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Bolingbrook, Illinois

Bolingbrook is a village in Will and DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a southwest suburb of Chicago on I-55 and Historic Route 66 (Frontage Road). The village was a new town built on the Gateway Wetlands west of the Des Plaines River in the 1960s. Bolingbrook experienced rapid growth in the 1980s and 1990s, eventually becoming Will county's second-largest town after Joliet. Per the 2020 census, the population was 73,922. As of 2010, it is the 17th largest incorporated place in Illinois and the state's second-largest village.

Geography
Bolingbrook is approximately 28 miles southwest of Downtown Chicago.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Bolingbrook has a total area of 25.12 sqmi, of which 24.92 sqmi (or 99.18%) is land and 0.21 sqmi (or 0.82%) is water.

Bolingbrook borders the communities of Woodridge, Romeoville, Plainfield, Naperville, and Darien.

Interstate 55, locally the Stevenson Expressway, runs through the village's southern part, heading northeast toward Chicago and southwest toward Plainfield and Joliet. Interstate 355, also known as the Veterans Memorial Tollway (formerly the North-South Tollway), runs along the far east side of the village between New Lenox and Addison. Illinois Route 53, locally known as Bolingbrook Drive, runs north–south through the middle of the village.

Other main streets in Bolingbrook include Boughton Road, Lily Cache Lane, Weber Road, Veterans Parkway (formerly Naperville Road), Briarcliff Road, Hassert Boulevard (formerly 111th Street), Rodeo Drive (formerly 119th Street), Schmidt Road, Crossroads Parkway, and Remington Boulevard.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 73,922 people, 23,165 households, and 18,354 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,942.29 PD/sqmi. There were 24,408 housing units at an average density of 971.50 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 40.12% White, 19.49% African American, 0.89% Native American, 13.89% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 12.71% from other races, and 12.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.85% of the population.

There were 23,165 households, out of which 70.02% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.17% were married couples living together, 14.53% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.77% were non-families. 16.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.86% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.62 and the average family size was 3.19.

The village's age distribution consisted of 42.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $92,184, and the median income for a family was $102,174. Males had a median income of $51,465 versus $37,208 for females. The per capita income for the village was $35,900. About 7.5% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

History
Bolingbrook is a suburb of Chicago incorporated in 1965. Similar to the neighboring village of Woodridge, almost all of the businesses, homes, churches and other buildings in Bolingbrook were built after 1960. The first settlement in what is now Bolingbrook was established in 1831, but the informal farming villages remained unincorporated for over 130 years. The area that is now Bolingbrook is located in the heart of the Gateway Wetlands, which begin in Downers Grove and end just north of the Joliet city limits. The tiny Boardman Cemetery, in what is now the Heritage Creek subdivision, contains the remains of some of these early residents.

Modern Bolingbrook has its roots in the housing boom of the 1950s. The first subdivision in Bolingbrook, known as Westbury, was immediately west of Route 53. A second subdivision, known as Colonial Village, followed on the far east side of Route 53.

The village continued to grow steadily for the remainder of the 1960s, reaching a population of 7,000 by 1970. The 1970s were the first period of rapid growth in Bolingbrook, during which its population quintupled to reach over 37,000 by 1980. Much of this growth was as much due to mass annexation as well as raw population growth; the population of Bolingbrook by the 1970 census but with its 1980 land boundary was approximately 25,000, further reflecting the vigorous annexation that took place during the 1970s.

By 1990, Bolingbrook's population had only increased by about 10% from the previous decade, to about 41,000.

Economy
As of 2019, 24 companies of various sizes have their corporate headquarters in Bolingbrook. The largest being the nation-wide cosmetic retailer Ulta Beauty, as well as vehicle floor liner manufacturer WeatherTech. Other corporate headquarters include: ATI Physical Therapy, Stevenson Crane, American Chrome, Computer Projects of Illinois, Diageo, Diamond Technical Services, Epir Technologies, Goya Foods' Illinois division, Midwest Fuel & Injection, G & W Electric, Illinois Paper & Copier, Jet Brite car washes, Wi-Tronix, Perkins Manufacturing, Vision Integrated Graphics, Clark Foam Products, Wastebuilt, COTG - Chicago Office Technology Group, and Windy City Wire.

Top employers
According to the Bolingbrook Park District's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the village are:

Government
John J. "Jack" Leonard was instrumental in the village's incorporation and served as the village's first mayor.

In 1971, Bolingbrook purchased station 2 from the Lemont Fire Protection District, which had been serving much of the village, thus establishing its own fire department. Since then, that station has been expanded and four others have been built.

As of August 2020, the acting mayor of Bolingbrook is Mary Alexander-Basta. On July 31, 2020, longtime mayor Roger C. Claar resigned, having served in the role since 1986; Village Trustee Basta was unanimously appointed by the village board to complete Claar's term.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Bolingbrook to destinations throughout Chicagoland.

Major highways
Major highways in Bolingbrook include:

Interstate Highways

Interstate 55

Interstate 355

US Highways

Historic US 66

Illinois Highways

Route 53

Route 126

Education
Most of Bolingbrook lies within the boundaries of Valley View School District 365U and Fountaindale Public Library District, both of which also include nearby Romeoville, Illinois. Other school districts that serve Bolingbrook include Plainfield School District 202, Indian Prairie School District 204, Naperville School District 203, Woodridge School District 68, and Downers Grove High School District 99.

Early history
School District 365U was originally known as District 94. It took its present name when it became the first school district in the United States to implement the 45-15 plan, in which schools were occupied year round with 3/4 of the students in session at any one time. Students went to school for 9 weeks and then had 3 weeks off. Additionally, teachers were optionally allowed to work year-round.

The first school built in Bolingbrook was North View School at 151 E. Briarcliff Rd., Bolingbrook, IL (now closed).

High schools
Bolingbrook High School (365U), Plainfield North and Plainfield East (202), Neuqua Valley High School (204), Naperville Central (203), and Downers Grove South (99). Romeoville High School also serves as an alternative for some students residing in Valley View 365U.

Middle schools
In Valley View 365U
 * Brooks (in the former Bolingbrook High School building and home of the district's ESL program)
 * Jane Addams (near the Bolingbrook Recreation and Aquatic Center)
 * Hubert H. Humphrey

In Indian Prairie 204 (Naperville)
 * Gregory

In Naperville CUSD 203
 * Madison

In Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202
 * Kennedy (Plainfield)

In Woodridge Elementary School District 68
 * Jefferson (Woodridge).

Elementary schools
In Valley View 365U
 * Bernard J. Ward (formerly a middle school)
 * Independence
 * Jamie McGee
 * John R. Tibbott
 * Jonas E. Salk
 * Pioneer
 * Oak View
 * Wood View

In Indian Prairie 204
 * Builta

In Naperville 203
 * River Woods

In Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202
 * Liberty
 * Elizabeth Eichelberger

In Woodridge Elementary School District 68
 * John L. Sipley
 * William F. Murphy

Alternative schools
In Valley View 365U
 * STEP Program (also housed in the former Bolingbrook High School building)

Private schools
Catholic schools: Parochial grade school students may go on to Catholic high schools in proximity to Bolingbrook such as Benet Academy in Lisle, Joliet Catholic Academy in Joliet, and (until its closure in 2014) the all-girls Mount Assisi Academy in Lemont.
 * St. Dominic School (serving grades PK - 8)

Islamic schools:
 * Furqaan Academy (PK-12)

Sport Academy:
 * Oakbrook Polo Academy 440 Royce Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Bolingbrook Park District
The Bolingbrook Park District was created in 1970, after being approved by referendum. In 1974, the Park District built its first new building, the Deatherage-Drdak Center, constructed only with volunteer labor. In the following three decades the Bolingbrook Park District has grown to include numerous woodlands and parks, several community centers, the Pelican Harbor Indoor/Outdoor Aquatic Complex, and the Bolingbrook Recreation and Aquatic Complex (BRAC). Most recently, the Bolingbrook Park District was one of the four finalists for the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park Management, Facilities and Programs.

In 1982, the Park District opened the first indoor wave pool in the United States. It was closed shortly after the BRAC and Pelican Harbor opened in 1996, and has since been converted to an ice skating arena.

In 2009, the Park District opened its Hidden Oaks Nature Center, which sits on 80 acres of woodland and river plain habitat. The Nature Center has a Platinum LEED Rating from the U.S. Green Building Council and was built from recycled materials. As of 2014, the Nature Center is used to run naturalist programs and summer camps. Animal residents include: coyotes, deer, great horned owls, and other species common to Northern Illinois.

Golf
Bolingbrook is home to the Boughton Ridge Golf Course, a 9-hole course owned by the Bolingbrook Park District. In addition, the Bolingbrook Golf Club, a municipal facility which includes an 18-hole course, is in the village. Other Golf Courses within proximity of Bolingbrook include Naperbrook GC, Tamarack GC, Wedgewood GC, and Links at Carillon (all in Plainfield), White Eagle GC and Springbrook GC in Naperville, Village Greens of Woodridge and Seven Bridges GC in Woodridge, Cog Hill GC in Lemont, and Mistwood GC in Romeoville.

Aviation
Clow International Airport is a small airport off of Boughton-Weber with an estimated 3362 ft runway. Clow is a public (non-commercial) airport, owned by the Village and operated under a contract with a management company. In 1989, the airport was named the "best privately owned, public use airport in Illinois." Currently, there are 70,000 take-offs and landings at the airport annually.

