Geneva is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Kane County,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It is located on the western side of the

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

suburbs. Per the 2020 census, the population was 21,393. Geneva is part of a tri-city area, located between St. Charles and

Batavia Batavia may refer to: Historical places * Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands * Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...

. The area experienced rapid population growth from the late 1980s through the mid-2000s as the Chicago suburbs spread to the west. Geneva is a popular tourist destination with its scenic location along the Fox River and numerous shops and restaurants. There is an extensive

bike trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

system in Geneva including portions of the Fox River Trail and the

Illinois Prairie Path The Illinois Prairie Path (often called the Prairie Path and abbreviated IPP) is a network of of bicycle trails, mostly in DuPage County, Illinois. Portions of the trail extend west to Kane County and east to Cook County. Most of the trail is ca ...

. Geneva has an active historical society, the Geneva History Center, located in downtown Geneva as well as the

Fabyan Windmill The Fabyan Windmill is an authentic, working Dutch windmill dating from the 1850s located in Geneva, Kane County, Illinois, just north of Batavia, Illinois, off Illinois Route 25.Location taken from National Register of Historic Places: NRIS 79 ...

, an old Dutch

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called windmill sail, sails or blades, specifically to mill (grinding), mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and ...

dating back to the 1850s. In 2013 it was nominated by ''

Bloomberg Businessweek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...

'' as the best place to raise a kid in Illinois.

Geography

Geneva is located at 41°53'9" North, 88°18'42" West (41.885722, −88.311771), west of downtown Chicago. According to the 2010 census, Geneva has a total area of , of which (or 97.56%) is land and (or 2.44%) is water.

History

Geneva was first settled in the 1830s on an important route from

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. Daniel Shaw Haight was the first European settler in Geneva. Haight sold his claim in 1835 to James and Charity Herrington, who were influential in the creation of the town of Geneva. A local's connections with Col. Richard Hamilton, a prominent

Cook County Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...

politician, led to the naming of Geneva as

in 1836. The town was platted a year later and was probably named after

Geneva, New York Geneva is a City (New York), city in Ontario County, New York, Ontario and Seneca County, New York, Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is at the northern end of Seneca Lake (New York), Seneca Lake; all land port ...

. Before the name Geneva was chosen, the names LaFox, Big Spring, and Herrington's Ford were used. A courthouse and jail were among the first major works. Geneva was incorporated as a village in 1867. While its site as a county seat attracted attention, the village's location on the Fox River provided the most economic opportunities. Early goods manufactured in Geneva included cheese, butter, milled grains, and packed meat. The connection of the railroad in 1853 provided increased demand for industry, and by 1900, Appleton Manufacturing, Howell Foundry, Bennet Milling Co., and Pope Glucose Co. became major employers. This resulted in major civic improvement projects such as a pumping stations and water mains in 1896. Geneva was particularly noted for its flux of Swedish immigrants, who comprised half of the population by 1900. A year later, Geneva was connected to other Fox Valley communities through the

Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company The Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric (AE&FRE), was an interurban railroad that operated freight and passenger service on its line paralleling the Fox River. It served the communities of Carpentersville, Dundee, Elgin, South Elgin, St. Char ...

Historical sites

Fabyan Windmill

The Fabyan Windmill is an authentic, working

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

dating from the 1850s located in Geneva, just north of Batavia, off Route 25. The five-

story Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Story, a narrative (an account of imaginary or real people and events) ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting * Story (American English), or storey (British ...

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...

smock mill The smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded, thatched, or shingled tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind. This type ...

with a stage, which stands tall, sits upon the onetime estate of Colonel

George Fabyan "Colonel" George Fabyan (1867 – 1936) was a millionaire businessman who founded a private research laboratory.Kane County

Forest Preserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

District. On June 4, 1979, the windmill was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as the Dutch Mill. The following year, the windmill was selected to be on a

U.S. postage stamp Postal service in the United States began with the delivery of stampless letters whose cost was borne by the receiving person, later encompassed pre-paid letters carried by private mail carriers and provisional post offices, and culminated in a ...

, as part of a series of five windmills in a stamp booklet called "Windmills USA." It originally operated as a custom

grinding mill A mill is a device, often a structure, machine or kitchen appliance, that breaks solid materials into smaller pieces by grinding, crushing, or cutting. Such comminution is an important unit operation in many processes. There are many different ...

