I currently live in Oak Park, IL. Home of Frank Lloyd Wright and birthplace of Ernest Hemingway. It's the first suburb due west of downtown Chicago. I lived here for a few years, then moved for a while. I just moved back and am so thrilled. This is my favorite part of the Chicago area. I grew up in Lisle, IL (another suburb further west) which isn't nearly as exciting.

Other Oak Park tid bits:

It was settled in 1833 and started out as 172 acres. Most of the homes here are from the turn of the 20th century.

Birthplace of Carl Rogers (Clinical Psychologist) and Betty White (from the Golden Girls)

Other famous Oak Park residents:
Ray Kroc (founder of McDonald's corporation)
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Kathy Griffin
Johnny Galecki
Carol Shields
Bob Newhart
The voice of Homer Simpson, Dan Castellaneta
Comic book artists Chris Ware and Gene Ha
Former "Frasier" star John Mahoney
Ben Weasel.

Notable former residents include:
Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs
Chemist Percy Julian
Poet Charles Simic
Ludacris

Will host some events of the 2006 gay games.

Known as "boys town west" in some circles

None of the entire geographic area of Oak Park is covered by water

Great town to bike in, in my opinion