.
DuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
and Will Counties
Will County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, neighboring Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
, Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, and Joliet
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
. Approximately 100,000 Napervillians live in DuPage County, while about 45,000 reside in Will County. Once a quaint farming town, Naperville has evolved into an affluent city with numerous corporate headquarters located in the city. In a 2010 study, Naperville was named as the wealthiest city in the Midwest and eleventh in the nation with a population over 75,000.
History
Joseph Naper
Joseph Naper was a shipbuilder, businessman, politician, and town founder.Born in Bennington, Vermont, Naper traveled with his parents during his youth to Ashtabula, Ohio, where he helped his father, who was a ship builder. The Naper ships plied the Great Lakes with Fort Dearborn on Lake Michigan...
arrived at the west bank of the DuPage River
DuPage River
The DuPage River is a tributary of the Des Plaines River in the U.S. state of Illinois.-Course:The river begins as two individual streams. The West Branch of the DuPage River, long, starts in Schaumburg at Campanelli Park in Cook County and continues southward through the entire county of DuPage,...
with his family and friends to found what would be known as Naper's Settlement. Among those original settlers were Naper's wife Almeda Landon, his brother John with wife Betsy Goff, his sister Amy with husband John Murray
John Murray (Naperville Founder)
Married to Joseph Naper's sister, Amy Naper, John Murray was one of the original founders of Naperville, Illinois, with his children Sarah, Robert Nelson, Ruth, Amos and Cordelia...
, and his mother Sarah. Their arrival followed a nearly two-month voyage across three Great Lakes in the Naper brothers' schooner, the Telegraph. Also on that journey were several families who remained in the still raw settlement that would become Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, including that of Dexter Graves who is memorialized in Graceland Cemetery
Graceland Cemetery
Graceland Cemetery is a large Victorian era cemetery located in the north side community area of Uptown, in the city of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Established in 1860, its main entrance is at the intersection of Clark Street and Irving Park Road...
by a well-known Lorado Taft
Lorado Taft
Lorado Zadoc Taft was an American sculptor, writer and educator. Taft was born in Elmwood, Illinois in 1860 and died in his home studio in Chicago in 1936.-Early years and education:...
statue.
By 1832, over one hundred settlers had arrived at Naper's Settlement. Following the news of the Indian Creek massacre
Indian Creek massacre
The Indian Creek massacre occurred on May 21, 1832, when a group of United States settlers in LaSalle County, Illinois, were attacked by a party of Native Americans. The massacre was sparked by the outbreak of the Black Hawk War, but it was not directly related to Sauk leader Black Hawk's conflict...
during the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
, these settlers were temporarily displaced to Fort Dearborn
Fort Dearborn
Fort Dearborn was a United States fort built in 1803 beside the Chicago River in what is now Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed by troops under Captain John Whistler and named in honor of Henry Dearborn, then United States Secretary of War. The original fort was destroyed following the Battle of...
for protection from an anticipated attack by the Sauk tribe. Fort Payne was built at Naper's Settlement, the settlers returned and the attack never materialized. The Pre-Emption House was constructed in 1834, as the Settlement became a stage-coach stop on the road from Chicago to Galena
Galena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
. Reconstructions of Fort Payne and the Pre-Emption House stand as part of Naper Settlement
Naper Settlement
Naper Settlement, established in 1969, is a , open air museum accredited by the American Association of Museums that consists of a collection of thirty historical buildings from the Naperville, Illinois area. Many buildings were moved here from their original locations and refurbished in a style...
outdoor museum village, which was first established by the Naperville Heritage Society and the Naperville Park District
Naperville Park District
The Naperville Park District, is an independent, special taxing district, providing parks and recreation to its residents. The Naperville Park District serves a population of more than 140,000 residents...
in 1969 to preserve some of the community's oldest buildings.
After DuPage County was split from Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
in 1839, Naper's Settlement became the DuPage county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, a distinction it held until 1868. Naper's Settlement was incorporated as the Village of Naperville in 1857, at which time it had a population of 2,000. Reincorporation as a city occurred in 1890.
A predominantly rural community for most of its existence, Naperville experienced a population explosion starting in the 1960s, but largely during the 1980s and 1990s, following the construction of the East-West Tollway (now known as the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway) and Interstate 355
Interstate 355
Interstate 355 , also known as the Veterans Memorial Tollway, is an Interstate Highway and tollway in the western and southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Like most other toll roads in the northeastern portion of the state, I-355 is maintained by a State Highway Authority...
