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Sycamore, Illinois

Sycamore is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It has a commercial district based and centered on Illinois Route 64. The population was 18,577 at the 2020 census, up from 17,419 at the 2010 census. Sycamore is the county seat of DeKalb County and was named after the sycamore tree.

Early settlement
The first European settlers to the Sycamore-area arrived in 1835 and concentrated themselves mostly north of the Kishwaukee River (the name of which means Sycamore) and the present site of Sycamore. The original town was platted by a New Yorker named Christian Sharer. A mill was constructed and the Kishwaukee dammed but the town failed. By 1837, after some controversy, the location of county seat was settled in favor of Orange, Sycamore's original name, and the settlement moved to the present-day site of the city.

The present-day town site was platted by James Waterman and Evans Wharry in 1837 (the same year Chicago was founded). The first settler at the new site was Carlos Lattin, who preceded the town, having arrived in 1835. Lattin staked a claim that included most of the present west side of the city and erected his first cabin just north of downtown.

County seat location
Early in the city's history, it seemed that Sycamore might not be the location of the DeKalb County Courthouse: other towns were vying for the county seat title. A now-defunct town called Brush Point was the choice of a Dr. Henry Madden; and the Clerk of the Court Rufus Colton would have preferred Coltonville, where he made his home. Colton had set the first session of county court to be held at his home in Coltonville. In his attempt to make Coltonville the county seat, Colton decided to hold a new election for the status in 1837. Colton made sure that Coltonville would win the election by telling only the population of Coltonville about it. His political tactics were eventually cancelled by an act of the Illinois General Assembly, after the DeKalb County court intervened. When court convened the sheriff served a court order declaring Sycamore had built a Courthouse and that the Court session should be held there. Afterward, Coltonville eventually suffered the same fate as Brush Point and disappeared from the map. These events settled for a time the issue of where the courthouse and, in turn, the DeKalb County seat was going to be located.

In 1903, as the county prepared to construct a new courthouse, the debate over county seat was reignited. This time, it was the city of DeKalb that sought to wrest the title of county seat away from Sycamore. Two of DeKalb's most prominent citizens, Jacob Haish and Isaac L. Ellwood, each promised to donate $20,000 to help absorb some of the new building's cost. The city of Sycamore responded, raising funds of their own, and after some back and forth and legal wrangling, the issue was settled in Sycamore's favor.

Later settlement
Following the end of the second county seat controversy, in 1839, the first DeKalb County Courthouse was built in the city, as well as Sycamore's first hotel. A year later the settlement consisted of 12 houses, which increased to 18 by 1844. Sycamore then began an era of steady growth marked by population increases in 1848 to 262, 1849 to 320, 1850 to 390, 1851 to 435. The Sycamore and Cortland Railroad arrived in the late 1850s and a station was erected in Sycamore. Sycamore was home to 41 commercial and industrial business by 1855. In 1858, Sycamore was incorporated as a village. Following the American Civil War the railroad began to assist Sycamore's growth and the settlement was incorporated as a city in 1869.

Maria Ridulph murder
Sycamore is the location of a notable cold case, the 1957 abduction and murder of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph. On the evening of December 3, 1957, Maria disappeared while playing outside her family's Sycamore home. She was last seen by her playmate Kathy Chapman (née Sigman) with a young man who called himself "Johnny" and had approached the girls offering them piggyback rides. A search and investigation by local and state police and the FBI failed to locate either Maria or "Johnny", and the following April, Maria's body was found in a field approximately 100 miles from Sycamore. The case remained unsolved for over 50 years until in 2011, Jack Daniel McCullough, a former neighbor of the Ridulphs, was arrested and convicted of kidnapping and murdering Maria. The case received national news coverage as the oldest cold case in US history to result in a conviction. However, in April 2016, McCullough's conviction was overturned and he was released from prison after a post-conviction review of the evidence indicated that he could not have committed the crime.

2010 earthquake
On the morning of February 10, 2010 at 3:59 a.m., Sycamore was near the epicenter of an earthquake. The shock had a moment magnitude of 3.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IV (Light). It was felt 214 km away in Madison, Wisconsin. When the quake was first reported, it was thought Sycamore was the epicenter. However, revised data from the USGS determined the epicenter to be closer to Virgil. This was the first earthquake in Northern Illinois since an M4.2 (intensity V (Moderate)) event in 2004.

Geography
Sycamore is located along Illinois Route 64 (State Street in Sycamore) about 35 mi southeast of Rockford and 55 mi west-northwest of Chicago. It is along the south bank of the East Branch of the South Branch Kishwaukee River in DeKalb County.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Sycamore has a total area of 10.18 sqmi, of which 10.12 sqmi (or 99.43%) is land and 0.06 sqmi (or 0.57%) is water. The terrain in Sycamore and the surrounding area is gently rolling and contains rich soil which was originally heavily forested.

Cityscape
The commercial district of Sycamore is based on Illinois Route 64, and stretches about a mile down starting from the intersection of route 64 with Illinois Route 23 and ending at Center Cross Road. The district is composed of two-story shops, a bank, small movie theater, and former Midwest Museum of Natural History. The town also has the county courthouse, built in 1904, of limestone.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 18,577 people, 7,083 households, and 4,602 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,825.21 PD/sqmi. There were 7,792 housing units at an average density of 765.57 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 83.03% White, 3.20% African American, 0.46% Native American, 2.25% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.50% from other races, and 7.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.31% of the population.

There were 7,083 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.45% were married couples living together, 14.85% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.03% were non-families. 27.05% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.19% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.12 and the average family size was 2.51.

The city's age distribution consisted of 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $65,924, and the median income for a family was $82,318. Males had a median income of $53,784 versus $35,290 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,586. About 9.2% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Sycamore has never had a large manufacturing or industrial sector. Among Sycamore's early industries were Marsh Harvester Manufacturing, R. Ellwood Manufacturing, and Sycamore Preserve Works. Marsh Harvester was established in 1859, Ellwood in 1875 and the preserve works in 1891. R. Ellwood Manufacturing relocated to DeKalb in 1891.

