Brookfield
Although Brookfield is best known for its world-class zoo, nearly 20,000 people call the village home. Located a short distance from Chicago, the village was founded in 1893 and has connections to some of history's movers and shakers. Edith Rockefeller McCormick, daughter of John D. Rockefeller, gifted 98 acres of land to the Forest Preserve District in 1917 and gave 100 acres more just two years later.

Despite the attraction of the zoo, visitors usually pass through the actual village of Brookfield, leaving the quiet municipality and its 19,000 residents undisturbed. The comfortable village offers a variety of homes from bungalows to bi-levels, from farm-styles to Victorians. Brookfield's picturesque Hollywood section has winding streets and borders a river, with the town of Riverside just across.

Brookfield residents can take a short ride on the Burlington Northern Railroad from any of Brookfield's train stations to reach all Chicago has to offer. High school students attend Districts 204 and 208. Grade school students attend Districts 95, 96, 102 and 103.

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Riverside
Just outside the hustle and bustle of Chicago, Riverside offers a slice of tranquility. Grand homes that range from Victorians to Frank Lloyd Wrights line the streets in this historic community. Riverside's winding streets are part of its charm - only two streets in the entire village are actually straight. Despite the elite address of Riverside, the village maintains a homey rather than exclusive feel. Small gardens filled with native Illinois plants dot intersections throughout the community.

The village's 8,000 residents lead a quiet life, but have easy access to Chicago's cultural attractions via the Eisenhower expressway (I-290) or the Burlington Northern Railroad with its historic station and water tower. A recent push to attract a greater mix of retailers to the village's old business district and Harlem Avenue area met with great success, bringing boutiques, antique dealers and a variety of other stores to Riverside. Grade school children attend District 96, and high school students attend District 208.

North Riverside North Riverside's reasonable real estate makes the village an affordable, yet desirable locale. East of the Des Plaines River, cozy homes sit on city-size lots, and on the west side, larger post-World War II homes occupy 50-feet lots.

The North Riverside Park Mall, a 1 million square-foot retail space that underwent a $30 million renovation, offers convenient shopping at the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Cermak Road. Because the village is close to Chicago, residents have immediate access to the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and nearby public transportation. Grade school students attend Districts 94 and 96, and high schools students attend District 208.

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