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Port Barrington, Illinois

Fox River Valley Gardens
Location of Port Barrington in Lake County, Illinois.
Location of Port Barrington in Lake County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country United States
State Illinois
Counties Lake, McHenry
Founded 1927
Incorporated 1969
Re-Incorporated 2002
Area
 • Total 1.32 sq mi (3.42 km2)
 • Land 1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2)
 • Water 0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,584
 • Density 1,365.52/sq mi (527.16/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP
60010
FIPS code 17-61216

Port Barrington is a small village in Illinois, USA. It is located in both Lake and McHenry counties. The village was once known as Fox River Valley Gardens. Its name was officially changed to Port Barrington in 2002. In 2020, about 1,584 people lived there.

History of Port Barrington

Port Barrington became an official village in 1969. Back then, it was called Fox River Valley Gardens. This was a very long name for a town! The village still shares a ZIP code (60010) with Barrington, which is about 9 miles south.

In 2002, the village opened its own post office. This meant people's mailing addresses changed from Barrington to Fox River Valley Gardens. Some homeowners in a new area called Riverwalk felt their home values dropped. They were upset because their addresses changed after they bought their homes. This led to many meetings where residents discussed what to do.

Because of these concerns, the village board voted to change the name. In September 2002, they decided to rename the community "Port Barrington." Even today, some older addresses still use the name Fox River Valley Gardens. Also, many road signs and maps still show the original name. Local police and fire departments sometimes use it too.

By 2019, the village's post office was no longer in use. Now, mail delivery for Port Barrington comes from Island Lake, Illinois.

Where is Port Barrington Located?

Port Barrington is found at coordinates 42°14′37″N 88°11′53″W.

According to information from 2010, the village covers about 1.286 square miles. Most of this area, about 1.15 square miles, is land. The rest, about 0.136 square miles, is water.

How Many People Live Here?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1970 428
1980 520 21.5%
1990 665 27.9%
2000 788 18.5%
2010 1,517 92.5%
2020 1,584 4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
2010 2020
Port Barrington village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 749 1,283 1,257 95.05% 84.57% 79.36%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4 17 17 0.51% 1.12% 1.07%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 0 0 2 0.00% 0.00% 0.13%
Asian alone (NH) 8 109 99 1.02% 7.19% 6.25%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 0 1 0.13% 0.00% 0.06%
Other race alone (NH) 0 0 5 0.00% 0.00% 0.32%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 4 21 44 0.51% 1.38% 2.78%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22 87 159 2.79% 5.74% 10.04%
Total 788 1,517 1,584 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Community Life

Port Barrington is a very active place. In winter, people enjoy snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and ice skating. They also go ice fishing on the village's trails and lakes.

When summer arrives, the town becomes a popular spot. Cyclists, runners, fishermen, and boaters visit from all over the area.

For Halloween, there's a special tradition. Children go trick-or-treating on the Sunday before Halloween. This happens during the middle of the day, usually from 11 AM to 3 PM.

At Christmas, Santa Claus makes a grand entrance. He arrives in a parade with fire engines and the McHenry County Sheriff. Many people follow in cars, throwing candy to kids who wave from their homes and yards.

See also

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