A WGN-TV helicopter is stationed at Clow Airport. The airport previously served as a base station for Air Angels Aeromedical Transport before the company closed its doors in early 2009. It also provides flight training and airplane charters through A & M Aviation, aircraft maintenance through A & M Maintenance, and has an EAA chapter that provides free Young Eagles flights for children.

The Illinois Aviation Museum at Bolingbrook was formed in 2004. The museum is staffed by volunteers and is in a remodeled hangar at Clow International Airport, currently donated by the Village of Bolingbrook.

Notable people

 * Mustafa Ali, WWE wrestler born in Bolingbrook
 * Kenneth Boatright, football free agent raised in Bolingbrook
 * Ronnie Bull, retired Bears running back who currently lives in Bolingbrook
 * Troy Doris, Olympian finalist triple jumper
 * J. J. Furmaniak, professional baseball infielder raised in Bolingbrook
 * Jerry Harris, cheerleader from Cheer (TV series) raised in Bolingbrook
 * Anthony Herron, former professional American football player and now broadcast analyst
 * Ben Moore (born 1995), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Michael S. Pearson, Fort Hood 2009 victim raised in Bolingbrook
 * Drew Peterson, former Bolingbrook police sergeant, suspected in the disappearance of his fourth wife, convicted of drowning his third wife
 * Steve Williams, football player raised in Bolingbrook

Sister cities

 * 🇵🇭 San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines
 * 🇵🇰 Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan
 * Xuchang, Henan, China

title: Bolingbrook, Illinois


text:
Carol Stream, Illinois

Carol Stream is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. It was incorporated on January 5, 1959, and named after the daughter of its founder, Jay Stream. Per the 2020 census, the population was 39,854.

History
In 1853, St. John Wahlund Catholic Church was built in what was then referred to as Gretna. The church was closed in 1867. When St. Michael's was opened in Wheaton in 1872, St. Stephen's parishioners were transferred to that parish. The church building was dismantled sometime in the late 19th century. St. Stephen's Cemetery was located adjacent to the church building and was last used for burial in 1910. St. Stephen's Cemetery (located north of the Great Western Trail behind the Ozinga concrete plant on St. Charles Road) was rededicated 100 years later on September 12, 2010.

In 1952, a farm from the area was featured on NBC; it was the site for the first outdoor telecast by the network in 1954.

A common misconception is that the municipality of Carol Stream was named for a local minor waterway. In fact, Carol Stream is one of the few communities in America that took its name from the first and last names of a living person: Carol Stream, the daughter of its founder Jay Stream. Carol Stream herself moved to Arizona as an adult, living there until her death on January 18, 2020.

Jay W. Stream (April 17, 1921 – January 22, 2006), a military veteran who had previously sold insurance and ready-mix concrete, was in the mid-1950s heading Durable Construction Company. He became frustrated with red tape while negotiating a planned 350–400 home subdivision in nearby Naperville, Illinois. A Naperville clerk reportedly advised Stream to "build your own town", and in 1957, Stream began buying unincorporated farmland outside Wheaton. He hoped to allow people to work in the town they lived in, rather than have to commute to Chicago.

On August 26, 1957, Carol and three friends were returning from Racine, Wisconsin, in a 1949 Studebaker. While attempting to cross U.S. Route 45 in central Kenosha County, the car was struck in the right rear corner, killing 15-year-old Richard Christie of Chicago, the passenger seated there. Carol was ejected through the windshield and into a utility pole. Neurosurgeons at Kenosha Memorial Hospital said the comatose girl might never awaken or, if she did, would likely be severely handicapped. On advice of the doctors that her recovery might improve with good news, Jay decided to name the new community in her honor. After four months in a coma, Carol regained consciousness. Learning that the new village bore her full name, Carol said she thought it "odd and silly" at first (as she told Chicago Tribune reporter Eric Zorn in 1991).

Carol Stream was to be named Jacqueline Stream, but her parents changed her name to Carol when her due date fell near Christmas. She never lived in her namesake community, but moved from Wheaton, Illinois, to Arizona in 1957 following the end of her parents' marriage. She participated in municipal celebrations and rides in parades during anniversary celebrations of the municipality's 1959 incorporation, and she was frequently asked for autographs when she was in town. She died in Arizona on January 18, 2020.

One of the town's two middle schools, Jay Stream Middle School is named after the founder, Jay Stream, who died on January 22, 2006.

Municipal history

 * 1959: The village of Carol Stream is founded by Jay Stream, who envisions strong corporate growth in the area. First village board meeting on February 12.
 * 1962: The Carol Stream Public Library opens at 397 Blackhawk Drive.
 * 1965: The first Citizen of the Year Awards were given to Carl Bornholt and Elsie Johnson.
 * 1966: The Carol Stream News (a paper) is founded.
 * 1966: Nina Jo Schmale of Carol Stream is one of the eight student nurses killed by Richard Speck.
 * 1972: The Carol Stream Fire Protection District is formed
 * 1975: Janice Gerzevske is first woman elected Village President.
 * 1976: As part of the United States Bicentennial celebrations, Carol Stream opens Gretna Station Museum with a July 4 dedication.
 * 1984: The Carol Stream Association of Business and Industry is formed.
 * 1987: Ross Ferraro is elected Mayor of Carol Stream.
 * 1991: Village is re-certified as an Illinois certified city. Mark Bodane Appointed Fire Chief of the Carol Stream Fire District.
 * 1992: The Carol Stream Post Office opens a regional processing center at Schmale and Fullerton. Most of the unincorporated areas around Carol Stream assume the ZIP Code of the new post office, causing some consternation among those who are used to having an address associated with Wheaton.
 * 1992: The Carol Stream Chamber of Commerce is incorporated.
 * 1998: The Town Center is dedicated, later to be known as the Ross Ferraro Town Center.
 * 2003: Richard Willing becomes new police chief.
 * 2006: Founder of Carol Stream, Jay Stream, dies January 22
 * 2007: Frank Saverino replaces Ross Ferraro as Mayor, ending Ferraro's 20-year tenure. Mark Bodane retires as Fire Chief of Carol Stream Fire District.
 * 2009: Carol Stream celebrates its 50th anniversary.
 * 2020: Ms. Carol Stream dies January 18

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Carol Stream has a total area of 9.44 sqmi, of which 9.12 sqmi (or 96.64%) is land and 0.32 sqmi (or 3.36%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 39,854 people, 14,209 households, and 10,339 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,223.16 PD/sqmi. There were 14,870 housing units at an average density of 1,575.71 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 57.06% White, 6.94% African American, 0.64% Native American, 18.73% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 7.93% from other races, and 8.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.19% of the population.

There were 14,209 households, out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.82% were married couples living together, 12.98% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.24% were non-families. Of all households, 21.30% were made up of individuals, and 11.47% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 2.75.

The village's age distribution consisted of 21.0% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $89,820, and the median income for a family was $103,332. Males had a median income of $52,245 versus $38,920 for females. The per capita income for the village was $37,658. About 6.0% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

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

The Christian publishers Tyndale House and Christianity Today International are based in Carol Stream.

The United States Postal Service's Sectional Hub for ZIP Codes with the prefixes 601 and 603 is located in this town.

Arts and culture
The Carol Stream Public Library was founded in 1977. The library features conference rooms, a create and learn center, vending cafe and an outdoor patio with a gazebo.

Parks and recreation
The Carol Stream Park District is responsible for building and maintaining public parks. There are 36 parks in the community, including:

 * Armstrong Park, named after Neil Armstrong.
 * Aldrin Community Center, named after Buzz Aldrin.
 * Fountain View Recreation Center, which features gym basketball, open swim, and a workout facility.
 * Simkus Recreation Center
 * Bark Park
 * Coral Cove Water Park
 * McCaslin Park
 * Elk Trail Recreation Center
 * Veterans Memorial Plaza
 * Coyote Crossing Mini Golf

The Great Western Trail (Illinois) passes through town.

Government
Carol Stream is governed by a body known as the Legislative Board, which is composed of seven elected officials: a mayor and six trustees. Frank Saverino is the current mayor; his term of office runs from May 1, 2019, to April 30, 2023. The village clerk is also an elected position. The clerk's term of office is the same as the mayor's. A village administrator is appointed by the Legislative Board to manage the daily village operations.

Education

Most students in Carol Stream attend school in the Consolidated School District 93, a K–8 district. The District 93 schools in Carol Stream are: Carol Stream School, Cloverdale School, Elsie Johnson School, Heritage Lakes, Western Trails, Roy DeShane, Stratford Middle School and Jay Stream Middle School. District 93 is only K-8; thus, students must attend a different district when they reach the high school level. They are served by Glenbard Township High School District 87 (the third-largest school district in Illinois), which includes Glenbard North, located in Carol Stream.

Part of the village is served by a unit school district, the Elgin Area School District U46. It serves an area of approximately 90 sqmi in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties. Almost 40,000 children of school age are in its area. District U-46 is the second-largest in Illinois. Spring Trail Elementary in Carol Stream serves in-district students for grades K-6. These students then attend Eastview Middle School (Bartlett, Illinois) for grades 7–8. High school students who live within the U-46 boundaries attend Bartlett High School.

The western section of the village is served by Benjamin School District 25, a small, two-school district. Evergreen Elementary School is located in Carol Stream while Benjamin Middle School is nearby in unincorporated West Chicago. Founded in the 1840s, Benjamin 25 is one of the oldest school districts in DuPage County. High school students from Benjamin attend West Chicago Community High School, District 94.

