Welcome to Stelle
Stelle (rhymes with
bell) is a small community located amid the cornfields of northeast Illinois.
Currently comprised of 44 households, the community was founded in 1973 by The
Stelle Group, a small not-for-profit organization, in order to create a
supportive environment where individual human development would be a foremost
priority. During the early building of Stelle, when it was a private
community, values such as personal responsibility, lifelong education, positive
attitude, cooperation and democracy were sown. These early values continue
to influence the way of life in Stelle and, as elements of its rich and unique
heritage, remain a vital part of the community's identity.
A common theme of
sustainability demonstrates itself through renewable energy applications as well
as organic gardening and landscaping activities. Located halfway between Chicago and Champaign,
Illinois, Stelle is virtually crime-free. Parents
take full responsibility for raising their children, however, they receive much
support from other community members. Children
play and learn in an atmosphere of protected freedom.
The shared focus on healthy 
human development creates the sense of
belonging to an extended family.
Today no single organization oversees all aspects of community
life... instead, different groups play various roles. The Stelle Community
Association (SCA), which hosts this website, the Center for Sustainable Community (CSC), and numerous community
cooperatives. 
The
Center for Sustainable Community promotes the community through a yearly Earth
Day open house in the spring and a yearly
Solar Tour in
October, as well as through other events and workshops.
Midwest Permaculture
is headquartered in Stelle.
Emphasis on self-reliance and self-sufficiency
manifests through community
ownership and operation of water and sewage treatment plants as well as The
Stelle Telephone Company, America's first completely solar powered telephone
mutual. The community water treatment plant is powered in part with electricity
from a wind generator. Many homes utilize solar panels, and Stelle is the home
for the Midwest sales office of SunWize Technologies a solar power manufacturer.
Self-reliance and self-sufficiency also manifest through numerous cooperatives, including a parent operated early learning Co-op known as The Learning Circle, a community Garden co-op, a Monday night dinner co-op, and a tool co-op. Cooperative living rather than communal living describes the community essence and this approach has birthed a unique set of community traditions. While cooperative spirit abounds, Stelle also is a place for pioneering individuals. All of the community's homes are privately owned. Residents support themselves in a variety of pursuits. This includes privately owned businesses located inside as well as outside the community. Some residents travel outside the community for employment.
There is widespread interest in holistic, preventive health practices. Homeopathy, nutrition, kinesiology, herbology, mental and emotional balancing, and physical fitness are popular in Stelle. Common activities such as organic gardening, shared meals, meditation, food preservation, and community beautification emerge from a shared respect for life. Stelle holds the distinction as the second smallest community to receive the Tree City Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation.
We are grateful for the dedicated effort of Mark Hoffman for creating this website.
This website is maintained by the Stelle Community Association.
Click here to send comments or report difficulties to the webmaster.