(originally known as the North-South Tollway, now the Veterans Memorial Tollway). In the past two decades, it has nearly quadrupled in size as Chicagoland
Chicagoland
The Chicago metropolitan area, or Chicagoland as it is commonly called within the area, is the metropolitan area associated with the city of Chicago, Illinois and its suburbs. It is the area that is closely linked to the city through social, economic, and cultural ties...
's urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
brought corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s, jobs
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
, and wealth
Wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
to the area.
On April 26, 1946, Naperville was the site of one of the worst train disasters
Naperville train disaster
The Naperville train disaster occurred on April 26, 1946, at the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad station in Naperville, Illinois when the railroad's Exposition Flyer rammed into the Advance Flyer, which had made an unscheduled stop to check its running gear. The Exposition Flyer had been...
in Chicagoland history. Two Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
trains, the Advance Flyer and the Exposition Flyer, collided 'head to tail' on a single track just west of the Loomis Street grade crossing. The accident killed 45 and injured more than 1000 residents. This event is commemorated in a metal inlay map of Naperville on the southeast corner of the Nichols Library's sidewalk area.
The March 2006 issue of Chicago
Chicago (magazine)
Chicago is a monthly magazine published by the Tribune Company. It concentrates on lifestyle and human interest stories, and on reviewing restaurants, travel, fashion, and theatre from or nearby Chicago. Its circulation in 2004 was 165,000, larger than People in its market...
magazine cites a mid-1970s decision to make and keep all parking in downtown Naperville free, in order to keep downtown Naperville "alive" in the face of competition with Fox Valley Mall
Westfield Fox Valley
Westfield Fox Valley, formerly Fox Valley Center, is a shopping mall in Aurora, Illinois. Its four anchor stores are Carson Pirie Scott, JCPenney, Macy's and Sears....
in Aurora and the subsequent sprawl of strip shopping malls. Existing parking meters were taken down, parking in garages built in the 1980s and 1990s is free, and parking is still available on major thoroughfare
Thoroughfare
A thoroughfare is a place of transportation intended to connect one location to another. Highways, roads, and trails are examples of thoroughfares used by a variety of general traffic. On land a thoroughfare may refer to anything from a rough trail to multi-lane highway with grade separated...
s during non-peak hours.
Naperville marked the 175th anniversary of its 1831 founding in 2006. The anniversary events included a series of celebrations, concerts and a balloon parade.
Geography
Naperville is located at 41°44′53"N 88°9′56"W (41.7481889, −88.1656320) at an elevation of 702 ft (214 m).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 35.5 square miles (91.9 km²). 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it is water. Portions of the city of Naperville drain to the West Branch of the DuPage River
DuPage River
The DuPage River is a tributary of the Des Plaines River in the U.S. state of Illinois.-Course:The river begins as two individual streams. The West Branch of the DuPage River, long, starts in Schaumburg at Campanelli Park in Cook County and continues southward through the entire county of DuPage,...
within DuPage County. Specifically, in the flood of 1996, downtown businesses in the City of Naperville incurred a significant amount of damage. Overall, however, Forest Preserve District ownership of a large amount of property along the West Branch has minimized development in flood plains and has helped reduce the amount of damages resulting from overbank flooding that have occurred in more developed watersheds in the County.
Naperville borders the communities of Warrenville
Warrenville, Illinois
Warrenville is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,363 at the 2000 census. It is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor.-History:...
, Wheaton
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
, Lisle
Lisle, Illinois
Lisle is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,930 at the 2011 census, and estimated to be 23,135 as of 2008. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor...
, Woodridge
Woodridge, Illinois
Woodridge is a suburb of Chicago, located primarily in DuPage County, Illinois with portions in Will County and Cook County. It uses the 630 and 331 area codes. The population was 30,934 at the 2000 census. A special census commissioned in 2003 put the population at 33,253...
, Bolingbrook
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Bolingbrook is a large village in Will and DuPage Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2010 US Census, the population is 73,366...
, Plainfield
Plainfield, Illinois
Plainfield is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2007 special census, the population is 37,334.The Village includes land in Plainfield and Wheatland townships. Part of Plainfield is located in Kendall County...
, and Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
.
