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Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Elk Grove Village is a village in Cook and DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Per the 2020 census, the population was 32,812. Located 20 mi northwest of Chicago along the Golden Corridor, the Village of Elk Grove Village was incorporated on July 17, 1956. It is directly adjacent to O'Hare International Airport and is economically important to the Chicago metropolitan area due to its large industrial park, located on the eastern border of the village. The community is served by several Interstate highways including I-90, I-290/I-355/Route 53, and IL-390. Elk Grove is also expected to be served by the I-490 Western O'Hare Bypass upon completion of the project.

Pre-colonial and colonial eras
The land that is now the Village of Elk Grove was controlled by the Miami Confederacy (which contained the Illini and Kickapoo tribes) starting in the early 1680s. The Confederacy was driven from the area by the Iroquois and Meskwaki in the early 1700s.

The French-allied Potawatomi began to raid and take possession of Northern Illinois in the 1700s. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Potawatomi expanded southwards from their territory in Green Bay and westward from their holdings near Detroit, until they controlled in an L-shaped swath of territory from Green Bay to the Illinois River, and from the Mississippi River to the Maumee River.

In 1833, the Potawatomi signed the 1833 Treaty of Chicago with the United States Government. As a result of the Treaty, the United States was granted control of all land west of Lake Michigan and east of Lake Winnebago in exchange for a tract of land west of the Mississippi. The land that is now Elk Grove was ceded to the U.S. in this treaty, which sparked mass white immigration to the Northern Illinois area. The U.S. Government purchased the land for about 15 cents per acre, and then resold it to white settlers for 1.25 dollars per acre.

Aaron Miner, a revolutionary war veteran, moved to what is now in Elk Grove in 1833. He maintained friendly relations with the remaining Potawatomi, who gave him a firebrand. His wife and daughter often baked cookies which they would trade with the Potawatomi for venison and game.

Incorporation and planned community
The village was formally incorporated in 1956 in Elk Grove Township, and was founded as a planned suburban community. The majority of houses were constructed by Centex Corporation. As part of the original planning concept, the village was to be home to separated residential and industrial areas (the latter of which would later become the largest industrial park in the United States).

Prior to its development as a residential community, it was home to many farmers and their families (mostly German immigrants). Many of the major streets in and around the village are named for these farmers. Busse Farm was the final undeveloped agricultural property in the village, located between Higgins Road and Oakton Street, and was at one time considered as a location for a new Chicago Bears stadium, to replace the aging Soldier Field. In 2018 the land was sold to be developed into the Elk Grove Technology Park.

The original boundaries of Elk Grove Village's residential area were Higgins Road (Illinois Route 72) on the north, State Road (now Arlington Heights Road) on the west, Landmeier Road on the south, and Wildwood Road on the east. The village easily doubled in size during the 1960s. By the end of the decade, most of the land between O'Hare Airport and I-290/IL-53 was developed. As the village expanded to the south and west, new roads, schools, and parks were added to the community. Rupley Elementary was the first school to be constructed in Elk Grove Village. It was named after Ira Rupley, an executive vice president at Centex who helped lead the early development of the village.

In the 1970s, the village developed land west of the expressway in Schaumburg Township along with industrial development into Addison Township. New apartment communities were constructed in Elk Grove Village along Tonne Road and Ridge Avenue. These developments have since been sectioned, and some converted to condominium homes. The village saw continuous residential, commercial, and industrial growth during the 1980s. However, Lively Junior High School was no longer necessary and saw fast-declining enrollment numbers. It was shut down by the school district, leased to Elk Grove Park District, and remodeled to become the Jack E. Claes Pavilion Recreation Facility. School District 59 built administrative offices at the site.

In 1982, Elk Grove Village was briefly in the national spotlight with one of the first reported deaths in the Chicago Tylenol murders case with the death of 12-year-old Mary Kellerman, who died after taking a Tylenol capsule that was laced with potassium cyanide. The case led to the development of more stringent FDA regulations around tamper-evident technology.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the village embarked on a series of beautification and redevelopment programs which included the installation of a clock tower at Village Hall, installation of brick-paved crosswalks in residential areas, new landscaping in boulevards and other public lands, and installation of retro-themed street lights.

In 2006, Elk Grove Village became one of the first municipalities in Illinois to enact a public smoking ban, and in 2008 became one of the first Chicago suburbs to use red light cameras. In June 2010, Elk Grove Village's Municipal Administration and Public Safety Complex was LEED Gold Certified by the US Green Building Council.

Economy
Elk Grove Village is home to the largest consolidated business park in North America. There are nearly 3,600 businesses operating in the Village's 5.9 sqmi business park along the western edge of O'Hare International Airport, employing nearly 100,000 persons. In 2018, the business park became the title sponsor of the Bahamas Bowl college football bowl game, making it officially the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl after the business park's advertising slogan, "Makers Wanted".

The Elk Grove business park is home to the largest concentration of manufacturers in the Midwest; the largest concentration of logistic freight companies in the United States, and the second-largest source of manufacturing in Illinois behind only the City of Chicago. The village is home to many large data centers which rely upon the convergence of national fiber optic networks and natural gas lines in Elk Grove, which has other strategic advantages for business including the convergence of national fiber optic cables, national gasoline and oil pipelines, and a virtually unlimited supply of fresh water from Lake Michigan.

Elk Grove Village is home to Alexian Brothers Medical Center (ABMC) hospital, which is the largest employer in the community with over 2,200 workers. There are a number of other well-known corporations including Apple Vacations, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Illinois Tool Works (ITW), ADP, CitiGroup, Norman Distribution, Symons, and Pepsi Cola Distribution.

In 2014, the city launched a new website to serve as an online oasis for all things business related in the city. Current and prospective businesses and real estate professionals can access tools and resources for recruitment resources, work referrals, job requests and more. Those that own or work for a business within Elk Grove qualify for a free membership and profile.

On December 30, 2014, Global Trade Magazine named Elk Grove Village one of America's best cities for global trade.

Top employers
According to the village's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the village are:

Geography
Central Elk Grove Village is located at 42.00306°N, -87.99639°W (42.003178, −87.996418). The geographic confluence point of 42°N and 88°W is also located within the village, on Brantwood Avenue.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Elk Grove Village has a total area of 11.66 sqmi, of which 11.60 sqmi (or 99.51%) is land and 0.06 sqmi (or 0.49%) is water.

Education
Areas east of I-290 are served by Elk Grove High School (which is a part of Illinois High School District 214) and Community Consolidated School District 59. Areas west of I-290 are served by James B. Conant High School which is part of Township High School District 211 and Mead Junior High which is part of Community Consolidated School District 54. Queen of the Rosary Catholic School is located in Elk Grove Village and was named by Chicago magazine in 2014 as one of the top 25 private elementary schools in the Chicago area. Elk Grove Village has many other national and state award-winning schools and instructors.

Schools in Elk Grove Village:

Elementary schools:
 * Adlai Stevenson Elementary
 * Admiral Byrd Elementary
 * Adolph Link Elementary. Top 10 Illinois Blue Ribbon Public Schools (2018–19)
 * Clearmont Elementary
 * Nerge Elementary (in Roselle, serving the far west side of Elk Grove Village)
 * Ridge Family Center for Learning
 * Rupley Elementary
 * Salt Creek Elementary
 * Queen of the Rosary
 * Sterling Central

Middle schools:
 * Margaret Mead
 * Grove Jr. High
 * Queen of the Rosary

High schools:
 * Elk Grove High School. Principal Paul Kelly named 2018 Illinois High School Principal of the Year.
 * James Conant High School (in Hoffman Estates, serving the West Side of Elk Grove Village)
 * Prairie Lake
 * Sterling Central

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 32,812 people, 12,835 households, and 8,870 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,814.07 PD/sqmi. There were 13,945 housing units at an average density of 1,195.97 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 73.30% White, 12.04% Asian, 1.89% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.93% from other races, and 7.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 12.16% of the population.

There were 12,835 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.75% were married couples living together, 9.47% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.89% were non-families. 27.71% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.77% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 2.51.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.2% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $85,240, and the median income for a family was $105,398. Males had a median income of $62,607 versus $44,059 for females. The per capita income for the village was $41,703. About 3.0% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

Media
The area metropolitan newspapers are the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. Elk Grove Village is also served by the Daily Herald and Journal & Topics Media Group, publishers of the weekly Elk Grove Journal and the monthly Elk Grove Business Journal.

Religion
The Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit in Elk Grove Village remains the only church plant still in existence which was planted and pastored by the Rev. Dr. Martin E. Marty. Though Dr. Marty became a founding influence in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, because the church was planted within the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, it remains a member church of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Another prominent Pastor there was the Bishop Roger Pittelko of The English District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago operates the area's Catholic churches. On July 1, 2020, St. Julian Eymard Parish and Queen of the Rosary Parish will merge, with the latter having both the combined church and the school.

Sports
In July 2018, the village, as part of its "Makers Wanted" campaign announced that they would be taking over its naming rights sponsorship of the Bahamas Bowl beginning with its 2018 edition of the bowl.

