The picturesque village of Manteno, Illinois, with its quaint Main St. and manicured parks, lies in the eerie shadow of the ruins of the notorious, and purportedly haunted, Manteno State Hospital psychiatric institution. Rumors of illicit experiments on unsuspecting patients abound, and even inspired the Gennie Project -- a creepy art installation that involved scrawling the contents of a former patient's file on the dilapidated walls of the closed hospital.
The village of Manteno, Illinois, was incorporated in 1869, and named for the Indian princess Manteno Bourbonnais, granddaughter of Francois Bourbonnais, the 17th-century French fur trader who first settled the area
The picturesque village of Manteno, Illinois, with its quaint Main St. and manicured parks, lies in the eerie shadow of the ruins of the notorious, and purportedly haunted, Manteno State Hospital psychiatric institution. Rumors of illicit experiments on unsuspecting patients abound, and even inspired the Gennie Project -- a creepy art installation that involved scrawling the contents of a former patient's file on the dilapidated walls of the closed hospital.
The village of Manteno, Illinois, was incorporated in 1869, and named for the Indian princess Manteno Bourbonnais, granddaughter of Francois Bourbonnais, the 17th-century French fur trader who first settled the area. The name Manteno was the Potawatomi Indian word for "spirit." This charming village is surrounded by rolling farms and dotted with churches. Downtown Main Street is a slice of 1960s Americana, and locals regularly meet up for breakfast at the Mayberry Junction diner to exchange news and gossip. Located on Interstate 57, Manteno offers easy access to both Kankakee and Chicago, making it the perfect place to find your next house or apartment for rent.
Moving to Manteno
Given its smaller size, it can be a bit of a challenge to find places to live in Manteno. Tenants should start their apartment search well in advance of their moving date. Places for rent range from one-bedroom apartments to two- to three-bedroom houses in Manteno, with a wide range of choices in between. Housing is on the newer side, and rent is quite reasonable. Being such a small town, there aren't really any specific neighborhoods to choose from.
Summers tend to be temperate, keeping cooling costs low. However, winters -- though dry -- can be quite cold, so heating costs are a consideration. Most units are heated with utility gas and paid by the tenant.
Living in Manteno
Manteno is a growing community of approximately 9,000 people. While agriculture is important here, the area also has a number of retail distribution centers, and an active industrial park. Many residents also commute for work to Kankakee, 10 miles to the south, and to Chicago, 40 miles to the north.
In addition to commercial activity, Manteno boasts a well-maintained library, beautiful parks, and active community organizations. The village is served by several grocery stores, a variety of local restaurants and restaurant chains, many of them easily walkable in the downtown area. Additional shopping is only 15 minutes away in Kankakee.
Outdoor activities are extremely popular here, and residents enjoy the biking trails along the Kankakee River, the 18-hole golf course, and the beaches of Lake Manteno.
Manteno is the ideal location for anyone looking to live in a close-knit rural community with all the advantages of city living. It's a great place to find your next rental home.