Today, Ideal Industries a privately owned manufacturer is based in Sycamore.

Tourism

Sycamore is home to the annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, a pumpkin festival established in 1962 when local resident Wally Thurow began displaying pumpkins on his front lawn. The festival features many activities, a carnival, and a parade. The lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse is the center of the event and includes a display of decorated and carved pumpkins. The event attracts thousands to Sycamore from locations throughout northern Illinois, the Midwest, and the broader United States.

The city is also home to the Sycamore Historic District, an architecturally interesting area containing over 200 individual properties. The district was established in 1978 when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The area is bounded in an irregular pattern along Main and Somonauk Streets but contains portions of several other streets and includes much of the downtown commercial district and residential areas north and south of downtown. During the summer, the Sycamore Historical Society offers guided walking tours with a local historian.

Sycamore is also home to the former Midwest Museum of Natural History, which featured a varied taxidermy collection and closed in February 2020.

The Great Western Trail (Illinois) passes through town.

Government
Sycamore features a Council-Manager government. Policy is developed by an elected City Council and then implemented by an appointed professional City Manager. The Sycamore City Council consists of a Mayor elected at-large and eight Aldermen representing one of four wards (two per ward). The Mayor and Aldermen serve four year terms, with one Alderman from each ward being elected every two years. Sycamore's current mayor is Steve Braser.

Education
Public schooling began in Sycamore as early as 1839, with classes held in the first DeKalb County Courthouse, a log building across the street from the courthouse's current location. The city's first school building was built in 1853. Current public education needs in Sycamore are provided by Sycamore Community Unit School District 427. The current Superintendent of Sycamore School District is Steve Wilder. The district operates Sycamore High School, Sycamore Middle School, and five elementary schools. The newest elementary school, North Grove, opened in 2009 was built for access by the nearby subdivision.

Transportation
DeKalb Public Transit provides bus service on Routes 17, 18, 21 and 21T connecting Sycamore to downtown DeKalb and other destinations.

Notable people

 * David Boies, attorney, born in Sycamore
 * Bryan Carter, musician, lived in Sycamore
 * Adam C. Cliffe, United States court judge
 * Reuben Ellwood Republican U.S. Representative from Illinois. (d.1885). Buried in Elmwood Cemetery.
 * William J. Fulton, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, lived in Sycamore
 * Mark Johnston, former cornerback for Houston Oilers, born in Sycamore
 * Ben Niemann, linebacker for NFL's Tennessee Titans. Won the Super Bowl 2020 with the Chiefs.
 * Nick Niemann, linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers.
 * Maria Ridulph (1950–1957), child murder victim
 * Alvah Sabin, politician, congressman, lived in Sycamore
 * Frederick B. Townsend, judge, mayor of Sycamore
 * Floyd K. Whittlemore, Illinois state treasurer
 * David A. Wirsling, Illinois representative and farmer, born in Sycamore
 * George McCaskey, Chicago Bears chairman.

title: Sycamore, Illinois


text:
Waterman, Illinois

Waterman is a village in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,433 at the 2020 census.

The village is known for the DeKalb Ag seed corn processing plant, now owned by the German company, Bayer. The "Waterman and Western" train line that operated in Lion's Club Park was a 1/3 scale train line with a 1/2 mile train line circling the park and was a hobby of a local resident before it was destroyed by a fire in 2021.

Geography
Waterman is located at 41.77083°N, -88.77472°W (41.770971, -88.774697).

According to the 2010 census, Waterman has a total area of 1.482 sqmi, of which 1.48 sqmi (or 99.87%) is land and 0.002 sqmi (or 0.13%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 1,433 people, 570 households, and 407 families residing in the village. The population density was 987.59 PD/sqmi. There were 591 housing units at an average density of 407.31 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 88.28% White, 1.33% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 3.42% from other races, and 5.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.79% of the population.

There were 570 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 4.56% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 24.39% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.77% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.63 and the average family size was 3.05.

The village's age distribution consisted of 26.8% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 70.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $82,500, and the median income for a family was $94,875. Males had a median income of $60,000 versus $27,500 for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,742. About 5.2% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

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

title: Waterman, Illinois


text:
Arcola, Illinois

Arcola is a city in Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,927 at the 2020 census. The city was founded in 1855, when the Illinois Central Railroad was built through the county. The railroad itself was responsible for surveying, platting and founding the town.

History
Arcola was the birthplace in 1880 of John Barton Gruelle, or "Johnny" Gruelle, who created Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy, the loveable American dolls and storybook characters. He used artistic skills learned from his painter father, Richard Buckner Gruelle, combined with his self-taught writing skills to create stories expressing regional values and aesthetic images. His artistic granddaughter, Joni Gruelle Wannamaker, manages the Raggedy Ann Museum in Arcola.

A nationally known tourist attraction, Rockome Gardens, which featured large formal gardens, concrete fencing and architecture, and many Amish-influenced attractions was located just outside of Arcola. Rockome Gardens was built in 1937 and was operated for nearly 80 years by members of the local Old Order Amish community. In 2015, the Rockome Gardens property was sold to a local developer and has since been converted into Aikman Wildlife Adventure, a drive-through wildlife park which officially launched in 2016.

Arcola is also known for housing the world's only Hippie Memorial, created by Bob Moomaw, who died in 1998. He worked as a railroad clerk and tax assessor, but did not like either job. As an eccentric, independent artist with strong beliefs, he was able to give voice to his feelings, passions and opinions through his art and the writing on the sides of his buildings. He created the 62-foot-long artwork starting in 1992 to say something about his life and the era during which he lived. A nearby marker gives an interpretation of his work.