Elk
As the name suggests, Elk Grove Village is home to a small herd of elk kept in a grove at the eastern edge of the Busse Woods forest preserve for which the grove is named. Elk were originally native to the area (and most of the Eastern United States) but had been extirpated by the early 1800s. The tradition of the Elk Grove herd began when elk were brought by train from Montana by an early resident, William Busse, in the 1920s. The elk are currently maintained by the Chicago Zoological Society veterinary staff and the Busse Woods Forest Preserve wildlife biologists.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on Route 223 connecting Elk Grove Village to the Rosemont 'L' station and other destinations.

Notable people

 * Robert L. Baird, jockey
 * Jessica Calalang, figure skater, 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships silver medalist and 2020 ISU Skate America silver medalist in pair skating
 * Billy Corgan, lead singer and guitarist for rock band Smashing Pumpkins
 * Dave Cullen, author
 * Dylan Dodd, MLB pitcher
 * Stephanie Faracy, actress
 * Sarah Gorden, current National Women's Soccer League player with Angel City FC
 * Kelli Hubly, current National Women's Soccer League player with the Portland Thorns FC
 * James Iha, Guitarist for Smashing Pumpkins, and A Perfect Circle
 * Steven Kazmierczak, perpetrator of the Northern Illinois University shooting
 * Jerry B. Jenkins, co-author of the Left Behind series
 * Bill Kelly, screenwriter; born and raised in Elk Grove Village
 * Irene Kotowicz, former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * John Kotz, basketball player on Wisconsin's 1941 NCAA championship team
 * John Loprieno, actor (One Life to Live)
 * John McDonough, former president of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Cubs
 * Katie Naughton, current National Women's Soccer League player with the Chicago Red Stars
 * Dave Otto, former Major League Baseball player and Chicago Cubs and ESPN broadcast analyst
 * Ailyn Pérez, American operatic soprano and the winner of the 2012 Richard Tucker Award
 * Erin Walter, former USL W-League player

Sister cities

 * 🇮🇹 Termini Imerese, Sicily, Italy

title: Elk Grove Village, Illinois


text:
Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst is a city mostly in DuPage County and overlapping into Cook County in the U.S. state of Illinois, and a western suburb of Chicago.

History
Members of the Potawatomi Native American people, who settled along Salt Creek just south of where the city would develop, are the earliest known settlers of the Elmhurst area. Around 1836, European-American immigrants settled on tracts of land along the same creek. At what would become Elmhurst City Centre, a native of Ohio named Gerry Bates established a community on a tract of "treeless land" in 1842.

The following year, Hill Cottage Tavern opened where St. Charles Road and Cottage Hill Avenue presently intersect. In 1845, the community was officially named Cottage Hill when a post office was established. Four years later, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was given right-of-way through the community, giving farmers easier access to Chicago. The first Elmhurst railroad station was built in 1894. The community changed its name to Elmhurst in 1869, and in 1871 Elmhurst University was organized. The land for Elmhurst University was gifted by prominent resident Thomas Barbour Bryan. Bryan (often referred to as the "Father of Elmhurst") played an important role in the development of the town, and has been as the one responsible for renaming the town.

Elmhurst was incorporated as a village in 1882, with a population between 723 and 1,050, and legal boundaries of St. Charles Road to North Avenue, and one half mile west and one quarter mile east of York Street. Elmhurst Memorial Hospital was founded in 1926 as the first hospital in DuPage County.

The Memorial Parade has run every Memorial Day since 1918. The annual Elmhurst St. Patrick's Day Parade continues to be the third largest parade of that sort in the Chicago area, following the more famous parades downtown and on the city's South Side.

Since 1964, it has been home to Elmhurst CRC, one of the largest congregations of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

The Keebler Company's corporate headquarters was in Elmhurst until 2001, when the Kellogg Company purchased the company. The city is home to the headquarters of Sunshine Biscuits and McMaster-Carr Supply Co.

In 2014, Family Circle magazine ranked Elmhurst as one of the "Ten Best U.S. Towns for Families".

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Elmhurst has a total area of 10.28 sqmi, of which 10.22 sqmi (or 99.42%) is land and 0.06 sqmi (or 0.58%) is water.

Due to local topography, the town has had a tendency to flood in the past after large rainfalls; the city is currently undertaking a large effort to mitigate future flooding.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 45,786 people, 16,808 households, and 12,110 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,454.76 PD/sqmi. There were 17,260 housing units at an average density of 1,679.32 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 80.47% White, 6.51% Asian, 2.14% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.92% from other races, and 7.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.32% of the population.

There were 16,808 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.37% were married couples living together, 6.49% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.95% were non-families. 24.44% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.61% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.26 and the average family size was 2.70.

The city's age distribution consisted of 25.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $123,869, and the median income for a family was $148,663. Males had a median income of $83,584 versus $46,935 for females. The per capita income for the city was $59,911. About 2.1% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Top employers
According to Elmhurst's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture

 * The Theatre Historical Society of America is focused on the preservation of dance, opera, and movie theaters and includes a collection of objects from many theaters that are no longer in existence. Among the items on display is a scale model of the 1927 Avalon Theater (now known as the New Regal Theater).
 * Wilder Park Conservatory
 * A 150 ft limestone quarry covering about 59 acre is located half a mile west of downtown along West Avenue and 1st Street. A tunnel from Salt Creek diverts water into the quarry in case of a flood. The Salt Creek Trail is also accessible from the area. The quarry is an important piece of DuPage County's stormwater management system, and can hold up to 8300 acre-ft of stormwater.
 * Each spring, the company RGL Marketing for the Arts runs the event, Art in Wilder Park. The event takes place in centrally located Wilder Park, which is also home to the Wilder Mansion, the Elmhurst Public Library, the Wilder Park Conservatory and the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art. The event "features of a juried show of fine arts, crafts and original creations of over 100 artists, including jewelry, glass, ceramics, painting, wood, photography, sculpture, paper and mixed media." The event also hosts live music and entertainment and over 40 food vendors.
 * Elmhurst is home to multiple residential homes built by significant architects, including but not limited to Mies van der Rohe (McCormick House), Frank Lloyd Wright (F.B. Henderson House), Walter Burley Griffin (William H. Emery House, Sloane House), and R. Harold Zook.

Government
Timeline for Elmhurst's leadership:
 * 1882 - Incorporated as a village in June.
 * 1882 - Henry Glos elected as first village president.
 * 1887 - Peter Wolf elected as village president.
 * 1902 - Edwin Heidemann elected as village president.
 * 1905 - Henry C. Schumacher elected as village president.
 * 1908 - C. J. Albert elected as village president.
 * 1910 - Adopted city form of government.
 * 1910 - Henry C. Schumacher elected as first city mayor.
 * 1912 - F. W. M. Hammerschmidt elected as mayor.
 * 1919 - Otto Balgemann elected as mayor.
 * 1931 - Edward Blatter elected as mayor.
 * 1933 - Claude Van Auken elected as mayor.
 * 1945 - William S. Fellows elected as mayor.
 * 1951 - Ervin F. Wilson elected as mayor.
 * 1957 - Benjamin Allison elected as mayor.
 * 1961 - Charles Weigel elected as mayor.
 * 1973 - Ray W. Fick, Jr. elected as mayor.
 * 1977 - Abner Ganet elected as mayor.
 * 1985 - Robert J. Quinn elected as mayor.
 * 1989 - Charles H. Garrigues elected as mayor.
 * 1993 - Thomas D. Marcucci elected as mayor.
 * 2009 - Peter P. DiCianni elected as mayor.
 * 2013 - Steven Morley elected as mayor.
 * 2021 - Scott M. Levin elected as mayor.

Education
Elmhurst University is a local college of the area. It is a four-year private liberal arts college affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

School districts serving Elmhurst include:
 * Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 serves most of the city; its high school is York Community High School
 * Salt Creek School District 48
 * DuPage High School District 88
 * Hillside School District 93 serves the Cook County portion; in 1953 this portion had 45 houses
 * Students at Hillside 93 move on to Proviso West High School of the Proviso Township High Schools District 209

Private schools:
 * IC Catholic Prep, formerly Immaculate Conception High School
 * Timothy Christian School
 * Immaculate Conception Grade School
 * Immanuel Lutheran Grade School
 * Visitation Catholic Grade School

Transportation
Elmhurst is served by Pace buses, and the Metra Union Pacific West Line through the Elmhurst station. The Union Pacific Railroad has freight service on the Metra line and the Canadian National Railway serves the former Illinois Central line south of the Metra line, known as the Freeport Subdivision. O'Hare International Airport is roughly 18 minutes from Elmhurst, and Chicago Midway International Airport is roughly 33 minutes from Elmhurst.

During the summers and December, Elmhurst also has the "Elmhurst Express Trolley", a free weekend trolley that connects downtown Elmhurst to the Spring Road businesses and the Elmhurst Public Library. It runs Friday-Saturday and the $40,000 cost comes out of visiting and tourism fund.

