Vernon Hills, Illinois
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Notable For
The land was once home to the Hawthorn-Mellody Dairy and Farms, a large commercial dairy operation that supplied milk to towns as far as Evanston. The farm was originally the estate of Samuel Insull, a Chicago utility baron, who used the land for a vacation property. John Cuneo, Sr., took over the property in 1937 and turned it into a working farm. The farm was then opened to visitors who were able to watch milk production in action along with tasting the production that came from the milk. In 1951, Cuneo added a children's zoo that was full of domestic and exotic animals. The operations eventually ceased in 1970.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Vernon Hills is significantly higher than the Illinois and U.S. averages with the largest monthly cost originating from housing. Vernon Hills' home prices in are "somewhere in the middle" compared to the surrounding communities. They tend to be a bit higher than in Mundelein, but significantly lower than in Lincolnshire and Libertyville. A majority of homes in Vernon Hills were built starting in the mid-1980's and in the following decades which creates a limited selection of architectural styles. However, there are a lot of single family homes, semi-detached, and condo buildings that create a wide selection of living options.
Transportation
The village is well served by public and private transit options. Metra rail operates a commuter line from the commuter station located on Route 45. The train operates on the North Central Service route that travels to Chicago in the southeast and Antioch in the northwest. Pace Bus operates multiple routes that travel to Hawthorn Mall, College of Lake County, Metra stations in the area, and to other nearby communities. Major roadways are plentiful and include Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21) which travels southeast to Chicago and ends at Highway 41 to the north. The Tri-State Tollway (I-94) is located a few miles east and heads north to Wisconsin and south to Chicago and Indiana. Route 45 heads northwest to Wisconsin and ends at Lincolnshire to the southeast. Townline Road (Route 60) is an east-west roadway that intersects with the I-94 to the east and ends at Route 83 to the west.
Schools
Most elementary-aged students living in Vernon Hills attend one of six grade schools in Hawthorn District 73. Students who live in the southwest corner of the village attend schools in Long Grove, while other subdivisions have children attending schools in Lincolnshire. High school students typically attend school at Vernon Hills High School or Libertyville High School while a small portion Attend Adlai E. Stevenson High school. School administrators in Hawthorn District 73 make it a point to reach out to residents to get guidance on what's important for the children and the community.
Attractions
The village is a retail Mecca for shoppers from all walks of life. Hawthorn Mall is an enclosed mall that's managing to thrive in a challenging retail environment. It's home to 180 retailers that are familiar and new to seasoned shoppers. Large retail developments on Milwaukee Avenue just to the east and west of Hawthorn Mall and to the south on Route 60 are full of discounters, retailers, and department stores that aren't typically found in a mall setting. Vernon Hills offers a solidly satisfying quality of life with lots of things to do for kids of all ages.