In the countryside surrounding nearby Arthur, Illinois, is a prominent community of Old Order Amish, the largest in Illinois. Amish farms occupy much of the farmland west of Arcola, with the highest concentration of Amish businesses around Arthur and the unincorporated communities of Chesterville, Bourbon, and Cadwell. Arcola is home to the Illinois Amish Interpretive Center. The Old Order Amish Museum opened in 1996 and features exhibits on most aspects of Amish life, as well as an introductory video about the Central Illinois Amish. Through the museum, tours can be scheduled of the Amish countryside, Amish homes, farms, and businesses; meals in Amish homes can be scheduled as well.

Arcola is somewhat known for the Lawn Rangers, a "precision lawn mower drill team" that marches in formation with brooms and lawn mowers while wearing cowboy hats. Every year since 1980, the Lawn Rangers have marched in the Arcola Broom Corn Festival Parade. The event, held the weekend after Labor Day, honors Arcola's position in the late 19th century as a center of broom corn production. The Grand Marshal of the Parade in 1980 was Clayton Moore, famous as the Lone Ranger, and the team was named in his honor. This unique custom was publicized by humor columnist Dave Barry, who marched with the Lawn Rangers in 1995.

Arcola is also home to Libman Company. This mop and broom making company can boast to be the only major cleaning product company that manufactures their mops and brooms in America. The nickname "broomtown" was given to Arcola because William Libman is a major employer of the city employing 600 people.

Geography
Arcola is located at 39.68361°N, -88.30583°W (39.683545, -88.305844). US Route 45 & Illinois Route 133 run through the town.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Arcola has a total area of 2.04 sqmi, of which 2.02 sqmi (or 98.97%) is land and 0.02 sqmi (or 1.03%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 2,927 people, 1,008 households, and 699 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,432.00 PD/sqmi. There were 1,168 housing units at an average density of 571.43 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 69.80% White, 0.31% African American, 0.61% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 19.85% from other races, and 8.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.04% of the population.

There were 1,008 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.02% were married couples living together, 14.29% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.65% were non-families. 24.31% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.18% 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 2.71.

The city's age distribution consisted of 26.3% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $60,720, and the median income for a family was $58,036. Males had a median income of $41,313 versus $27,574 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,602. About 10.3% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Joseph Barricklow (1867–1924), Illinois lawyer and state legislator
 * Charles L. Craig (1872-1935), New York City Comptroller
 * Jennie Garth (born 1972), best known for her role as Kelly Taylor in Beverly Hills, 90210
 * Johnny Gruelle, (1880–1938) creator of the Raggedy Ann doll
 * The Lawn Rangers, a "precision lawn mower drill team" that has participated in parades across the US
 * H. M. Wicks, Herbert Moore "Harry" Wicks, founding member of the Communist Party of America, predecessor of the CPUSA History of the Communist Party USA

title: Arcola, Illinois


text:
Arthur, Illinois

Arthur is a village in Douglas and Moultrie counties in Illinois, with Arthur's primary street, Vine Street, being the county line. The population was 2,231 at the 2020 census. The Arthur area is home to the largest and oldest Amish community in Illinois, which was founded in the 1860s.

History
In 1877, the population was approximately 300 people. The community was incorporated as a village in April of that year.

The first village election was held on June 12, 1877, and C. G. McComb, Matt Hunsaker, W. H. Reeder, H. C. Jones, J. W. Sears, and Nick Thompson were elected trustees, and J. W. Barrum, clerk.

The original town was laid out on the farms of M. H. Warren on the Moultrie County side and the Pendleton Murphy farm on the Douglas County side. Early additions to the town included those by Murphy, Reeves, Hunsaker, Gibson, Warren, Reeder, followed by Kensington, Campbell, Boyd, Bennet, Fitzjarrald, and others.

On April 7, 1998, an F2 tornado struck 2 mi south of Cadwell and moved northeast 4 mi to south of Arthur. It lifted near Bourbon. Twenty homes, six barns, and other buildings were either damaged or destroyed. One mobile home was blown off its foundation. There were eight injuries.

In 2022, the community council revealed a flag for the village to celebrate its sesquicentennial. The new flag is flown in front of the welcome center and the police department. The new flag was put up upon the start of the Strawberry Festival.

On December 31, 2023, the village of Arthur would close a time capsule not set to open until 2073.

Geography
Arthur is in southwestern Douglas County and northeastern Moultrie County, with Illinois Route 133 passing through the southern part of the village, leading east 9 mi to Arcola and west the same distance to Lovington. Tuscola, the Douglas county seat, is 15 mi to the northeast, while Sullivan, the Moultrie county seat, is the same distance to the southwest.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Arthur has a total area of 1.34 sqmi, all land. The village is drained to the southeast by tributaries of the Kaskaskia River.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 2,231 people, 951 households, and 612 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,668.66 PD/sqmi. There were 1,036 housing units at an average density of 774.87 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 92.38% White, 0.22% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 2.42% from other races, and 4.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.01% of the population.

There were 951 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.89% were married couples living together, 5.89% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.65% were non-families. 32.07% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.45% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 2.24.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.5% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $62,250, and the median income for a family was $79,500. Males had a median income of $45,147 versus $22,105 for females. The per capita income for the village was $29,574. About 8.2% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Amish community
The village of Arthur characterizes itself on its website as an Amish-friendly community, with more than 4,000 "Plain People" living in the region centered on the village. The Amish settlement near Arthur was founded in 1864 and by 2013 had 30 church districts with about 150 people per district.

The Arthur community was the eighth largest Amish settlement in the world, with 4,410 as of 2017.

Education
In July 2012, Arthur's longtime school district consolidated with the much smaller school district in nearby Lovington. High school students from both towns attend school in Arthur, while grade schools are maintained in both towns. The two schools have shared a football team for many years. In August 2014, the Atwood Hammond school district consolidated with Arthur Lovington, with the school name being changed to ALAH High School.