Former services
Elmhurst was previously served by the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad, an electric interurban rail line. The station opened in 1902 as "South Elmhurst" until being renamed to "York St." The station closed in 1959 after the CA&E ceased operations. The Illinois Prairie Path now runs over the former line.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Elmhurst, Illinois


text:
Elmwood Park, Illinois

Elmwood Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 24,521 at the 2020 census. The community has long maintained a large Italian-American population, with a more recent influx of Polish-American and Hispanic residents.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Elmwood Park has a total area of 1.91 sqmi, all land.

History
Elmwood Park was incorporated as a village in early April 1914 in order to prevent annexation by the greater city of Chicago. Today one can still see evidence of a minority of landowners, or share farmers who voted for annexation to the city in 1915 by the odd chunk taken out of Elmwood Park's northeast corner, which kept the community from achieving a full square rectangular border.

At the turn of the century, urban dwellers would take a train on the Milwaukee Road, (which is now Canadian Pacific) westward out of the harsh concrete city for family picnics at the "Elm-Wood-Park," which was an ancient "Grove of majestic 180 year old Elms" found near 72nd Ave/Harlem and Irving Park Road. Taking advantage of the park's provenance, a new cemetery was named Elmwood, while the closest train stop to both cemetery and park in unincorporated Marwood/Ellsworth became identified with the official name of "Elmwood Park." During the pressure era of incorporation a decade later, the village's founding representatives thought it most ideal to legally title the community after the stop, and after the namesake elm, which is a native, locally evolved, riparian prairie "bottomland" tree species.

Russell's Barbecue, the oldest continuously operating barbecue restaurant in Chicagoland, is located in Elmwood Park.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 24,521 people, 9,223 households, and 5,979 families residing in the village. The population density was 12,851.68 PD/sqmi. There were 10,068 housing units at an average density of 5,276.73 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 63.68% White, 3.02% African American, 0.98% Native American, 3.18% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 15.65% from other races, and 13.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.07% of the population.

There were 9,223 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.55% were married couples living together, 12.43% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.17% were non-families. 32.53% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.73% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.37 and the average family size was 2.61.

The village's age distribution consisted of 21.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 28% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $63,312, and the median income for a family was $84,159. Males had a median income of $40,257 versus $34,548 for females. The per capita income for the village was $31,248. About 4.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Elmwood Park's public schools are operated under Illinois Community Unit School District #401. The schools include:

High school
 * Elmwood Park High School

Middle school
 * Elm Middle School

Elementary schools
 * John Mills Elementary School
 * Elmwood Elementary School

Transportation
Elmwood Park is accessible via Elmwood Park station on Metra's Milwaukee District West Line, which provides daily rail service between Elgin, Illinois, and Chicago Union Station. Pace and CTA provide bus service on multiple routes connecting Elmwood Park to destinations across the region.

Sister city

 * 🇮🇹 Frosinone, Lazio, Italy (from 1996)

Village Presidents

 * 1) Carl E. Johnson, Jr.: 1914-1915
 * 2) Merritt B. Marwood: 1915-1920
 * 3) Adolph H. Bracher: 1921-1923
 * 4) John R. Beck: 1924-1929
 * 5) Gerald R. Howe: 1929-1931
 * 6) Charles P. Hoehamer: 1931-1933
 * 7) Thomas Careyd: 1933-1935
 * 8) John A. Cullerton: 1935-1948
 * 9) Adam J. Roulo: 1948-1953
 * 10) Elmer W. Conti: 1953-1985
 * 11) Don Storino: 1985-1987
 * 12) Richard G. Torpe: 1987-1989
 * 13) Peter N. Silvestri: 1989-2013
 * 14) Angelo Saviano: since 2013

Notable people

 * Elmer W. Conti, Illinois businessman and politician
 * John Giannini, college basketball coach
 * Lee Loughnane, trumpet player and founding member of the rock band Chicago
 * Jeff Mauro, television personality, Food Network
 * Ray Nitschke, linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

title: Elmwood Park, Illinois


text:
Evergreen Park, Illinois

Evergreen Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. In 2020, the population was 19,943.

History
As early as 1828, a German farming family had settled in the area of what is now Evergreen Park. In the succeeding decades, other German immigrants arrived. Kedzie Avenue and 95th Street crisscrossed the farmland and provided access to markets.

The first railroad (now the Grand Trunk Railroad) came through the area in 1873. In 1875, the community built its first school just west of 95th and Kedzie. The school and the stores that began to cluster around this intersection defined the community's main business area. Nearby, a real-estate developer, with a vision of the Arc de Triomphe area of Paris, laid out a star-shaped park with eight streets radiating from it. The evergreen trees planted in the park inspired the village's name. The location and layout of the park was intended to be the center of town, but 95th St and Kedzie Ave. later proved a more accurate midpoint. After the death of Mayor Henry Klein shortly after the village's 75th anniversary, the park was renamed Klein Park in his honor.

In 1888 St. Mary's Cemetery opened, and mourners traveled by train from Chicago. Restaurants and taverns were created to provide meals for cemetery visitors. Within five years, the village had become a recreation center that attracted hundreds of Chicagoans to its picnic groves, beer gardens, and dance halls. The first of the village's 13 churches was established in 1893.

As a result of the financial panic of the 1890s, several surrounding communities voted to be annexed by Chicago. Realizing the current and future potential of its strong business district, and in order to avoid annexation during the serious economic crisis, The Village of Evergreen Park declared its independence and was incorporated on December 20, 1893. Prior to its incorporation, the village was sustained by approximately 500 regional residents. The final decision to incorporate as its own entity separate from the City of Chicago was made by a 41 out of 50 approval by village residents. John M. Foley, a real estate and insurance agent, became the village's first mayor. During the 1890s, The Village of Evergreen Park officially occupied an area of four square miles; it now covers an area of the same size.

In 1899, shortly after its incorporation, the village introduced telephone services to the community. In 1910, gas and electric lines were extended into homes and street lights were erected. By 1920, most of the village's homes had indoor plumbing, although some residents still used a well located behind the village hall as their water source.

In the early 20th century, many residents still farmed and there were many open fields within the town limits. As a result, fire was a constant threat and the water supply was scarce. In July 1918, a spark from a passing train set the original village hall on fire. Despite villagers' attempts to douse the flames, the village hall was destroyed. In 1920, a new village hall was built and the population grew to 800.

In 1930, Little Company of Mary Hospital was opened at 95th and California. Within the first year of its inception, 232 babies were born.

In 1967, a violent and damaging F4 tornado occurred in Evergreen Park and other nearby suburbs.

While the village remains small in size, it is only seventeen miles southwest of the Loop. The Village is also currently surrounded by Chicago on the north, south, and east sides. Evergreen Park is also known as the "Village of Churches" because of its thirteen established religious congregations within close proximity.

First successful organ transplant
On June 17, 1950, Little Company of Mary Hospital, located at 2800 W. 95th St. in Evergreen Park, was the site of the world's first successful organ transplant. Dr. Richard Lawler, MD, an exceptional surgeon at Cook County Hospital, led a team of doctors that performed the hazardous and highly controversial operation. In order to prepare for the experimental procedure, Lawler spent several years researching and practicing various organ transplants and used canines as the testing subjects. He concluded through his research that the most probable means of achieving success for organ transplantation would involve a human kidney from a post-mortem donor. Realizing he had the opportunity "get it all started," Lawler decided to attempt the medical first on a chronically ill patient in dire need of a new kidney. The recipient of the first successful organ transplantation was Ruth Tucker, a 44-year-old Chicago-area woman who suffered from terminal polycystic kidney disease. Tucker amazingly survived for another 5 years.

Dr. Lawler's pioneering achievement did not escape criticism. He was repudiated by many of his colleagues and criticized by the Catholic church. By the 1970s, with organ transplantation evolving into a widely recognized life-saving necessity, Lawler and his entire team earned the much-deserved respect from the medical community, and their reputation healed. Dr. Lawler retired in 1979 and died in 1982.

Historical landmarks

 * Evergreen Plaza, "The Plaza"

The Evergreen Plaza, located on 95th and Western, was an indoor shopping mall originating from the early 1950s. In 1952, real estate developer Arthur Rubloff debuted the Evergreen Plaza in the heart of the southwest Chicago suburbs. A few years after the shopping mall's debut, Rubloff decided to enclose the mall thereby making it the first indoor shopping mall in the Chicago area. As a result, Rubloff changed shopping by allowing people the opportunity to pull up, park, and shop for various goods all in one place. Since the 1950s the Evergreen Park Plaza had seen more than $8 million in major internal & external improvements. Evergreen Plaza was shortened to be acknowledged as, "The Plaza". The Plaza covered 1200000 sqft, and two stories. As of 2006, The Plaza had an annual visitor count of roughly 7 million people. After 61 years of operation, The Plaza closed for redevelopment on May 31, 2013. The Plaza, in its new form, re-opened on October 18, 2018, and was renamed the Evergreen Marketplace.

Geography
Evergreen Park is located at 41.72°N, -87.7025°W (41.719933, −87.702499). The suburb is surrounded by the city of Chicago on three of its sides, while Oak Lawn and Hometown border it on the west. Chicago's Ashburn community is to its north, Beverly is to its east, and Beverly and Mount Greenwood are to its south.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Evergreen Park has a total area of 3.16 sqmi,all land.