Demographics
According to the 2005–2009 American Community Survey, there were 141,644 people, 47,463 households, and 36,289 families residing in the city. As of July 1, 2009, Naperville was the 169th most populous city in the United States.According to the 2005 American Community Survery, the population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,162.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,606.3/km²). There were 51,636 housing units at an average density of 561.3/km² (1454.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.00% White, 2.54% African American, 0.07% Native American, 12.65% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.23% of the population.
There were 48,655 households out of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the city, the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.9 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $101,894, and the median income for a family was $130,164. Males had a median income of $82,515 versus $46,533 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $48,239. About 2.5% of the population was below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Naperville is located within the Illinois Technology and Research CorridorIllinois Technology and Research Corridor
The Illinois Technology and Research Corridor is a region of commerce and industry located along Interstate 88 in the Chicago metropolitan area, primarily in DuPage, Kane, and DeKalb Counties...
. Employers contributing to the population explosion of the 1980s and 1990s included: Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
and Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
(now Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent is a global telecommunications corporation, headquartered in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France. It provides telecommunications solutions to service providers, enterprises, and governments around the world, enabling these customers to deliver voice, data, and video services...
), Amoco
Amoco
Amoco Corporation, originally Standard Oil Company , was a global chemical and oil company, founded in 1889 around a refinery located in Whiting, Indiana, United States....
Research Laboratories, Nalco
Nalco Holding Company
Nalco Holding Company supplies water treatment and process improvement services, chemicals and equipment programs for industrial and institutional markets. These products and services are marketed in some cases to prevent corrosion, contamination and the buildup of harmful deposits...
, Nicor
Nicor
Nicor, Inc. is an energy and shipping company headquartered in Naperville, Illinois. Its largest subsidiary, Nicor Gas, is a natural gas distribution company. Founded in 1954, the company serves more than two million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of...
, and Edward Hospital
Edward Hospital
Edward Hospital & Health Services , commonly referred to as "Edward", is a major healthcare provider located in southwest suburban Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois...
. Tellabs
Tellabs
Tellabs, Inc. is a telecommunications company that designs and manufactures equipment for service providers.Ranked among the BusinessWeek InfoTech 100, Tellabs is part of the NASDAQ-100 Index, NASDAQ Global Select Market, Ocean Tomo 300 Patent Index and the S&P 500...
has its corporate headquarters in Naperville, and ConAgra
ConAgra Foods
ConAgra Foods, Inc. is an American packaged foods company. ConAgra's products are available in supermarkets, as well as restaurants and food service establishments. Its headquarters are located in Omaha, Nebraska...
's Grocery division branch office employs approximately 400 workers. OfficeMax
OfficeMax
OfficeMax , is an American office supplies retailer that was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois.-History:On April 1, 1988, OfficeMax was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, by Bob Hurwitz and Michael Feuer. Hurwitz served as executive chairman and chief executive officer and Feuer...
moved its corporate headquarters there in 2006. Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
opened their Naperville site in 1968, and employs over 200 individuals at the plant, which supplies all Triscuit
Triscuit
Triscuit is a snack cracker, made by Nabisco, which takes the form of square baked whole wheat wafers. It was invented in 1900, a patent was granted in 1902, and the Shredded Wheat Company, in Niagara Falls, New York began production the next year....
products for North America. Naperville is also home to the headquarters of Dukane Precast, and their double-wall precast concrete
Precast concrete
By producing precast concrete in a controlled environment , the precast concrete is afforded the opportunity to properly cure and be closely monitored by plant employees. Utilizing a Precast Concrete system offers many potential advantages over site casting of concrete...
manufacturing plant. Fermilab
Fermilab
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory , located just outside Batavia, Illinois, near Chicago, is a US Department of Energy national laboratory specializing in high-energy particle physics...
and Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory is the first science and engineering research national laboratory in the United States, receiving this designation on July 1, 1946. It is the largest national laboratory by size and scope in the Midwest...
are also located nearby. Naperville was one of the ten fastest growing communities in the United States during the 1990s.
