Seniors Drop By Lombard

Senior travelers will find that Lombard, a village in DuPage County and a suburb of Chicago, has a population right at 43,000. DuPage County has a population was 916,924, making it Illinois’ second-most populous county.

Originally part of Potawatomi Indian lands, the Lombard area was first settled by Americans of European descent in the 1830s. Lombard shares its early history with Glen Ellyn. Brothers Ralph and Morgan Babcock settled in a grove of trees along the DuPage River, in what was known as Babcock’s Grove.

Lombard developed to the east and Glen Ellyn to the west. Lombard was named after Chicago banker and real estate developer Josia Lewis Lombard.

Lombard purchased 227 acres of land in 1868 and headed a group of capitalists who registered the first plat and spearheaded the incorporation of Lombard in 1869.

Seniors Enjoy Lilac Time In Lombard

Stylish Victorian homes appeared on North Main Street, and the Lombard Historical Museum maintains a house museum in the style of one of these homes circa the 1870s.

The Maple Street Chapel, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places, was constructed in 1870 to serve a growing population. The Chapel is a landmark the entire region recognizes and treasures.

Since 1930, Lombard has hosted an annual Lilac Festival and parade in May. “Lilac Time in Lombard” is a 16-day festival in Lilacia Park ending in mid-May. Many lilac themed events take place that seniors would enjoy, including concerts, a Mother’s Day Brunch, an arts and crafts fair, and tours of the park. The grand finale is Lombard’s Lilac Festival Parade.

 Lilacs, A Brew And Little Orphan Annie

Let TripAdvisor help senior travelers fill out an itinerary that would first include a visit to Lilacia Park. Lilacia Park, once home to Colonel William R. Plum’s lilac garden, is now a park with poetic appeal. The park was bequeathed on the passing of Colonel Plum in 1927.

The LeRoy house, built in 1881, was home to one of the area’s most prominent doctors, Dr. William LeRoy who specialized in making artificial limbs for civil war veterans. He   lived in this house until 1900.

The house would eventually become the home of Harold Gray’s parents and the studio of Harold Gray, the originator of the Little Orphan Annie cartoon strip. Remember her? The Enchanted Castle of Lombard is one of four Chicago-land family entertainment centers and highly popular with the locals.

Senior visitors, if you feel up to a brew, drop by the Noon Whistle Brewing Company in Lombard. Lombard is easily accessible to downtown Chicago and Chicago O’Hare Airport and near all major expressways in the heart of the western Chicago suburbs.   So set your GPS for Lombard and enjoy all the many amenities of the city. -jeb