Welcome to Elmhurst
As an award-winning city for its arts and culture, schools, parks, municipal facilities and business programs, the City of Elmhurst has long been recognized as one of the most admired communities in DuPage County. It stands as a model municipality across the United States for both growth and redevelopment.
Based on the city’s complete package of schools, parks, culture, housing, transportation, safety and locale, Chicago magazine ranks Elmhurst as No. 1 among 192 Chicagoland suburbs, and Money magazine rates Elmhurst among Chicago’s “Hottest Burbs.”
The city’s Economic Development Office promotes Elmhurst as “IDEAL” for your business, your family, your life—a sentiment echoed by the city’s nearly 43,000 residents and 2,000 businesses.
Elmhurst has it all:
• Safe, well-maintained, family-oriented neighborhoods and parks;
• Award-winning public and private schools;
• Customer-friendly shopping districts across the community, including a centrally-located traditional downtown;
• A never-ending array of recreational opportunities, leisure-time activities and special events, including such community-wide gatherings as Elmfest and parades on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and St. Patrick’s Day; and
• Outstanding municipal services.
There is a real sense of community. Everyone—residents, businesspeople, civic and social organizations, and city government—works together in making Elmhurst a great place to live and work. Elmhurst maintains its small-town ambiance while offering all of the conveniences and benefits of larger cities. Merchants know their customers by name and neighbors gather together at community events. City officials and administrators work closely with the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry and other business organizations to encourage economic redevelopment.
Elmhurst’s roots stretch back to the mid-1830s, when European immigrants staked land claims along Salt Creek just north of an area first settled by Native Americans. The community was formally established in 1842 when Ohio native Gerry Bates claimed the area of “treeless land” that is now the center of Elmhurst. The site became known as “Cottage Hill” in 1845 and then was renamed “Elmhurst” in 1870 for the many elm trees planted along the city streets.
Today, Elmhurst remains an appealing destination for residents, businesspeople and visitors alike, while continuing to change for the better. It is a place to go for shopping and dining, a place to show with museums and cultural attractions, a place to know for entertainment and recreation, and a place to grow whether raising a family or building a business.
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