D-41, another school district which mainly serves Glen Ellyn, serves far southeast parts of Carol Stream (East Of Schmale Rd). There are five K–8 schools: Churchill (K–5, on Carol Stream–Glen Ellyn Border), Forest Glen (K–5 in Glen Ellyn), Lincoln (K–5, in Glen Ellyn), Franklin (K–5, in Glen Ellyn), Hadley (6–8, on the Glen Ellyn–Wheaton border). All Sstudents that live in Carol Stream and go to D-41 attend Glenbard West High School. Glenbard West is part of Glenbard Township High School District 87 (it also includes Glenbard North in Carol Stream, Glenbard East in Lombard, and Glenbard South, also in Glen Ellyn).

Transportation
Carol Stream has six major roads running through the village. The most important of these is North Avenue, which runs relatively close to the center of Carol Stream. North Avenue is an east–west road which extends a further 30 miles east into Chicago as well as further west across the state. Army Trail Road and Geneva Road are the other major east–west roads.

Gary Avenue is a major north–south road to the commercial center of Bloomingdale and the Stratford Square Mall. County Farm Road also serves as a major commercial route for residents. Schmale Road serves a small commercial area on the southeastern side of Carol Stream. Kuhn Road also runs north–south, but is not that major.

Lies Road is a minor east–west road that bisects the village starting from Fair Oaks Road on the west to Schmale Road on the east. The portion from County Farm Road thru Kuhn Road to near Gary Avenue is the route for the annual Fourth of July parade.

A feeder line from the nearby Illinois Central Railroad serves the main industrial complex for Carol Stream. The old Gretna Railway Station had been renamed Carol Stream in 1962, the station manager of four years at the time, Frank S. Shilling, said he never found out why the station was named Gretna. The original building was preserved and moved to the Carol Stream Park District, where it serves as a museum and a home for the Carol Stream Historical Society.

Pace provides bus service on Route 711 connecting Carol Stream to Wheaton and other destinations.

Notable people

 * Justin Jackson, Detroit Lions running back
 * Doris Karpiel, Illinois state legislator and businesswoman, lived in Carol Stream.
 * Eric Petersen, actor. He was raised in Carol Stream.

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

title: Carol Stream, Illinois


text:
Clarendon Hills, Illinois

Clarendon Hills is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,702 at the 2020 census. It is a south-west suburb of Chicago.

History
The area that is now Clarendon Hills was a wide, rolling prairie bordering the east side of Westmont. Most of the older villages in Downers Grove Township were built on the same street grid as the Village of Downers Grove. Instead, Clarendon Hills was built to resemble nearby Riverside, a planned, park-like suburb designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted in the late 1800s. Its long winding streets go with the natural contour of the land, rather than extending straight through from the neighboring towns. In 1923, at the time of incorporation, Clarendon Hills had a population of under 900 people. The area was incorporated to avoid annexation by the nearby community of Hinsdale.

The Clarendon Hills Historical Society is tasked with retaining the town's history and establishing a community center and a museum to display prominent artifacts pertaining to the history of the village.

In 1961, TWA Flight 529 crashed in Clarendon Hills, killing all 73 passengers on board.

On May 11, 2022, a Metra train collided with a box truck on the Prospect Avenue grade crossing; one person lost her life.

Geography
Clarendon Hills is located at 41.79611°N, -87.95583°W (41.796030, -87.955960). It is approximately 18 miles southwest of Chicago.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Clarendon Hills has a total area of 1.82 sqmi, of which 1.81 sqmi (or 99.45%) is land and 0.01 sqmi (or 0.55%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 8,702 people, 3,431 households, and 2,317 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,781 PD/sqmi. There were 3,396 housing units at an average density of 1,866 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 80.66% White, 1.47% African American, 0.11% Native American, 8.47% Asian, 1.79% from other races, and 7.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.96% of the population.

There were 3,431 households, out of which 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.18% were married couples living together, 4.52% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.47% were non-families. 31.42% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.76% 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 2.57.

The village's age distribution consisted of 31.8% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 20.6% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $103,486, and the median income for a family was $175,801. Males had a median income of $117,564 versus $41,888 for females. The per capita income for the village was $67,540. About 11.0% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
Clarendon Hills has a station on Metra's BNSF Line, which provides daily rail service between Aurora, Illinois and Chicago, Illinois (at Union Station). Additionally, Pace operates connecting bus services. Currently, bus lines 663 and 664 serve Clarendon Hills.

Schools
Clarendon Hills is in Community Consolidated School District 181, with Clarendon Hills Middle School (grades 6–8), Prospect School (grades K-5), and Walker School (grades K-5). The superintendent of the schools is Dr. Don White. Notre Dame Parish School (grades PK-8) is also located in the village. Parts of Clarendon Hills are also located within Maercker District 60, with Holmes School (grades K-2), Maercker School (grades 3–6), and Westview Hills Middle School (grades 6–8).

Clarendon Hills Middle School (CHMS) is one of the two 6-8th grade schools in district 181. It is one of 5 public middle schools that feed into Hinsdale Central High School. Approximately 700 students were enrolled in CHMS for the 2009–10 school year. CHMS was recently ranked by the Chicago Tribune as the 14th best middle school in the state (based on ISAT scores). More than 96% of the students' test scores were categorized as meeting or exceeding the Illinois Learning Standards.

In 2009, the Clarendon Hills Middle School was awarded with a Blue Ribbon by the United States Department of Education, recognizing it as one of the top schools in the nation. CHMS is ranked in the top 2% of middle schools in Illinois.

Prospect School had an approximate enrollment of 449 students for the 2009–10 school year. Walker School had an approximate enrollment of 305 students for the 2009–10 school year. Together with CHMS all are rated 10 out of 10 by greatschools.net.

Notable people

 * Bill Evans, jazz musician
 * Emily Montague Schwartz, Symbionese Liberation Army member
 * Bill Laimbeer, former basketball center with the back-to-back 1989-1990 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons
 * Ben Murphy, actor
 * Brian Wardle, basketball head coach, Bradley University

title: Clarendon Hills, Illinois


text:
Darien, Illinois

Darien (formerly Cass) is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 22,011. A southwestern suburb of Chicago, Darien was named after the town of Darien, Connecticut. Darien is just north of I-55 and Historic U.S. Route 66 (now Frontage Road). The entire south edge of the town borders Waterfall Glen.

History
The first people to settle in Darien came from New England via the Erie Canal and Great Lakes. Among the first to arrive was the Andres Neiman, the Rapones, and the Capra family. They settled along an old stagecoach line in 1835. Andres served as Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk, and Assessor Mr. Capra was the Dog Catcher, and County Commissioner. He also established the Capra Inn, near what is currently the intersection of Lemont Road and I-55; the inn served the 15 stagecoaches that traveled the stagecoach line, and included a tavern and a post office. Andres named the area "Cass".

Andres and Father Beggs along with Louis Capra Sr. built the First Cass Church, which was a log cabin. The church was also used as a school house.

Elisha and Eliza Smart settled in Cass in 1838 with their ten children. Elisha joined the Gold Rush and went to California, returning seven years later a very rich man. He bought more land and donated it for the construction of a new Cass Church in 1870. His brother, William Smart, donated land for the creation of Cass Cemetery.

John and Hannah Oldfield came to Cass in 1850. Mr. Oldfield raised cattle and increased his land holdings to 2000 acre.

In 1881, a man named Franklin Blanchard opened a cheese factory. The factory was eventually moved or closed; a McDonald's restaurant now occupies the factory's original location.

Martin B. Madden arrived with his parents in the Cass area in 1869 from England. In 1878 he married the youngest daughter of Elisha and Eliza Smart at her parents' house in Cass. In 1903, Mr. Madden built a home to look like the White House in Washington D.C. he called it Castle Eden. Today Castle Eden is part of the Aylesford Retreat Center of the Carmelite Fathers.

A group of German Lutherans from Europe came to the area near 67th and Clarendon Hills Road in 1859. They built the first St. John Lutheran Church and laid out the cemetery behind the church. Today the cemetery is still located at 67th and Clarendon Hills Road. In 1899, a new church was built on the northeast corner of Cass Avenue and 75th Street. In 1969, the second church was torn down and the present St. John's Lutheran Church was built by Louis Capra Jr., west of Cass Ave and north of 75th Street.

A school was built on the northwest corner of Cass and 75th street in 1860. It was the first Lace School. It burned down in 1924, and was replaced with the present building. It is now a museum which is open on the first Sunday of each month from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

By 1890, the Village of Lace was established. The important location at that time was the triangle bordered by Cass Avenue, Plainfield Road and 75th Street. It was called "The Point". The Point included the Town Hall, General Store, the Capra Blacksmith Shop and the office of Dr. Roe. A Post Office had been established by the Rapones at The Point in 1884.

The future city of Darien was originally part of the Lace and Cass communities. As nearby Downers Grove began to expand in the 1960s, its city street grid began to extend into unincorporated areas past its southern borders. Residents of the Marion Hills, Brookhaven, Farmingdale and Hinsbrook subdivisions wanted to incorporate as a single city; this finally happened in 1969. When the incorporation committee reached an impasse on an acceptable name for the new city, acting mayor Sam Kelly suggested the name "Darien". He had visited Darien, Connecticut, and found it to be a very pleasant and attractive community. Today, Darien is known as "A Nice Place to Live", in honor of the city's founding year 1969. Darien in Illinois is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable; Darien in Connecticut is pronounced with the accent on the last syllable.