Riverbank Laboratories

Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories is a

NVLAP {{unreferenced, date=October 2012 National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) is a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) program in the USA which provides an unbiased third-party test and evaluation program to accredi ...

accredited acoustical testing agency founded by

Wallace Clement Sabine Wallace Clement Sabine (June 13, 1868 – January 10, 1919) was an American physicist who founded the field of architectural acoustics. Sabine was the architectural acoustician of Boston's Symphony Hall, widely considered one of the two or thre ...

in 1918. The acoustical laboratory building was funded and built by Colonel

George Fabyan "Colonel" George Fabyan (1867 – 1936) was a millionaire businessman who founded a private research laboratory.Riverbank Estate in Geneva, IL. In the facility's early days, It also housed a cryptology team that worked to decipher codes from the works of Sir Francis Bacon, Shakespeare, and enemy military communications. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 28, 2003.

Fabyan Villa

The Fabyan Villa Museum houses photographs, the Fabyans' personal artifact collections, and a limited number of original furnishings, sharing the Riverbank story with the public.

Sacred Heart Seminary Shrine

The Sacred Heart Seminary Shrine is a stone and mosaic religious Chapel located in Geneva. It sits next to the Kane County Government Center in th
Gunnar Anderson Forest Preserve
along the Fox River, near the old

Sacred Heart Monastery The Sacred Heart Monastery in Kensington, New South Wales, is a monastery of the Catholic men's religious order, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSCs). Since its establishment in 1897 it has played a leading role in the Catholic life of S ...

. The shrine dates back to 1925 when a piece of the land along the river was sold to

the Society of Jesus ''The Society of Jesus'' ( hr, Družba Isusova) is a 2004 Croatian drama film directed by Silvije Petranović, starring Leona Paraminski and Milan Pleština. The screenplay, written by Petranović, is based on 's 1969 novel of the same name. Cas ...

. The shrine is also known as the Geneva Grotto. The beautiful

mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

s on the sides of the shrine hold Latin writing saying ''Ignem veni mittere'', which translates to "I have come to bring fire" as well as ''Ego sum lux mundi,'' meaning "I am the light of the world." The mosaics also house art work of three arches that depict heaven and earth, a crucifix crossed by two swords, as well as a lighthouse. The Latin phrases are references to the New Testament. Jesus uses the phrases to describe himself; as in embodying both beginning and end. The altar is inscribed with the letters "IHS," referencing the first three letters of Jesus in Greek. The shrine has frequently been the victim of vandal, who have damaged part of the stone structure. On October 21, 2014, vandals threw white paint all over the stone walls and mosaics. They then proceeded to use spray paint to create symbols on the walls. Part of the stone structure was also damaged, leaving broken pieces of stone on the ground.

Elizabeth Place

Elizabeth Place, or the Henry Bond Fargo House, is a historic residence in Geneva, in the

Mission Revival The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...

style. The house was owned by Henry Bond Fargo, a prominent local businessmen who brought several early industries to Geneva. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 12, 2008.

Sports

Geneva has been home to the

Kane County Cougars The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play their ho ...

since 1991 when the

Wausau Timbers The Wausau Timbers were a minor league baseball team, located in Wausau, Wisconsin. The Timbers were members of the Class A Midwest League from 1975 to 1990. The franchise was sold in 1991 and moved to Geneva, Illinois, where it became the Kane Co ...

relocated from

Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city into east and west. The city's suburbs include Schofield, Weston, Mosinee, Maine, Rib Mountain, Kronenwetter, and ...

. The Cougars currently play at

Northwestern Medicine Field Northwestern Medicine Field (originally Kane County Events Park and formerly Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium and Fifth Third Bank Ballpark) is a baseball field located in Geneva, Illinois. The stadium was built in 1991 and holds 10,923 people. It is the ...

. Originally members of the

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

, in 2021 they will join the

American Association of Professional Baseball The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor lea ...

