Bartlett Illinois Real Estate

Bartlett, Illinois

Bartlett, located 30 miles west of the Loop, still retains much of its picturesque and historical “woodland” beauty. Victorian houses and farmhouses stand alongside ranches, bungalows, and the historical Sears mail-order houses.

In 1844, Luther Bartlett purchased a 320-acre farm in Wayne Township along with his brother Lyman. Although Lyman eventually left the community, Luther became a farmer and sheep breeder, remaining in Bartlett until his death in 1882.

Bartlett built the Bartlett Manufacturing Company, which produced patent neck yokes. Although this created job opportunities for many of the villagers, the company failed in 1878 during an economic depression. In 1873 Bartlett laid an economic cornerstone for the village: subdividing 40 acres of property, he donated half of the land to the Chicago & Pacific Railroad (which was succeeded in 1880 by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad) for a train station and switching yard. Because of his donations the town was named for him.

At the turn of the century nearly three-fourths of the residents were German-born or were of German heritage.

In 1915 attorney Charles Erbstein purchased a 210-acre estate along present-day Lake Street (Route 20), naming the estate Villa Olivia after his daughter. From this location Erbstein broadcast a radio program beginning in 1922. The station moved to larger quarters the following year and the broadcast went national. The Chicago Tribune later purchased the station.

Bartlett had just 716 residents in 1950, and defied residential growth until the mid-1970s when the Boise Cascade company planned to utilize 540 acres south of the village. Although the plan was finally approved, Boise Cascade backed out in the face of residents' opposition and subsequently sold to other developers. By decade's end approximately 3,500 residences had been built, including townhouses, condominiums, and single-family houses.

The 1980s and 1990s brought new population growth and annexations. Bartlett's population soared from 19,373 in 1990 to 36,706 in 2000.

What does the average adult know about Bartlett’s history? Did you know that Bartlett is over 100 years old? Which building downtown was once a dairy? These questions and more can be answered by the average school-aged child in wonderful Bartlett. One of the city’s main attractions is the ‘Bartlett Historical Tour’. Along with Village Hall, the Huntley Dairy and Bartlett Park Gazebo, the tourist gets the exciting opportunity to visit at least twelve other locations, including the Bartlett Cemetery.

The Bartlett real estate market has remained strong in part due to its train access. As many residents use the train to get to the city for work and play. Bartlett offers a full range of housing options from condos up to semi-custom new construction homes. The Bartlett real estate market is made up of single family housing and a large selection of Condos and Townhouses. Single family homes range from $225,000 up to over $800,000.

One may say, “This all sounds great, but one problem. At heart, I’ll always be a city slicker and I can’t see myself cutting the lawn.” My friend, there’s nothing to worry about. Bartlett's attached housing market may be right for you. With condos starting at around $100,000 and new construction townhouses topping off around $350,000 there are plenty of options.

Sand Ridge Nature Center is a 235-acre preserve with four well-marked trails offering easy hiking, from under a mile to 2 miles long. Each trail features different habitats, including prairies, oak savannas and woodlands, marshes, a pond, and ancient sand dunes. Sand Ridge is especially celebrated for its wonderful spring woodland wildflower display during April and early May, colorful summer prairie wildflowers, and autumn leaf color. Both spring and autumn bring many migrating birds that stop to rest and feed in the different locales. Fans of dragonflies and butterflies are treated to their aerial displays on warm days spring through fall. Winter is stunning too, with drifts of white snow highlighting the graceful shapes of trees and shrubs, punctuated with the cheery calls and colors of our resident winter birds and the tracks of more discreet animals.

Bartlett has grown from a forty acre town site to an area covering 14.6 square miles with over 100 miles of streets. The Village now lies in Cook, DuPage, and Kane Counties.

Bartlett's future is one of unrelenting and controlled, well-planned growth. This expansion includes an active program designed to attract businesses and industries to Bartlett, primarily along the western edge of the Village, and to increase the commercial and industrial tax base. The projected population for the year 2020 is estimated at 47,500.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a part of a residential development with an economic boom? Visit Bartlett, get to know the city and immediately make those long-awaited into a short-term affordable reality.