Valparaiso Real Estate > Valparaiso Community Info

Once a site for several different Native American tribes, the first pioneers explored Valparaiso in the late 1600s. The first settler of the area was Joseph Bailey, who established a fur trading post on the shore of Lake Michigan in 1822. In 1832 the site of Valparaiso was included in purchase of land from the Potawatomi tribe by the U.S. government.

Valparaiso boasts a tight-knit and family oriented community that provides many opportunities for family and community celebration. Among the community events are the Summer in the City – a series of events held throughout the summer months and including the weekly Farmer's Market, Corvette Show, 4th of July Celebration and the Garden Walk – Trick or Treat Night and the winter season's Holly Days.

Nearby Chicago offers world-class art, culture, cuisine, sports and more. For the artistically minded, there are the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Photography and the collections at the Art Institute of Chicago. For science enthusiasts Chicago has the Adler Planetarium, the Chicago Academy of Science and the Museum of Science and Industry. Live animal exhibits include the Lincoln Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo and the John G. Shedd Aquarium. And Chicago's many popular professional sports teams provide many opportunities for fan support and rooting. Baseball fans watch the Cubs and White Sox, football fans catch Bears games at Soldier Field, and basketball fans root for former world-champion Bulls. Chicago is also home to hockey, soccer, and women's basketball teams.