. In 2015 the

Chicago Steel The Chicago Steel are members of the United States Hockey League, joining the league in 2000. The Steel have played their home games at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois, since 2015; previously, the team played at Edge Ice Arena in Bense ...

of the

United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...

moved to Geneva from

Bensenville, Illinois Bensenville is a village located near O'Hare International Airport in DuPage County, Illinois, with a portion of the town in Cook County. As of the 2020 census, the village population was 18,813. First known as Tioga, it was formally establishe ...

and play at

Fox Valley Ice Arena Fox Valley Ice Arena is a public skating facility offering basic to advanced skating lessons for both figure skating and hockey. In addition, it is home to the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League. It contains two rinks: one measures ...

Transportation

Geneva is served by

Chicago Midway International Airport Chicago Midway International Airport , typically referred to as Midway Airport, Chicago Midway, or simply Midway, is a major commercial airport on the Southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the Lo ...

(MDW),

Chicago O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport , sometimes referred to as, Chicago O'Hare, or simply O'Hare, is the main international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately northwest of the Loop business ...

(ORD), and

Dupage Airport DuPage Airport is a general aviation airport located west of downtown Chicago in West Chicago, DuPage County, Illinois, United States. It is owned and operated by the DuPage Airport Authority, which is an independent government body establishe ...

(DPA). The city also benefits from

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...

s running through the city, including State Routes 25, 31, 38 with easy access to Interstate 88.

Bus

Geneva is also served by the

Pace Pace or paces may refer to: Business *Pace (transit), a bus operator in the suburbs of Chicago, US * Pace Airlines, an American charter airline *Pace Foods, a maker of a popular brand of salsa sold in North America, owned by Campbell Soup Compan ...

bus system run by Chicago's suburbs. The following bus routes run through this city: * Route 529 - Randall Rd / 5th Street * Route 801 - Elgin / Geneva * Route 802 - Aurora / St. Charles

Train

As a part of the

Chicago metropolitan area The Chicago metropolitan area, also colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, is a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States. Encompassing 10,286 sq mi (28,120 km2), the metropolitan area includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and hi ...

, Geneva has a station on the Union Pacific/West line of the

Metra Metra is the commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and other railroads. The system operates 242 stations on 11 rail lines. I ...

commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...

system; it provides frequent service to

downtown Chicago ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distri ...

, away, and extends west to Elburn.

Demographics

2020 census

''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 can be of any race.''

2010 Census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

there were 21,495 people, 7,865 households, and 5,927 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 94.80%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.5%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.1% Native American, 2.20%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 1.20% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 4.90% of the population. There were 8,278 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.18. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 33% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males. As of 2011 the median income for a household in the city was $93,588. Males had a median income of $65,103 versus $38,520 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $42,995. About 3.7% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 4.5% of those under the age of 18 and 3.8% of those ages 65 and older.

2000 Census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 19,515 people, 6,718 households, and 5,186 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,895 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.50%

, 1.02%

, 0.06% Native American, 1.25%

, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.58% from

, and 0.56% from two or more races.

of any race were 2.77% of the population. There were 6,718 households, out of which 45.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.0% were

living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.31. In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males. As of 2011 the median income for a household in the city was $95,467. Males had a median income of $65,103 versus $38,520 for females. The

for the city was $42,995. About 1.6% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the

, including 1.6% of those under the age of 18 and 4.9% of those ages 65 and older.

Education

Geneva School District 304 includes the following schools:

Elementary education schools

* Harrison Street Elementary School (built in 1929) * Williamsburg Elementary School (built in 2008) * Heartland Elementary School (built in 2002) * Mill Creek Elementary School (built in 1996) * Fabyan Elementary School (built in 2008) * Western Avenue Elementary School (built in 1964)

Middle schools

* Geneva Middle School South (built in 1994) * Geneva Middle School North (built in 2006)

High schools

* Geneva High School (built in 1958)

Annual events

*Swedish Days *Geneva Arts Fair *Festival of the Vine *Christmas Walk *Geneva Concours d'Elegance

Media and entertainment

* ''

Harry and Tonto ''Harry and Tonto'' is a 1974 road movie written by Paul Mazursky and Josh Greenfeld and directed by Mazursky. It features Art Carney as Harry in an Oscar-winning performance. Tonto is his pet cat. Plot Harry Coombes (Art Carney) is an elderly ...

