The village of Bartlett is located in both Cook County and DuPage County with a small parcel on the western border in Kane County. The village is conveniently located near Interstate 90 with easy access to Chicago by car or by way of the town's Metra train service. O'Hare International Airport is a short, 21 miles west of the village. Well positioned in the Chicago area, the village has grown to over 39,000 residents with well-designed residential and commercial areas . The new Town Center located next to the Metra rail station is home to several restaurants and shops. A 670-acre business park is being developed near Route 59, offering lots for commercial and industrial development. Retail development has prospered throughout Bartlett along with residential growth. Known for its excellent quality of life and recreational activities, the village is a highly-desirable place to live.
The Bartlett area has an elaborate park system administered by the Bartlett Park District with over 380 acres of park lands. Included are the Apple Orchard Golf Course, the Bartlett Aquatic Center, a skate park, tennis courts, baseball, soccer, and softball fields, basketball courts, playground, and picnic facilities. The 14-mile Bartlett Trail is enjoyed by hikers, joggers, and cyclists and will eventually link all the parks and schools. The Park District also provides programs and cultural activities for residents of all ages and abilities. Bartlett is also home to the Bartlett Hills Golf Club, one of the finest in the area.
School District U-46 serves the Village of Bartlett. Its students attend six elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools that provide an excellent education. The school unit serves ten other towns and villages with approximately 30,000 students. Nearby colleges include Elgin Community College, Northern Illinois University in Hoffman Estates, Roosevelt University's branch campus in Arlington Heights, and Northwestern University in Chicago.
Bartlett prides itself in being named by CNNMoney.com in their Best Places to Live 2005. The village will continue to attract residents in the future with its controlled, well-planned residential and commercial growth.
The Bartlett area was once a camping and hunting ground of the Pottawatomie, Ottawa, Miami, and Cherokee Indians. What began in 1844 as a 40-acre town site owned by Luther Bartlett has grown into a village of 14.6 square miles with over 100 miles of streets. Mr. Bartlett, a native of Conway, Massachusetts, settled his family in the area and began to build the town. In 1873 he was instrumental in bringing the Chicago & Pacific Railroad to Bartlett by giving land to the railroad. In the fall of that year, the first train came through town. The village was incorporated in 1891, and its first President was George Struckman. Bartlett's population grew from 360 in 1900, to 3501 in 1970, to 36,706 in the year 2000, the last official census.
"More than half of Bartlett's residents have German, Irish, Italian, or Polish ancestry.
Almost 75% of Bartlett's residents were born in Illinois.