Downers Grove, a village in DuPage County, Illinois, USA, was established in 1832 by Pierce Downer, after whom the village is named. Situated as a southwest suburb of Chicago, it lies between I-88 and I-55.
Pierce Downer, a farmer originally from Vermont but who later moved to Illinois from Rutland, New York, established Downers Grove in 1832.
Downers Grove has experienced a significant increase in the number of old homes being torn down and replaced with larger new residences, making it one of the areas with the highest teardown rates in Chicago. This trend has sparked debate within the community due to the impact of these teardowns on flooding, affordable housing availability, and gentrification concerns.
The 2010 census reports that Downers Grove encompasses 14.457 square miles, with 14.31 square miles consisting of land, making up 98.98% of the total area, and 0.147 square miles, or 1.02%, comprising water.
Downers Grove falls within a region characterized by a humid continental climate. Generally, January experiences the lowest temperatures, whereas July sees the highest temperatures. August usually receives the most rainfall, with February receiving the least. Downers Grove reached a peak temperature of 105 °F (41 °C) in July 2005 and a low of −26 °F (−32 °C) in January 1985.
According to the 2020 census data, Downers Grove had a population of 50,327 individuals. The population density was calculated at 3,475.6 people per square mile (1,341.9/km2).
Downers Grove is situated 20 miles to the west of downtown Chicago. Residents often travel to work using the village’s three Metra BNSF line stations or by driving on the nearby highways. Downers Grove is a hub for various companies, such as Advocate Aurora Health, Dover Corporation, and Univar Solutions. Additionally, the village hosts regional offices for well-known national corporations like Microsoft, MetLife, and State Farm.
According to the Downers Grove Museum, the town is home to 68 Sears Kit Homes, 11 Harris Brothers homes, 9 Wardway/Gordon-Van Tine homes, and 1 Aladdin Kit Home, as confirmed through research on Sears and other kit-home manufacturers.
The Tivoli Theatre, situated in Downers Grove, was and originally accommodated 1,390 seats. It was the inaugural movie theater in DuPage County to feature “talkies”.Downers Grove has numerous parks and forest reserves, with Doerhoefer Park being one of them. Hidden Lake Forest Preserve spans360 acres and features a pond formed by a glacier, offering boating opportunities on the adjacent DuPage River (East Branch).
The Village of Downers Grove is governed by a council-manager system, where the Village Council sets policies and appoints a professional manager to execute them. The Council consists of the Mayor and six Commissioners elected by the people. The Council has enacted various policies and rules, in addition to the Municipal Code, to ensure the efficient operation of the village.
Most of Downers Grove falls under the jurisdiction of the 6th US Congressional District in Illinois, where Sean Casten, a Democrat and resident of Downers Grove, has served as the representative since 2019. A section of southwest Downers Grove is part of the 11th US Congressional District, which is represented by Bill Foster, also a Democrat.
Downers Grove is served by several public and private schools, including 12 public elementary schools, 2 public middle schools, and 2 public high schools. The elementary schools include Hillcrest, Belle Aire, El Sierra, Kingsley, Fairmount, Highland, Whittier, Pierce Downer, Henry Puffer, Lester, and Indian Trail Schools, with 11 of them being part of Downers Grove Grade School District 58. The remaining elementary schools, Prairieview and Elizabeth Ide, and Lakeview Jr. High School, are part of Center Cass School District 66. St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s of Gostyn are two Catholic schools that offer education from pre-school through 8th grade. Downers Grove North High School and Downers Grove South High School, which are part of Community High School District 99, serve students from Downers Grove, Woodridge, and parts of Westmont, Darien, Lisle, Bolingbrook, Oak Brook, and unincorporated areas of Downers Grove and Lisle Townships.
The primary route of the BNSF Railway is shared with Metra commuter rail. Metra’s BNSF Line makes three stops in Downers Grove at Belmont Road, Main Street, and Fairview Avenue. Downers Grove is located along Interstate Highways 355 and 88, as well as the main road US 34-Ogden Avenue. The town is also accessible via the Pace Bus Service, which provides suburban public transportation.
Downers Grove’s water supply is sourced from Lake Michigan through the DuPage Water Commission pipeline, which acquires water from the City of Chicago Department of Water Management. Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is primarily responsible for the maintenance of the town’s electricity infrastructure, while Northern Illinois Gas constructed its natural gas infrastructure.