Old Farm: Where old and new converge
Old and new alike converge on Old Farm of Naperville. With older homes but fresh coats of paint, new faces and the new blossoms of spring, the neighborhood boasts the best of both worlds. Set just west of Washington Street and split through the center by 87th Street, Old Farm is consistently described as "quiet and friendly" by residents, many of whom are the original owners.
• Old Farm neighborhood
"It's pretty friendly. There are a lot of neighbors that stick around for a while. It's nice to have that kind of familiarity."
Matt Mance, resident of 28 years
"It's very nice. We moved here last August. The house price in this neighborhood was not too expensive. It's also near the schools of District 203, which is very nice. And I have a view of the wetlands in my backyard."
Yun Qiu, resident less than one year
"It's definitely one of the older (neighborhoods) in Naperville," resident Matt Mance said. "It's nice to see people have kept up their homes."
In fact, most real-estate listings for the neighborhood advertise large homes, with three or four bedrooms, that recently have been rehabbed or renovated. Surely it is this appeal, along with a sprinkling of well-kept parks, that have drawn young families to the neighborhood during the years.
• The Old Farm neighborhood encompasses an area of 1.061 square miles, according to www.city-data.com
• Population is 4,888, according to www.city-data.com
• Zip code is 60565
• Pace bus 686 serves Old Farm
• Most students attend District 203 schools
1. Kingsley Elementary School: Part of District 203, the school
shares its mission on its Web site: "to create a nurturing community in
which students can learn to be self-directed learners, collaborative
workers, complex thinkers, quality producers and community
contributors." With this integral attitude in mind, the kindergarten
through fifth-grade school taught 344 students in 2008, with the
largest average class sizes at 27.3 for first and fourth grades,
according to the Illinois State Report Card. Kingsley is also famous
for its gold-medal achieving former student, WNBA star Candace
Parker.
How to get there: Take Washington Street south from 87th Street
until you reach Ring Road. Make a right on Ring and look to the
left-hand side, where at 2403 Kingsley Drive you will find the
elementary school.
2. Spring-Field Park: The park is one of several small parks and
greenways dotting the neighborhood of Old Farm and its surrounding
neighborhoods. It features a playground with amenities such as monkey
bars, bumpy slides and swings, and a grassway with ample room for ball
games and picnics.
How to get there: It is accessible by taking 87th
Street west from Washington Street. From 87th, make a right on Ring
Road and turn right again immediately at Springside Circle. The park
will be on the left-hand side at 2031 Springside Circle.
3. Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve: As part of the Forest
Preserve District of DuPage County, the popular park has much room set
aside for the original vegetation and animals of the Naperville area.
There are more than 60 such preserves in the county, according to the
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County's Web site,
www.dupageforest.com.
How to get there: The preserve abuts Old Farm
neighborhood on the west side. It also may be reached from 87th Street
or Route 59, which form two of its borders, or from
Plainfield-Naperville Road, which cuts through its center.
