Calling all Chicagoans

Hi Wendy,

I currently live in Chicago's western suburbs. Ranch-style houses are not very common in the Chicago area, at all. Homes tend to be more block-shaped because that is easier to heat. Most have full basements and many are 2 stories. (The classic Chicago Bungalow is a possibility, but they are mostly in the city.)

As far as a 1970's suburb, I like Oak Lawn or Evergreen Park, which are both on the south side. It would be helpful to know if your character is working class, upper middle class, filthy rich, etc. Also race, becasue particularly in the 1970s, many suburbs were not very diverse.

Feel free to PM me with questions.

There's also Calumet City, Burbank, Bridgeview, Hinsdale. Also at the time, and even now, you could look along the borders of Indiana. Hammond was very (working) middle-class but a long established city. Munster and Dyer were growing back then though. And the steel mills like Inland, US Steel, Bethleham were all big still and there was and is a train--The South Shore--that runs back and forth from Chicago to South Bend.

It's still very common for people to work in Chicago and live on the Indiana side for the tax rates and commute to their jobs downtown via the SS or Metra. As far as rivers go, there's the Kankakee that runs across both states about 40 to 50 miles south of the Chicago city limits. But it's a bit faster moving and from what I remember dropped off pretty quickly just a few feet in so you probably couldn't wade. But there's always the beaches to the north and southeast of Chicago on the lake. You could PM me also if you need more detail about south side neighborhoods.

Speaking of the South Side...Cubs are 1 loss away from going home. WOOHOO!!!!!! GO WHITE SOX FOREVER!!!!! And for at least 1 more day. GO DIAMONDBACKS!!!!

For Northwest suburbs, try Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Palatine, or Des Plaines (be sure to pronounce the s's, yes, it makes anyone who speaks French cringe). I grew up in that area, so I might be able to help with specific details.

Offhand I can't think of a river or stream for wading, but rivers in the area include the Fox and Kishwaukee. Another vacation spot is the Wisconsin Dells which is a relatively short drive from the area, plus there are a lot of lakes up in Wisconsin with campsites.

BTW, the film Lucas was filmed at Arlington High School.

The Fox is too deep for wading, unless you're talking about parts south of the dam at Algonquin. The Kish (Kishwaukee) is a better bet, as that's more of an elongated creek than a river - but then that's out near DeKalb and not in the Chicago 'burbs.

Ranch houses were more in vogue in the '50's than in the '70's. I second TheIT's recommendations for NW 'burbs.

As far as baseball goes, the worst Cubs team is better than the best Black Sox team .

TheIT said:

For Northwest suburbs, try Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Palatine, or Des Plaines (be sure to pronounce the s's, yes, it makes anyone who speaks French cringe). I grew up in that area, so I might be able to help with specific details.

Offhand I can't think of a river or stream for wading, but rivers in the area include the Fox and Kishwaukee.

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There's the Des Plaines River too... though I don't know how it is for wading. I grew up just outside the city (so it was brick Bungalows for me), but I third TheIT's suggestions of Arlington Heights, Palatine and Mt. Prospect as suburbs with plenty of ranch homes in the '70's.

Forgot: Nippersink Creek is a nice choice for canoing.