Naperville, Illinois is a city of approximately 142,000 residents situated in DuPage and Will County. More than two thirds of Napervillians residing within the county of DuPage, while the other third live within Will County. Naperville is the 5th biggest city within Illinois State. Numerous corporate head offices are located in Naperville, making it one of the richest cities in the Midwest. It was named by Money Magazine as the second best place to reside in the US.
After it was settled during the year 1831, the community was named for Captain Joseph Naper. Naperville did not officially become a city until the year 1890. The city of Naperville was a quiet, farming community until the 1960s when the population started to grow. Naperville benefited from the jobs and accumulation of corporate wealth happening within the Chicago metropolitan area. Throughout the 1990s, the city of Naperville was among the United States' ten fastest growing cities.
The positive economic fortunes of Naperville are because of its location within the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor. The population explosion towards the end of the 20th century was because of jobs provided by such companies as Alcatel-Lucent, Nalco, Edward Hospital and Nicor. The city of Naperville is home to the head offices of OfficeMax, Dukane Precast and Tellabs, and the division branch office of ConAgra's Grocery. The Triscuit product plant of Kraft Foods operates there. A main manufacturing plant of concrete is located in the city of Naperville. Research facilities owned by Fermilab, Amoco and Argonne National Laboratory are situated in the region. Naperville has several car dealerships. The city of Naperville boasts a large, $1.5 million, private-public automobile test track.
Located in the city of Naperville are some great shopping locations: Springbrook Prairie Pavillion, downtown Naperville, Odgen Avenue corridors and Freedom Commons and the Route 59.
Naperville has a busy calendar of events. A popular event is the annual Ribfest, an outdoor food fest which kicks off prior to Independence Day. The Last Fling carnival is held Labor Day weekend. Weekly summer concerts are held within the city's Central Park. Naperville also hosts conventional festivities on Saint Patrick's Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.