Get to know Batavia, IL

Batavia is located about 40 miles west of Chicago on the Fox River. The town was first settled in 1833 by Christopher Payne and originally called Big Woods. In the early 20th century, the city was one of the nation’s largest producers of windmills and became known as “The Windmill City”. In 1967, the Fermi National Particle Accelerator Laboratory opened just outside of Batavia. The laboratory is famous for the discovery of the bottom quark in 1977. Famous residents of Batavia include basketball hall of famer Dan Issel, NFL MVP quarterback Ken Anderson, and TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager. Mary Todd Lincoln also spent time at the Batavia Institute following the assassination of her husband.

Quick Facts

Population: 26,495

Median Household Income: $90,680

Median Home Value: $329,800