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Yorkville Real Estate and Community Information
History
This United City of Yorkville and its residents recently celebrated the city's 170th birthday. As a part of that celebration, the Human Resource Commission is honoring Yorkville residents-both past and present with naming a street in their honor. Yorkville's Historical Street Naming Program is currently looking for individuals who have made a significant impact in the development of the city.
Yorkville's Past
It was 170 years ago in 1836 that the village of Yorkville was settled by early pioneers who moved at a slower pace. Cars, buses and trucks have replaced horses, buggies, and carts along the city's main thoroughfare-Bridge Street (Route 47). But it also became aware of the division of the Fox River and the Village of Bristol located to the north. In 1957 the Village of Bristol and the Village of Yorkville united, thus named the United City of Yorkville. This year the City hosted several anniversary celebrations in honor of its original founding fathers.
Originally Bridge Street was designed for horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians. As time progressed, Hydraulic Street, which runs parallel to the river, boasted a trolley that ran from Ottawa to Aurora, connecting Yorkville to Chicago and around the nation.
Yorkville's central business district at the time was focused on the south side of the Fox River and the public square north of the river, a layout unique to this region. The public gathering place was located near the river's edge. The Kendall County Courthouse, adjacent to the downtown commercial district, served as the anchor and people generator of the day. Many of the city's remaining historic single-family homes are found within walking distance of Bridge Street, the courthouse and Union Hall.
It was resident Earl Adams who started it all. He built his cabin on Courthouse Hill on the south side of town in 1833. One year later, Lyman and Burr Bristol set up residency in neighboring Bristol, north of the river. When the county of Kendall was formed in 1841, Yorkville was chosen as the county seat. After a 13-year period in which the Village of Oswego claimed that honor, voters chose to relocate the county government in 1859 to a more centralized location. Yorkville was chosen for that honor and the new courthouse was completed in 1864. Replaced in 1997 with a new courthouse on the north side of the city, the 1864 building, majestic in nature, still stands today and is used by the Kendall County Forest Preserve and other organizations.
Yorkville was no exception to the railroad boom. Development began and businesses sprang up in 1870 along the tracks and included Squire Dingee's pickle factory, the Yorkville Ice Cream Company and Rehbehn Brothers button factory. A few of those buildings are still remaining today.
The Village of Yorkville existed as two towns, one north of the river and the other south of the Fox River, with separate governments, for more than 100 years. In 1957 both towns had their own identity-Bristol to the north and the United City of Yorkville to the south. As a result, Ellsworth Windett became Yorkville's first mayor.
As a part of the separation the residents of both towns agreed to a uniform school district. It was in the same year that high school classes began in the downtown area at the northeast corner of Van Emmon and Bridge Streets. In 1888 a two-story brick school building on West Center Street was constructed. After the construction of Circle Center School in 1968, the two-story building was closed and the space was rented by the Yorkville School District to neighboring Waubonsee Community College. Due to rising enrollment in the early 1970s the school was reopened and renamed as Parkview School.
Yorkville's Future
Yorkville's downtown area remained the only business district in town until the construction of the Countryside Center located at Routes 34 and 47. Vital for years, the Countryside Center is now ready for a new face. The area will see redevelopment in the near future. The city has also experienced growth in several other areas of Yorkville including development along Route 47, the Fox Industrial Park on the south side of town, and commercial development along Route 71 and north of Cannonball Trail.
The United City of Yorkville in the past several years has seen unprecedented growth in both residential and commercial development. There are many new projects on the horizon that will further develop the future of Yorkville such as the redevelopment of the downtown area, the addition to the Yorkville Public library, new residential housing developments, and additional commercial development along Route 34 and Cannonball Trail.
United City of Yorkville Timeline
Along the way many other important events occurred in Yorkville to shape the city, as we know it today. The following are a few highlights:
- 1915
The Yorkville Women's Club opens the Yorkville Library in the reading room of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. - 1920
The Kendall County Farm Bureau is formed, aiding and supporting the farmers of Kendall County. - 1924
The state of Illinois improves the main thoroughfare to Chicago (Rt. 34) - 1928
The state of Illinois opens a game farm on the site of the old fairgrounds. - 1936
The Bristol-Kendall Fire District is formed to provide service both in town and to rural areas. - 1936
Yorkville celebrates the 100th anniversary of the date the city was platted by Rulief Duryea. - 1947
The Yorkville Methodist Church, one of the oldest building in town burns. The church is immediately rebuilt and reopens in 1956. - 1950
Model Box opens a factory in downtown Yorkville. - 1952
The Yorkville Grade School is built. For the first time in Yorkville history, students will not attend the same school for all 12 years. - 1954
The Yorkville-Bristol Sanitary district was formed to provide a sewage treatment facility to the residents of Yorkville. - 1959
The new Yorkville High School opens on Game Farm Road. - 1960
A concrete dam is built on the Fox River in Yorkville. - 1967
Waubonsee Community College District #516 is formed. Yorkville residents now have higher education opportunities closer to home. - 1969
The Veteran's Memorial is dedicated in Town Square Park (Rt. 47) and becomes an easily recognized symbol of the city. - 1972
Countryside Center opens giving Yorkville a second business district. Fox Industrial Park opens on the south side of Yorkville bringing in a concentration of light industrial business to the city. Voters approve a referendum establishing a Kendall County Health Department. - 1975
Yorkville gets wired for cable TV. - 1976
Residents of the community develop Bicentennial Riverfront Park located along the south bank of the Fox River.High school wrestling coach Dennis Hastert and his team win the state championship by a margin of 90 points.A new Kendall County office building is built at Fox Road and South Main using Federal Revenue sharing funds - 1979
The state transfers ownership of part of the Game Farm to the city.Bristol-Kendall Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is approved to provide public ambulance service. - 1981
The city's Beecher Community Building is built funded by the will of former city clerk Clarence Beecher. - 1983
The Yorkville Public Library moved to its current location on Game Farm Road. In addition, the Kendall County Food Pantry opened its doors to Help families in financial difficulty. The pantry continues to strive today. - 1984
A new, four-lane bridge is built over the Fox River on Route 47. - 1990
Yorkville's municipal boundaries grow as far west as Eldamain Road, as far north as Galena Road, south past Legion Road, and east past Route 71. - 1992
The state agrees to deed the remaining Game Farm property to the school district. - 1992
Downtown businesses and community groups hold the first Yorkville Hometown Days. - 1997
Voters approve the use of the Property Tax Extension Limitation, commonly called the tax cap. - 1999
Former Yorkville High School teacher and coach Dennis Hastert is elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.Construction begins on a new Yorkville City Hall on Game Farm Road. - 2005
Construction begins on the expansion of the Yorkville Public Library. Additional city improvements include the Downtown Vision Plan, the Master Facilities Plan, the city's Fa??ade Program, the Appearance Code, the Economic Incentive Program and the Fund Balance Reserve Contingency Fund Policy. - 2007
The United City of Yorkville Public Library hosts an open house in honor of its 34,000 square foot expansion project.
The city celebrates its 50th anniversary of the uniting of the Village of Bristol and the Village of Yorkville, thus the "United City of Yorkville." The city hosts a series of celebrations honoring the original founding fathers.
The city continues to expand its services to the city with retail and commercial development flourishing. Rush-Copley Medical Center and the Kendall Marketplace begin to make a presence in the Yorkville community.
Demographics: http://www.yorkville.il.us/pdfs/2006_Summary_Demographic_135_Mile.pdf