The Naperville area is home to many popular retailers, restaurants and shopping centers, such as downtown Naperville, Freedom Commons, Springbrook Prairie Pavilion, and the Route 59
Illinois Route 59
Illinois Route 59 is a north–south state highway in northeastern Illinois. It runs south from Illinois Route 83 in Antioch to Interstate Highway 55 in Shorewood, spanning the north–south width of Chicago's western suburbs...
and Ogden Avenue corridors. Naperville has over eleven automobile dealerships, and in October 2006, the city opened the country's first public-private automobile test track, situated on a 9 acres (3.6 ha) course, at a cost of $1.5 million.
Top employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top ten employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward Hospital Edward Hospital Edward Hospital & Health Services , commonly referred to as "Edward", is a major healthcare provider located in southwest suburban Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois... |
4,288 |
| 2 | Nicor Nicor Nicor, Inc. is an energy and shipping company headquartered in Naperville, Illinois. Its largest subsidiary, Nicor Gas, is a natural gas distribution company. Founded in 1954, the company serves more than two million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of... |
3,700 |
| 3 | Alcatel-Lucent Alcatel-Lucent Alcatel-Lucent is a global telecommunications corporation, headquartered in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France. It provides telecommunications solutions to service providers, enterprises, and governments around the world, enabling these customers to deliver voice, data, and video services... |
3,600 |
| 4 | Indian Prairie School District 204 Indian Prairie School District 204 Indian Prairie School District 204 serves students from the Illinois communities of Aurora, Bolingbrook, Plainfield and Naperville. Currently one preschool, twenty-one elementary schools, seven middle schools, three high schools, and one alternative high school are in the district... |
3,184 |
| 5 | Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Naperville Community Unit School District 203 is a school district headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, United States.-History:District 203, established in 1972 through the merger of elementary and high school districts, serves central Naperville... |
2,575 |
| 6 | BP America | 1,750 |
| 7 | OfficeMax OfficeMax OfficeMax , is an American office supplies retailer that was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois.-History:On April 1, 1988, OfficeMax was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, by Bob Hurwitz and Michael Feuer. Hurwitz served as executive chairman and chief executive officer and Feuer... |
1,500 |
| 8 | Tellabs Tellabs Tellabs, Inc. is a telecommunications company that designs and manufactures equipment for service providers.Ranked among the BusinessWeek InfoTech 100, Tellabs is part of the NASDAQ-100 Index, NASDAQ Global Select Market, Ocean Tomo 300 Patent Index and the S&P 500... |
1,200 |
| 9 | Nalco Nalco Holding Company Nalco Holding Company supplies water treatment and process improvement services, chemicals and equipment programs for industrial and institutional markets. These products and services are marketed in some cases to prevent corrosion, contamination and the buildup of harmful deposits... |
1,000 |
| 10 | City of Naperville | 998 |
Culture
The Naperville Public Library has been ranked number one in the United States each year from 1999 through 2010, for cities with populations between 100,000 and 249,999 by Hennen's American Public Library Ratings.There are three public library locations within the city limits:
- The Nichols Library is located in downtown Naperville, at 200 W. Jefferson Street. It opened at this location in March 1986. It is a 63300 square foot structure and is pictured at right. The previous library building still stands on Washington Street, just south of the YMCA building, at Washington and Van Buren.
- The Naper Boulevard Library was dedicated in December 1992 and underwent internal renovations in 1996. It is located at 2035 S. Naper Boulevard and is the smallest of the three buildings at 32000 square foot
- The 95th Street Library is located near the intersection of 95th Street95th Street (Chicago)95th Street is a major east–west street on Chicago's South Side and in the southwest suburbs, designated as 9500 South in Chicago's address system. 95th Street is south of Madison Street.-Route:...
and Route 59Illinois Route 59Illinois Route 59 is a north–south state highway in northeastern Illinois. It runs south from Illinois Route 83 in Antioch to Interstate Highway 55 in Shorewood, spanning the north–south width of Chicago's western suburbs...
, at 3015 Cedar Glade Drive (just west of Neuqua Valley High School). Having opened in September 2003, it is the newest and largest of the three facilities at 73000 square foot and features a modern, curving architectural style.
In May 2005, a local technology company was contracted to install fingerprint scanners as a more convenient access method to the libraries internet computers, provoking some controversy. After further testing, the technology was not implemented.
The three libraries are used heavily by the public, including around one and a half million visitors and a circulation of about five million items yearly.
Naperville is home of the Naperville Independent Film Festival
Naperville Independent Film Festival
The Naperville Independent Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Naperville, Illinois which features the work of independent filmmakers. Actress Karen Black helped open inaugurate the festival in 2008...