On June 20, 2021, a large, violent EF3 tornado tore through several neighborhoods of Woodridge, and then into Darien. The tornado first formed in southern Naperville, causing 6 injuries, and 2 in critical condition. After the tornado crossed IL 53, it entered Woodridge, on top of 83rd St. The tornado at this point was nearing peak width, at or near 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide. The tornado then crossed I-355, and reached peak strength not too long later. The tornado reached a peak size of 0.25 – 0.5 miles wide with a debris ball around 2 miles wide. The tornado at this point was starting to enter Darien, causing even more damage there. The tornado crossed I-55 near the IL 83 interchange not too long later. At around 11:35pm, the tornado roped out in the southwest Chicago suburb of Willow Springs.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Darien has a total area of 6.28 sqmi, of which 6.17 sqmi (or 98.22%) is land and 0.11 sqmi (or 1.78%) is water.

Darien's City Hall used to be totally underground until 1994, when it was lifted up. Now only 75% is underground. Darien's City Hall is surrounded on three sides by the village of Downers Grove.

The entire south edge of Darien backs up to Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve, which is home to one of the only old-growth, pine wood forests in the area. It also offers a 773-acre "Bluff savanna", with hiking trails, horseback trails and boat access to the nearby Des Plaines River. The Rocky Glen Waterfall, located within the preserve, is a popular swimming destination in the summer. Darien is bordered by the cities of Downers Grove, Westmont, Woodridge, Lemont, and Willowbrook, and it has easy access to the three major thoroughfares crossing Chicago's southwest suburbs: Interstate 55, Interstate 355, and Interstate 294.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 22,011 people, 8,697 households, and 6,297 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,503.26 PD/sqmi. There were 9,368 housing units at an average density of 1,491.01 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 74.28% White, 3.40% African American, 0.23% Native American, 13.09% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.39% from other races, and 6.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.40% of the population.

There were 8,697 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.53% were married couples living together, 10.08% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 23.31% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.29% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 2.51.

The city's age distribution consisted of 17.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $100,771, and the median income for a family was $113,415. Males had a median income of $59,394 versus $44,771 for females. The per capita income for the city was $49,892. About 3.8% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Hinsdale Township High School District 86 operates Hinsdale South High School in Darien. Part of Darien also attends Downers Grove South High School. Eisenhower Junior High School and Cass Junior High School operate in Darien along with Lace Elementary School, Mark-DeLay Elementary School, Concord Elementary School, and Elizabeth Ide Elementary School.

Local Private Schools include Kingswood Academy (prior to eighth grade). Our Lady of Peace Catholic School closed in 2020 due to low enrollment and financial challenges.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on Route 715 connecting Darien to Westmont and other destinations.

Notable people

 * Rudy Fratto (born 1943), alleged high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit
 * Doug Lussenhop (born 1973), musician, video editor, and comedian associated with comedy duo Tim & Eric
 * Manu Raju, journalist
 * Barbara Alyn Woods (born 1962), actress from One Tree Hill and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

title: Darien, Illinois


text:
Downers Grove, Illinois

Downers Grove is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer, whose surname serves as the eponym for the village. Per the 2020 census, the population of the village was 50,247. It is a southwest suburb of Chicago located between I-88 and I-55.

History

Downers Grove was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer, a farmer who traveled to Illinois from Rutland, New York, but was originally from Vermont. Downers Grove was named for a lush grove of old-growth bur oak trees surrounding the village, which stood out from the local savanna landscape. Its other early settlers included the Blodgett, Curtiss, Blanchard, Stanley, Lyman, and Carpenter families. The original settlers were mostly migrants from the Northeastern United States and Northern Europe. In 1839, Reverend Orange Lyman, a presbyterian minister, and his wife Maria Dewey Lyman arrived, and built what is believed to be the first home in Downers Grove. The first schoolhouse was built in 1844. In 1846, the Blodgett house was built by Israel and Avis Blodgett. It was the second (or third) home built in Downers Grove. Both the Lyman and Blodgett homes are of cultural significance, as they were both built by abolitionist families and served as former stops on the Underground Railroad.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was extended from Aurora to Chicago through Downers Grove in 1864, boosting its population. The town was incorporated in March 1873. Its somewhat unusual spelling ("Apostrophe-free since 1873") remains a minor historical mystery.

In April 1947, the wreck of a Burlington Railroad Twin Cities Zephyr passenger train killed three people, including the engineer. The streamliner struck a large tractor which had fallen from a freight train and two passenger cars crashed through a wall of the Main Street Station.

The construction of two major toll roads along the village's northern and western boundaries, I-355 in 1989, and what is now referred to as I-88 in 1958, facilitated the village's access to the rest of Chicago metropolitan area. I-55 is not far from the south edge of the village. Downers Grove has developed into a bustling Chicago suburb with many diverse businesses, including the headquarters for Devry University, FTD, Ambitech Engineering Corp, Dover, Heartland Food Corporation, and HAVI Global Solutions.

Housing
The housing stock in Downers Grove comprises a mixture; some, generally near the center of town, date from the middle of the 19th century, but housing styles of each succeeding generation are represented. Downers Grove has witnessed one of the highest teardown rates in the Chicago area; small older residences are being demolished and replaced with much larger new houses. Teardowns have been the source of much controversy within the village. Since they occupy much more land than the original houses, rainwater that was originally absorbed by their yards is directed into neighboring yards and streets, resulting in flooding. Concerns have been raised that teardowns reduce affordable housing in the town and promote gentrification.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Downers Grove has a total area of 14.457 sqmi, of which 14.31 sqmi (or 98.98%) is land and 0.147 sqmi (or 1.02%) is water. Only the DuPage County communities of Bartlett, Aurora, Naperville and Bolingbrook have larger land areas. Within the town are two forest preserves: Lyman Woods and Maple Grove Forest Preserve. A small creek runs through Maple Grove forest preserve. Downers Grove has been designated a Tree City USA 28 times by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Climate
Downers Grove is in a humid continental climate zone. On average, January is the coldest month, while July is the warmest month. August typically has the most precipitation, and February the least. The record high for Downers Grove was 105 °F in July 2005, and the record low of -26 °F was set in January 1985.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census, there were 50,327 people living in Downers Grove. The population density was 3,475.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 84.3% White alone (not Hispanic or Latino), 3.4% Black or African American alone, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 5.3% Asian alone, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 5.0% of the population.

There were 20,115 households, with an average household size of 2.42 and an average family size of 3.09. 53.5% of family households included married couples living together, 16.2% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 26.1% had a female householder with no spouse present. Out of adults in the village, 55.2% were married (not separated), 5.9% were widowed, 9.8% were divorced, 0.7% were separated, and 28.5% were never married.

In the village, 5.9% of the population was under 5 years of age, with 21.5% under the age of 18, and 19.1% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years.

According to the 2020 American Community Survey, the Median Household Income in the village was $97,197 (~$ in ). The median income for a family was $131,733, while the median income for a non-family household was $45,193. About 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of minors under age 18, 5.5% of adults aged 18–64, and 6.0% of seniors age 65 or over. The state of Illinois as a whole, has a $68,428 Median Household Income and a 12.0% poverty rate

Economy
Located 20 miles west of the Chicago Loop, Downers Grove residents commonly commute via the village's three Metra BNSF line stations or highway connections. The village itself also serves as headquarters for multiple businesses, including Advocate Aurora Health and Fortune 500 members Dover Corporation and Univar Solutions. The village is also home to regional satellite offices of numerous national corporations, including Microsoft, MetLife, and State Farm.

Downers Grove's retail economy is largely supported by the local section of Ogden Avenue. The stretch of Ogden Avenue through Chicago's western suburbs is particularly known for its automobile dealerships, classic car dealerships, and service centers. Ogden Avenue is also framed by a variety of grocery and convenience stores. Industrial and corporate parks can be found on Ogden's tributaries adjacent to major tollways such as I-355 or I-88.

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

Architecture
Downers Grove has 68 confirmed Sears Kit Homes, 11 Harris Brothers, 9 Wardway/Gordon-Van Tine, and 1 Aladdin Kit Home. Source Downers Grove Museum. Sears and Other Kit-Home research.

Tivoli Theatre
The Tivoli Theatre is located in Downers Grove. Built in 1928, with an initial seating capacity of 1,390, The Tivoli was the first theatre in DuPage County to show "talkies". The Tivoli was equipped with an original Wurlitzer theatre organ. Replaced in 1992, the current instrument, dubbed "Opus 942", originally came from the Indian Theatre in East Chicago, Indiana. The Wurlitzer is frequently played during the opening credits of films shown on weekend evenings.

Parks and recreation
Downers Grove contains many parks and forest preserves, including Doerhoefer Park. The 360 acre Hidden Lake Forest Preserve contains a glacier-dug pond that provides boating access to the nearby DuPage River (East Branch).

Lyman Woods, a nature preserve, was originally ranching lands. The 150 acre preserve consists of oak savannas, prairies, and marshes. The land was purchased by Downers Grove in 1987. The preserve contains over 300 native species of plants and animals; six of which are considered rare in northern Illinois. In 1996, residents of Downers Grove passed the referendum to protect Lyman Woods from residential and commercial development.

Local
The Village of Downers Grove operates under a magisterial council-manager form of government. The Village Council is the policy-making body that authorizes a professional manager to oversee the daily operations of the village. The Village Council is composed of the Mayor and six Commissioners elected at-large. In addition to the Municipal Code, which establishes many of the rules and regulations by which the Village operates, the Council has also adopted separate council policies on several matters related to municipal activities.

