Walkable amenities and school spirit in Stillman Valley
Though a quiet town most days of the week, Stillman Valley is filled with the sounds of cheering friends and family on game nights. The village is home to the local high school that draws its student base from three communities along Illinois Route 72. Residents of the town’s cul-de-sacs can walk right to school, local parks for community events and small businesses along Main Street—and the town acts as home base for those living further out on multiple acres in Ogle County.
Dinner, drinks and darts in Stillman Valley or nearby towns
Stillman Valley’s Main Street dining options make it comfortable to stay a while after ordering, with dart boards, pool tables, small dance floors and beers on tap as regular amenities. Royal Blue General Store serves fried chicken and custard, which locals can enjoy under the umbrellas out front on a nice day. Black Diamond Gaming is a classic gaming parlor that pairs darts and slots with party space for rent. Alternatively, locals can fuel up at Casey’s before making a 4.5-mile drive through corn fields to Davis Junction—one of Stillman Valley’s two neighboring towns—for a bite to eat. As the neon sign out front proudly proclaims, JC's Junction Corner is voted the best burgers in Ogle County. Monroe Center is just 4 miles farther west, but residents feel transported to the Wild West of days past at the town’s watering hole, Double-O Saloon & Grill. “People mostly head into Rockford or Byron for groceries,” adds Cox, citing the two major cities closest to this town trifecta.
Choosing a home at the center of town or building on the outskirts
“Our school system has a large area radius, so there are multiple homes listed in the center of town, in the country, and in close towns like Davis Junction and Monroe Center,” says Jana Cox-Cialkowski, broker at family-owned Stillman Valley Home & Farm. “We’re a well-kept community, people take good care of their homes. They sell fast!” The town’s oldest homes were built at the turn of the 20th century and include large front porches and detached shed space in fenced-in yards—but by and large, offerings going up for sale will be from the town’s crop of ranch-style homes and early 2000s builds with two-car garages and cathedral ceilings. As paved roads become gravel and tidy yards are replaced with rolling corn fields, the offerings spread out as well on lots between ¾ of an acre and 5 in Marion Township. Those who want a turnkey property on the outskirts choose from an infrequent inventory of custom builds and Cape Cod-style farmhouses, though many build from scratch on their own plots for prices between $24,000 to $34,000. Homes both in-town and outside of it range from about $150,000 to $400,000.
The path to Stillman Valley High School
The Meridian School District 223 bus system runs through Stillman Valley, Davis Junction and Monroe Center each morning and afternoon, giving families easy access to each institution in their pipeline. Highland Elementary School is mere steps from some Stillman Valley homes on the south end of town. The school serves prekindergarten through second grade and earns a B from Niche, along with Monroe Center Elementary School, which serves third through fifth grade. Meridian Junior High School—which scores a B-plus—is the final stop in the path to Stillman Valley High School, which earns an A-minus and puts equal emphasis on strong academics and athletics. “Sports in our community are very important, whether that’s football, baseball or soccer, and our community supports those with local fundraisers,” Cox says. “Royal Blue Restaurant gives a certain percentage back to the teams, and a lot of the teams do their own fundraisers as well.”
Afternoons at Stillman Valley Recreational Park
Football field aside, the town has several casual-use parks to choose from. Stillman Valley Recreational Park is home to the local playground and sheltered seating area for barbecues and community gatherings. Ropp Park—named for a local family with music in their genes—is literally in the backyards of some residents, offering plenty of green space to walk the dog. A tribute to Major Stillman of the US Army reaches upwards from Monument Park, honoring the town’s historic battle in the Blackhawk War. All three parks are available for rent for private events.
From the Fall Festival to Cardinal Christmas
Folding chairs cover the grass once a year during Music in Ropp Park, a Stillman Valley staple that has been on calendars for over two decades. The Ropp family singers often make their appearance alongside other local artists. Two main events anchor the latter part of the year: the Fall Festival—complete with a car show, indoor craft fair and carnival rides—and the Christmas party. “The cardinal is the mascot of our school system so we call it Cardinal Christmas,” says Cox. Julia Hull District Library, located off 100 Library Lane, serves Stillman Valley and surrounding communities with family-friendly events like story times and a summer reading series.
Getting to Rockford and orbiting cities
Illinois Route 72 acts as the main throughfare for Stillman Valley locals in the day-to-day. They reach Davis Junction and Monroe Center by heading west, and the shopping centers and amenities in Byron by driving northeast over the Rock River for 4.5 miles. Meanwhile, Rockford’s medical campuses and larger scale city amenities are a 14-mile drive on Kishwaukee Road. Drivers pass Chicago Rockford International Airport at the 9-mile mark, saving the trip to Chicago O’Hare.