, an annual film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
which features the work of independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
makers.
Tourism
The Naperville Historic DistrictNaperville Historic District
The Naperville Historic District is a set of 613 buildings in Naperville, Illinois. Of these 613 buildings, 544 contribute to the historical integrety of the area. The district represents the town as it was originally platted and a few early additions....
is a set of 613 buildings, located in the older eastern section of Naperville and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon
In 1999, Naperville was designated a White House Millennium Community, due to the construction of the Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon. The tower is located just north of Aurora Avenue and at the base of Rotary Hill within the Riverwalk Park complex. The CarillonCarillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
is specially designated as a Grand Carillon, with 72 bells, and is one of only four worldwide that span six octaves. It was dedicated in an Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
event on June 29, 2000, with a reception attended by over 15,000, and a performance by the Naperville Municipal Band and the Naperville Men's Glee Club and Festival Chorus. The Carillon is both manually and also computer-playable, with most performances being done by hand, but with half the bells played by a computer-controlled system at set times during the day. At present, the Carillon is operational and tours are available after concerts. Disputes over funding the completion of the tower were debated before the Naperville City Council during the fall of 2005 (and are still not resolved). The design of the tower won an award for "Best Custom Solution" from the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI).
Townships
Naperville is located in six townships in two counties. In Dupage County, the Northwest portion is in Winfield TownshipWinfield Township, DuPage County, Illinois
Winfield Township is one of nine townships in DuPage County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 Census, its population was 45,155. It is the least populous of the DuPage County Townships.-Geography:...
, the Northeast portion is in Milton Township
Milton Township, DuPage County, Illinois
Milton Township is one of nine townships in DuPage County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 118,616.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Milton Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Cities, towns, villages:* Carol Stream *...
, the West central portion is in Naperville Township
Naperville Township, DuPage County, Illinois
Naperville Township is one of nine townships in DuPage County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 85,736.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Naperville Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Cities, towns, villages:* Aurora *...
, and the East central portion is in Lisle Township
Lisle Township, DuPage County, Illinois
Lisle Township is one of nine townships in DuPage County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 117,604.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Lisle Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Cities, towns, villages:* Bolingbrook * Downers...
. In Will County, the Southwest portion is in Wheatland Township
Wheatland Township, Will County, Illinois
Wheatland Township is located in Will County, Illinois. The population was 44,349 at the 2000 census.As of 2008, Wheatland Township had over 27,000 parcels located within its boundaries...
, and the Southeast portion is in DuPage Township
DuPage Township, Will County, Illinois
DuPage Township is located in Will County, Illinois. The population was 71,745 at the 2000 census.- External links :****...
. The largest number of Naperville residents live in Lisle Township, followed by Naperville Township.
Colleges and universities
- North Central CollegeNorth Central CollegeNorth Central College is a leading liberal arts college providing students at different stages of life and from different ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds with comprehensive educational programs.-Academics:...
is located on a 59 acres (23.9 ha) campus in Downtown Naperville on Chicago Avenue. It was founded by a predecessor church to the United Methodist ChurchUnited Methodist ChurchThe United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
in 1861 and has been located in Naperville since 1870. The college remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church. - Northern Illinois UniversityNorthern Illinois UniversityNorthern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
maintains a satellite campus on Diehl Road offering several degrees at its 113000 square foot facility. - DePaul UniversityDePaul UniversityDePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
maintains a satellite campus on Warrenville Road. It has been in Naperville since 1997. - The College of DuPageCollege of DuPageCollege of DuPage, or COD, is a two-year community college in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The college also owns and operates facilities in the Illinois communities of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Naperville, West Chicago, and Westmont...
Naperville Regional Center is located on Rickert Drive. - DeVry UniversityDeVry UniversityDeVry University and DeVry Institute of Technology are divisions of DeVry Inc , a proprietary, for-profit higher education organization that is also the parent organization for Keller Graduate School of Management, Ross University, American University of the Caribbean, Apollo College, Western...
maintains a satellite campus on Westings Avenue in Naperville. - Governors State UniversityGovernors State UniversityGovernors State University is a public university located in University Park, Illinois. The campus is located south of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1969, GSU is an upper-division university, offering undergraduate courses at the junior and senior levels as well as graduate level coursework at...
recently opened a satellite campus on West 95th Street in Naperville. - Northwestern CollegeNorthwestern College (Illinois)Northwestern College , formerly Northwestern Business College, is an institution of higher education offering associate in applied science degree programs and certificate programs. It has no affiliation with Northwestern University. It is primarily known for being the alma mater of John Wayne...
has a Naperville campus on North Mill Street. - The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign opened a Business & Industry Services campus in Naperville in 2007.