The Mayor of Downers Grove is Robert T. Barnett. The Commissioners of Downers Grove are Greg Hose, Nicole Walus, Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt, Rich Kulovany, Chris Gilmartin and Danny Glover. The Mayor and Commissioners are elected for four-year terms at odd-year Consolidated General Elections. The terms for Mayor Barnett and Commissioners Walus, Sadowski-Fugitt, and Kulovany expire in May 2023. The terms for Commissioners Hose, Gilmartin, and Glover expire in May 2025.

The elections for Mayor and Commissioners are non-partisan; the candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot, and direct party funding is not traditionally practiced.

State and national
The majority of the Village of Downers Grove is within the 6th US Congressional District of Illinois. Downers Grove resident Sean Casten (Democrat) has represented the district since 2019. Portions of southwest Downers Grove are within 11th US Congressional District. This district is represented by Bill Foster (Democratic).

The majority of the Village of Downers Grove is within the Illinois Senate 41st Legislative District, which is represented by John Curran (Republican) as of 2023. A portion of northern Downers Grove is within the Illinois Senate 24th Legislative District, which is represented by Suzanne Glowiak (Democratic) as of 2019.

The majority of the Village of Downers Grove is within the Illinois House of Representatives 81st Representative District, which was represented by Ron Sandack (Republican) as of 2015. Sandack abruptly resigned in July 2016 citing issues with social media and "ugly" politics. In August, local Republican officials chose David S. Olsen, previously the mayor pro tem of Downers Grove, as the new Representative of the 81st District. In 2018, newcomer Anne Stava-Murray overcame David S. Olsen in the election with only approximately $30,000 (~$ in ). Portions of northern Downers Grove are within the Illinois House of Representatives 47th Representative District, which is represented by Deanne Mazzochi (Republican) and the Illinois House of Representatives 48th Representative District, which is represented by Terra Costa Howard (Democratic).

In 2006, the July 4 parade in Downers Grove featured both of the major Illinois gubernatorial candidates at the time, Judy Baar Topinka (R) and Rod Blagojevich (D).

Education
Downers Grove is home to twelve public elementary schools, two public middle schools and two public high schools, Downers Grove North High School and Downers Grove South High School. Eleven of the elementary schools, including Hillcrest, Belle Aire, El Sierra, Kingsley, Fairmount, Highland, Whittier, Pierce Downer, Henry Puffer, Lester, and Indian Trail Schools and two of the middle schools-Herrick and O'Neill Middle School, are part of Downers Grove Grade School District 58. The other elementary schools, Prairieview and Elizabeth Ide and Lakeview Jr. High School, are part of Center Cass School District 66. Downers Grove has two Catholic Schools, St. Joseph's and St. Mary's of Gostyn, that enroll students from pre-school through 8th grade. The two high schools in Downers Grove, North and South, are part of Community High School District 99. They serve the entire community of Downers Grove, the majority of the village of Woodridge, and parts of Westmont, Darien, Lisle, Bolingbrook, Oak Brook and unincorporated Downers Grove and Lisle Townships.

Good Shepherd Lutheran School is a Christian Pre-K-8 school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Downers Grove.

Downers Grove is home to the Avery Coonley School. Founded in 1906 and in its present location in Downers Grove since 1929, it is a private K-8 school, known for its math and science-oriented teaching as well as its focus on the arts and foreign language.

Downers Grove is also the home of Midwestern University, which trains osteopathic physicians and surgeons, physician assistants, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and dentists.

According to the American Community Survey 2010, Downers Grove has one of the nation's most educated citizenry, with 50.7% of individuals over the age of 25 holding bachelor's or advanced degrees; the national average is 27.9%.

Downers Grove Christian School celebrated their 50 year anniversary in 2020 and offers classes for Preschool 2 and 3, Pre-K 4, K-8th Grade. Located next to the Lincoln Center and a ministry of First Baptist Church of Downers Grove.

Transportation
The main line of the BNSF Railway is also used by Metra commuter rail. Metra's BNSF Line has three stops in Downers Grove at Belmont Road, Main Street, and Fairview Avenue. Interstate Highways 355 and 88 pass through the community, as well as the major surface street US 34-Ogden Avenue. Downers Grove is served by the Pace Bus Service, a system of suburban public transportation.

The Grove Commuter Shuttle runs four routes throughout the community to two of the three train stations that are in the village. The shuttle also operates for the RotaryGrove Fest from remote parking lots on the north and south sides of the village located at the respective north and south high schools.

Utilities
Downers Grove drinking water comes from Lake Michigan, via the DuPage Water Commission pipeline, which purchases the water from the City of Chicago Department of Water Management. Its electricity infrastructure is largely maintained by Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd); its natural gas infrastructure was built by Northern Illinois Gas.

Household waste pickup is contracted out by the village to Republic Services, as is yard waste pickup; these are paid for by either household-purchased stickers or rented carts. Curbside recycling is free.

Waste water is treated by the Downers Grove Sanitary District.

Notable people

 * Muriel Anderson (b. 1960), composer and guitarist
 * Henry Williams Blodgett (1821-1905), United States federal judge and Illinois state representative
 * Bob Bryar (b. 1979), drummer for My Chemical Romance
 * Nick Burdi (b. 1993), baseball player
 * Greg Corner (b. 1974) bassist for Kill Hannah, co-host and musical director for JBTV
 * Andy Dunn (b. 1979), CEO of Bonobos Inc.
 * David Edwards (b. 1997) is a professional football player for the Los Angeles Rams.
 * Charles Draper Faulkner (1890-1979), architect
 * Collin Fernandez (b. 1997), professional soccer player
 * Sherron Francis (b. 1940), abstract artist
 * Lauren Frost (b. 1985), actress best known as Ruby Mendel in Disney Channel Original Series Even Stevens and Disney Channel Original Movie The Even Stevens Movie
 * Cammi Granato (b. 1971), Olympic ice hockey champion, inductee in Hockey Hall of Fame
 * Tony Granato (b. 1964), NHL player, head coach of Colorado Avalanche and University of Wisconsin
 * Kendall Gretsch, paralympian
 * Miles Harvey (b. 1960), journalist and author
 * F. Kenneth Iverson (1925–2002) CEO of Nucor Steel
 * Eric Jagielo (b. 1992), baseball player
 * Nancy Johnson (b. 1974), 2000 Summer Olympics gold medalist in the 10 metre air rifle
 * Matt Jones (b. 1983), professional hockey player formerly with the Phoenix Coyotes (NHL)
 * Dan LeFevour (b. 1987), professional quarterback for Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League
 * Fred Faulkner Lester (1926–1945), Hospital corpsman in the United States Navy and awardee of the Medal of Honor.
 * Eric Lichaj (b. 1988), professional soccer player, currently with Hull City and also a member of the US national team
 * Emil Martinec (b. 1958), string theorist
 * Thomas McCracken Jr. (born 1952), Illinois state legislator and lawyer
 * Jim McDermott (b. 1936), U.S. representative representing Washington's 7th congressional district from 1989 to 2017
 * Sherrill Milnes (b. 1935), baritone, formerly with the Metropolitan Opera
 * Sandi Morris (b. 1992), pole vaulter, silver medalist at 2016 Olympics and 2017 World Championships
 * Edward F. Mrkvicka Jr. (b. 1944), lay minister and financial expert
 * Bryan Mullins (b. 1987), former basketball player and current Men's Basketball head coach at Southern Illinois University
 * Bill Novey (1948–1991), head of special effects at Walt Disney Imagineering
 * Emo Philips (b. 1956), comedian
 * Lanny Poffo (1954–2023), professional wrestler
 * "Shorty" Powers (1922–1979), NASA spokesman for Project Mercury
 * Joe Principe (b. 1974), bass guitarist for Rise Against
 * Denise Richards (b. 1971), actress and former model, The World Is Not Enough, Wild Things, Denise Richards: It's Complicated
 * John Ridgely (1909–1968), actor, The Big Sleep, Air Force, Destination Tokyo
 * Johnny Sain (1917–2006), baseball pitcher, 6-time World Series champion; died in Downers Grove
 * Randy Savage (1952–2011), Randall Mario Poffo, ring name "Macho Man", former professional wrestler and actor
 * Luther Ely Smith (1873–1951), founder of the Gateway Arch National Park
 * Barbara Stock (b. 1956), actress, Spenser: For Hire, Dallas
 * Joseph Tumpach (1912-1968), Illinois state representative and motel owner
 * Matthew West (b. 1977), contemporary Christian musician
 * Megan Callahan-Shah (b. 1985), 5-time Emmy Awards nominated writer for Saturday Night Live

 * Savannah Harmon (b. 1995), former Olympian and current PWHL Ottawa player.

title: Downers Grove, Illinois


text:
Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Glen Ellyn is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. A suburb located 24 miles due west of downtown Chicago, the village has a population of 28,846 as of the 2020 Census.

History

Glen Ellyn, like the neighboring town to the east, Lombard, had its genesis in an 1833 claim by two brothers from the Finger Lakes region of New York, Morgan and Ralph Babcock. The two claimed property in a large stand of timber near present-day St. Charles Road and the East Branch of the DuPage River. The brothers also arranged for a claim for their New York neighbor Deacon Winslow Churchill, who arrived in 1834 along with some of his adult children and their families. The nascent settlement became known as Babcock's Grove, and it included property currently part of both Glen Ellyn and Lombard.

Up the trail from the river to the west was a five-cornered intersection. In 1835, Daniel Fish built a cabin there, and other settlers followed. By the 1840s the intersection was called Fish's Corners and held a general store, blacksmith's forge, shops selling or repairing wagons and harnesses, and a Baptist church.

