River Forest is a suburban village adjacent to Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 11,717. Two universities make their home in River Forest, Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago. The village is closely tied to the larger neighboring community of Oak Park. There are significant architectural designs located in River Forest such as the Winslow House by Frank Lloyd Wright. River Forest has a railroad station with service to Chicago on Metra's Union Pacific West Line.
History
thumb|The [[Des Plaines River seen from the Lake Street bridge in River Forest, Illinois.|left]]
The Native American history of the area is closely tied to the Des Plaines River and includes Menominee and Chippewa settlements near what is now the Desplaines Avenue and Roosevelt Road forest preserves of Cook County. The Menominees would eventually be driven out by the Potowatomi Nation in 1810. The Potawatomi were in turn pushed west of the Mississippi by the Treaty of Chicago of 1833. The community was known as Noyesville at the time. In 1848 the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad completed construction of tracks westward from Chicago, and train service commenced in January 1849.
In the 1850s two families acquired land and drove development in the area. David Thatcher settled in what is now western River Forest and named that part of the community Thatcher. Henry Quick arrived from Harlem, New York and named the eastern part of Noyesville as well as Harlem Avenue after his home town.
Climate
Education
thumb|The [[Dominican University (Illinois) quad along Division Street.]]
Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago are both located in River Forest.
There are two public elementary schools, Lincoln Elementary School and Willard Elementary School, and one public middle school, Roosevelt Middle School. The elementary and middle schools are in River Forest Public Schools District 90. River Forest shares a high school with Oak Park, known as Oak Park and River Forest High School, located in Oak Park.
River Forest is home to two Catholic grade schools and one Lutheran grade school. St. Luke School and St. Vincent Ferrer School are Catholic schools, and Grace Lutheran School is Lutheran. All three enroll children from 3 years old through eighth grade. River Forest has one all-girls' secondary school, Trinity High School.
River Forest also has the Keystone Montessori School, established in 1994. It serves children 9 months of age to 8th grade as an alternative learning style for children. It educates children using the philosophy of Maria Montessori.
The River Forest Public Library is located at 735 Lathrop Avenue.
Government and infrastructure
The Village Board is made up of the Village President and six Trustees, who all serve four year terms. The current Village President is Catherine Adduci. The United States Postal Service operates the River Forest Post Office at 401 William Street.
Transportation
Rail
Metra operates a station in River Forest along the Union Pacific West Line at 8001 W. Central Avenue
Bus
Pace runs routes 309 and 313 along Lake Street through River Forest, stopping a block from the Metra station. Pace also runs routes 307 and 318, with southbound busses driving on North Avenue (318 only) and Harlem Avenue on the edge of River Forest.