U.S. Route 12 and U.S. Route 20 bisect Evergreen Park as 95th street.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 19,943 people, 7,161 households, and 4,964 families residing in the village. The population density was 6,305.09 PD/sqmi. There were 7,585 housing units at an average density of 2,398.04 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 57.84% White, 24.49% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 7.87% from other races, and 8.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.10% of the population.

There were 7,161 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.21% were married couples living together, 14.89% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.68% were non-families. 28.45% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.30 and the average family size was 2.67.

The village's age distribution consisted of 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $79,396, and the median income for a family was $97,958. Males had a median income of $61,171 versus $43,148 for females. The per capita income for the village was $35,328. About 4.0% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over. ''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

Government and politics
Evergreen Park is in Illinois's 1st congressional district, and its congressman is Democrat Jonathan Jackson. It is also a part of Illinois’s 6th congressional district, represented by Democrat Sean Casten. The village backed Barack Obama by a margin of 61.25% to 37.40% over John McCain in 2008. Evergreen Park leans moderately Democratic as John Kerry beat George W. Bush here 55.77% to 43.40% in 2004. This is slightly more Democratic than in 2000 when Bush lost to Al Gore 51.13% to 45.60% in the village. The most Republican area of the village is the Southwest quadrant which went for Bush both years. (In 2000 Bush won 51.29% to 45.24%, and in 2004, Bush won 49.91% to 49.31%.).

The current mayor of Evergreen Park is Kelly Burke.

Transportation
Pace and CTA provide bus service on multiple routes connecting Evergreen Park to destinations across the Southland.

Notable people

 * Tom Baldwin, professional football player, New York Jets
 * Chris Chelios, retired NHL and Olympic player, member of Hockey Hall of Fame, born in Evergreen Park
 * Tony Cingrani, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, born in Evergreen Park
 * Bil Dwyer, comedian and game show host, born in Evergreen Park
 * Jenny McCarthy, Playboy playmate, actress, television host, born in Evergreen Park
 * Jim Dwyer, outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams, born in Evergreen Park
 * Ed Farmer, MLB pitcher (1971–83) and White Sox radio announcer, born and raised in Evergreen Park
 * Ruben Gallego, member of the United States House of Representatives from Arizona's 7th congressional district since 2015. Gallego was raised in Evergreen Park and attended Evergreen Park Community High School.
 * Rick Gorecki, MLB pitcher, born in Evergreen Park
 * Tom Gorzelanny, pitcher for the Washington Nationals, attended Marist High School
 * Brad Guzan, soccer player with Atlanta United FC and U.S. international
 * Wayne Huizenga, former CEO of Blockbuster; founder of AutoNation, the Florida Marlins, and the Florida Panthers; owner of the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium; born and raised in Evergreen Park.
 * Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer, winner of Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; died in Evergreen Park
 * Ted Kaczynski, notorious figure better known as the Unabomber, graduated from Evergreen Park High School
 * Jane Lynch, actress, comedian, and author. Born in Evergreen Park in 1960
 * Scott Meyer, catcher for the Oakland Athletics
 * Maureen Murphy, chairman of the Cook County Republican Party (2002–04)
 * Rasmea Odeh, convicted of immigration fraud, for concealing her arrest, conviction, and imprisonment for fatal terrorist bombing
 * Rich Nugent, member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida (2011–2017). He was raised in Evergreen Park.
 * Frank M. Ozinga (1914–1987), Illinois state senator and lawyer; born in Evergreen Park
 * Donn Pall, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox (1988–98), raised in Evergreen Park
 * David Patterson, a computer pioneer and academic, born in Evergreen Park
 * Billy Pierce, pitcher, broadcaster and scout for the Chicago White Sox
 * Bill Rancic, television personality; born in Evergreen Park
 * Lou Pote, MLB pitcher, born in Evergreen Park
 * Joe Shanahan, owner of Metro Chicago, born and raised in Evergreen Park
 * Kevin Sullivan, former White House Communications Director, born and raised in Evergreen Park
 * Joseph C. Szabo, 12th Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (2009–2015). He was born in Evergreen Park.
 * John Tumpane (born 1983), baseball umpire
 * Mike Wengren, drummer for metal band Disturbed

Schools
It is located within the Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124 and the Evergreen Park Community High School District 231.

Public schools:
 * Northeast Elementary
 * Northwest Elementary
 * Southeast Elementary
 * Southwest Elementary
 * Central Middle School
 * Evergreen Park Community High School

Private schools:
 * Most Holy Redeemer School
 * Queen of Martyrs

Brother Rice High School, Mother McAuley High School, and St. Rita High School are all private schools located in Chicago in close proximity to Evergreen Park. St. Xavier University also borders Chicago and Evergreen Park.

Notable events
Evergreen Park Little League hosted the 2009 Little League State Championship. The event was broadcast on Comcast.

title: Evergreen Park, Illinois


text:
Flossmoor, Illinois

Flossmoor is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,704 at the 2020 census. Flossmoor is approximately 24 miles south of The Loop/Downtown Chicago. It is closely tied to neighboring Homewood, sharing a high school and park district.

History
Although Flossmoor's founding and settlement can be traced to the 19th century, the city was first recognized as an affluent community in the 1920s when it became known as a cultural and recreational mecca of elite country clubs and stately golf courses.

The 1920 PGA Championship and the Western Open golf tournaments of 1906 and 1912 were held in town. Flossmoor was incorporated as a village in 1924. In the years since, Flossmoor has gained recognition from area real estate and tourist concerns as the "status" suburb of south/southwest suburban Chicago. By the 1970s, Flossmoor had transitioned from a white Protestant community to the home of many Jewish Americans and Italian Americans. As of the 2010s, Flossmoor's population is predominantly African American.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Flossmoor has a total area of 3.66 sqmi, all land. Flossmoor has a station on the Metra Electric Main Line, which provides access to the Chicago Loop and the University of Chicago.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 9,704 people, 3,391 households, and 2,499 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,650.64 PD/sqmi. There were 3,702 housing units at an average density of 1,011.20 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 58.81% African American, 31.11% White, 0.22% Native American, 1.95% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.62% from other races, and 6.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.76% of the population.

There were 3,391 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 7.87% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.30% were non-families. 20.82% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.07% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 2.74.

The village's age distribution consisted of 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 18% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $107,271, and the median income for a family was $119,836. Males had a median income of $80,609 versus $57,873 for females. The per capita income for the village was $56,195. About 4.0% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Flossmoor is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district. It has an elected mayor, Michelle Nelson, and elected village trustees, as well as a professional village manager, Bridget Wachtel.

Education
Children in grades K-8, attend schools under the jurisdiction of public school district 161. School District 161 has four elementary schools, Western Avenue, Serena Hills, Flossmoor Hills, and Heather Hill, all of which serve students in grades K-5. After attending elementary school, students go to Mardell M. Parker Junior High School, which serves children in grades 6–8.

The majority of students in the area then go on to attend the local public high school, Homewood-Flossmoor High School (School District #233), which is a three-time recipient of the U.S. Department of Education's Blue Ribbon Award for excellence.

Flossmoor is home to Infant Jesus of Prague School, a private, Roman Catholic K-8 school operated by St. Veronica Parish, formerly Infant Jesus of Prague Parish, which merged in 2022 with St. Irenaeus in Park Forest IL (permanently closed) and St. Lawrence O'Toole in Matteson IL (also permanently closed). IJP, as the school is known, is a two-time winner of the U.S. Department of Education's Blue Ribbon Award.

Transportation
The Flossmoor station provides Metra commuter rail service along the Metra Electric District. Trains travel north to Millennium station in Chicago, and south to University Park station.

Notable people

 * Nnedi Okorafor
 * George Shultz
 * Beryl Sprinkel
 * Ed Derwinski
 * George Stigler
 * Buddy Guy
 * John Dean
 * Michael Beschloss
 * Stephen Douglas Johnson
 * George Nolfi
 * Andy Tennant
 * Xavier Fulton
 * Brian Kerwin
 * Philip Hart Cullom
 * Jason Benetti

title: Flossmoor, Illinois


text:
Ford Heights, Illinois

Ford Heights (formerly East Chicago Heights) is a village and a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,813 at the 2020 census. Many of the area’s first settlers were African American and since its incorporation in 1949 the village has remained predominantly Black. Due to the lack of commercial activity and financial stability, the village has declined over the years. Urban renewal efforts were attempted in the 1960s, although the village has continued to decline.

Geography
Ford Heights is located at 41.50929°N, -87.58794°W.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Ford Heights has a total area of 1.95 sqmi, all land. The village lies on the edge of the Tinley Moraine.