Moses Stacy, a soldier in the War of 1812, arrived in 1835 and built a house south of Fish's Corners. In 1846, Stacy built at the five corners an inn, Stacy's Tavern, to serve as a halfway stop between Chicago and the Fox River Valley and a probable stop for Galena, Illinois stagecoaches on their way to Rockford, Illinois. Stacy's Tavern, now a historical monument, stands at what is now the intersection of Geneva Road and Main Street.

In 1849, construction of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad through Glen Ellyn was finished. The railroad was about a mile south of the corners. At first, trains running through the town on the railway did not stop there. A local landowner, Lewey Quitterfield Newton, made an offer to the railroad company: Newton would provide land for a right-of-way and build a depot and water tank if the railroad would require trains to stop there. The depot that Newton built became known as Newton Station, and the locus of the community shifted to the area around the station.

The first church, a Congregational church, was built in 1862. Many Protestant churches were built in the village in the years to come. It was not until 60 years later that the first Catholic church was built.

The growing settlement went through several names, including Babcock's Grove, DuPage Center, Stacy's Corners, Newton's Station, Danby (after Danby, Vermont, a local landowner's birthplace) and Prospect Park. The current Glen Ellyn is based on the Welsh version of the name of village president Thomas E. Hill's wife Ellen, preceded by glen, referring to the local geography.

The name Glen Ellyn had been adopted by 1889, when village president Hill and businessman Philo Stacy spearheaded a project to create a new lake, called Lake Glen Ellyn (today's Lake Ellyn), by having a dam built in a nearby stream.

In 1890, residents discovered mineral springs near the village. This contributed to Glen Ellyn advertising itself as Chicago's newest suburb and health resort, soon followed by the Village of Glen Ellyn being officially incorporated on May 10, 1892. The large Lake Glen Ellyn Hotel opened in 1892, the same year much of the business district was destroyed by fire. Fourteen years later, the hotel was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.

The village's all-volunteer fire department was created in 1907. By the end of the 20th century, it was the last all-volunteer fire department in DuPage County.

By World War I, Glen Oak Country Club served the Oak Park and Glen Ellyn communities, and in 1922 the first Glenbard high school was built.

Geography
The Village of Glen Ellyn is a suburb of Chicago, and it lies about 24 mi due west of downtown Chicago.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Glen Ellyn has a total area of 7.01 sqmi, of which 6.85 sqmi (or 97.70%) is land and 0.16 sqmi (or 2.30%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 28,846 people, 10,747 households, and 7,529 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,114.39 PD/sqmi. There were 11,283 housing units at an average density of 1,609.33 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 78.75% White, 3.32% African American, 0.23% Native American, 8.16% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.77% from other races, and 6.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.47% of the population.

There were 10,747 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.55% were married couples living together, 6.63% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.94% were non-families. 26.84% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.47% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 2.58.

The village's age distribution consisted of 26.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 27% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $118,208, and the median income for a family was $169,358. Males had a median income of $90,561 versus $44,196 for females. The per capita income for the village was $65,328. About 2.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
According to Glen Ellyn's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Transportation
Glen Ellyn is served by the Metra Union Pacific West Line. The Glen Ellyn station is located at 551 Crescent Blvd, near the heart of the downtown business district. The station is located 22.4 mi away from Ogilvie Transportation Center, the eastern terminus of the West Line.

Glen Ellyn is served by Pace bus routes 714, 715, and 301 passing through the village on Roosevelt Road.

The Illinois Prairie Path bicycle trail bisects the village and the Great Western Trail (Illinois) passes through the northern edge.

At the east end of the village, Roosevelt Road provides access onto Interstate 355.

Glen Ellyn Park District
Glen Ellyn Park District was established on November 3, 1919, as a government agency for the community of Glen Ellyn. The facility was made to provide recreational activities such as, sports, dance, childcare and more. The park district provides more than 700 programs and is open all year round. The park district's year is divided into three seasons: Fall, Winter and Spring/Summer. It has 30 parks that are maintained for the community's use in both recreational and for programmed events like youth football and softball. The district counts with one outdoor aquatic facility Sunset Pool, four recreation buildings, 23 multipurpose parks and playgrounds and two lakes, including Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center and the Lake Ellyn Boathouse. The Park District launches other events like Taste of Glen Ellyn which is a great way to kick off the summer in town and surrounding areas. On Fourth of July the park district puts together a firework show in Lake Ellyn for everyone in the community, also counts with a Fourth of July parade that goes around the streets of the historic downtown Glen Ellyn.

Ackerman Sports Center
The Ackerman Sports Center is located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois it counts with an indoor track, indoor field house, indoor turf soccer field, rock climbing wall, locker rooms and a fitness center. It provides a safe environment for those who are members to the facility, it counts with a variety of activities for children and adults. It also counts with childcare hours for fitness members.

Spring Avenue Recreation Center
The Spring Avenue Recreation Center often referred as "SARC" services as one of the main facilities in the Glen Ellyn Park District. The building counts with a fitness center, fitness studio, dance studios, tumbling/gymnastics facility and a crafts lab. The SARC is also host of the Glen Ellyn Park District's Board of Commissioners meetings. Offering a variety of activities for early childhood, youth and seniors, the Spring Avenue Center is the main hub of the Glen Ellyn Park District, located behind the SARC facility is a fully enclosed dog park.

Main Street Recreation Center
The formerly Main Street School is also one of the main registration facilities in the Glen Ellyn Park District, it counts with surrounding park as a playground, large open play area, athletic fields, one official-sized baseball field, two dance studios, an indoor gymnasium and multi purpose rooms. The MSRC is also home to the offices of Anima - Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus.

Sunset Pool Aquatic Center
Sunset Pool is a summer get away with fun and refreshing activities for early childhood, youth/adults and seniors. It counts with an outdoor, zero depth features as sloping, beach style entry as a well as the sand play area perfect for non-swimming children. It counts with water slides and a concession stand with in the facility. The sunset pool offers a variety of events from BBQ's to back to school bashes and special event rentals.

Popular culture

 * Glen Ellyn is the setting for then-local resident O. T. Nelson's 1975 novel The Girl Who Owned a City. The protagonist, named Lisa Nelson after the author's real daughter, lives in the Lake Ellyn area of the village. After a virus kills all adults on the planet, she, with several other children, moved into Glenbard West High School.
 * Glen Ellyn and Glenbard West High School were used as the setting in the movie Lucas (1986), starring Corey Haim and featuring the film debuts of Winona Ryder and Courtney Thorne-Smith. The Fox Network's 1991 documentary/reality show Yearbook was filmed At Glenbard West.  Glen Ellyn was also used in June 2007 for filming of the movie Witless Protection (2008), featuring Larry the Cable Guy.
 * Glen Ellyn is the home of the fictional character Joe Patroni, the TWA engineer in the novel Airport and played by George Kennedy in the four movies of the Airport franchise.
 * Episode 4 of Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, titled The Outside, is set in Glen Ellyn.

Higher education
The main campus of College of DuPage is located in Glen Ellyn. Among its alumni are the comedian John Belushi and his actor brother James Belushi.

Public schools
Glen Ellyn's primary schools are part of Glen Ellyn School District 41 and Community Consolidated School District 89. Its high schools are a part of Glenbard Township High School District 87, with the term Glenbard being a blend of Glen Ellyn and Lombard, a village due east of Glen Ellyn.

 * High schools
 * Glenbard West High School
 * Glenbard South High School
 * Middle schools
 * Glen Crest Middle School
 * Hadley Junior High School
 * Elementary schools
 * Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
 * Arbor View Elementary School
 * Benjamin Franklin Elementary School
 * Churchill Elementary School
 * Forest Glen Elementary School
 * Park View Elementary School
 * Westfield Elementary School

Private schools

 * Montessori Academy of Glen Ellyn
 * Phillip J. Rock Center and School
 * St. James the Apostle Catholic School
 * St. Petronille Catholic School
 * Maryknoll Montessori School

Sister cities

 * Calatayud, Aragón, Spain
 * Le Bouscat, Gironde, France

title: Glen Ellyn, Illinois


text:
Glendale Heights, Illinois

Glendale Heights is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 33,176. The village is almost entirely residential, and is a far west suburb of Chicago.

History
Glendale Heights was a small farming area served by the Glen Ellyn post office up until the 1950s, with a population of just 104 in 1959. Midland Enterprises, run by Charles and Harold Reskin, started building houses in Glendale Heights in 1958. The Reskins bought two farms on Glen Ellyn Road north of North Avenue. Houses were first built on Glen Ellyn Road and Larry Lane near Fullerton Avenue. On June 16, 1959, a petition was filed and on July 13, the village became incorporated. The first election was held later that summer on August 2.

The town was originally named Glendale as it was between Glen Ellyn and Bloomingdale, but after a conflict arose with the small town of Glendale in Southern Illinois, the city decided in March 1960 to add the term Heights, in reference to its different topographies, a difference of about 100 feet because of its location straddling the Valparaiso Morraine, thus becoming Glendale Heights.

Geography
Glendale Heights is located at 41.92028°N, -88.07889°W (41.920228, −88.078918).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Glendale Heights has a total area of 5.53 sqmi, of which 5.39 sqmi (or 97.45%) is land and 0.14 sqmi (or 2.55%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 33,176 people, 11,654 households, and 8,293 families residing in the village. The population density was 6,003.62 PD/sqmi. There were 11,874 housing units at an average density of 2,148.75 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 36.61% White, 7.27% African American, 1.28% Native American, 25.25% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 16.87% from other races, and 12.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.82% of the population.

