St. Charles, Illinois

Pottawatomie Park

Population: 32,134 (2004 est.)
Elevation: 735 feet
Land area: 14.0 sq mi
Zip code: 60174
County: Kane

Originally home to the Pottawatomie – the Neshnabi, as they called themselves – St. Charles, Illinois is situated along the banks of the Fox River, about 40 miles west of Chicago. The river, as the Pottawatomie well knew, was a tremendous asset, and white Anglo-Saxons were quick to discover this. Not only was the river a source of water power, the land around it was an abundant source of firewood, game and fresh spring water and limestone – one of the major building materials still seen in numerous area dwellings today. Moving into the area in the 1830’s, these early European pioneers eventually drove the Native Americans from their home. Read more...

Articles

Farmer's Markets: Fresh Fruit & Veggies for the Fox Valley
I will shamelessly admit that I was unaware until this past weekend, when I discovered three of the local markets available on a weekly basis that are all open to the public from June through October. Each is available on a different day, so it is easy to attend one or more...(08/06)

Pheasant Run Resort & Spa New Year's Eve at Pheasant Run Resort & Spa
And one of the things that I have always tried to do is to make every New Year’s Eve different but very special in terms of the way in which I celebrated it. This year my wife and I decided to book a room and a special package at Pheasant Run Resort in St Charles. Appropriately, the package was called the St. Charles Elegance Package; it turned out to be a great choice. Read more

Rutherford Hill Winemakers Dinner at Harvest
The evening began with hand-crafted hors d'oeuvres from the kitchen of Chef Josef Yurisich, a true master in the art of pairing wines with his sumptuous creations. Tonight, Mini Phyllo Roulades, Smoked Duck and Caramelized Onion Tostones and Asian Style Grilled Scallop Napoleons... Other winemaker dinners: Sonoma-Cutrer, Chalk Hill

Maps

St. Charles/Geneva Il Pocket Map

St Charles, cont.

In 1836, the first dam was completed in what was then Charleston. It was a great source of power to grind flour and cut wood, both necessary to a growing town which, in 1839 changed its name to St. Charles. 1857 saw an iron bridge constructed across the Fox River, replacing several failed wooden ones, during a time when the city experienced great growth, aided by the influx – not unlike sister city Geneva to the south – of hard-working Swedish immigrants. The years of 1920-1940 brought now-familiar names like the Cable Piano Factory and Moline Malleable, Hotel Baker and Arcada Theatre to St. Charles, the philanthropic contributions of the Gates, Norris and Baker families.

Although St. Charles has experienced incredible growth, it still has the small-town allure that brought to its borders people from far and wide. There is an abundance of recreational areas – including Pottawatomie Park – picture-postcard scenic views along the Fox River, fine restaurants, great shopping opportunities and some of the friendliest folks in the valley.