March 5, 2009
COMMUNITY PROFILE: GENEVA
Incorporation:
Founded in 1835, incorporated as a village in 1867 and as a city in 1887
How it got its name: Geneva's
original settlers bandied about several suggestions, including Campbell Ford
and Herrington's Ford, before deciding to go with the suggestion of Chicagoan
Charles Volney Dyer, who likely took the name from a town in upstate New York.
Population: 24,142
(2007 census estimate)
Location: 40 miles west
of Chicago
Did you
know? Geneva has more than 100 specialty shops in its downtown. It was
the western "end of the line" for Chicago trains for 150 years until
Elburn built a rail yard in 2006. A full-scale replica of a Viking ship that
sailed to the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 sits in the city's Good
Templar Park. The Illinois Republican
Party held its first convention in Geneva in 1854. The city had a
significant Swedish immigrant population.
Famous residents:
Director and choreographer Gower Champion, graphic artist Will Bradley
Why it's worth visiting: A
walkable downtown with a wealth of shopping and dining; bike paths and
beautiful parks, including Island Park on the Fox River; the Fabyan Windmill
Known in these parts for:
A charming downtown with well-preserved historic homes; multiple festivals,
including a Christmas Walk, Swedish Days, Festival of the Vine, and a summer
Art Fair; the Kane County Cougars