There were 11,654 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.75% were married couples living together, 14.54% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.84% were non-families. 21.49% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.86% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.44 and the average family size was 2.90.

The village's age distribution consisted of 23.0% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $70,034, and the median income for a family was $71,226. Males had a median income of $42,911 versus $30,974 for females. The per capita income for the village was $29,225. About 8.3% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
According to Glendale Height's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Schools
Glendale Heights has three school districts, 15, 16 and 41. All of these districts are K-8 and feed into Glenbard Township district 87. Though there are three school districts, there is only one library district, the Glenside Public Library District. Queen Bee District 16

District 16 has two schools, Glen Hill and Pheasant Ridge that are K-3. Americana is for 4th and 5th grades. The middle school's name is Glenside and used to be referred to as a junior high. District 16's name sake school, Queen Bee, is no longer used as an elementary school. The building is still standing on Bloomingdale Road and used for other purposes. District 16 students are split between Glenbard North and Glenbard West for high school.

Marquardt District 15

District 15 has four elementary schools, G. Stanley Hall School, Winnebago School, Blackhawk School, and Charles G. Reskin School. The middle school, Marquardt, is the district's school. Marquardt has a separate building for the sixth grade students, and another for 7th and 8th grade students. District 15 serves the eastern part of Glendale Heights, parts of Addison, southern section of Bloomingdale, unincorporated Lombard, and the northern part of Glen Ellyn Countryside. Winnebago school has a Bloomingdale address, but sits very close to the Glendale Heights border. District 15 feeds primarily into Glenbard East High School.

Glen Ellyn School District 41

District 41 has four elementary schools, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Churchill and Forest Glen. Students that live in Glendale Heights within the boundaries of District 41 attend Abraham Lincoln. Hadley Junior High is the fifth school, and it is a separate facility for students enrolled sixth, seventh and eighth grades. District 41 serves parts of Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Glen Ellyn, Lombard and Wheaton. Students that live in Glendale Heights within the boundaries of District 41 feed into Glenbard West High School.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on Routes 711 and 715 connecting Glendale Heights to Wheaton and other destinations.

Notable people

 * Billy Corgan, guitarist and singer of the Smashing Pumpkins, grew up in Glendale Heights.
 * Jeremy Hammond, political activist, hacktivist, and anarchist, born and grew up in Glendale Heights.

title: Glendale Heights, Illinois


text:
Itasca, Illinois

Itasca is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 9,543. Located approximately 25 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, Itasca is close to O'Hare International Airport, major expressways and rail transportation. Itasca is home to a country club, a resort and shares a border with Medinah's legendary golf course. BusinessWeek rated Itasca as the Best Affordable Suburb in the state of Illinois.

History
Itasca was first settled by Elijah Smith in 1841. Smith practiced medicine in Boston. In May 1841, at the advice of his colleagues he set out to find a suitable site for doctoring, farming, and raising a family. He traveled from New York via Detroit and headed toward DuPage County. His parchment government land title dated March 10, 1843, was signed by John Tyler, President of the United States. The document gave Smith title to the land that is now bounded by the railroad tracks on the south, Maple Street on the west, Cherry Street on the east, and Division Street on the north. The post office was established in 1846 and took on various names, such as Bremen, Pierce (after Charles Pierce, who ran a trading post), and Sagon. The name Itasca comes from Lake Itasca. In the 1860s the first school was built. It was a small wooden structure with one room. The building was located on a site near the present First Presbyterian Church.

In 1873 Smith plotted eighty acres of his land into lots. The Chicago and Pacific Railroad was completed from Chicago to Elgin, with stations at Bensenville, Wood Dale (called Lester) and Itasca. Smith gave the right-of-way to encourage location of the tracks through the settlement. He donated $400 to help build a station.

The Chicago and Pacific Railroad became insolvent. In 1880 the road went into the hands of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, a newly formed corporation combining several rail networks.

The citizens of Itasca decided in 1890 to incorporate into a village. At a meeting at his mill, A. G. Chessman was elected the first Village President. Irving Park Road was first called the Chicago and Elgin Road. At an 1891 Village Board meeting, the name was changed to Elgin Avenue.

The 1900s

The Village of Itasca created a Historical Commission in 1985 to retain the aesthetic beauty, character, and historical integrity of the Village. The Village of Itasca is committed to the preservation of its pre-1900 and early 1900 homes, buildings, structures, and places.

In 1987, the Village adopted the Historic Preservation Ordinance which provides a mechanism to identify and preserve the special distinctive historic, aesthetic, architectural and/or landscaping characteristics of the Village's cultural, social, economic, political and architectural history.

The Itasca Historical District includes the following area: Bounded on the north by North Street, on the south by Bloomingdale Road, east to Irving Park, Irving Park east to Rush Street; on the east by Cherry Street extended to Schiller Street then west to Rush Street, then south to Irving Park Road and on the west by Catalpa Avenue extended to Bloomingdale Road.

The Spire, which is Itasca's most familiar landmark, graces the top of what was formerly the Lutheran Church of St. Luke. This edifice was erected in 1907 by builder Fred Westendorf. Pastor Frederick Zersen served the congregation for thirty-eight years. Church services were in German. It was not until 1926 that English services were held twice a month. German was also taught in the church school. Until 1916, there was no bank in Itasca. Herman H. Franzen took deposits for Village residents to the Roselle Bank each morning, making the trip regularly on the 9:00 AM train. In 1916, two banks opened within weeks of each other. The Itasca State Bank had as its president H. F. Lawrence. The cashier was Elmer H. Franzen. The second bank was called the Dairyman's Bank of Northern Illinois, and was opened by F. N. Peck. Peck opened a total of four banks, but the Depression forced him to close them all. The Franzen banks in Itasca, Roselle, and Fox Lake were sound throughout the hard times of the 1920s, and emerged successfully from the Depression.

Telephone service had come to Itasca in 1899. Electricity was first installed in some homes in 1923. The bustling community soon gained another facility. The Itasca Country Club was opened in the spring of 1925.

The rural village of the 1800s and early 1900s retained its atmosphere until the 1940s. A new word then began to enter the American vocabulary: suburb. The influence of the city increased as population increased. Commuting daily to the Loop became the routine for many of the Village wage earners. By 1982, the population had grown to 7,192. Annexations had resulted in fifty miles of Village streets, more parks, and two industrial areas to serve. Providing safety and service as population increased required the establishment of departments of public works, of sewer and water, of building and police. A park district, a Village library, and a fire district were formed.

High school students from Itasca attended Bensenville's Fenton High School and Glenbard High School, a combined Glen Ellyn-Lombard school. A high school district, District 108, was organized in 1953. Lake Park High School, with students from Itasca, Roselle, Medinah, Keeneyville and Bloomingdale, opened in September 1956.

Modern industry was foreign to Itasca until 1961 when Central Manufacturing District (CMD) bought about 400 acres on the western edge of the village. An industrial park was established, and such national companies as Continental Can and FMC soon moved in. In 1970, the Itasca Industrial Park was established to the east of the Village, and attracted many more industries.

Anvan Corporation built a Holiday Inn on Irving Park east of Route 53. The building was of modular construction, the first such hotel in the nation to be built in this manner.

In 1969, Carson Pirie Scott purchased Nordic Hills Country Club. Two 10-story tower hotel buildings were constructed adjacent to the eighteen-hole golf course. In 1973, the Carson Inn/Nordic Hills facility was annexed to the village. Today, it is the Eaglewood Resort.

In October 1979, Trammell Crow Company of Texas broke ground for Hamilton Lakes. A 420-room Stouffer Hotel and a ten-story office building, completed in 1981, constituted the first phase of the project, situated on 278 acres on the northwest edge of Itasca. To date 15 buildings out of an estimated 26 have been completed, amounting to 2,767,589 gross square feet of floor space with an ultimate development of 4,490,700 gross square feet. A 16-story office building was added to the complex in 1984.

In 1966, the Village purchased 60 acres of land south of Irving Park Road. This established a green belt area to ensure both open space and water retention. In 1968 the Spring Brook Nature Center was formed.

A Master Plan for this area was adopted in 1965, and continues to guide the community into its future. Itasca, having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1990, continues to control its development according to the individuality of its past.

The overall growth and development of the Village has and is being controlled by the Comprehensive Plan that was first adopted in 1942 and has been amended in 1959, 1979, and 1993.

Shirley H. Ketter, the first female Mayor of Itasca monumentally served as Village President of Itasca from 1983 to 1997. Former Mayor Ketter is after whom Itasca's Ketter Drive was named in 1999 in honor of her role with the Hamilton Lakes Business Park, which according to Mayor Gigi Gruber, Ketter "created and developed the whole Hamilton project."

Outstanding residential neighborhoods, first-rate schools, and beautiful parks distinguish Itasca as a quality community. Most importantly, we have worked to retain our small town charm with a lovely historic district and churches of all architectural styles.

Each year Itasca hosts multiple notable events which includes, Itasca Fest, fireworks at Hamilton Lakes, and other events throughout the year. Itasca Fest is the second weekend of July which includes live music, food, beverages, rides, car shows, and more. The Hamilton Lakes fireworks are claimed to be the best and largest in Illinois.

Geography
Itasca is located at 41.97472°N, -88.01861°W (41.974678, -88.018513).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Itasca has a total area of 5.14 sqmi, of which 5.02 sqmi (or 97.63%) is land and 0.12 sqmi (or 2.37%) is water.

