Crete, town in the U.S. state of Illinois
Crete is a village in Will County, Illinois, located in the southern suburbs of the Chicago metropolitan area, with residential streets and a small commercial center. The surrounding land is largely flat farmland, giving the village an open feel on its edges.
Crete was founded in the 19th century by European settlers who farmed the flat Illinois prairie land around it. The village grew slowly over the following decades, without major industrial development, which kept its scale and character close to what it was at its origin.
The name Crete was given by early settlers who likely came from or admired the Greek island. Today, local churches and small businesses along the main street are where residents spend much of their everyday social life.
Crete is most easily reached by car, as public transport options in the area are limited. Driving is the best way to move around, since points of interest are spread across the village and the roads are straightforward to follow.
The flat land around Crete made it a natural fit for golf course development, and several courses were built nearby over the 20th century. This concentration of courses in a small area is unusual for a village of this size.
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