'' (1974) starring

Art Carney Arthur William Matthew Carney (November 4, 1918 – November 9, 2003) was an American actor and comedian. A recipient of an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and six Primetime Emmy Awards, he was best known for his role as Ed ...

and directed by

Paul Mazursky Irwin Lawrence "Paul" Mazursky (April 25, 1930 – June 30, 2014) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor. Known for his dramatic comedies that often dealt with modern social issues, he was nominated for five Academy Awards: three t ...

. Filmed outside of the Geneva Courthouse and the Geneva Motel. * ''

Road to Perdition ''Road to Perdition'' is a 2002 American crime drama film directed by Sam Mendes. The screenplay was adapted by David Self from the graphic novel of the same name written by Max Allan Collins and illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner. The film s ...

'' (2002) starring

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

, and

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Césa ...

was filmed in downtown Geneva. * ''

Novocaine Procaine is a local anesthetic drug of the amino ester group. It is most commonly used in dental procedures to numb the area around a tooth and is also used to reduce the pain of intramuscular injection of penicillin. Owing to the ubiquity of ...

'' (2001) starring

Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominate ...

was filmed at the Geneva Motel on the East Side of Geneva. * ''

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone ''The Resurrection of Gavin Stone'' is a 2017 American Christian comedy drama film directed by Dallas Jenkins, written by Andrea Gyertson Nasfell, and starring Brett Dalton, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Neil Flynn, Shawn Michaels and D. B. Sweeney ...

'' (2017) starring Brett Dalton was filmed in Geneva's downtown Dodson Place.

Notable people

Academia * E. Philip Howrey, economist and professor *

Edmund Beecher Wilson Edmund Beecher Wilson (October 19, 1856 – March 3, 1939) was a pioneering American zoologist and geneticist. He wrote one of the most influential textbooks in modern biology, ''The Cell''. Career Wilson was born in Geneva, Illinois, the so ...

, America's first

cell biologist Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living and ...

; discovered the

chromosomal A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...

XY sex-determination system The XY sex-determination system is a sex-determination system used to classify many mammals, including humans, some insects (''Drosophila''), some snakes, some fish (guppies), and some plants (''Ginkgo'' tree). In this system, the sex of an indi ...

Arts *

Gower Champion Gower Carlyle Champion (June 22, 1919 – August 25, 1980) was an American actor, theatre director, choreographer, and dancer. Early years Champion was born on June 22, 1919, in Geneva, Illinois, as the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice ...

, theater director, choreographer, and dancer *

Diego Cortez James Allan Curtis (September 30, 1946 – June 21, 2021), known professionally as Diego Cortez, was an American filmmaker and art curator closely associated with the no wave period in New York City. Cortez was the co-founder of the Mudd Club, ...

, art curator * Niykee Heaton, singer. *

Stu Linder Stewart Bridgewater Linder (November 8, 1931 – January 12, 2006) was an American film editor with 25 credits. He shared the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the 1966 film ''Grand Prix'' (directed by John Frankenheimer), which was the ver ...

, Academy Award-winning film editor (''

Grand Prix Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to: Arts and entertainment ...

'' and ''

Rain Man ''Rain Man'' is a 1988 American road movie, road Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass. It tells the story of abrasive, selfish young wikt:wheeler-dealer, wheeler-dealer C ...

'') *

Michael J. Nelson Michael John Nelson (born October 11, 1964) is an American comedian and writer, most known for his work on the television series '' Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (''MST3K''). Nelson was the head writer of the series for most of the show's origi ...

, head writer and star of cult TV show ''

Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...

'', and current leader of

Rifftrax RiffTrax is an American company that produces scripted humorous commentary tracks which are synced to mostly public domain feature films, education shorts, and television episodes. With the talents of former ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (''M ...

* Joan Taylor, an Italian-American television and film actress * Wolfgang Hoffmann, Austrian-American architect and designer active in American modernism; later a photographer Business *

George Fabyan "Colonel" George Fabyan (1867 – 1936) was a millionaire businessman who founded a private research laboratory.Jervis Langdon, Jr., railroad executive and president of the

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock. At the end ...

. * John W. Scherer, founder and face of the software tutorial company Video Professor * Dale Shewalter, founder and promoter of the

Arizona Trail The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah that traverses the whole north–south length of the U.S. state of Arizona. The trail begins at the Coronado National Memorial near the US–Mexico border and moves ...

