People who live in lovely Lombard , Illinois have a passion for purple, or rather, a lust for lilac. Lombard has been affectionately termed The Lilac Village, alluding to the sweet, subtle scent of these pretty, petite petals that is often left lingering in the air most warm summer evenings.
The Village of Lombard , Illinois is located a short 21 miles west of the sprawling downtown Chicago area, giving Lombard residents easy and convenient freeway access to the world class shopping and dining experiences, as well as the Internationally known museums and attractions that can be found near the blustery shores of the oceanesque Lake Michigan. The 45,000 or so residents of the Village of Lombard enjoy the closeness of the industrious Mecca that is Chicago without all of the heavy air pollution and snarled traffic that goes along with it.
Lombard , IL was first settled by European Americans in the 1830s, after having claimed it from the Potawatomi Indians. The DuPage river, which runs through the town, was a heavy attraction factor for early settlers, as was the ample supply of fresh timber and the dark, fertile soils available for growing crops. Farmers began to trickle into the area to make their home.
The railroad was built in the area in 1848, and this advancement provided farmers, merchants and residents access to the Chicago area. Once the railroad was built in Lombard , people came to settle there in greater numbers, and retail businesses began popping up more and more frequently, It was not long before commercial buildings began to spring up all around the train station and extending out beyond it. Lombard was officially incorporated in the year 1869, named after a prominent Chicago banker.
There are still many historical remnants of the Lombard of old standing within the city. These legendary structures have been carefully preserved to retain as much of the original detail and integrity of the space as is possible. The oldest known house in the Lombard area, zip code 60148 , was constructed in 1839, when the tiny town was still known to residents back then as Babcocks Grove.
This old farmhouse still stands as a testament to the quality that went into building homes in that era. The farmhouse was the site of the areas very first school. It was also used as a stop along the infamous Underground Railroad. The home was owned by the same family, for all of its many years until 1995, when the property was donated the the Lombard community and then restored to its 1840`s glory. The historic farmhouse is now home to a museum which is open to the public, an interesting way to soak up some true Lombard history.
Another notable history lesson can be found within the walls of historic homes, some built in the year 1881. The home was built in the Italianate architectural style, featuring ornately carved wooden trim and a stunning spire-topped tower. The owner of the home, one of the areas most prominent doctors, was renown for crafting artificial limbs for war survivors after the Civil War, and he made quite a substantial living while doing it. Eventually, the home was purchased by a family whose son went on to become one of Americas most beloved comic strip writers, and who, himself, lived in the home as an adult for many of the most successful years of his career.
The Village of Lombard , IL also boasts a historical museum that is located in an original, post Civil War cottage style house. The museum is open to the public, and it features rooms full of Victorian furniture and decor that exemplifies the quality of life that was experienced by newly forming middle class families in the late 1800`s in Lombard .
A guided tour throughout the downtown area of Lombard serves to take visitors on a historical adventure back through time, highlighting all of these spectacular locations and more as it winds its way down the charming and architecturally inviting streets of the downtown district, and into perhaps the most notable acquisition by the town of Lombard , which would have to be the former residence of one green-thumbed Colonel.
Upon the Colonel’s passing in 1927, his home and gardens were bequeathed to the Village of Lombard. Plum was obsessed with his Lilac garden, and around his lovely home were planted more than two hundred different types of the aromatic and dainty flowers, more than a thousand plants in all! The gardens were so beautiful that the city turned the area into a public park, and since the year 1930 it has been the site of the yearly celebration that has given the town the moniker of The Lilac Village.
For you see, Lilacs are a big deal in Lombard , Illinois . The annual Lilac festival is a 16 day celebration that takes place every year, in honor of the flower that has captured the hearts and the olfactory senses of everyone who chooses to reside in zip code 60148 .
The Lilac festivities open each year with the crowning of the Lilac Queen, and throughout the celebration the activities continue, featuring free concerts in the park, an arts and crafts festival for the children, petting zoos, games, wine and beer gardens, and even a 5K run. At the end of the 16 day celebration of all things Lilac, there is a grand and theatrical Lilac Parade to close the ceremonies on yet another year. This has been a yearly tradition for nearly 80 years of Lombard history, and it gets better each year.
History is not the only thing that Lombard , Illinois , zip code 60148 has going for it, though. There are enough activities and programs available in the area to satisfy all. There are well over one hundred restaurants in the Lombard area alone, and that does not even include the establishments in other nearby towns. There is amazing shopping to be had in the downtown area as well, as Lombard has revitalized its urban district in recent years, adding many unique and classy retail shops to its ever growing list of businesses. And if it still is not enough, residents can hop the train to Chi-town, where anything they could conceive of can be attained. Lucky Lombardians.
The downtown area is a proud sponsor of several annual programs and festivals that bring the Lombard community together. One such program is for ladies only. Every Thursday local area business offer ladies special opportunities to come in, get a massage, have some wine, have their nails done, and be entertained, all at a reduced cost. The reason behind this is to give women a chance to get together with their friends, and to make new friends. The four month program stimulates the downtown economy and bonds gals together.
Another annual festival is much anticipated by Lombard children. It is a spooktacularly fun Saturday afternoon in October when area retail establishment`s open their doors to trick or treating ghouls and beasties of all kinds. With sidewalk games, arts and crafts, and lots of good old fashioned candy, this is a kids favorite.
And when the Christmas Season rolls around, locals gather again, for the downtown tree lighting ceremony as well as caroling, hot apple cider and cocoa and fun sleigh rides. A visit from old St. Nick is on the agenda too, opening the floodgate of festive Holiday Cheer that carries Lombard residents through the end of the year and into the next.
Winter is truly a wonderland in zip code 60148 , where residents can ice skate on the Villages man-made zero-gravity ice ponds. These very shallow skating ponds are glorious fun for all ages. Many of the area parks offer rolling snow covered hills that are perfect for sledding and tubing, and there are over 300 acres that are suitable for cross country skiing in the area. One word of caution, however; the ice ponds and the sledding hills are unsupervised, meaning that residents of Lombard play at their own risk. Even though it is cold outside, residents stay warm by staying active.
The recreation center provides year round activities such as a fitness gym with all of the latest cardio and weigh training equipment, dance and aerobics classes, plenty of team and aquatic sports to choose from and even gymnastics and crafting programs. Lombard residents have a full plate at their disposal if they so choose, or they can simply relax, play a few rounds of golf at the local public golf course, or bask in the sun as they watch the kids play in the spray ground water park.
The Village of Lombard , Illinois , zip code 60148 , cares deeply for the health and happiness of its residents. It is for this reason that the village unanimously voted to enact a smoke-free law in Lombard city. There is no smoking in any indoor facility or business, or within 15 feet of any entrance or exit to any building. This insures that the air that all residents breathe is healthier, and that the well being of the Village is maintained. It also ensures that the essence of Lilacs will be the predominant scent when walking through downtown, rather than second-hand smoke.
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