Notable people

 * Margery C. Carlson, botanist
 * George Corbett, NFL running back of the 1930s

title: Arthur, Illinois


text:
Atwood, Illinois

Atwood is a village in Douglas and Piatt counties in Illinois, United States. Main Street runs along the county line with Douglas County to the east and Piatt County to the west. The population was 1,116 at the 2020 census.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Atwood has a total area of 0.63 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 1,116 people, 472 households, and 340 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,817.59 PD/sqmi. There were 556 housing units at an average density of 905.54 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 96.15% White, 0.36% African American, 0.45% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 2.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.

There were 472 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.99% were married couples living together, 11.02% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.97% were non-families. 26.48% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.62% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 2.39.

The village's age distribution consisted of 25.7% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 25% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $48,750, and the median income for a family was $55,000. Males had a median income of $47,179 versus $32,857 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,087. About 11.8% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Kenneth L. Wilson, former commissioner of the Big Ten Conference and president of the United States Olympic Committee, was born in Atwood.

The Henningsens is an American country music trio consisting of Brian Henningsen, his son Aaron, and daughter Clara that began in Atwood. The trio released their debut single, "American Beautiful", for Arista Nashville in late 2012.

Incorporation
On December 14, 1883, a Petition was filed with W.H. Basset, county judge, and was signed by 30 local residents, most residing in Douglas County. This petition set forth a desire to become incorporated as the "village of Atwood", the population in the proposed territory was ~300 residents. On January 9, 1884, an election was held in the office of J.W Merritt, J.P. The election resulted in 66 votes for village organization, and 42 votes against village organization, total 128 votes.

title: Atwood, Illinois


text:
Camargo, Illinois

Camargo is a village in Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 452 at the 2020 census. Camargo is at the intersection of Illinois Route 130 and U.S. Route 36. Camargo is the oldest township in Douglas County.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Camargo has a total area of 1.273 sqmi, of which 1.26 sqmi (or 98.98%) is land and 0.013 sqmi (or 1.02%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 452 people, 205 households, and 142 families residing in the village. The population density was 355.35 PD/sqmi. There were 200 housing units at an average density of 157.23 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 94.03% White, 0.22% Native American, 0.66% from other races, and 5.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.

There were 205 households, out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.56% were married couples living together, 6.83% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.73% were non-families. 25.85% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.22% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 2.68.

The village's age distribution consisted of 22.7% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $60,469, and the median income for a family was $70,313. Males had a median income of $53,125 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,883. About 6.3% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

title: Camargo, Illinois


text:
Garrett, Illinois

Garrett is a village in Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 122 at the 2020 census.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Garrett has a total area of 0.13 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 122 people, 48 households, and 33 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,129.63 PD/sqmi. There were 62 housing units at an average density of 574.07 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.54% White, 1.64% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.38% of the population.

There were 48 households, out of which 18.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.33% were married couples living together, 6.25% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.25% were non-families. 22.92% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.17% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 2.46.

The village's age distribution consisted of 30.5% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 35.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $46,667, and the median income for a family was $77,708. Males had a median income of $53,000 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income for the village was $23,192. About 3.0% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

title: Garrett, Illinois


text:
Hindsboro, Illinois

Hindsboro is a village in Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 275 at the 2020 census.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Hindsboro has a total area of 0.31 sqmi, all land.

The Illinois Midland Railroad line, connecting Terre Haute and Peoria, and passing through Paris and Decatur, opened on November 30, 1874. It ran just north of the grain elevator.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 275 people, 160 households, and 118 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,022.30 PD/sqmi. There were 140 housing units at an average density of 520.45 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.64% White, 1.45% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.18% of the population.

There were 160 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.25% were married couples living together, 8.13% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.25% were non-families. 24.38% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.38% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 2.50.

The village's age distribution consisted of 19.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 72.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $58,750, and the median income for a family was $63,125. Males had a median income of $40,673 versus $26,442 for females. The per capita income for the village was $27,193. About 3.4% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Media
Hindsboro is served by a weekly paper, the Oakland Independent.

Notable person

 * Dick Hyde, pitcher with the Washington Senators and Baltimore Orioles

title: Hindsboro, Illinois


text:
Newman, Illinois

Newman is a city in Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 778 at the 2020 census.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Newman has a total area of 0.63 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 778 people, 364 households, and 240 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,269.17 PD/sqmi. There were 387 housing units at an average density of 631.32 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 93.44% White, 0.77% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 4.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.57% of the population.

There were 364 households, out of which 15.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.99% were married couples living together, 3.02% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.07% were non-families. 27.75% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.81% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.01.

The city's age distribution consisted of 13.9% under the age of 18, 2.4% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 44.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $58,125, and the median income for a family was $63,956. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $28,393 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,455. About 5.4% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

 * James Gammon - movie and television actor
 * Ben Roller - physician, professional wrestler and football player

title: Newman, Illinois


text:
Tuscola, Illinois

Tuscola is a city and the county seat of Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,636 at the 2020 census.

History
The founding Supervisor of Tuscola township was O. C. Hackett, who was elected in 1868. Hackett was elected Supervisor with a majority of only one vote over W. B. Ervin. O. C. Hackett was the grandson of noted Kentucky frontiersman and Boonsborough resident Peter Hackett. O. C. planted Hackett's Grove, a sassafras grove situated on Section 31, Township 16, Range 9, on the east side of the township. This 20 acre grove is traversed by a branch of Scattering Fork of the Embarrass River, long known as Hackett's Run. According to the History of Douglas County (1884), the grove had been owned by the Hacketts long before Douglas County came into existence. O.C. Hackett's father, John Hackett, settled in nearby Coles County in 1835. Family legend holds that Abraham Lincoln stayed at the Hackett farm during the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858.