Surrounding areas

 * Glenwood
 * Chicago Heights [[Image:Up arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Up-1.svg|20px]] [[Image:Up arrow right.svg|20px]] Lynwood
 * Chicago Heights [[Image:Left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Right.svg|20px]] Lynwood
 * Chicago Heights [[Image:Down arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Down arrow.svg|20px]] [[Image:Down arrow right.svg|20px]] Sauk Village
 * Sauk Village

History
The area that would eventually become Ford Heights was first settled in the late 1840s. It served as a stopping point on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves fleeing to freedom. By the early 20th century, the area had developed into an agricultural community of farms operated mostly by Poles, Lithuanians, and Italians. After World War I, African Americans from the Southern U.S. migrated to the area and worked on the farms.

A new subdivision known as the "Park Addition" was created on a farm road from Chicago Heights to Indiana, and it attracted residents to the area during the early 1920s. In 1924, 40 families successfully petitioned for electrical service. Soon after, the main east–west road became a two-lane concrete highway designated as U.S. Route 30, part of the transcontinental Lincoln Highway. By the 1930s, the Park Addition had telephone service and was known as East Chicago Heights. During the 1940s, Alberta Armstrong and others organized both black and white women in the community to raise funds for a new fire truck. By 1948, they had become the East Chicago Heights Citizens Association.

East Chicago Heights was incorporated as a village in 1949. The first mayor was Charlie Williams. In the 1950 census, 1,548 people lived in the village – 76.9% of whom were black. The Ford Motor Company opened a stamping plant adjacent to the village in 1956. The company offered minorities an equal opportunity for well-paying jobs, and East Chicago Heights developed into a blue-collar community inhabited mostly by middle-class black families whose housing choices in suburban Chicago were severely limited at that time. The village's population more than doubled to 3,270 by 1960. That growth continued throughout the decade, with one of the biggest successes being the Sunnyfield subdivision, which opened in 1964 and became one of the most popular neighborhoods in East Chicago Heights.

Towards the end of the 1960s, over 60 acre of housing deemed substandard were cleared and replaced by federally subsidized public housing. These developments attracted lower income residents to East Chicago Heights, which strained the village's resources, already limited by little commercial activity and a small tax base. The population rose to 5,000 in 1970 and peaked at 5,347 in 1980. In an attempt to annex the unincorporated site of the Ford Stamping Plant, the village of East Chicago Heights changed its name to Ford Heights in 1987. The move was unsuccessful, and the land eventually was annexed by the neighboring city of Chicago Heights.

Often viewed as one of Chicago's most impoverished suburbs and at one point the poorest suburb in the United States, Ford Heights has experienced high levels of political corruption, decaying infrastructure, and an elevated crime rate. In 2008, the Cook County Sheriff's Department took over law enforcement duties for the village. Between 1980 and 2020, the population of Ford Heights declined by more than 66%.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 1,813 people, 885 households, and 567 families residing in the village. The population density was 931.65 PD/sqmi. There were 692 housing units at an average density of 355.60 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 91.73% African American, 2.81% White, 0.50% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 2.04% from other races, and 2.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.70% of the population.

There were 885 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 13.33% were married couples living together, 42.82% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.93% were non-families. 30.51% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.67% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.05 and the average family size was 3.06.

The village's age distribution consisted of 24.6% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $37,083, and the median income for a family was $40,082. Males had a median income of $22,263 versus $33,819 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,494. About 36.9% of families and 37.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 66.2% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Ford Heights is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district.

Education
Public education in the village of Ford Heights is provided by Ford Heights School District 169 and Bloom Township High School District 206: Ford Heights School District 169 operates two campuses: Medgar Evers Primary Academic Center (grades PK-4) and Cottage Grove Upper Grade Center (grades 5-8). High school students in Ford Heights attend Bloom Trail High School, which is part of Bloom Township High School District 206.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on routes 357 and 358 connecting Ford Heights to Chicago Heights and other destinations across the Southland.

title: Ford Heights, Illinois


text:
Forest Park, Illinois

Forest Park (formerly Harlem) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. The population was 14,339 at the 2020 census. The Forest Park terminal on the CTA Blue Line is the line's western terminus, located on the Eisenhower Expressway at Des Plaines Avenue. This makes it one of just two municipalities served by the Chicago "L" train network that does not directly border Chicago (the other being Wilmette).

Geography
Forest Park is located at 41.87306°N, -87.81111°W (41.873031, -87.811155). According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Forest Park has a total area of 2.40 sqmi, all land. The Des Plaines River runs through Forest Park.

History
The community (formerly part of a larger town called Harlem) officially became incorporated under the name of Forest Park on April 17, 1907.

For much of its history, Forest Park was known as a "Village of cemeteries", with more dead "residents" than living ones; some figures estimate the ratio at 30:1, dead to alive. Forest Park cemeteries include Altenheim, Forest Home Cemetery (incorporating the German Waldheim Cemetery), Jewish Waldheim (producer Mike Todd is buried in Beth Aaron there ), Woodlawn (including Showmen's Rest),  and Concordia. Forest Home Cemetery is home to the famous Haymarket Martyrs' Monument.

From 1925 to 1931, Forest Park had a radio station with a variety of call letters. The station began in 1925 as WHT. It was known as WNBA, with its studios near Des Plaines and Roosevelt Road from 1927 to 1928. In 1929, the call letters changed again, this time to WSOA and again to WCHI in 1929. As WSOA, the radio station had 5,000 watts of power. It went off the air for good in 1931.

The Naval Ordnance Station Forest Park (originally a Naval Ordnance Plant) operated from early in World War II until most of the plant was replaced by a mall in 1971, with some of the site used as a Naval Reserve center until 2007. The plant employed up to 6,500 workers and produced 19,000 torpedoes during World War II.

In 2007, the town held a summer-long centennial celebration. Forest Park has also held two other centennial celebrations, one in 1956 for when the first settlers came and one in 1984 for the 100th anniversary of the creation of the town of Harlem.

Women's professional baseball/softball has roots in Forest Park. Emery Parichy purchased the Boston Bloomer Girls softball team in the early 1930s, renamed them Emery Parichy's Bloomer Girls, and moved them to Forest Park. The team operated in the suburb until 1955, when the land their softball field was on was taken for the Eisenhower Expressway.

Amusement park
Forest Park was the location of Forest Park Amusement Park, a small but popular amusement park located just west of Desplaines Avenue, and just north of the then Waldheim Cemetery, from 1907 to 1922. Initially, the park was received negatively by Chicago area church members due to its close proximity to the cemetery. However, its public acclaim helped bring in a crowd of approximately five to ten thousand on opening day, and the various rides, games, and shows the park had to offer kept residents coming back. On July 25, 1918, a fire broke out in the swimming pool's boiler room. The fire quickly spread to other utility areas of the park which left firefighters without access to water and power. The park planned to reopen later that same day, though 1/5th of the park was destroyed by the fire. In the years following the fire, the park was mostly successful primarily due to events and activities that helped the community and the park's occasional rallies against prohibition. However, with the 18th Amendment taking effect coupled with a strict crack-down on gambling, the park never reopened following the cessation of its 1922 season. Its former location is now occupied by the Forest Park station on CTA's Blue Line at Desplaines Avenue.

Circle Theatre
For most of its history, Forest Park was home for the 25-year-old professional (non-equity) theater company, Circle Theatre, which now resides across Harlem Avenue in neighboring Oak Park. Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times writes: "One of the most consistently satisfying theatrical operations in the area ...everything from classics to new American plays ...theatre at its very best." Circle Theatre has produced over 175 productions and received over 80 Joseph Jefferson (JEFF) nominations and won over 30 Jeff Awards. Notable visits from famous playwrights have included Marvin Hamlisch, Rupert Holmes, Douglas Post, Michael John LaChiusa, Stephen Clark and Rebecca Gilman. Rebecca Gilman had her first play produced at Circle Theatre before becoming one of America's leading playwrights. Notable supporters have included Harry Connick, Jr. and Russell Crowe. Award-winning director/choreographer Kevin Bellie was artistic director from 2003 to 2012.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 14,339 people, 6,695 households, and 3,138 families residing in the village. The population density was 5,969.61 PD/sqmi. There were 8,169 housing units at an average density of 3,400.92 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 49.60% White, 30.89% African American, 0.43% Native American, 6.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.72% from other races, and 8.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.32% of the population.

There were 6,695 households, out of which 18.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.26% were married couples living together, 14.03% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.13% were non-families. 42.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.56% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 2.03.

The village's age distribution consisted of 14.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 36.1% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $70,670, and the median income for a family was $101,894. Males had a median income of $52,797 versus $49,492 for females. The per capita income for the village was $46,969. About 2.3% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over. ''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

Government
The village of Forest Park runs under a village commission form of government led by a mayor and four commissioners elected every four years.

Forest Park lies within Illinois's 7th congressional district.

The United States Postal Service operates the Forest Park Post Office at 417 Des Plaines Avenue. The post office contains a mural, The White Fawn, painted in 1940 by Miriam McKinnie. Murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department.

Village life
The Park District of Forest Park, located near the center of the village, has a 15 acre park, with an aquatic center. Shopping is mostly located on Madison Street. Previously known for many taverns, it now also features antique merchants, boutiques, and eating establishments. Recently it was voted by the readers of the Chicago Tribune as the "Best Neighborhood Dining" in the Chicago area.

