Find a Bit of Old England in Westchester

Westchester was founded in 1924, when a London-born tycoon purchased more than 2,000 acres of farmland to create a model English town. All-English street names and the construction of homes with brick, stucco, and hand-hewn timbers set Westchester apart from many other Chicago suburbs.

Although construction ground to a halt during the Great Depression, the village grew rapidly again in the 1950s with the opening of the Eisenhower Expressway at its northern boundary and Interstate 294 to the west. Today, Westchester features commercial office buildings and retail along its major arteries, including Cermak Road and Wolf Road.

Located just 13 miles west of Chicago, Westchester is a quaint residential neighborhood adjacent to green spaces, as well as restaurants, grocery stores, fitness centers and retail. It’s also just a short drive to fun attractions ranging from Brookfield Zoo Chicago and more fun. And each summer, the Village hosts a series of vibrant events, including the Juneteenth Celebration in June and Party in the Park in July. Each spanning across two days, these events are full of exciting live entertainment, fun activities for children, and plenty of community spirit.

Westchester is also home to Wolf Road Prairie, part of the Illinois State Nature Preserve and a rare remnant of the vast prairies that once covered Illinois. It’s through the efforts of the Save the Prairie Society, active since 1975, that this remnant of Illinois’ original prairie endures today – the largest black soil prairie east of the Mississippi River. The 82 acres, teeming with wildflowers and crowned by a magnificent oak tree, are stunning any time of the year. It is also home to 360 native plant species, including prairie dock, Indian plantain and prairie phlox.

The prairie is adjacent to other forest preserves along the Salt Creek Trail, so you can enjoy hiking, biking and exploring for days.