Small, Historic, Charming Town Perfect for Family Life as Well as Retirees

In Northwest Illinois there is a small town that harks back to Andy Griffith's neighborhood and time. The brick streets, the courthouse, the neighborhood-sized grocery and hardware stores. Low crime, no pollution, and friendly people.

The town is Mount Carroll, a town of 1900 people. It is the county seat, and there is only one stop sign in town. The whole town is 1-1/2 miles long, with rolling hills and gorgeous scenery. If you want to see the only stoplight in the whole county, you will have to drive about 10 miles west to the Mississippi River, to the nearby town of Savanna, home of the beautiful Mississippi Palisades State Park. The traffic light is at a three-way corner at McDonald's, the BP gas station, and the bridge to cross over to Iowa.

To see just what Mount Carroll has to offer, go to Google or Yahoo and put in "Mount Carroll, Illinois" to search. The main site will come up, as well as the site from the community development committee. Check out the direct links below this article. By reviewing the websites, you can see the community profile with the low amount of crime. The people in this town are proud of their community, which you will be able to tell by talking to any of the townspeople.

In this small town there is an even smaller area of historic homes that date back one hundred years and more. Most of them are in great shape, and need TLC to shine. The economy prevents the local people from buying these homes and fixing them up, even though we are talking about prices around $100K or less. So here is a real deal just waiting for the perfect person!

This is a bonanza area for soon-to-retire or retired people. Prices are very low, living is cheap, and the whole town operates on a slower pace than the mad dash seen in larger cities these days. Working (and relaxing as well) part-time on weekends for 3 to 6 months would yield a gorgeous home with everything how you like it, with very little remodeling needed. There are plenty of businesses in the area with great references and reasonable prices.

The Historic District covers about half of the town, and people have been working on some of the houses. But there are no building codes in town, and permits are only needed for work outside the houses. This lowers your costs by cutting out permit fees and delays and increased costs due to waiting for inspectors before work can proceed.

There is a historic preservation committee formed, but they haven't come up with any rules, or any money to enforce any of them, but they are available if you have questions or would like some advice on your particular building. This gives you an enormous latitude to build to your liking, and still have the low, low property taxes you need to keep your taxes low for the future. Perfect once again for retirees!

This small town has some great festivities, and you can put in as much activity as a resident as you wish. If you don't feel like taking part, there is no pressure. You can enjoy as much neighborliness as you would like.

If you go on the website for the town, you can read a few emails from people who have just stumbled on the town by going for a ride in the country or by taking a wrong turn, and have fallen in love with Mt. Carroll. It happened to us this way, also, although we did not put it on the website. And when you come to town and talk to others, you will be surprised at just how many people had this happen to them, also. And most of the new residents are coming from the Chicago area, where the road rage, gridlock, crime and rushing around has people looking elsewhere for a lower-priced, quieter, more relaxed environment.

Young families love Mt. Carroll, as well as older people. The resources are plenty, the countryside is beautiful, and there are plenty of activities in the area. Galena is a short drive, as well as Freeport and Rockford. The Mississippi River is ten miles away, and gorgeous state parks abound, with fishing, boating and other recreational activities.

The reason that we were drawn to this charmer was the Raven's Grin Inn, a year-round Halloween-themed tour through an old mansion behind the downtown area. We went through the tour, then drove around town. We agreed that night that we had found the town to retire to, and kept coming back every year for the next few years for local activities. We bought a house last year, remodeled it to meet our exact desires, and just moved in full time. We are so happy to be here. And we are so fortunate that we want to share this wonderful find with others!

Go online and research this gem of a town. Then take a ride in the countryside and visit us. You will like what you see. Pick out a house and make it yours. The low purchase price and property taxes will make you smile like the rest of us!