Primary and secondary schools
Two K-12 public school districts serve the city of Naperville (along with a number of private, parochial schools, including private schools in neighboring AuroraAurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
and Lisle
Lisle, Illinois
Lisle is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,930 at the 2011 census, and estimated to be 23,135 as of 2008. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor...
). Within the state of Illinois, school districts are numbered by their county.
Naperville Community Unit School District 203
Naperville Community Unit School District 203
Naperville Community Unit School District 203 is a school district headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, United States.-History:District 203, established in 1972 through the merger of elementary and high school districts, serves central Naperville...
, established in 1972 through the merger of elementary and high school districts, serves central Naperville (as well as portions of neighboring Lisle and Bolingbrook
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Bolingbrook is a large village in Will and DuPage Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2010 US Census, the population is 73,366...
). The current District 203 school buildings were constructed between 1928 (Ellsworth) and 2010 (Ann Reid Early Childhood Center).
Naperville Central High School
Naperville Central High School is a public four-year comprehensive school ranked in the top 3% of high schools nationally by US News and World Report, covering grades nine through twelve in Naperville, Illinois, a suburb southwest of Chicago in the United States...
and Naperville North High School
Naperville North High School
Naperville North High School is a public four-year comprehensive high school located at the corner of Ogden Avenue and Mill Street in the northern-central part of Naperville, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
, five junior high schools: Jefferson Junior High School, Kennedy Junior High School, Lincoln Junior High School, Madison Junior High School and Washington Junior High School; it has thirteen elementary schools within Naperville city limits. Additionally, the school district has one junior high and one elementary school located in Lisle.
Indian Prairie School District 204
Indian Prairie School District 204
Indian Prairie School District 204 serves students from the Illinois communities of Aurora, Bolingbrook, Plainfield and Naperville. Currently one preschool, twenty-one elementary schools, seven middle schools, three high schools, and one alternative high school are in the district...
(IPSD) was also formed through merged districts in 1972. Neuqua Valley High School
Neuqua Valley High School
Neuqua Valley High School, or NVHS is a public four-year high school located near the corner of Illinois Route 59 and 95th Street in Naperville, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
, along with five middle schools and 14 elementary schools from this district, are within Naperville city limits. In total, IPSD runs and maintains 3 high schools, 7 junior high schools, 21 elementary schools, 1 preschool, and 1 alternative high school. The district serves western and southwestern Naperville, along with eastern Aurora and parts of Bolingbrook and Plainfield.
Private schools located in the city limits include St. Raphael Catholic School, SS. Peter and Paul Catholic School, All Saints Catholic Academy, Naperville Christian Classical Academy, Calvary Christian School, and Chesterbrook Academy.
Media
Naperville is the setting for a Biography Channel reality televisionReality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show called Female Forces which follows female officers from the Naperville Police Department.
Naperville is also the focal city of the novel The Naperville White House: How One Man's Fantasy Changed Government's Reality (Bancroft Press, 2010). In the novel, a "fantasy government" from Naperville, Illinois becomes involved in a real-life terrorist crisis.
Newspapers
- Daily Herald
- Naperville Reporter (GateHouse MediaGateHouse MediaGateHouse Media Inc. is a U.S. newspaper publisher, headquartered in Perinton, New York, that publishes 97 dailies in 20 states and 198 paid weeklies, in addition to free papers, shoppers and specialty and niche publications.- History :Liberty Group Publishing was formed in 1998 when Kenneth L...
) - Naperville SunNaperville SunThe Naperville Sun is a newspaper based in Naperville, Illinois. It is published six days a week, Sunday through Friday. It is owned by the Sun-Times Media Group, formerly Hollinger, a group that includes the Chicago Sun-Times, the Aurora Beacon News, the Joliet Herald News, the Elgin Courier News...
Radio
- 1610-AM WPFP 929 – emergency, city and road information
- Stop and Go Radio – Internet community radio station
- WONCWONCWONC is a radio station broadcasting an album-oriented rock format. Licensed to Naperville, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by North Central College.-History:...
