Evanston

Evanston, 11 miles from Chicago's Loop, is one of the most culturally oriented communities on the North Shore. This diverse community has everything a suburban dweller could want. Its lakeside location, convenient shopping and proximity to Chicago all add to its popularity among a spectrum of home buyers with a range of home-buying budgets. Evanston residents can walk to Lake Michigan and watch the sunrise, spend the day wandering through bookstores and art galleries and end the day with dinner in a restaurant that offers live opera.

Evanston has preserved much of its historical charm through such significant buildings as the Gross Point Lighthouse and the Charles Gates Dawes House. The village is home to numerous theater groups, a symphony orchestra, five museums and a number of art galleries and centers. Northwestern University and the National Louis University add to the educational and cultural mix of the community. A new library boasts state-of-the-art computers and a huge and widely diversified selection of various genres of literature. The distinctive architecture of the new building makes it a city landmark.

Recreation. Evanston's recreation department operates 263 acres of parks, five public beaches, five community centers, an educational ecology center, two indoor ice rinks, a golf course, tennis courts and a wide range of classes and programs.

Housing. Known for its distinctive architecture, vintage Evanston homes include Victorians, Colonials, Tudors and some Frank Lloyd Wright designs. Ranches, bungalows and split-levels are
dominant in the newer areas.

Schools. Students attend elementary school in district 65.Evanston Township High School district 202 offers an accelerated studies program with Northwestern University. The 1998 average
composite ACT score was 23.3.

Transportation. Edens Expressway (I-94) is just west of town, and drive time to the Loop is 40 minutes. Three Metra train stations serve Evanston. Commute time to the Loop is 35 minutes local and 21 minutes express. There is continuous El service to Chicago, with a rush hour express train that takes 25 minutes. O'Hare Airport is a 40-minute drive, while Midway is an hour away. The trip takes 45 minutes on the CTA's Evanston Express.

Population (2000 census): 74,239
Square Mileage: 8.5
http://www.cityofevanston.org

[Photo above - Northwestern University, Evanston]