; born in Geneva Media *

Sam Smith Samuel Frederick Smith (born 19 May 1992) is an English singer and songwriter. After rising to prominence in October 2012 by featuring on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, they ...

, sportswriter *

Bob Woodward Robert Upshur Woodward (born March 26, 1943) is an American investigative journalist. He started working for ''The Washington Post'' as a reporter in 1971 and now holds the title of associate editor. While a young reporter for ''The Washingto ...

, author and investigative reporter (''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'') Politics *

Steven Andersson Steven A. Andersson (born August 15, 1964) is a former Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 65th district. The 65th district is located in northwestern Kane County. Andersson earned his bachelor's degree f ...

(born 1964), member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. He is a resident of Geneva. *

James Graham Fair James Graham Fair (December 3, 1831December 28, 1894) was an Irish immigrant to the United States who became a highly successful mining engineer and businessman. His investments in silver mines in Nevada made him a millionaire, and he was one o ...

(1831–1894), U.S. Senator from

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

and wealthy mine operator known as the Bonanza King. He was a childhood resident of Geneva. * S. Louis Rathje, Illinois Supreme Court justice * Dan Ugaste, member of the

Illinois House of Representatives The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...

since 2019. He is a resident of Geneva. *

Wayne Wallingford Wayne Wallingford (born July 11, 1946) is an American politician who previously served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 147th district. He previously served as a member of the Missouri Senate from 2013 to 2021. Care ...

(born 1946), member of the

Missouri House of Representatives The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 37,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections ...

since 2021. Wallingford was born and raised in Geneva. Sports *

Varney Anderson Varney Samuel "Varn" Anderson ( – ) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Indianapolis Hoosiers and the Washington Senators. Professional career Early minor league years Anderson played professionally at least as early as 18 ...

, pitcher with the

Indianapolis Hoosiers Indianapolis Hoosiers was the name of three major league and at least three minor league baseball clubs based in Indianapolis. * Indianapolis Hoosiers (American Association), which played in 1884 * Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League), which pla ...

and Washington Senators * Sid Bennett, offensive tackle with the

Chicago Tigers The Chicago Tigers of the American Professional Football Association (APFA) played their first and only season in 1920, the first year of the league (1920), and have the distinction of being the first NFL team to fold. They had a record of 2 wi ...

and

Milwaukee Badgers The Milwaukee Badgers was a professional American football team, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that played in the National Football League from 1922 to 1926. The team played its home games at Athletic Park, later known as Borchert Field, on Mil ...

Phil Esposito Philip Anthony Esposito ( , ; born February 20, 1942) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive, and current broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Lightning. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, he played 18 seasons in t ...

, center with the

Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

and

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

Ben Kanute Ben Kanute (born December 14, 1992) is an American triathlete who competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2017 and 2022 he took second place at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Career Kanute is the 2015 USA Triathlon Elite National champion ...

, Olympic triathlete *

Kevin McDowell Kevin McDowell (born August 1, 1992) is an American professional triathlete. He currently resides and trains in Colorado Springs, Colorado. McDowell was born in Park Ridge, Illinois in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and was raised in nearby M ...

, Olympic triathlete * Gabrielle Perea, artistic gymnast * Duncan Turnbull,

goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...

for the

Las Vegas Lights FC Las Vegas Lights FC is an American professional soccer team based in Las Vegas, Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho ...

Bob Zeman Edward Robert Zeman (February 22, 1937 – May 3, 2019) was an American football defensive back who played six seasons in the American Football League from 1960 to 1966. Playing career Early years Zeman attended Wheaton Warrenville South Hi ...

, defensive back with the

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

Other * Elizebeth Smith Friedman, author and cryptologist

Sister cities

Croissy-sur-Seine Croissy-sur-Seine (, literally ''Croissy on Seine'') is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is a suburban town on the western outskirts of Paris. Many expatriates reside in Croissy, give ...

(Western Suburb of Paris, France)

References

External links

City of Geneva official website

Geneva Chamber of Commerce

Geneva Public Library District

Geneva History Center

Geneva Community Unit, School District 304
{{authority control Cities in Illinois County seats in Illinois Chicago metropolitan area Cities in Kane County, Illinois Populated places established in 1887 1887 establishments in Illinois