Fox Valley
Elgin's new Pursuit of Happiness sculpture: where it is and who designed it
Where to find Elgin's new Pursuit of Happiness sculpture on the Fox River, and the 12-year-old who designed it for America's 250th anniversary.
Fox Valley
10 articles
Fox Valley
Downtown Geneva trick-or-treating is October 29
Downtown Geneva trick-or-treating is Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m. Free, with parking tips and how to spot participating shops.
Fox Valley
Howlin' at the Moon in Naperville, October 23 and 24
Adults-only Halloween night at Naper Settlement, Oct. 23–24, 2026, from 5 to 10 p.m. Covers $25 tickets, bands, food trucks, and the grounds.
Fox Valley
Mill, Dam and Bridge: A Short History of Each Fox River Town
How mills and dams built twelve Fox River towns from Algonquin to Yorkville, and why their downtowns still face the river today.
Fox Valley
Nightmare on Chicago Street Is Saturday, October 17, and Friday Is a Separate Ticket
October 17 in downtown Elgin, eight blocks become a horror event with zones, performers and Svengoolie. Friday October 16 is a separate concert.
Fox Valley
The Elgin Road Races: When Elgin Was a Racing Town
From 1910 to 1920, and again in 1933, some of the fastest cars in America raced on closed country roads west of Elgin. The story of the Elgin National Road Races.
Fox Valley
Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles: What Happened
Charlestowne Mall opened in St. Charles in 1991 and was mostly closed by 2017. Why it struggled, what's still open, and why the site is still waiting for a plan.
Fox Valley
Santa's Village in East Dundee: Closing and Comeback
Santa's Village opened in East Dundee in 1959, closed in 2006, and came back in 2011. The history of the Fox Valley's Christmas-themed park, from the Snowball to the Polar Dome.
Fox Valley
Spring Hill Mall: The Rise and Fall
Spring Hill Mall opened in 1980 and was the Fox Valley's shopping hub for decades. How it declined, why West Dundee bought it, and what comes next on the 100-acre site.
Fox Valley
The Elgin National Watch Company: The Factory That Built a Town
For nearly a century, Elgin made watches for the whole country, half of all American pocket watches by one account. The rise of the Elgin National Watch Company, its observatory, WWII work,…