From the 1890s to the 1940s, Tuscola had a sizeable number of African-American citizens, including Arthur Anderson, the "most graceful walker" at the 1898 Colored Folks Cake Walk in Tuscola; his partner Cozy Chavous; the musician Cecil "Pete" Bridgewater, father of internationally known musicians Cecil Bridgewater and Ronnie Bridgewater; the educator and musician Ruth Calimese, daughter of automobile worker "Big Jim" Calimese; musician Solomon "Sol" Chavous; mail carrier and war veteran Bruce Hayden (father of distinguished violinist Bruce Hayden, Jr.); Lemuel and Nettie Riley; football star and garage owner Tommy Wright; and dozens of other people. Tuscola had two churches with mainly black congregations, the African Methodist Episcopal Church on North Niles, and the White Horse Riders church on Houghton Street. Unlike the neighboring town of Arcola, Tuscola did not have the ordinance, common in small Illinois towns at the time, that an African-American person could not be on the streets after sundown. The black and white people of Tuscola got along well. However, between 1922 and 1924 two large Ku Klux Klan gatherings were held in Tuscola. The 1924 rally consisted of nearly 2,000 Klan cars, a hundred marching Klansmen, burning crosses, and a naturalization ceremony in Tuscola's Ervin Park.

Geography

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Tuscola has a total area of 2.96 sqmi, of which 2.95 sqmi (or 99.66%) is land and 0.01 sqmi (or 0.34%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 4,636 people, 2,007 households, and 1,157 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,566.75 PD/sqmi. There were 2,218 housing units at an average density of 749.58 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 91.98% White, 0.56% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 1.64% from other races, and 4.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.

There were 2,007 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.39% were married couples living together, 7.52% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.35% were non-families. 37.32% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 2.28.

The city's age distribution consisted of 22.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $65,827, and the median income for a family was $88,309. Males had a median income of $52,143 versus $26,309 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,316. About 10.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Tuscola is home to Tuscola Community Unit School District 301 and Tuscola Community High School.

Notable people

 * Marianne Boruch, author
 * Smiley Burnette, actor
 * James E. Callaway, politician
 * John H. Campbell, jurist
 * Joseph Gurney Cannon, longtime Speaker of the US House
 * Philip F. Deaver, author
 * Gary Forrester, author
 * Jennie Garth, actress
 * Linda Metheny, Olympic gymnast
 * Fred Wakefield, NFL football player
 * Jean Waters, 1975 Miss Illinois

title: Tuscola, Illinois


text:
Villa Grove, Illinois

Villa Grove is a city in Douglas County, Illinois, along the Embarras River. The population was 2,472 at the 2020 census.

History
Villa Grove was chartered in 1903 after the area was recognized by the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad (C&EI) as being exactly halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. This made it a desirable location for a steam locomotive repair facility. Villa Grove later became the site of a C&EI division headquarters and roundhouse.

Villa Grove was known for its Pancake Festivals in the 1940s, which drew crowds over 10,000. In the 1970s, the festival was replaced by the Ag Days celebration. Ag Days currently offers carnival rides, a car show, a parade, multiple vendors, live music, and a demolition derby.

In 1923, Villa Grove's high school basketball team, the Blue Devils, defeated Rockford 32–29 to win the Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championship. Villa Grove's historic rail depot was demolished in the predawn hours of Friday, October 29, 1976, despite a city ordinance that was intended to protect the structure. The city later received reparation for the destruction.

On August 10, 2011, a 100-year-old vacant building on main street in Villa Grove was destroyed by a fire set by a two boys age 14 and 9. At least 15 fire departments responded to the blaze containing it to the original structure. The boys were ordered to pay $126,076 in restitution. The 14-year-old received 3 years probation, 30 days in jail and 100 hours of community service. The 9 year old received 2 years probation and 50 hours community service. State law prohibited jail time for the 9 year old. Adjacent businesses were temporarily displaced due to damage caused by smoke and heat.

Flooding
Villa Grove's location at the confluence of Jordan Slough and the Embarras River has resulted in flooding during the city's history. In January 1950, Villa Grove was isolated by flooding, more than 1/3 of the city was underwater and the Red Cross reported 100 families were homeless. Another flood in April 1994 left over half of the city's 1,000 homes flooded and the city's water supply was tainted. At one point, portions of main street were 6 feet underwater.

After the severe flooding in 1994 and additional flooding in the following years, a program was implemented to purchase and demolish homes voluntarily from owners in the flood plain. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) used the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to purchase 17 homes in two phases from 1995 to 2000. IEMA noted that when another flood occurred in June 2008, the 17 properties purchased would have again been flooded had they not been purchased and demolished. Additional plans were also made to purchase more flood prone properties after the 2008 flood. After flooding in April 2013, FEMA again provided funding to purchase and demolish eight more homes and one public building in Villa Grove under HMGP.

These improvements have minimized the amount of area impacted by flooding. In 2021, a new bridge was built on Illinois Route 130 over the river. The new bridge is at a higher elevation and allows for better drainage. These improvements have resulted in minimal flooding in the area in recent years.

Local Economy
Villa Grove is situated far enough from Champaign-Urbana that it can support several restaurants and businesses. The city currently supports several restaurants, bars, two gas stations, two grocery stores, and a nine-hole golf course and country club. There are several parks that provide various playing fields and the city has recently built a new community center for rec-teams to play in.

City Services
The City of Villa Grove maintains a full-time administrative staff, public works department, police department, and a paid on-call fire department. The city recently sold its water and sewer utilities to Illinois American Water.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Villa Grove has a total area of 1.51 sqmi, of which 1.50 sqmi (or 99.54%) is land and 0.01 sqmi (or 0.46%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 2,472 people, 992 households, and 621 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,638.17 PD/sqmi. There were 1,101 housing units at an average density of 729.62 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.03% White, 0.65% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.05% from other races, and 5.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.16% of the population.

