River Grove, Illinois
River Grove is a village of 10,451 people in Cook County, Illinois.
Why visit River Grove
Townapedia lists 38 museums and landmarks, 47 parks and trails, 67 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cinemark Melrose Park, Concordia University Chicago, Albert Soffel House and Arthur Heurtley House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 19°F, and about 38 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in River Grove
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About River Grove
River Grove is a village in Leyden Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,612 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article River Grove, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Concordia University Chicago
School · 2.2 mi
Private Lutheran university in River Forest, Illinois
Kiddieland Amusement Park
Monument and historic site · 1.0 mi
Former amusement park in Melrose Park, Illinois, United States
Museums and landmarks38
Albert Soffel House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Arthur Heurtley House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
House in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, United States
Baptist Retirement Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Retirement home in Maywood, Illinois
Caroline Grow House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic house at 603 N. 6th Avenue in Maywood, Illinois
Caroline Millward House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Dohrmann-Buckman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in River Grove, Illinois
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Frank Lloyd Wright-Prairie School of Architecture Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Human settlement in Oak Park, Illinois, United States of America
Frank W. Thomas House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Oak Park, Illinois
Harry H. Nichols House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic house in Maywood, Illinois
Jacob Bohlander House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Jennie S. Thompkins House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
House in Maywood, Illinois
26 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds47
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Scoville Park
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Public park in Oak Park, Illinois
35 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes67
Baskin-Robbins
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 1.2 mi
912 Winston Plaza, Melrose Park
Mo-Sa 04:00-22:00; Su 05:00-22:00
Tacos 2 Go
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.2 mi
7530 West Grand Avenue, Elmwood Park
Mo-Fr 10:00-21:00; Sa 10:30-21:00; Su 10:30-20:00
Ashley's Cafe & Tap
Cafe · 1.2 mi
7500 West Grand Avenue, Elmwood Park
Mo-Sa 11:00-26:00; Su 11:00-24:00
55 more on the map.
History
Just as nearby Elmwood Park and Oak Park are named after their historic elm and oak trees, River Grove gets its two-part name first from the community's shallow, muddy Des Plaines River, and second from the majestic groves of American ash trees lining shore of the river's "bottomland." Credit goes to the village's early German and Nordic settlers who, already holding a great reverence for the "mystic ash" through old world traditions, felt that they were home again among the familiar groves of ash trees, "just like the ones they left behind." Up until the modern day extinction event of the American ash tree species 2006–2018, River Grove was the home to Cook County's second-oldest green ash with an estimated age of 240 in the "old growth" Lafrombose Woods, along with several other living examples of locally evolved white, green, black and blue ash types 110–160 years of age scattered around the village. Because the invasive Asian emerald ash borer kills off young trees long before they reach seeding age of 10, scientists theorize that the "Fraxinus/ash" species will no longer be able to germinate continued generations by 2018 within the local woods, or only 12 years after EAB was first discovered in River Grove.
James Kirie (1911–2000), businessman and Illinois state representative, was born in River Grove.
From the History section of River Grove, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship19
Saint Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.6 mi
7565 North Avenue, River Forest
Grace Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.6 mi
2700 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago
Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.5 mi
7309 West Fullerton Avenue, Elmwood Park
Leyden Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.6 mi
3400 North Oriole Avenue, Chicago
Saint Celestine Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.2 mi
3020 North 76th Court, Elmwood Park
Saint Francis Borgia Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.5 mi
8022-8046 West Forest Preserve Avenue, Chicago
Saint Michael Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.5 mi
8200 West Addison Street, Chicago
Shopping12
Gas and EV charging15
Schools, colleges and libraries64
Healthcare10
Loyola Center for Health
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
7617 North Avenue, River Forest
Advanced Dermalogy & Urology Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.7 mi
2735 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago
Elmwood Park Medical Dental Specialty Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.4 mi
7609-7917 West Belmont Avenue, Elmwood Park
Map of River Grove
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 19°F | 2.0 in | 11.3 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 22°F | 2.0 in | 10.7 in |
| Mar | 47°F | 31°F | 2.5 in | 5.5 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | 1.3 in |
| May | 70°F | 51°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 66°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 65°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 57°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 45°F | 3.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 34°F | 2.4 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 2.1 in | 7.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chicago Ohare Intl Ap 72530 (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cook County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2023-11-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Elmwood Park 1 mi east, about 2 min by car
- Melrose Park 2 mi southwest, about 3 min by car
- Franklin Park 2 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Norridge 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Maywood 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Bellwood 3 mi southwest, about 6 min by car
- Oak Park 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Northlake 4 mi west, about 6 min by car
- Forest Park 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Elmhurst 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- River Grove Metra, Chris Rutili, CC BY 2.0
- 22.09.26 River Grove, IL 504, Phil Richards, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grave of John Siomos (1947–2004) at Elmwood Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Elmwood Cemetery, River Grove, Illinois (50868379862), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Grave of Robert Lewis May (1905–1976) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Grave of Martin Samuel Marsala (1909–1975) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Grave of Roman Conrad Pucinski (1919–2002) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Grave of Hryhorii Ohiichuk at Elmwood Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Grave of Lee William Capra (1947–2026) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Grave of Helen Gillis (1908–1987) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Graves of Helen Gillis (1908–1987) and Lester Joseph Gillis (1908–1934) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Grave of Lester Joseph Gillis (1908–1934) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Grave of Thomas James Hughes (1878–1956) at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, IL, Nick Number, CC BY 4.0
- Dominican University, River Forest IL, Parmer Hall, Soccer Field, CarrieSfuller, CC BY-SA 3.0
- World War I Monument (7420529274), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lynch, Timothy J House 2, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- William Drummond House, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oak Park Il Heurtley House4, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Harry H Nichols House 2012-09-05 1, JPSousa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Robinson House 2012-09-05 1, JPSousa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oak Park Il Unity Temple9, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Oak Park Il Mrs. Gale House4, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Oak Park Il Balch House2, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- The Akin House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Soffel, Albert House, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Thompkins, Jennie S House 2, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gibbs, William and Caroline House 1, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio (west side zoom), John Delano, Attribution
- Mads C Larson House 2012-09-05 1, JPSousa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Frangenheim, William House, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oak Park Il Thomas House4, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Schorsch Irving Park Gardens Historic District 1, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grow, Caroline House, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Image West side of Cluever House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Millward, Caroline House, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- William Hatch House, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Former Marshall Field and Company Store in Oak Park, Zol87 from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oak Park Il Walter Gale House4, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Bohlander, Jacob House, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Baptist Retirement Home, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
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