Small Town 'Resists Sprawl'

Pingree Grove, IL, a small town of 125, is doing what it can to keep from being engulfed by what seems to some as 'inevitable.'

1 minute read

November 9, 2003, 5:00 AM PST

By Connie Chung

"The city of Elgin is eyeing vast expanses of Kane County to the west that, if annexed, would more than double the city's size and enable its population to grow to more than 160,000. The trouble is, little Pingree Grove--population 125--is playing David to Elgin's Goliath....Corn and soybeans now grow amid a scattering of horse farms in much of this land, but planners and developers envision subdivisions, shopping centers and industries sprouting during the next 25 years....At the center of that plan is Pingree Grove, which is desperately seeking to hold its own against encroachment from Elgin....If projected growth holds true, Elgin could compete with Rockford, Aurora and Naperville to be Illinois' second-largest city.

Thanks to Connie Chung

FULL STORY: Little town stands at heart of Elgin's plans for growth

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 in The Chicago Tribune

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