Bartlett, Illinois: Where 41,105 People Live Between a Train Track and a Dream
Bartlett, Illinois sits in the northwest Chicago suburbs and straddles three counties, which is the most adventurous thing about it. It's a place where the biggest local controversy is usually which Dairy Queen has the shorter line. We love it, and we're going to make fun of it anyway. Here's your guide to Bartlett: its history, its attractions, and its remarkable commitment to being fine.
From Woodlot to Subdivision: A Bartlett History Lesson
Every great town has an origin story. Bartlett's involves a man donating land to a railroad. In 1873, the Chicago and Pacific Railroad was building west, and people who donated land for depots got to name the villages that formed. Luther Bartlett donated a 40-acre "woodlot," the source of the family's lumber and firewood. That's the whole myth: one man, one pile of firewood, one very successful naming-rights deal. It's the original sponsored stadium.
The village got its official start when the incorporation election in 1891 passed. Bartlett has never been this united on anything since, including pizza toppings.
For decades the town stayed tiny. Gossip moved at a healthy clip even then. Then the 20th century hit the gas. The population went from 1,540 in 1960 to 3,501 in 1970, then 8,336 in 1980, and 36,706 by 2000.
That's what our roasters meant by farmland going to die under subdivisions. Wheat fields became cul-de-sacs, and the Newport Boulevard area got its McMansions in the '80s. Nobody asked the corn. The corn was not consulted.
Skiing on a Pancake (and Other Sports Bartlett Pretends Are Real)
Let's talk about Villa Olivia, the ski hill in a state whose highest natural elevation is basically a speed bump. Bartlett itself sits at an elevation of 797 feet, so "mountain" is a generous term for anything here.
The reviews are in, and they are not romantic. Skiers describe slopes as "basically pure ice," and the tow ropes are run by teenagers who find it funny to switch them off mid-hill. It's less a winter wonderland than a hostage situation with a lift ticket. Still, give Midwesterners credit: they looked at a flat, frozen landscape and said, "Let's go downhill on purpose."
If skiing isn't your thing, Bartlett also offers a robust calendar of events that are very Bartlett. September brings Oktoberfest, in a nod to the town's German founding families, and November brings Pumpkin Smash. Yes, you read that right: the town's big fall thrill is destroying gourds. We respect it.
Polish, Italian, and One Gloriously Out-of-Place Hindu Temple
Bartlett is home to plenty of Polish and Italian families. That's a lot of pierogi and pasta, and the potluck situation is presumably excellent. But the town's most striking landmark isn't a church with a pierogi fundraiser. It's the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a hand-carved Hindu temple that looks like it was airlifted from another continent and set down between a strip mall and a Dairy Queen.
And it matters to the town's story. Bartlett's diversity is no longer just Polish versus Italian. Its biggest tourist draw is also a Festival of Lights, which beats a gourd-smashing contest, no offense to the gourds.
- Ski hill authenticity
- 2 out of 10
- Pierogi-to-pasta balance
- 9 out of 10
- Train-delayed movie nights
- 8 out of 10
- Cul-de-sac density
- 10 out of 10
- Crime-based excitement
- 1 out of 10
A Very Safe City (Please Hold Your Applause)
Bartlett's crown jewel is its safety ranking, a feat accomplished mostly by being so peaceful that crime files a request to transfer. The annual Fourth of July parade has "100% participation," meaning everyone is either marching or watching their neighbor march. Outdoor movies pause when trains roll through, because the railroad that created Bartlett never stopped demanding attention.
The village is also busy planning ahead, with more development in a town built on development. The circle of suburban life continues.
The Verdict
Bartlett is a village of 41,105 people at the 2020 census, led by Village President Dan Gunsteen. It has a real railroad heritage, a surprising spiritual landmark, a ski hill with big dreams, and a crime rate low enough to bore a screenwriter. Is it exciting? No. Is it a lovely place to raise kids, walk dogs, and complain about train delays? Absolutely.
Think we were too nice? See the full roast on RoastMyTown.com.