Community Profile

Summary

River Forest is home to roughly 11,172 residents, and cares for over 8,000 trees of 90 different species along its public parkways. It is situated approximately 10 miles west of the City of Chicago and is adjacent to some of the first tracts of land acquired by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, the nation's largest and oldest urban forest preserve. The Village is bordered by the historic Des Plaines River, once a portage between the Lake Michigan and Mississippi Valley watersheds, and now populated by beaver, great blue heron, and belted kingfisher. After a series of dam removals over the last 15 years, the Des Plaines now flows freely for more than 100 miles above and below River Forest, greatly improving local aquatic habitat. The surrounding bottomland forests, oak savannas, and open prairie were inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years, most recently by the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa nations. For generations, River Forest has been an attractive community with a rich history, architectural tradition, and friendly residents who take pride in calling it their home.