Village Profile—Sandwich, IL

The Sandwich Park District, established in 1966, provides a variety of fun and exciting recreational services to the community. There are five parks within Sandwich, including the main facility at James Knights Park. These are all available for special events and activities.

The extremely popular DeKalb County Fair at Sandwich has been held annually since 1888. It is a five-day extravaganza that begins the Wednesday following Labor Day. Its spacious grounds and shaded walkways host an old-fashioned county fair noted for its livestock displays, flowers, fruits and vegetables, bakery goods and needlework. The Fair’s 154 acres has the largest number of exhibits of any county fair in Illinois, many housed in permanent buildings. It is an all-ages delight that features endless family entertainment and plenty of parking. Other special events at the Fair Grounds include Antique Markets (May to October), Antique Auto Show, Bluegrass Festival, and the Fall Festival of Crafts.

The Sandwich City Hall and Opera House was built in 1878 to house the city hall and opera house functions that it still does to the present day. Completely renovated and restored in 1986, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Opera House auditorium and meeting rooms hold many performing arts, receptions and community functions that enhances cultural life within the community.

The Fox Valley Community Center hosts a full schedule of leisure time activities for the Fox Valley Older Adults Service and other social service agencies.

The Indian Valley Community Band was formed in 1986 and provides an opportunity for residents to show off their musical skills; the Indian Valley Theatre presents plays and sponsors workshops to promote awareness and appreciation of literature and the performing arts. It is especially involved in cultural training for children.

As a benefit and asset to the community, the Sandwich Historical Society has, since 1965, maintained the Sandwich Stone Mill building as a home for the Sandwich Historical Society Industrial Museum.

Sandwich Community Unit School District No. 430 operates three elementary, one junior high, and one senior high school. The Indian Valley Vocational Center, built in 1975, offers instruction in a variety of vocational programs—from machine and building trades to graphic arts and child care—to students from school districts within a 25-mile radius.

Higher education is offered in nearby DeKalb at Northern Illinois University, which offers a full range of Baccalaureate and Post-Graduate degree programs. Waubonsee and Kishwaukee Community Colleges are also close by and offer a wide selection of two-year and associate degree programs. The first-rate colleges and universities in the Greater Chicagoland area and throughout the University of Illinois system statewide, are all within easy reach for Sandwich’s college bound students.

Sandwich has a dedicated staff of health care professionals at the Valley West Community Hospital to meet the wellness needs of all citizens, and to efficiently handle emergency situations. Twenty-five highly skilled doctors and dentists also provide top quality care.

The Open Door Rehabilitation Center on South Wells Street is a non-profit corporation founded in 1964 that offers community support services to adults with developmental disabilities. Its mission is to provide the least restrictive environment possible to assist people with special needs in achieving their maximum potential.

The Fox Valley Community Center also offers social services and programs, including Family Services, Safe Passages, the Salvation Army and more. Willow Crest Nursing Pavilion, Ltd. has 116 beds in a comfortable, secure environment to provide its residents with therapy, rehabilitation, and nursing services. Its motto, "Caring for those who cared for us," reflects the cooperative spirit that prevails throughout the town of Sandwich.