Surrounding areas

 * Elk Grove
 * Elk Grove [[Image:Up arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Up-1.svg|30px]] [[Image:Up arrow right.svg|20px]] Elk Grove
 * Roselle [[Image:Left.svg|30px]] [[Image:Right.svg|30px]] Wood Dale
 * Bloomingdale [[Image:Down arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Down arrow.svg|30px]] [[Image:Down arrow right.svg|20px]] Wood Dale
 * Addison

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 9,543 people, 3,870 households, and 2,814 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,855.17 PD/sqmi. There were 3,927 housing units at an average density of 763.41 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 72.60% White, 2.33% African American, 0.66% Native American, 10.87% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 5.57% from other races, and 7.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.16% of the population.

There were 3,870 households, out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.87% were married couples living together, 7.67% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.29% were non-families. 17.36% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.63% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 2.42.

The village's age distribution consisted of 15.6% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 24% from 25 to 44, 36.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $99,706, and the median income for a family was $106,959. Males had a median income of $59,444 versus $38,333 for females. The per capita income for the village was $53,551. About 1.7% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

Neighborhoods
Itasca's residential neighborhoods, for the most part, straddle the railroad tracks running through the village. The railroad splits the town into the "North Side" and the "South Side". (Itasca has two unincorporated neighborhoods west of Rohlwing Road: Nordic Park near the intersection of Rohlwing and Bloomingdale Roads, and the Ranchettes near the intersection of Rohlwing and Irving Park Roads).

The four main are only four railroad crossings in Itasca, from west to east: IL 53/Rohlwing Road, Catalpa Street, Walnut Street, and CR 10/Prospect Avenue and several others in the Industrial Parks.

Walnut Street, between Bloomingdale Road and Division Street, is generally regarded as Itasca's "downtown". The town's landmarks include Itasca Baptist Church, and Usher Park, which is on Walnut Street. A riverwalk was recently added, and Gigi Gruber Lane is a tribute to former mayor Gigi Gruber. Irving Park Road between Interstate 290 and First Street is also a commercial corridor, as well as the home of the town's Municipal Campus (library, museum, pool, fire station, and police station/village hall). West of I-290, Irving Park Road remains commercial, but with more national chain businesses.

Education
Prior to 1995, Itasca's School District 10 had one PreK-5 elementary school on each side of town: Franzen School on the North Side and Raymond Benson Primary School (formerly Washington School) on the South Side. (Upon entering 6th grade, all students attend Peacock Jr. High (later renamed Peacock Middle School) on the town's North Side. Itasca is served by High School District 108, Lake Park High School in nearby Roselle).

Beginning with the 1995–1996 school year, the elementary schools were consolidated: Benson Primary School, formerly Washington School, would become PreK-2nd Grade; Franzen Intermediate School would become 3rd-5th Grades.

St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church and School offered elementary education in Itasca from 1963 until its closure in 2010.

St. Luke Lutheran Church and School dates back to 1885. The Church and school were relocated to their current location at Washington and Rush street in 1961.

Economy
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., one of the world's largest insurance brokerage firms, Jewel-Osco (grocery stores), Walter E. Smithe (furniture), and Fellowes, Inc. headquarters are located in Itasca. In 2014, Itasca-based LaunchPoint was ranked #100 in the Inc. (magazine) list of 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. Additionally, PrimeCo had its headquarters in Itasca. In 1946 Hugh S. Knowles founded Knowles Electronics in Itasca. Eaglewood Resort is in Itasca, adjacent to Medinah Country Club.

Transportation
Itasca has a station on Metra's Milwaukee District West Line, which provides daily rail service between Elgin and Chicago Union Station.

The town is also located at the junction of Interstate 290, Veterans Memorial Tollway, and the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway, making Itasca a prime location for commerce and industry in the northwest suburbs.

State Highway 19 (Irving Park Road), which connects Chicago and Elgin, runs east–west through the center of town. State Highway 53 (Rohlwing Road) runs north–south through the western edge of the village.

Notable people

 * Zach Ziemek, Olympic Athlete
 * Camden Murphy, NASCAR driver and monster truck driver

title: Itasca, Illinois


text:
Lisle, Illinois

Lisle is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,390 at the 2010 census, and in 2019 the population was recorded to be 23,270. It is part of the Chicago metro area and the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor. It is also the headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region III.

History
In 1830, Bailey Hobson, a Quaker, was the first settler in what would become DuPage County, Illinois, as well as Lisle Township. The town of Lisle was settled in 1832, by brothers James C. Hatch and Luther A. Hatch after the close of the Black Hawk War. The two brothers acquired land near what is now Ogden Avenue and began a small farming community named "DuPage" or "East DuPage" because, of its proximity to the east branch of the DuPage River.

In 1831, DuPage County was founded. To the west of the Lisle settlement, on the west branch of the DuPage river, brothers Joseph and John Naper founded Naper's Settlement, present-day Naperville, Illinois.

Lisle experienced many firsts in the decade of 1830s during the earliest years of settlement in DuPage County. In 1832, James C. Hatch set aside some of his land for the first and only community burial ground in the East DuPage Settlement. Today, Lisle Cemetery is one of the oldest registered cemeteries in the state of Illinois. Hatch operated the first wagon and blacksmith shop and began Lisle's infant dairy industry with a creamery. Formed in 1833, the East DuPage Religious Society had a circuit rider preacher with house churches and was the first Christian organization in DuPage County, which later became the First Congregational Church of DuPage in 1842. The first post office was managed by John Thompson in 1834, and the first log schoolhouse was constructed in that same year and later replaced, in 1837, with a frame structure.

In 1849, DuPage County formed its first townships, and the name Lisle was first proposed by early settler Alonzo B. Chatfield of Lisle, New York; the proposal was accepted, creating the Lisle Township. The village was incorporated on June 26, 1956, and was also named after Lisle, New York. Another reason for the DuPage township name change was that there was another town in Will County with the name DuPage.

Another story of the origin of the Lisle name was that the town was named after the late S. Lisle Smith of Chicago.

In 1864, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad arrived along with a newly constructed depot. In 1874, a fire destroyed the Lisle Station depot, but it was later rebuilt by the CB&Q Railroad. Today, commuter rail service is provided by Metra.

On July 4, 2006, Lisle celebrated its 50th birthday by hosting the state's biggest fireworks display.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Lisle has a total area of 7.08 sqmi, of which 6.90 sqmi (or 97.44%) is land and 0.18 sqmi (or 2.56%) is water. Most of Lisle lies within the watershed of the east branch of the DuPage River.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 24,223 people, 9,787 households, and 5,547 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,419.88 PD/sqmi. There were 10,965 housing units at an average density of 1,548.07 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 67.64% White, 6.13% African American, 0.35% Native American, 15.26% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.77% from other races, and 6.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.93% of the population.

There were 9,787 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.52% were married couples living together, 5.51% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.32% were non-families. 35.38% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% 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 2.30.

The village's age distribution consisted of 21.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $96,945, and the median income for a family was $133,133. Males had a median income of $67,435 versus $49,270 for females. The per capita income for the village was $50,750. About 2.6% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
CA Technologies, Molex, Armour-Eckrich, and Navistar are among the largest companies based in Lisle.

Top employers
According to the Village's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top ten employers in the city are:

Points of interest

 * The Lisle Library contains resources and hosts art exhibits.
 * Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum.
 * Morton Arboretum
 * Pioneer village museum a Lisle Station Park.
 * Created by the Chicago Bulls and White Sox, the Bulls/Sox Training Academy runs year-round training programs in baseball, fastpitch softball, and basketball for youths.

Primary and secondary schools
Lisle's school district is Lisle Community Unit School District 202; a portion of Lisle lies in the Naperville Community Unit School District 203. The majority of high school students living in Lisle attend Lisle Senior High School.

Middle schools:
 * Kennedy Junior High School (serving District 203)
 * Lisle Junior High (serving District 202)
 * St. Joan of Arc (Grades PreK-8)

High schools:
 * Lisle High School (serving District 202)
 * Chesterton Academy of the Holy Family (Catholic)
 * Benet Academy (Catholic - Benedictine)

Colleges and universities

 * Benedictine University, formerly known as Illinois Benedictine College, has its 108 acre campus in Lisle.
 * National Louis University is located on Warrenville Road in Lisle.
 * The Center for Entrepreneurship of the College of DuPage is located in the One Corporate Lakes building in Lisle.
 * Universal Technical Institute is located off of Warrenville Road in Lisle. The Lisle campus trains students for careers in Automotive, Diesel and Welding.

Transportation
The Lisle station provides Metra commuter rail service along the BNSF Line. Trains connect Lisle to Chicago Union Station, Aurora Transportation Center and points in between.

Pace provides bus service on Route 722 connecting Lisle to Naperville and other destinations.

Notable people

 * Glenn Earl, safety for the professional American football team, Houston Texans
 * John Grochowski, author on gambling, radio personality, and Chicago Sun-Times newspaper columnist
 * Lester Lewis, television writer, producer, and supervisory producer for sitcoms Flight of the Conchords, Caroline in the City, The Larry Sanders Show, and The Office
 * Joy Morton, founder of Morton Salt Company and Morton Arboretum; son of Julius Sterling Morton founder of Arbor Day
 * Brian Plotkin, midfielder with the professional American soccer teams, Chicago Fire, Indiana Invaders, Carolina RailHawks, and Columbus Crew
 * Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte Hornets center, consensus NCAA Division I men's player of the year for 2014–15 at Wisconsin, and Benet Academy graduate

title: Lisle, Illinois