In the last few days of July and first few of August, Forest Park's Park District plays host to the Forest Park No Glove National Invitational Softball Tournament. This is an invitational to all the best 16-inch softball teams in Chicago metropolitan area (and sometimes from other regions). The game is slow-pitch softball played without gloves, a favorite in the region.

Every autumn the St. Bernardine Church hosts an Oktoberfest and the village hosts a Rib-fest.

The village has several industries, but the most prominent is Ferrara Pan, now known as simply the Ferrara Candy Company. The candy factory can be seen and smelled from the Harlem Blue Line stop.

The town is served by a weekly newspaper, the Forest Park Review, coming out every Wednesday. It is printed by Wednesday Journal, Inc. A bi-monthly publication, The Forest Park Post, is distributed to all homes and businesses in Forest Park and is published by 34 Publishing, Inc.

There is a NFP citizens advocacy and information organization known as Vox 60130 (formerly Citizens United in Forest Park) serving the community since 2004. It monitors local governmental meetings and activities and sponsors workshops and presentations of important, relevant issues. They also hold candidate forums during each local election cycle.

Education
Forest Park is within the Forest Park School District 91 and the Proviso Township High Schools District 209. The elementary school district operates four elementary schools and Forest Park Middle School. The community is served by Proviso East High School in Maywood. In addition, the Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy, a magnet school, is located in Forest Park.

Public libraries
The Forest Park Public Library is located at 7555 Jackson Boulevard. The current library building opened on October 8, 1995. It covers 26400 sqft over two levels and is completely accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is spacious and comfortable, with more seating and study areas, along with a meeting room, a youth activity room and computer room. The total cost of the building was projected to be $3,295,000, including construction, site improvements, furnishings, computer and security systems, professional and financing costs and contingencies. The funding comes from the Imber Fund, now grown to $900,000, a State of Illinois Construction Grant of $250,000, General Obligation Bonds for $2.9 million and interest income.

Landmarks

 * St. Bernardine Catholic Church, built in a Spanish Mission style, was designed by McCarthy, Smith, and Eppig. The firm worked extensively with Cardinal George Mundelein and produced numerous Chicago-area Catholic churches during the Great Depression, including St. Wenceslaus in Chicago, as well as St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier churches in Wilmette.
 * The Ferrara Pan Candy Company is located at 7301 W. Harrison Street. The company was founded in 1908 by Salvatore Ferrara who came to America from Nola, Italy, in 1900. The use of the word "pan" refers to the process of making the candy by the sugar panning process.

Transportation
Two stations (Forest Park station and Harlem station) provide 'L' service along the CTA Blue Line. Bus service in the village is provided by Pace.

Notable people

 * Kevin Bellie, award-winning American director and choreographer lives in Forest Park.
 * W. Robert Blair, Illinois politician
 * Warren Brown, sports journalist, coined nicknames for Red Grange and Babe Ruth, Baseball Hall of Fame member
 * Eddie Hoh, rock drummer of the 1960s who backed The Mamas & the Papas and the Monkees
 * Kathy Griffin, comedian, actress, author (Oak Park)
 * Leonard W. Hein, economist, accounting educator
 * Bill Idelson, Actor and Writer
 * Erv Lange, pitcher for the Chicago Whales; born in Forest Park
 * Howard R. Mohr, Illinois politician, businessman, and Mayor of Forest Park; born in Forest Park
 * Frederick B. Roos, Illinois politician
 * Calvin Sutker, Illinois politician
 * Pierre Walters, NFL athlete, Kansas City Chiefs

title: Forest Park, Illinois


text:
Forest View, Illinois

Forest View is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 792. It is primarily an industrial corridor adjacent to the Chicago neighborhood of Garfield Ridge, which is on the village's southern border.

Geography
Forest View is located at 41.8075°N, -87.78611°W (41.807379, -87.786065).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Forest View has a total area of 1.30 sqmi, of which 1.17 sqmi (or 90.19%) is land and 0.13 sqmi (or 9.81%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 792 people, 361 households, and 301 families residing in the village. The population density was 611.58 PD/sqmi. There were 288 housing units at an average density of 222.39 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 54.17% White, 2.02% African American, 4.42% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 20.33% from other races, and 17.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.86% of the population.

There were 361 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.20% were married couples living together, 9.42% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.62% were non-families. 14.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.65% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.07 and the average family size was 3.63.

The village's age distribution consisted of 31.8% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $97,321, and the median income for a family was $110,347. Males had a median income of $50,379 versus $46,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $33,010. About 1.3% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over. ''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

Government
Forest View is in Illinois' 3rd congressional district.

Education
Forest View is served by Lyons School District 103. Grade school students attend Home Elementary School in neighboring Stickney, and George Washington Middle School in Lyons.

It is served by J. Sterling Morton High School District 201's Morton West located in Berwyn as its residential areas are west of Ridgeland Avenue.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on routes 307 and 311 connecting Forest View to destinations across the region.

title: Forest View, Illinois


text:
Frankfort, Illinois

Frankfort is a village in Will County and Cook County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a southern suburb of Chicago, and is approximately 28 miles (45 km) south of the city. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,296.

Frankfort’s historic downtown area contains the Frankfort Grainery, Breidert Green, and a portion of the Old Plank Road Trail, a 22 mile-long paved recreation trail. The village also contains Commissioners Park and multiple schools, including Lincoln-Way East High School, Hickory Creek Middle School, and Dr. Julian Rogus School.

Name
The name "Frankfort" was taken from Frankfort Township designated by the governing board of Will County. It was commonly known as "Frankfort Station" after the opening of the Joliet & Northern Indiana Railroad through the township in 1855, though the official plat of the community dated March 1855 shows the name as "Frankfort". Property deed abstracts and railroad documents also show that the name was always Frankfort. Local residents incorporated Frankfort as a village in 1879. It also has some reference to the major German city of Frankfurt.

History
First inhabited by Native Americans, including the Potawatomi and Sac and Fox tribes, Frankfort was used as a conduit between the Des Plaines and St. Joseph rivers. Originally, the area was part of the Virginia Territory before the French signed a treaty with Manitoqua, the Potawatomi chief, for land in the Prestwick area. The first pioneers came to Frankfort in the early 1830s by means of the Des Plaines River from the southwest and by wagon from the east along the Sauk Trail, a roadway that still exists today.

William Rice, the first non-native settler, made a permanent settlement in Frankfort in 1831. While the first pioneers, coming mainly from the New England colonies, were mostly of English and Scottish descent, German settlers made the village of Frankfort a reality. Later in the 1840s German settlers migrated from Germany to Frankfort. They had fled harsh conditions in their homeland by coming to America and proved to be very industrious and experienced farmers as they soon bought most of the fertile farm land from the "Yankees", who were more inclined to provide services for local needs. Establishing both ownership and pride in the area, the German settlers implemented the first system of resident concern for local lands, which has been maintained ever since.

What is now known as Frankfort Township was originally part of the Hickory Creek Precinct. Will County was originally divided into ten precincts. The county, in 1850, was changed to the township form of government. Frankfort Township was named by Frederick Cappel after his native city, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In 1855 the Joliet and Northern Indiana Railroad built a line through an area linking Joliet, Illinois, with Lake Station, Indiana. The J&NI Railroad was leased to the Michigan Central Railroad, and service was implemented in July 1855. Nelson D. Elwood, an officer of the rail line, and Sherman Bowen, a Joliet attorney and real estate man, jointly platted a village of around 23 acre in March 1855 and named it Frankfort after the township. It was commonly referred to as "Frankfort Station" because of the railroad depot located there, but when the village was incorporated, the "station" was dropped from the name.

John McDonald became the first railroad agent in 1857.

In 1879, the village of Frankfort was incorporated, and elected John McDonald as the first Village President. Along with the establishment of the government, among the first undertakings of the newly formed administration was the institution of land use policies. Early plans that were recorded indicated a traditional grid pattern with residential uses surrounding the business district and railroad line and additional land provided for schools and public open spaces.

Geography
Frankfort is located at 41.49806°N, -87.84944°W (41.498133, -87.849549).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Frankfort has a total area of 15.79 sqmi, all land.

Frankfort is located in the Chicago Metropolitan area, and is approximately 28 miles south of Chicago.

An unincorporated area north of the village of Frankfort (in Frankfort Township) is a census-designated place known as Frankfort Square.

The village is bordered by Richton Park to the east, Tinley Park, Frankfort Square and Matteson to the northeast, Mokena and New Lenox to the west and Monee and University Park to the southeast.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 20,296 people, 6,072 households, and 5,305 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,285.04 PD/sqmi. There were 6,902 housing units at an average density of 437.00 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 80.96% White, 8.65% African American, 0.13% Native American, 3.25% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.30% from other races, and 5.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.38% of the population.

There were 6,072 households, out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.83% were married couples living together, 5.58% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.63% were non-families. 12.48% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.88% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.42 and the average family size was 3.13.

