Rantoul owes its life to trains. The Illinois Central Railroad laid the town out in 1854, naming it after one of its bigwigs. Then the U.S. Army chose the town for the site of Chanute Field because it was near the railroad. After World War II, the field became Chanute Air Force Base, which eventually closed in 1993.
All those airplanes form one of the perks of living in this village, because they produced a flight museum and a public-use airport
Rantoul owes its life to trains. The Illinois Central Railroad laid the town out in 1854, naming it after one of its bigwigs. Then the U.S. Army chose the town for the site of Chanute Field because it was near the railroad. After World War II, the field became Chanute Air Force Base, which eventually closed in 1993.
All those airplanes form one of the perks of living in this village, because they produced a flight museum and a public-use airport. Another perk is a commitment to your livelihood. The village boasts a business incubator for local entrepreneurs. You can also learn about working at local educational institutions, or find a job with major companies. And when you're not working, don't forget the fun with parks, golf courses, and an aquatic facility.
If you move to the city by land, you'll most likely arrive by Interstate 57, which connects to Chicago in the north and Champaign in the south. U.S. Route 136 comes in from the west as far away as Nebraska. Rail travelers can arrive at the Amtrak Rantoul station. If you're coming in by air, the nearest commercial facility is Willard Airport.
When you want to set up your new utilities, you'll need to stop by the customer service office at the Village Hall at least 24 hours in advance. You'll need a copy of your lease, picture ID, and deposit, which varies by utility.
The first step to renting an apartment in Rantoul is deciding where you want to live. Luckily, you'll find traditional complexes in all three of the town's neighborhoods.
Northern Rantoul (N Maplewood Drive / Briarcliff Drive): Construction in this neighborhood is almost evenly split between 1970-1999 and 1940-1969, with a few residences built during the 21st century. Although this area contains mostly single-family houses, it also includes apartment complexes, mobile homes, and townhouses. Pluses include a land area with over half that's empty, Brookhill Park, and Brookhill Golf Course. Falcon Way Townhomes is an example of rental property that goes from 1 to 3 bedrooms and ranges from 465-1,100 square feet. Off-street parking, barbecue grills, washer / dryer hookups, and oversized storage come with your lease.
Village Center: You want to live here if you value downtown hustle and bustle, at least, as far as a village can have. You'll find rental apartments as well as retro-style single-family houses built from 1940 to 1969. Mitchell Court is one example with 2-bedroom apartments for rent. The monthly fee is quite affordable. But the landlords may take their innkeeper responsibilities too seriously by getting into everyone's business.
Southern Rantoul (Pacesetter Drive / 7th Street): This part of town is devoted to aerospace, being the site of the Rantoul National Aviation Center, a public-use airport averaging about 54 flights a day. Admirers of aircraft can head for the Chanute Air Museum, which displays planes both indoors and outside on the decommissioned Chanute Air Force Base. Don't worry if flying isn't in your blood. Living here means being able to play a round or two at the Willow Pond Golf Course, a public facility with 18 rounds of golf.
Maybe you spend your day working at one of the local companies, like ConAir, Easton Bell Sports, or Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors. Or you've been studying for exams at the University of Illinois or Parkland College. During the evenings and weekends, you can let off some steam by fishing at Heritage Lake or playing sand volleyball in its surrounding park. For something more organized, join the softball league at the Rantoul Recreation Center. To get away from it all without going away, park your RV at the Prairie Pines Campground, which gives you hookups for electricity, water, and sewage.
The closest thing to a shopping mall in town is Maple Grove Plaza Shopping Center with chains like Curves, CVS, and China Express mixed among the few independently owned businesses. The biggest box store around, Wal-Mart Supercenter, attracts consumers to the corner of South Century Boulevard and East Champaign Avenue. You can also patronize local eateries like Ott's Drive In, a favorite diner, or Ann's Soul Food, for such Southern specialties as fried chicken, chitterlings with rice, and pig's feet.
