Itasca

Itasca was an idyllic suburb before “suburb” was a thing.

The rural village, incorporated in 1890, retained its small-town atmosphere through the 1800s and 1900s.

When suburbia started to catch on in the 1940s, the village’s population boomed thanks to its location 27 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop, and along with its proximity to O’Hare International Airport, major expressways, and the railroad.

By 1982, the village population was over 7,000. The community annexed several neighborhoods, added parks, and created commercial and industrial areas. The village is home to several industrial and office parks, office towers, and major employers. The community’s commercial corridor also is the town’s municipal center with a library, museum, pool, fire and police stations, as well as the village hall.

Despite its growth, the village maintains its idyllic residential neighborhoods and parkland. The village purchased 60 acres of land south of Irving Park Road for a green belt to preserve the community’s open spaces and water retention, later becoming home to the Spring Brook Nature Center. Itasca's residential neighborhoods straddle the railroad tracks, splitting the town into the North Side and South Side.

Itasca residents enjoy a convenient commute with a station on Metra’s Milwaukee District/West Line, providing daily service between Elgin and Chicago’s Union Station. In addition, its location at the junction of I-290, Veterans Memorial Tollway, and the Elgin-O’Hare Expressway make Itasca a prime location for commerce in the northwest suburbs. Additionally, U.S. Route 52 and 19 run through the town.