(89.1 FM) – album oriented rock format, owned by North Central College
Health systems
Edward HospitalEdward Hospital
Edward Hospital & Health Services , commonly referred to as "Edward", is a major healthcare provider located in southwest suburban Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois...
serves Naperville while Good Samaritan in Downers Grove
Downers Grove, Illinois
Downers Grove is a village in Downers Grove and Lisle Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 48,724 at the 2000 census, with an official estimated population of 49,250 in 2008.-History:...
, Central DuPage in Winfield
Winfield, Illinois
Winfield is an incorporated village located in Milton and Winfield Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,718 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 9,984 in 2008....
and two other hospitals in nearby Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
also serve the city. For many years, Edward Hospital and others have tried to introduce a new hospital into Naperville only to have their request turned down. Thus, Naperville remains the only large Illinois city with only one hospital. Edward Hospital currently is trying to open a hospital in nearby Plainfield
Plainfield, Illinois
Plainfield is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2007 special census, the population is 37,334.The Village includes land in Plainfield and Wheatland townships. Part of Plainfield is located in Kendall County...
to help Naperville citizens with travel times to Edward Hospital.
Parks
- Centennial BeachCentennial BeachCentennial BeachLocationNaperville, Illinois, USACoordinatesAltitude217 m Centennial Beach is a public aquatic park located at 500 W. Jackson Avenue in Naperville, Illinois. The Beach is within an abandoned, double quarry alongside the DuPage River...
, with adjacent Centennial Park. - Two parks dedicated to skateboarding and in-line skating, at Frontier Sports Complex and Centennial Park.
- Commissioners Park, which includes Naperville's first official CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
pitch, opened in 2006. - Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center
- Community Garden Plots, located on West Street.
- Knoch Knolls Park, which includes a small mountain biking trail and nine-hole frisbee golf course, located south between Ring Road and 95th Street.
- Naperville Sportsman's Club – Public trap shooting range
Roads
As a typical American suburb, the main mode of transportation is via automobile. The Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (the tolled portion of Interstate 88Interstate 88 (west)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the state of Illinois. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Silvis and Moline to an interchange with Interstates 290 and 294 in Hillside, near Chicago...
) runs near the north edge of Naperville, and Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
runs south of the city, through Bolingbrook
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Bolingbrook is a large village in Will and DuPage Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2010 US Census, the population is 73,366...
and Romeoville
Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,153 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the population has grown to 36,837. It is located in the southwest suburban area of Chicago near the newly constructed I-355 extension south from the Stevenson Expressway to I-80...
.
From 75th Street south (including 83rd Street, 87th Street, etc.) Naperville east-west streets and their names roughly follow the same grid layout as the City of Chicago. In other words, if 75th street continued east past its terminus at Illinois Route 83, in Willowbrook
Willowbrook, DuPage County, Illinois
Willowbrook is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,967 at the 2000 census.-History:Willowbrook grew from the Ridgemoor subdivision...
, it would eventually be the same 75th Street as found in Chicago city limits. However, the older part of Naperville has a second numerical grid, starting downtown at Main and Benton, with 4th and 5th Avenues just north of the BNSF tracks, and continuing through 15th Avenue. The difference is that the numbers in the older system go up from downtown, traveling south to north, and the other grid's numbers go up as you travel north to south. There is also a geographical based naming system, with West Street and North Street defining the older boundaries of the city. Along with these are streets named after the city they lead to, i.e., Naper/Plainfield Road heads towards Plainfield, while Aurora Avenue leads to Aurora and Chicago Avenue to Chicago (it becomes Maple Ave. in neighboring Lisle
Lisle, Illinois
Lisle is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,930 at the 2011 census, and estimated to be 23,135 as of 2008. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor...
before becoming 55th Street in Downers Grove
Downers Grove, Illinois
Downers Grove is a village in Downers Grove and Lisle Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 48,724 at the 2000 census, with an official estimated population of 49,250 in 2008.-History:...
).
Train service
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
that run through the north end of town, with passenger rail service provided by Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
. Amtrak's three routes through Naperville are the Illinois Zephyr, the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief. A third Metra station is planned on the STAR Line at Wolf's Crossing.