The village's age distribution consisted of 29.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 16.7% from 25 to 44, 30.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $140,731, and the median income for a family was $151,518. Males had a median income of $86,382 versus $52,719 for females. The per capita income for the village was $51,278. About 2.3% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Frankfort is divided between two congressional districts. Most of the village is in Illinois's 1st congressional district, while the small portion in Cook County is in the 2nd district.

Roads
(La Grange Road) major north-south thoroughfare passes through the middle of Frankfort, and shares an intersection with Lincoln Highway. (Lincoln Highway) major east-west thoroughfare passes through the middle of Frankfort. (Laraway Road) east-west county highway passes through the southern portion of Frankfort.

Education
Frankfort School District 157C and Summit Hill District 161 serve residents of Frankfort. As of 2018 the former district's middle school "Hickory Creek" is ranked 5th in the state.

Frankfort is home to Lincoln-Way East High School. Lincoln-Way East High School has won state championships in Football (2005, 2017, 2019), Girls Softball (2002), Boys Gymnastics (2006, 2011), Girls Track & Field (2014, 2015, 2016), Girls Cheerleading (2014, 2015, 2017), Summer League Baseball, and Marching Band (2007, 2008). Lincoln-Way North has a state championship in Boys Gymnastics (2011) and Summer League Baseball (2011).

Notable residents

 * Nick Allegretti, guard for the Kansas City Chiefs
 * Lou Boudreau, Hall of Fame baseball player
 * Dennis DeYoung, former lead singer of the rock band Styx
 * Dan Giordano, former linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals
 * Jason Vander Laan, football tight end for the Carolina Panthers
 * Erika Lauren, member of MTV’s The Real World: D.C. cast and former radio personality on The Alan Cox Show WMMS (100.7 FM) in Cleveland, Ohio
 * George E. Sangmeister (1931–2007), member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois. He was a childhood resident of Frankfort, where his father was the mayor.

title: Frankfort, Illinois


text:
Franklin Park, Illinois

Franklin Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,467 at the 2020 census, up from 18,333 at the 2010 census. It was named for real estate broker Lesser Franklin who bought acres of the area when it was a majority of farming fields.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Franklin Park has a total area of 4.77 sqmi, all land.

History
The 1840s observed an influx of German farmers. By the middle of the 1870s, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad (later the Chicago & Pacific Railroad, Milwaukee Road, Soo Line Railroad, Canadian Pacific Railway, and now Canadian Pacific Kansas City) established tracks and constructed a station on Elm Street. The Indiana Harbor Belt and the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie (Soo Line) Railroads came after.

Real estate agent Lesser Franklin acquired four farms aggregating 600 acres in the beginning of the 1890s. He constructed a community center at the railroads' intersection. He christened the community Franklin Park and organized parades through Chicago's LaSalle Street to lure in potential customers. He handed out free train rides to Franklin Park on Sundays. On Rose Street, a pavilion was erected where new customers could take part in tournaments, dance, listen to speeches, and enjoy free food and alcohol. Sales of the lot topped $1 million.

The town became an official entity in 1892. At the turn of the century, the initial industry was established. In 1900, Franklin gave property for an iron foundry, and in 1905, he granted the Siegel, Cooper Company another piece of land for the construction of a factory. Most of the workers and population were identified as Polish, Italian, and Slavic immigrants in records from the 1923 foundry and school rosters. The region welcomed Douglas Aircraft (later McDonnell Douglas) and Buick Motors as part of a national preparedness program during World War II. Forty manufacturing companies had established operations in Franklin Park by 1948. Over the following ten years, 155 additional businesses were added. Businesses have consistently received assistance from the Northwest Suburban Manufacturing Association and the Chamber of Commerce.

From 3,007 in 1940 to 18,322 in 1960, the population grew. The municipality's administration fostered the establishment of industries by implementing regulations regarding zoning that favored such endeavors. Heat and smoke detectors have been rendered obtainable for organizations and residences indiscriminately via a fire department central alarm. Large customers obtained millions of gallons of water every day from water reserves.

The community continues to seek for more space to expand its industry. Franklin Park was the fourth-largest industrial region in Illinois in 1990 after acquiring 65 acres. Hispanics constituted around 38% of the 19,434-person population in 2000. Blue-collar workers employed by a multitude of industries comprised a large portion of the population. Franklin Park serves as an appealing choice for industry due to its close proximity to major expressways, railroad freight terminals, O'Hare Airport cargo terminals, and spur tracks which enable accessibility to the rear of buildings.

The state of Illinois collaborated and orchestrated an extensive rail realignment plan in late 2006, with Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, and the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroads. The IHB grade crossings at Schiller Boulevard, Chestnut Avenue, Franklin Avenue, Edgington Street, and Grand Avenue were closed to traffic and razed as part of this project, and the CN grade crossing on Grand Avenue was removed and substituted with a brand-new green underpass bridge. Additionally, the IHB roadbed was amalgamated with the CN's at Richard Avenue in River Grove. Upon the consummation of the project, Martens Street displaced the original IHB right-of-way north of the railroad's Norpaul Yard. In September 2007, the Franklin Park symbolically inaugurated the bridge.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 18,467 people, 5,747 households, and 4,165 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,868.24 PD/sqmi. There were 6,604 housing units at an average density of 1,383.33 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 48.15% White, 1.68% African American, 2.04% Native American, 3.95% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 26.00% from other races, and 18.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52.16% of the population.

There were 5,747 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.82% were married couples living together, 19.89% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.53% were non-families. 23.98% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.67 and the average family size was 3.09.

The village's age distribution consisted of 22.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 27% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $67,755, and the median income for a family was $82,361. Males had a median income of $44,973 versus $30,943 for females. The per capita income for the village was $26,547. About 11.7% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
Franklin Park has three Metra stations: Belmont Avenue on Metra's North Central Service, which provides daily rail service between Antioch, Illinois and Chicago, Illinois (at Union Station); Franklin Park and Mannheim on the Milwaukee District West Line which connects Chicago to Elgin, Illinois. Franklin Park is in the close proximity of O'Hare International Airport; airplanes can be seen taking off and descending over the village. The village is served by three railroads: Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (formerly Milwaukee Road and Canadian Pacific), Canadian National Railway (formerly Wisconsin Central), and the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad.

Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Franklin Park to destinations across the region.

Businesses
Franklin Park is home to Grand Stand Pizza, in 2005 voted Best Thin Crust in Chicago by Fox News Chicago, A.M. Castle & Co, R&M Trucking Co. Aerospace Manufacturer, Chucking Machine Products, Sax-Tiedemann Funeral Home & Crematorium, Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc., and Ex-Cell Kaiser, manufacturers of waste and recycling products.

It was also home to Midway Manufacturing before the company relocated in 1991.

Education
Elementary school districts:
 * Franklin Park School District 84
 * Hester Junior High School
 * North Elementary School
 * Passow Elementary School
 * Pietrini Elementary School
 * East Early Childhood Center
 * Mannheim School District 83
 * Enger School, for disabled children, in Franklin Park
 * Scott Elementary School
 * Westdale Elementary School
 * Roy Elementary School
 * Mannheim Middle School
 * Schiller Park School District 81 includes a portion of Franklin Park.

High school districts:
 * Leyden High School District 212
 * East Leyden High School
 * West Leyden High School

Private Catholic schools in nearby River Grove (of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago):
 * St. Cyprian Catholic Elementary School
 * Guerin College Preparatory High School - Guerin will close permanently after Spring 2020.

Triton College is the area community college.

Notable people

 * Leo Bartoline, Illinois legislator and lawyer
 * Ned Colletti, baseball executive
 * Glen Grunwald, only four-time high school All-State basketball player in Illinois history; former GM of Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks
 * Mike Shanahan, head coach for the NFL's Los Angeles Raiders, Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, and Washington Redskins

title: Franklin Park, Illinois


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Glencoe, Illinois

Glencoe is a lakefront village in northeastern Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,849. Glencoe is part of Chicago's North Shore and one of the wealthiest communities in Illinois.

History
Opinions differ about the origins of the village's name. Some attribute it to an early resident, Matthew Coe. Others say it is named for the area of Scotland of the same name. It developed in the late 19th century around a railroad stop. Former Chicago mayor Walter S. Gurnee had become president of the line connecting Chicago and Milwaukee, and often bought up and developed land around railroad stops. Thus, one historian believes the name derives from the maiden name of Gurnee's wife, since Gurnee bought the land in 1867 and began subdivision, although financial problems prevented him from building a home there and he returned to New York for his final years. The village's first seal was based on the seal of Glencoe, Scotland.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many elegant homes were built in Glencoe. Most notably, the village is home to the world's third largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright structures: the Ravine Bluff subdivision contains seven houses, a concrete bridge and three sculptural markers. There are also two larger, individually built homes, located nearby Ravine Bluffs. In addition to Wright, there are houses designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw, David Adler, Robert E. Seyfarth and George Washington Maher, among others.

