Winnetka (/wɪˈnɛtkə/) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, 16 miles (26 km) north of downtown Chicago.

[5] That year, Erastus Patterson and his family arrived from Vermont and opened a tavern to service passengers on the Green Bay Trail post road.

The village was first subdivided in 1854 by Charles Peck and Walter S. Gurnee,[6] President of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.

In 1859, the first public school building was built with private funds at the southeast corner of Elm and Maple streets.

[9] Winnetka's neighborhoods include estates and homes designed by distinguished architects including George Washington Maher, Walter Burley Griffin, John S. Van Bergen, Robert Seyfarth, Robert McNitt, Howard Van Doren Shaw and David Adler.

Among them, the former First Church of Christ, Scientist, 440 Ridge Avenue, was designed in 1924 by architect Solon S. Beman.

The Chicago and Milwaukee Railway was built in 1855 through Winnetka, connecting its namesake cities.

The Crow Island School, designed by Eliel & Eero Saarinen and the architectural firm Perkins, Wheeler & Will,[10] was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1990.

[12] Winnetka's northern border with Glencoe cuts through 58 homes, causing homeowners to have to pay taxes to, and seek permits from both villages.

For the history see Arthur Zilversmit, Changing schools: Progressive education theory and practice, 1930-1960 (University of Chicago Press, 1993).

Crow Island is a National Historic Landmark due to its significant architectural design.

Trains travel south to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago, and north to Kenosha station.

Winnetka has Pace Route 213 on Green Bay Road originating from Chicago Howard CTA Station, branching to Northbrook Court Mall, and the Highland Park, Illinois Metra Station.

"Big Noise from Winnetka", a 1938 jazz song by The Bobcats, has been featured in a number of Hollywood movies, including Let's Make Music and Reveille with Beverly.

Secondary character Roger St. John Evans was mentioned as "The Big Noise From Winnetka".

Over three decades after the original film's 1990 release, sightseers still visit the North Shore neighborhood, particularly around the Christmas holiday season.

[34] Numerous other films have been shot in Winnetka, including portions of films Ocean's 12, Breakfast Club, National Lampoon's Vacation, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles, Risky Business, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, She's Having a Baby and Uncle Buck.

Holidate, a 2020 Netflix romantic comedy starring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, is set in Winnetka.

[35] A popular TV series, Sisters (1991–1996), was set primarily in Winnetka, but was not filmed there, except for some exterior establishing shots.