Shermer, Illinois is home to many fine residents, including the Bueller's, the Donnelly's, the Baker's, and the Griswold's. We know it's located somewhere in the outskirts of Chicago, but where?

Although the village of Shermer as we know it doesn't exist, it isn't completely fictional. Located 25 miles north of downtown Chicago is Northbrook, IL, where John Hughes grew up and continues to reside. Northbrook was originally named Shermerville, after an early settler named Frederick Schermer, who donated the land for the first railroad station (Schermer Station - later renamed Shermer Station). By the 20s, however, citizens felt their town had a bad reputation and decided to rename the town. A contest was held and the name Northbrook was chosen.

The fictional version of Shermer, Illinois blossomed out of Hughes' experiences while growing up in a community that is home to both the richer and the poorer. Hughes has said in an interview with lollipop.com (while talking about the Shermer that is depicted in Reach the Rock), "The whole notion of Shermer came out of that heterogenous kind of society, very extreme - I mean, at one point I went from a school with 1100 students to one with thirty. I remember this one kid, an eighth-grader, who had his teeth rotted out. Eighth grade. It was like Deliverance. But then at the same time, you'd have the richest kid in town in your school as well, so even in this tiny set-up, you had both ends of the economic spectrum, real extremes. I've always wanted to write a history of Shermer, because it'd be kind of the history of postwar America. Haven't got around to it yet, though."

Some More Northbrook Facts:

• Northbrook had only 500 residents when it was renamed. It now has over 33,000.
• The post office had many names over the years, including Sherman and Shermerville. (Whenever the post office's name changed, so did the township's.)
• In September a local festival called Shermerfest is held.
• Northbrook celebrated its centennial in 2001.
• Glenbrook North High School (featured in The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off) is located on 2300 Shermer Road.