There were 992 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.10% were married couples living together, 7.16% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.40% were non-families. 28.43% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.93% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 2.32.

The city's age distribution consisted of 18.3% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,971, and the median income for a family was $69,417. Males had a median income of $41,071 versus $26,915 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,520. About 12.9% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

title: Villa Grove, Illinois


text:
Addison, Illinois

Addison is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,702 at the 2020 Census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

History
The village was incorporated in 1884, at which time it had a population of 400. The community itself was originally named Dunkley's Grove after the settler Hezekiah Dunklee, and was renamed after a town in England or Addison, New York. In 1832, Winfield Scott built Army Trail Road on top of a Potawatomi trail in Addison, in order to allow 50 broad-tired wagons to fight Black Hawk and his warriors. In 1864, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod moved its teacher training to the village from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and established the Addison Teachers Seminary; it remained in Addison until 1913, when it was relocated to River Forest, Illinois, as Concordia Teachers College (now Concordia University Chicago). The town was also home to the Kinderheim home for children, which made up more than half its population prior to suburbanization.

The town began to suburbanize in the 1960s when developers started to build homes on what was farmland. The population grew from just under a thousand in 1930 to 35,000 people in 1990.

Adventureland amusement park was located in Addison (Lake and Medinah) during the 1960s and 1970s. The Addison Industrial District was the proposed location for the reconstruction of Comiskey Park in the late 1980s before this was voted down.

Geography
The Village of Addison lies on Salt Creek, a tributary of the Des Plaines River.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Addison has a total area of 10.00 sqmi, of which 9.83 sqmi (or 98.29%) is land and 0.17 sqmi (or 1.71%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 35,702 people, 12,799 households, and 9,165 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,570.20 PD/sqmi. There were 12,682 housing units at an average density of 1,268.20 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 47.69% White, 3.45% African American, 1.71% Native American, 8.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 22.96% from other races, and 16.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 45.61% of the population.

There were 12,799 households, out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.47% were married couples living together, 12.74% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.39% were non-families. 23.23% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.84% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40 and the average family size was 2.86.

The village's age distribution consisted of 22.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $68,534, and the median income for a family was $79,011. Males had a median income of $42,038 versus $30,828 for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,202. About 10.3% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

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

Arts and culture

 * Addison Public Library: Officially opened in 1962 and a new building opened in 2008. Recognized with Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Library Services in 2024 by the American Library Association.
 * Addison Perspective
 * Addison Center for the Arts

Government
Rich Veenstra is the mayor of Addison. Other elected officials include village trustees Sam Nasti, Tom Hundley, Bill Lynch, Cathy Kluczny, Dawn O'Brien, and Jay DelRosario, and village clerk Lucille Zucchero. The town of Triggiano, Italy, is the sister city of Addison.

In the Illinois Senate, Addison is represented by Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett). In the Illinois House of Representatives it is represented by Jennifer Sanalitro (R-Hanover Park), Diane Blair-Sherlock (D-Villa Park). and Norma Hernandez (D-Melrose Park).

In the U.S. Congress, Addison is represented within three congressional districts by representatives Sean Casten (IL-06), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and Delia Ramirez (IL-03), as well as senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

Education
Addison is home to Addison Trail High School and to Indian Trail Junior High School. The elementary schools are: Ardmore, Wesley Elementary, Lake Park Elementary, Fullerton Elementary, Army Trail Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, and Stone Elementary. St. Philip the Apostle, a private Catholic school and parish, is located in Addison and serves students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. Driscoll Catholic High School was located in Addison before closing in 2009. DeVry University and Chamberlain College of Nursing also call Addison home. Addison also has an Early Learning Center for 3-5-year-old students in Pre-K.

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

Notable people

 * Adam Amin, sportscaster with ESPN and NBC Sports Chicago, raised in Addison and a graduate of Addison Trail High School
 * Mark Anelli, former tight end for the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams
 * Tim Breslin, professional hockey player who played left wing for the Chicago Wolves
 * Jim Ellison, founder of the legendary Power Pop band, Material Issue, along with Ted Ansani and Mike Zelenko
 * Jamie Freveletti, author of the Covert-One series novels The Janus Reprisal and The Geneva Strategy
 * Bobby Hull, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who lived in Addison from 1963 to 1971 while playing left wing for the Chicago Black Hawks
 * Brett Hull, hall of fame professional hockey player and son of Bobby Hull who grew up in Addison from 1964 to 1971
 * George Ireland, men's basketball coach who led the Loyola Ramblers to win the 1963 NCAA championship. He died in Addison
 * Kyle Kinane, stand-up comedian and actor (Those Who Can't, Love, @midnight), raised in Addison and a graduate of Addison Trail High School
 * Hubert J. Loftus, lawyer and politician
 * Tony Pasquesi, defensive lineman for the Chicago Cardinals from 1955 to 1957, a resident of Addison at the time of his death
 * Rob Renzetti, animator and creator of My Life as a Teenage Robot, raised in Addison
 * Mike Retondo, bassist for the Plain White T's
 * Mark Rodenhauser, an American football player who played center for seven NFL teams from 1987 to 1999, played football at Addison Trail High School
 * Alexa Scimeca Knierim, pair skater, 5-time U.S. national champion, two-time Olympian and winner of the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships with partner Brandon Frazier, 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with her then-fiancé Chris Knierim, raised in Addison and a graduate of Addison Trail High School
 * Rocco Sisto, actor best known for playing young Junior Soprano on The Sopranos
 * Gabriel (Gaga) Slonina, goalkeeper for Chelsea F.C. in the MLS who became the youngest starting goalkeeper in MLS history at the age of 17 years and 81 days
 * Leon Spinks, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight world champion who resided in Addison after his retirement from boxing
 * Lina Trivedi, involved with creation of (Beanie Babies), resident of Addison for most of her school-age and young-adult life and a graduate of Addison Trail High School
 * Lenae Williams, basketball player who played guard-forward for the Detroit Shock during the 2002 WNBA season
 * Kathleen Willis, member of the Illinois House of Representatives whose district includes the eastern half of the city, of which she is a resident

title: Addison, Illinois


text:
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora is a city in northeastern Illinois, United States. Located primarily in Kane and DuPage counties along the Fox River, it is the second-most populous city in Illinois, after Chicago, and the 144th-most populous city in the U.S. The population was 180,542 at the 2020 census. Aurora is the largest city in Illinois that is not the county seat of any county that it resides in.

Founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded into DuPage, Kendall, and Will counties. Once a mid-sized manufacturing city, Aurora has grown since the 1960s into a large city within the Chicago metropolitan area. In 1908, Aurora adopted the nickname "City of Lights", because in 1881 it was one of the first cities in the United States to implement an all-electric street lighting system.

Aurora's historic downtown is centered on Stolp Island. The city is divided into three regions, the West Side, East Side, and Far East Side/Fox Valley. The Aurora area has some significant architecture, including structures by Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Bruce Goff and George Grant Elmslie. Aurora is also home to over 50 Sears Catalog Homes and seven Lustron all-steel homes. The Hollywood Casino Aurora, a dockside gaming facility with 53,000 sqft and 1,200 gaming positions, is located along the river in downtown Aurora.

History
Before European settlers arrived, there was a Native American village in what is today downtown Aurora, on the banks of the Fox River. In 1834, following the Black Hawk War, the McCarty brothers settled on both sides of the river, but subsequently sold their land on the west side to the Lake brothers, who opened a mill. The McCartys lived on and operated a mill on the east side. Aurora was established with the building of a post office in 1837.

Aurora began as two villages: East Aurora, incorporated in 1845 on the east side of the river, and West Aurora, formally organized on the west side of the river in 1854. In 1857, the two towns joined, incorporating as the city of Aurora. Representatives could not agree which side of the river should house the public buildings, so most of them were built on or around Stolp Island in the middle of the river.

As the city grew, it attracted numerous factories and jobs. In 1849, after failing to attract the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad building west from Chicago, the Aurora Branch Railroad was chartered to build a connection from Aurora to the G&CU at a place called Turner Junction, now West Chicago. Additional lines were built, including a direct line to Chicago, and in 1855 the company was reorganized into the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The CB&Q located its roundhouse and locomotive shop in Aurora, becoming the town's largest employer until the 1960s. Restructuring in the railroad industry resulted in a loss of jobs as passenger traffic dropped and the number of railroads decreased. The Burlington Railroad ran regularly scheduled passenger trains to Chicago. Other railroads built lines to Aurora, including the Chicago & Northwestern Railway to Geneva, the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway to Joliet, Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary to Rockford, and the interurbans Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad, Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company, Chicago, Aurora and DeKalb Railroad, and Aurora, Plainfield and Joliet Railroad. With the exception of the EJ&E main line on the east side of the city, all lines other than the former Burlington lines have been abandoned.

The heavy industries on the East side provided employment for generations of European immigrants, who came from Ireland, Great Britain, Scandinavia, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Romania and Italy. Aurora became the economic center of the Fox Valley region. The combination of these three factors—a highly industrialized town, a sizable river that divided it, and the Burlington railroad's shops—accounted for much of the dynamics of Aurora's political, economic, and social history. The city openly supported abolitionism before the American Civil War. Mexican migrants began arriving after the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Socially, the town was progressive in its attitude toward education, religion, welfare, and women. The first free public school district in Illinois was established in 1851 here and the city established a high school for girls in 1855.

The city developed as a manufacturing powerhouse which lasted until the early 1970s, when the railroad shops closed. Many other factories and industrial areas relocated or went out of business. By 1980, there were few industrial areas operating in the city, and unemployment soared to 16%. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, development began in the Far East side along the Eola Road and Route 59 areas. This was financially beneficial to the city, but it sapped retail businesses downtown and manufacturing in the industrial sectors of the near East and West Sides, weakening them. In the mid-1980s crime rates soared and street gangs formed.

During this time Aurora became much more ethnically diverse. The Latino population grew rapidly in the city during the 1980s. In the late 1980s, several business and industrial parks were established on the city's outskirts. In 1993, the Hollywood Casino was built downtown, which helped bring the first redevelopment to the downtown area in nearly twenty years. In the late 1990s, more development began in the rural areas and towns outside Aurora. Subdivisions sprouted up around the city, and Aurora's population soared.

2014 air traffic control facility fire
On September 26, 2014, a fire at an air traffic control edifice in Aurora (also known as the "Chicago Center") caused nearly 2000 airline flights to be grounded.

Brian Howard, an employee of Harris Corporation, was charged in the incident.

2019 shooting
At approximately 1:30 p.m. on February 15, 2019, police responded to an active shooter situation in west Aurora to find that 45-year-old Gary Martin had opened fire on fellow employees at the Henry Pratt Company after being terminated from the company. Five officers and several civilians were injured in the ensuing standoff, after which police entered the building and killed Martin. In total, the incident left six dead (including the gunman) and numerous others wounded. It was the first major shooting in the town's history.

Geography
Aurora is at 41.76389°N, -88.29°W (41.7637855, −88.2901352).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Aurora has a total area of 45.91 sqmi, of which 44.97 sqmi (or 97.94%) is land and 0.94 sqmi (or 2.06%) is water.

While the city has traditionally been regarded as being in Kane County, Aurora also includes parts of DuPage, Kendall and Will counties. Aurora is one of only three cities in Illinois that span four counties the others being Barrington Hills and Centralia.)

