Lockport

Located in a city named after the locks on the Illinois and Michigan Canal, South Lockport is a neighborhood many people have just passed through on their way to somewhere else. But the friendly people and its idyllic suburban setting make it ideal for settling down and staying a while. “I would say the community is the main appeal,” says Angel Kimmer, a real estate broker with Realtopia Real Estate. “The community is great here. There’s always something to do and something going on.” Lockport is a small suburban city southwest of Chicago, putting residents far enough away from the city to have their own identity while giving them easy access to everything the metropolitan area offers.<br><br>You can find a variety of homes throughout South Lockport. Much of the neighborhood is laid out in a grid with neatly trimmed lawns and sidewalks running parallel to the streets. White picket fences mark the property boundaries, and mature trees cast shade over the homes, making this neighborhood feel like the ideal suburban community. Homes include Craftsman houses with wood siding and spacious front porches, perfect for gathering with friends or enjoying a lovely evening. Brick ranch-style homes are also typical throughout the neighborhood. Some newer developments have popped up, bringing new traditional brick homes with spacious built-in garages. Three-bedroom houses in the community typically cost between $200,000 and $300,000, with many at the lower end of that range. There are few four-bedroom homes, but the ones you will find will usually cost around $400,000.<br><br>Students in South Lockport will likely attend Taft Grade School, Lockport Township High School Central and Lockport Township High School East. The central campus of the high school serves freshmen students, while sophomores, juniors and seniors will attend the east campus. The high school is rated an A overall on Niche and has a successful athletic program, winning state championships in several sports, including football, baseball and basketball. The boys’ basketball team has also won 26 regional titles. The campus’s facilities include a three-hole golf course, a greenhouse, 18 science labs and a swimming pool with a 600-seat arena.<br><br>Residents of South Lockport have easy access to one of the area’s most complete parks. Dellwood Park is a vast green space with room for nearly any outdoor activity. You can play baseball or soccer on one of the many lighted fields. Grab a racket for a game of tennis, or bring your frisbee for a round of disc golf. Several trails meander through wooded sections of the park, and a large playground gives kids plenty of room to play and explore. Runners, hikers, or anyone looking to get outside and explore will enjoy spending time on the nearby Gaylord Donnelly Trail, an 11-mile paved trail from Lockport to Joliet along the Illinois and Michigan Canal. As you walk, run or bike along the path, you can view the canal ruins, a former amusement park and the ruins of Joliet Iron Works.<br><br>All that outdoor activity can work up an appetite, and fortunately, there are several excellent options for dining in Lockport. Kimmel recommends Mamma Onesta’s Italian, a family-owned restaurant serving traditional Italian dishes in a comfortable setting with plenty of European-themed décor. Locals enjoy any dish with veal, whether it’s Florentina, piccata or parmigiana. There are a few grocery stores east of the neighborhood when you want to cook at home. You can shop from stores like Aldi, Walmart and Jewel-Osco. With a Metra stop just north of the neighborhood and Interstate 355 nearby, you’ll have an easy commute throughout the Chicago area.

Hugging the shores of the Des Plaines River, 40 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, is the small, unincorporated community of Fairmont. Since it was platted in the early 1900s, the neighborhood ‘s population slowly grew along with that of Joliet, located a few miles south. <br><br>Houses here are affordable compared to the surrounding communities of Lockport and Joliet, while still being within a 10-minute drive of downtown amenities and restaurants. Modest single-family homes make up the market here, with prices ranging from $75,000 one-bedroom fixer-uppers in need of major renovations to $280,000 four-bedroom abodes with 2,000 square feet, recently renovated interiors and modern appliances. Brick American foursquares, cozy bungalows, ranch-style homes and Cape Cods make up the architectural scene, and houses sit on quarter-acre lots. <br><br>From prekindergarten through the eighth grade, local learners can attend Fairmont School. Located in the heart of the neighborhood, the school earns a C-minus overall grade from Niche, serves 350 students and has a student-to-teacher ratio of 11-1. Older students can head north to Lockport Township High School, which earns an impressive A overall Niche score. High schoolers have an abundance of extracurricular offerings to choose from, with over 50 clubs centered around topics like auto mechanics, horticulture, winter sports and technology. Students will also take college and career applications courses, with options including business innovation, international cuisine and aviation mechanics. <br><br>Fairmont’s residential streets are bordered in the west by Lockport Road, which allows for easy access to the neighboring towns, whether driving a car or hopping on the bus from one of numerous stations throughout the community. Residents will also find a small selection of locally owned eateries within walking distance of their doorstep. Norma’s Café is a neighborhood favorite for brunch and can satisfy both sweet and savory cravings, with menu options like fluffy blueberry pancakes, French toast, eggs ranchero and biscuits and gravy. A short drive south is Bella’s Place, where patrons can order tamales, volvanes or a burger before enjoying a sweet treat from the bakery case. When the fridge is looking sparse, drive 4 miles north to cross off some items on the grocery list at Berkot’s Super Foods, Jewel-Osco or Aldi. <br><br>Local parents can take the kids to the playgrounds at the Fairmont Community Center or A. F. Hill Park, which is also home to a baseball diamond, a basketball court and multiuse sports fields. The community center is also home to a community-run food pantry, which serves residents every Thursday morning. Bordering Fairmont to the north, Dellwood Park has been a popular spot to enjoy the fresh air since it opened in 1905. Dellwood is home to facilities for volleyball, baseball, soccer and tennis, along with a popular 18-hole disc golf course and a skate park. Go for a walk through the park along the two-mile loop trail that winds through woods, over creeks and past open fields. <br><br>Commuters and travelers alike can head to downtown Lockport to the Metra station to take the one-hour train ride to downtown Chicago.