The Story of St. Anne
St. Anne is one of the most culturally distinct communities in all of Kankakee County. This is a place where the Old World and the Prairie collide, and where faith has been the foundation for over 170 years.
The geography of faith: St. Anne sits slightly apart from the main Kankakee County corridor. This remove has been a gift. While Bradley and Bourbonnais exploded with suburban growth, St. Anne kept its character — a village where you see families who can trace their roots back to Quebec, where the church still presides over the essential moments of life, where the dining options include both a place called "Gossip and Gravy" and white-tablecloth Italian fine dining. It is genuinely remarkable.
The Kankakee County Humane Foundation (KCHF) is based in St. Anne — proof that this small town cares about its animals and its people. St. Anne Community High School serves a wide rural attendance area with intense community pride. In a village of 1,200, there are three golf courses. Three. The flat prairie landscape, the faith that founded the town, the small businesses that serve the community — these things matter more than size.
Why We Love St. Anne
This is a place where deep cultural roots still run through the community — not as museum piece, but as living heritage. Where small business means a café called "Gossip and Gravy" and fine Italian dining inside a country club. Where three golf courses serve a village of 1,200. Where the church that was built in 1853 is still the center of gravity. St. Anne is proof that small towns contain multitudes.
Landmarks & Institutions
5Dining & Gathering Places
9Schools
2Community Services
1St. Anne, Illinois is a village of approximately 1,200 residents in Kankakee County, founded in 1851 by Father Charles Chiniquy, a French-Canadian Catholic priest. The town is home to St. Anne Catholic Church, which has anchored the community's spiritual and cultural life for over 170 years. Dining options include Gossip and Gravy (breakfast/lunch), La Villetta at the Kankakee Elks Country Club (fine Italian dining), and multiple casual dining venues. Three golf courses serve St. Anne and the surrounding area: Kankakee Elks Country Club, Oak Springs Golf Course, and Shamrock Golf Club. The Kankakee County Humane Foundation, the county's animal shelter, is based in St. Anne. St. Anne Community High School serves students from across a rural attendance area with strong community pride and athletics programs. This is a place where French-Canadian heritage, Catholic faith, small-town values, and modern community life intersect.