Bus service
PacePace (transit)
Pace is the suburban bus division of the Regional Transportation Authority in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was created in 1983 by the RTA Act, which established the formula that provides funding to CTA, Metra and Pace. In 2010, Pace had 35.077 million riders. Pace's headquarters are in...
provides feeder bus service to the Metra stations and local midday service, both operated under contract. It also operates bus routes from Naperville to Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
(which serves Aurora's Westfield Fox Valley
Westfield Fox Valley
Westfield Fox Valley, formerly Fox Valley Center, is a shopping mall in Aurora, Illinois. Its four anchor stores are Carson Pirie Scott, JCPenney, Macy's and Sears....
Mall) and Wheaton
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
(which serves the College of DuPage
College of DuPage
College of DuPage, or COD, is a two-year community college in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The college also owns and operates facilities in the Illinois communities of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Naperville, West Chicago, and Westmont...
).
Airport
There is also one private airport, the Naper Aero Club field, designation LL-10, on the western edge of town. The field is notable for being the home of the Lima Lima Flight TeamLima Lima Flight Team
The Lima Lima Flight Team is a precision formation flying demonstration team based in Naperville, Illinois.The name derives from the FAA identifier of the field where the team originated. Naper Aero Club is located in the western suburbs of Chicago. It is a airport community, with 100 homes...
.
Sister cities
Nitra
Nitra is a city in western Slovakia, situated at the foot of Zobor Mountain in the valley of the river Nitra. With a population of about 83,572, it is the fifth largest city in Slovakia. Nitra is also one of the oldest cities in Slovakia and the country's earliest political and cultural center...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and
Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro is a large town and municipality located in the state of Michoacán. The town was founded sometime in the 1320s, at first becoming the capital of the Tarascan state and later its ceremonial center...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
are Naperville's official sister cities. The partnership with Nitra became official on November 17, 1993, and the partnership with Pátzcuaro became official on November 13, 2010.
Nitra was chosen, in part, due to a desire to create a special bond with a city in one of the newly formed democracies brought about by the fall of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
. Nitra was also chosen due to several similarities between the two cities, such as:
- both enjoy a riverwalk in the downtown area
- both are college townCollege townA college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
s - similar climates
- similar populationPopulationA population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
(100,000+) and size
Since the inception of this partnership, the Naperville Sister Cities Commission has worked to strengthen the bond between Naperville and Nitra through its support of various events and delegations. The primary goal of such sister city programs is to increase awareness of other cultures and promote international friendship, and the Naperville-Nitra partnership has so far been a successful one.
In 2002, the Sister Cities Commission supported a youth baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
exchange, sending the Naperville Patriots baseball team, composed of 15 high school age ballplayers representing each of the four high schools, Naperville Central, Naperville North, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, in the Naperville area, to Nitra. The team travelled throughout Slovakia, and played with and held clinics for the newly formed Nitra "Little Giants" baseball team. Head coach Dave Perillo and captains Jason Fitterer and Rob Losik were responsible for organizing the clinic for the Nitra players, which proved to be a success. The Naperville Patriots also enjoyed the distinction of being the first baseball team from the United States ever to travel to the nation of Slovakia.
In addition to this exchange, the City of Naperville has supported several other events to strengthen the bond with Nitra, including:
- Hosting the Illinois State Sister City Convention (2000)
- Co-sponsoring Slovak Cultural Heritage Week, a cultural exchange of Slovak folk musicians (1999)
- Hosting a 12-member delegation from Nitra (1997, 1994)
- Sending a 12-member delegation to Nitra (1998, 1993)
- YMCAYMCAThe Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
camp counselor exchanges; hosting a basketball team from Nitra (1998)
The community at large has enthusiastically supported the Naperville-Nitra partnership, as well. In 1999, Naperville's Our Savior's Lutheran Church raised $275,000 to rebuild a church in Nitra, which was then dedicated the following year. NALCO
Nalco Holding Company
Nalco Holding Company supplies water treatment and process improvement services, chemicals and equipment programs for industrial and institutional markets. These products and services are marketed in some cases to prevent corrosion, contamination and the buildup of harmful deposits...
and school districts 203 and 204 have also shipped 6,000 pounds of books to Nitra since 1993.
City-related sites
- City of Naperville, Illinois official website
- Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce
- Naperville Park District
- Naperville Public Library
- Visit Naperville – Naperville Convention and Visitors Bureau