Glencoe has had an African American population since almost immediately after the Village's 1869 incorporation.[Images of America, Glencoe Illinois, Ellen Kettler Paseltiner and Ellen Schubert for the Glencoe Historical Society p.8]. Many in the Black and Italian community lived within a five-square block area near what is now Vernon Avenue from Washington to Jackson streets. Homes in this area were close together in accordance with the city planner's 20-foot wide alleys. In 1920 the city of Glencoe condemned these properties to clear land for a park.[Glencoe Historical Society Exhibition]

In 1920 the African American community in Glencoe grew to 676 residents. The African American population in 1930 numbered 313 members and 176 in the 2000 census.

Homer Wilson was the first Black property owner in Glencoe. He went on to mortgage his home to found the St. Paul AME Church which is still active in Glencoe under the leadership of Katrese Kirk McKenzie. Glencoe beaches were not integrated until 1942 when a court injunction allowed the sale of beach passes for the (formerly white-only) Park Avenue beach to the family that requested them, A.L. Foster, his wife, Mildred and their two sons who lived at 379 Jefferson.

Glencoe has a Village Manager form of government. It had one of the first public safety departments (combined police/fire/paramedic). In 1921 Glencoe adopted the first zoning code in Illinois. Its land-use plan, adopted in 1940, has been adhered to with minor changes since then. For example, eminent domain law was used to condemn homes of the Black and Italian residents to make way for a new park next to South School. The allowed uses outlined on the 1940 zoning map is predominantly a single-family residential area, with no industrial uses. It has a small cohesive central business district that provides most basic services, including post office, library, Village Hall, performing arts theatre, train station (to Chicago), and other shopping needs.

Geography
According to ford Cohen census gazetteer files, Glencoe has a total area of 3.78 sqmi, of which 3.72 sqmi (or 98.39%) is land and 0.06 sqmi (or 1.61%) is water.

Glencoe is located on the west side of Lake Michigan. It is separated from wells and suburbs to the north and west by more than 1,200 acres of the Cook County Forest Preserve natural forest area. Three golf clubs also buffer it, with the private Lake Shore Country Club on the north, the public Glencoe Golf Club (operated by the village of Glencoe) on the northwest, and the private Skokie Country Club on the west.

The village is surrounded on three sides by upper-income communities, with Highland Park on the north, Northbrook on the west, and Winnetka to the south. The Skokie Lagoons are located in the forest preserve to the immediate west of the village. The same forest preserve has a bicycle trail that connects to other forest preserves to the south. In the village, the Green Bay Trail allows bicyclists to travel as far south as Wilmette and north past Lake Forest. The highest point of elevation in Glencoe is 690 ft above sea level along Green Bay Road in the northern part of the village.

Southern boundary
Glencoe's southern border with Winnetka cuts through 58 homes, forcing homeowners to pay taxes to and seek permits from both villages. The two villages began discussing a solution in 1920s, reaching a tentative agreement in 2007 in which each homeowner could choose a village from which to receive services while the boundary officially remained unchanged. Initially, 46 homeowners chose Winnetka, but the others had the option to choose a village later. The boundary was later updated to reflect these choices.

Education
Glencoe School District 35 is an elementary school district based in Glencoe. All schools are located within Glencoe boundaries.

Glencoe is a part of New Trier Township High School District, which maintains campuses in the neighboring communities of Northfield (for freshmen) and Winnetka (for grades 10th to 12th).

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 8,849 people, 3,302 households, and 2,563 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,341.62 PD/sqmi. There were 3,176 housing units at an average density of 840.43 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 87.3% White, 1.0% African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.3% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.1% from other races, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population.

There were 3,302 households, out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.96% were married couples living together, 5.33% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.38% were non-families. 21.11% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 2.67.

The village's age distribution consisted of 27.9% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 14.1% from 25 to 44, 30.7% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $195,600, and the median income for a family was $250,001. Males had a median income of $136,111 versus $66,384 for females. The per capita income for the village was $121,589, placing Glencoe among the 20 wealthiest communities in the United States.

Points of interest

 * Chicago Botanic Garden
 * Cook County Forest Preserves
 * Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Sylvan Road Bridge (concrete) (1915 design)
 * Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Ravine Bluffs Subdivision entry light/planter monuments at Sylvan/Franklin and at Franklin/Meadow (circa 1915)
 * North Shore Congregation Israel synagogue designed by Minoru Yamasaki
 * Glencoe Metra station (circa 1891)
 * Glencoe Sailing Beach
 * Skokie Lagoons
 * Am Shalom Synagogue
 * St. Paul A.M.E. Church
 * Writers Theatre
 * Glencoe Historical Society
 * Glencoe Beach

Library
Glencoe is served by the Glencoe Public Library. The original library was located in the former Hawthorne School. A new library opened in 1941.

Media
Local media covering news in Glencoe include The Glencoe Anchor, Winnetka-Glencoe Patch, TribLocal and Pioneer Press. The Free Press, a social scientific book publisher, was founded in Glencoe in 1947; it was sold and moved to New York City in 1960.

Filming location

 * Scenes from the films Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Sixteen Candles were filmed in Glencoe.
 * The Glencoe train station is featured in scenes from Flags of Our Fathers and She's Having a Baby.
 * The 2011 film Contagion has scenes filmed in Glencoe.

Transportation
The Glencoe station provides Metra commuter rail service along the Union Pacific North Line. Trains travel south to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago, and north to Kenosha station. Pace provides bus service on Route 213 connecting Glencoe to destinations across the North Shore.

Notable people

 * Curt Anderson Maryland legislator, grew up in Glencoe
 * Michael Bloomfield, blues musician/guitarist/composer, lived in Glencoe
 * Leo Burnett, advertising executive and the founder of Leo Burnett Company
 * Carl B. Camras, ophthalmologist known for his research on the treatment of glaucoma, was born in Glencoe
 * Marshall Chess, record producer, lived in Glencoe
 * Ann Compton, former news reporter and White House correspondent for ABC News Radio; grew up in Glencoe
 * Douglas Conant, CEO of the Campbell Soup Company; grew up in Glencoe
 * Bruce Dern, actor
 * Nick Foles, quarterback for the Chicago Bears; resided in Glencoe from 2020 to 2022
 * Paris Grey, singer ("Big Fun (song)"); ("Good Life (Inner City song)");(Inner City )
 * Brian Griese, quarterback for the Chicago Bears; lived in Glencoe briefly
 * Granville D. Hall, early and longtime village clerk, journalist, former president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and first Secretary of State of West Virginia
 * Rick Hahn, Chicago White Sox general manager, lives in Glencoe
 * Charles Henry Howard, Brevet Brigadier General for the Union Army during the American Civil War; was also the head of the school board at Central School, and was the first president of the New Trier High School school board; was President of the Village of Glencoe from 1891 to 1892
 * Walter Jacobson, former Chicago television news personality and a current Chicago radio news personality; grew up in Glencoe
 * Frank King, cartoonist (Gasoline Alley); lived in Glencoe
 * Eric Lefkofsky, billionaire entrepreneur, private equity investor, and venture capitalist; co-founder of Groupon; resides in Glencoe
 * Zoe Levin, actress and star of Bonding, moved to Glencoe when she was 11.
 * John Lippman, television executive and the acting director of Voice of America
 * Khalil Mack, linebacker for the Chicago Bears; resided in Glencoe from 2018 to 2021
 * Archibald MacLeish, poet; three-time Pulitzer Prize winner; Librarian of Congress (1939–1944); provides ongoing inspiration to the Men's Library Club (MLC); born in Glencoe
 * Newton N. Minow, former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission
 * Harold Ramis, comedian, actor, and director (Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Caddyshack)
 * Betty Robinson, Olympic gold medalist; former fastest woman in the world; lived in Glencoe
 * Ben Savage, actor (Boy Meets World); lived in Glencoe as a child
 * Fred Savage, actor and director (The Wonder Years, The Princess Bride); lived in Glencoe as a child
 * Robert Shea, co-author of the Illuminatus! trilogy.
 * James Simpson Jr., Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
 * Gene Siskel, film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune
 * Ellen Spertus, former research scientist at Google, grew up in Glencoe
 * Melville Elijah Stone, newspaper publisher, founder of the Chicago Daily News, general manager of the Associated Press
 * Kenneth S. Suslick, the world's leading expert on the chemical and physical effects of ultrasound; grew up in Glencoe
 * Lili Taylor, actress (Mystic Pizza, I Shot Andy Warhol, Six Feet Under); born in Glencoe
 * Paul Thomas (director) (aka Phil Toubus) actor, director
 * Mike Tomczak, quarterback for the Chicago Bears; lived in Glencoe
 * Scott Turow, bestselling author; lived in Glencoe
 * Peter Van de Graaff, singer and radio personality; grew up in Glencoe
 * James Wilkerson, Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

In popular culture

 * Glencoe in the 1970s and 1980s is recalled as the backdrop of the coming-of-age memoir Lake Effect, by author Rich Cohen. This introduced his "Jamie Drew" character, based on exploits of his fellow native Mark Varouxakis.
 * The plot of the film Mean Girls is set in Evanston on Chicago's North Shore. It refers to Glencoe in the quote "You go Glen-Coco".
 * Glencoe was the stated setting for the 1983 film Risky Business, starring Tom Cruise. The movie was filmed in neighboring Highland Park.

title: Glencoe, Illinois