6 Reasons to Visit Evanston, Illinois

Evanston, Illinois, which is immediately north of Chicago, was established in 1857. It was named after one of the founders of Northwestern University, John Evans. Evanston wanted to be established as a city independent of Chicago, and has since thrived as a cultural outlet, business economy, and a town with recreational activities. Back in its early days, Evanston was a part of the prohibition movement and was the city that founded the Women's Christian Temperance Union in 1874.

I want to share with you six reasons you should consider visiting Evanston, even if you already live in Chicago:

1. Northwestern University - the school that put Evanston on the map, literally. Northwestern University is a Big Ten university known for their academics and their longevity. Be sure to check out the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art while you're on campus.

2. The vintage architecture of Evanston real estate. Many of the homes that are here have been here for decades. Take a trip to see the architecture and admire properties that have withstood time.

3. Grosse Point Lighthouse & Maritime Museum - Grosse Point Lighthouse was built in 1873 by the United States Government as the lead lighthouse marking the approach into Chicago.

4. Buffalo Joe's Wings - some of the best chicken wings you'll find in the Chicagoland area. There are three locations: 812 Clark Street in Evanston, 2000 Green Bay Road in Evanston, and 1841 West Howard Street in Chicago.

5. Boutique shops - Crowded Closet, Inc (824 Dempster Avenue), 2^nd Hand Tunes (800 Dempster Avenue), Eureka Antiques & Collectibles (705 Washington Avenue), Dave's Down to Earth Rock Shop (704 Main Street), Beadazzled (2002 Central Avenue).

6. Blind Faith Café - Chicago's premier vegetarian restaurant. They are not just a restaurant; they cater home and office parties as well as private parties. Blind Faith Café is located at 525 Dempster Avenue. They are open 7 days a week and reservations are not required.

Over 150 years later, Evanston has evolved significantly from just a small town just north of Chicago. With many modern retail outlets such as Barnes and Noble and Whole Foods Market, interesting boutique shops, great restaurants like Flattop Grill, and its downtown being a great transportation outlet in and out of Chicago, many people today call Evanston home.

If you need to get around, you have the option of CTA buses and the Purple Line Train which take you as far north as Wilmette another northern suburb of Chicago, or during rush hour you can go directly into Chicago's Loop via the Purple Line train. If you're looking for a place of worship, Evanston has a good number of churches of many denominations you can choose as well.

Sources:

City of Evanston -About Evanston
http://www.cityofevanston.org/about/history.shtml

Grosse Point Lighthouse History
http://www.grossepointlighthouse.net/history.html