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In the 1880s, promoters dammed a stream, filled a lake and advertised Glen Ellyn's mineral springs to Chicagoans looking for a cure and a country breeze. The grand hotel is long gone, but Lake Ellyn remains the centerpiece of a leafy DuPage County village whose curving streets are lined with Victorian and Prairie-era houses.
The story goes back further, to the 1830s crossroads settlement of Stacy's Corners, where an 1846 stagecoach inn still stands as a museum. Downtown, Main Street and Crescent Boulevard keep a small-town feel, with independent shops, restaurants and a historic district clustered around the Metra station.
Glen Ellyn also has more culture and wildlife than its size suggests. The College of DuPage campus holds the McAninch Arts Center and the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, while Willowbrook Wildlife Center cares for injured native animals and Churchill Woods preserves a rare remnant of original Illinois prairie.
A small lake created in 1889 during Glen Ellyn's spa-resort era, ringed by a walking path, lawns and a boathouse that hosts community events. Locals fish from the shore and watch herons in the shallows. It is a short walk from downtown, and the hill above the water is popular for sledding.
Built in 1846 by Moses Stacy at the crossroads that became the village, this restored inn welcomed travelers on the road from Chicago to the Fox River. Guided tours show the taproom, kitchen and upstairs rooms. The Glen Ellyn Historical Society opens it seasonally, so check days before visiting.
Headquarters of the Glen Ellyn Historical Society on Main Street, with rotating exhibits on the village's mineral springs resort era, its architecture and local families, plus an archive of photographs and maps. A good stop to pick up walking-tour ideas before exploring the historic districts.
A compact art museum inside the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage, presenting changing exhibitions of contemporary and modern art, often with free admission. Pair a gallery visit with an evening show next door. Check opening hours, which follow the college calendar.
The village's historic downtown along Main Street and Crescent Boulevard near the Metra tracks, with late 19th- and early 20th-century storefronts housing independent boutiques, bakeries and restaurants. Look for summer street festivals and a weekly farmers market. Parking decks make it easy to visit.
The performing arts center of the College of DuPage, with several theaters presenting touring dance, music, comedy and family shows alongside student and community productions. An outdoor stage hosts free summer concerts on the lawn. Parking is free on campus during evening performances.
A Forest Preserve District of DuPage County center that treats thousands of injured and orphaned wild animals each year. Visitors can see non-releasable resident animals such as owls, foxes and turtles in outdoor habitats along a short trail, and learn what to do when finding wildlife.
A forest preserve along the East Branch of the DuPage River that protects one of the few remaining patches of original Illinois prairie, alongside woodlands and a fishing pond. Prairie flowers peak in mid to late summer. Trails are flat and easy, though low areas can flood after heavy rain.
A village-owned golf facility with an 18-hole championship course plus a 9-hole course, a driving range and practice greens, woven around ponds and wetlands south of downtown. Fees are reasonable for the Chicago area. Book tee times early on summer weekends, when the course fills up fast.
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Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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