Subdivisions
Politically, the city is divided into 10 wards. Large portions of Aurora can be described as being within three regions:

These three regions are partly depicted in police boundaries and school districts.
 * The West Side, which is west of the Fox River.
 * The East Side, which spans the region east of the Fox River, stopping at the DuPage County line.
 * The Far East Side, a portion of Aurora east of the DuPage County line

Climate
The annual precipitation for Aurora is about 40 inches. The record high for Aurora is 111 °F, on July 14, 1936. The record low is −31 °F, on January 16, 2009. The average high temperature for Aurora in July is 83.5 °F, the average January low is 12.6 °F.

On July 17–18, 1996, a major flood struck Aurora, with 16.9 in of rain in a 24-hour period, which is an Illinois state record, and the second highest ever nationally. Flooding occurred in almost every low-lying area in the city, and in neighborhoods bordering the Fox River, causing major damage in some neighborhoods. The flooding was just as bad in Blackberry Creek, on Aurora's far west side.

Aurora has not been struck by any major tornadoes in recent history, although they occur in Northern Illinois annually. In 1906, a tornado went through the Aurora Driving Park, a large recreation/amusement park and race track where the Riddle Highlands neighborhood and Northgate shopping center is today. The tornado hit during the afternoon performance of the Ringling Brothers "Greatest Show on Earth" circus, when the park was crowded. It killed 2 people and injured 22, but the grandstand was still filled for the evening performance. Weak tornadoes struck the city in 1954, 1958, 1960, and 1991. In 1990, the supercell thunderstorm that produced the deadly Plainfield Tornado passed over the city, dropping golf ball sized hail and causing wind damage. Less than ten minutes after passing through Aurora, the storm produced an F5 tornado, which touched down in nearby Oswego, less than 5 miles from downtown. The tornado then traveled through Plainfield and Joliet, killing 29 people.

The city can receive heavy snowfall and experiences blizzards periodically.

Aurora was hit with one of the strongest earthquakes ever to strike Illinois, a M 5.1, on May 26, 1909. It put cracks through chimneys and could be felt 500000 sqmi around.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 180,542 people, 65,128 households, and 47,579 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,932.26 PD/sqmi. There were 62,763 housing units at an average density of 1,367.00 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 40.63% White, 10.87% African American, 1.65% Native American, 10.97% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 20.73% from other races, and 15.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 41.53% of the population.

There were 65,128 households, out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.31% were married couples living together, 14.65% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.95% were non-families. 21.39% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.71% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.56 and the average family size was 3.03.

The city's age distribution consisted of 28.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $74,659, and the median income for a family was $83,464. Males had a median income of $43,680 versus $30,572 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,537. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Crime and social issues
In 2008, reported major crimes in Aurora were at their lowest level in nearly three decades. The Chief of Police attributed the drop to a number of factors but especially credited the hard work of the city's police officers and the increase in anti-gang priorities. Gang violence had reached a high in the 1990s, with the city averaging nearly 30 murders per year. In 2008, Aurora only had 2 murders. In July 2007, the Aurora Police Department and the FBI conducted "Operation First Degree Burn," a sweep that resulted in the successful arrest of 31 alleged Latin Kings gang members suspected of 22 murders dating back to the mid-1990s. Aurora has also adopted programs such as CeaseFire to reduce gang violence and prevent youths from joining gangs. Aurora had 7 murders in 2016.

Like other large Midwestern cities that once relied on manufacturing as an economic basis, Aurora has a large number of abandoned buildings and vacant lots, especially in older sections of the city. Efforts are ongoing to rehabilitate these areas.

Environmentally, Aurora has long dealt with pollution of the Fox River. The river was heavily polluted up until the 1970s by factories that had lined the river for over a century. Cleanup efforts have been successful with the help of state grants and volunteer efforts.

Economy
Aurora is on the edge of the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor. The city has a long tradition of manufacturing as does much of Chicago metropolitan area. Prominent manufacturers, past and present include Lyon Workspace Products, The Aurora Silverplate Manufacturing Company, Barber-Greene Company, the Chicago Corset Company, the Aurora Brewing Company, Stephens-Adamson Company, Caterpillar Inc., Western Electric, Allsteel Metals, National Metalwares, and Western Wheeled Scraper Works (later Austin-Western Inc.). The most prominent employer and industry was the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad (later Burlington Northern) which was headquartered in Aurora.

Largest employers
According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's largest employers are:

Tourism
Formed in 1987, the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (AACVB) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to aggressively promoting and marketing the area as a premier overnight destination. The AACVB'S goal is to enhance the economic and environmental well-being of a region comprising ten communities: Aurora, Batavia, Big Rock, Hinckley, Montgomery, North Aurora, Oswego, Plano, Sugar Grove, and Yorkville.

Arts and culture
Downtown Aurora is home to the Paramount Theatre, a large live performance theater on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Hollywood Casino. There is also the Leland Tower, a former hotel that was the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The largest collection of commercial buildings by Prairie School architect George Grant Elmslie is here. The main building of Aurora Public Library and a branch campus of Waubonsee Community College are also located downtown.

The Riverfront Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater that has held a storefront location in downtown Aurora since 1978.

A fixture of Downtown Aurora, the Waubonsee Community College Campus, which was formerly located on Stolp Island near the Paramount Theatre, closed in May 2011. A new and greatly expanded campus was built on the western banks of the river, between the river and IL Route 31. The construction of the campus was part of a larger plan to redevelop the Downtown area, putting in parks and new walking paths, and making the area more inviting. The plan also included a pedestrian bridge to connect the banks of the river. Also in the works is a plan to modify or reconstruct the bridges to Stolp Island, which have not been maintained for nearly 60 years.

Museums

 * Aurora Historical Society
 * Aurora Regional Fire Museum
 * The Aurora Public Arts Commission
 * Grand Army of the Republic Hall
 * Phillips Park Zoo
 * David L. Pierce Art and History Center
 * Schingoethe Museum of Native American Culture

Popular culture

 * Wayne's World (1992) is a comedy film set in Aurora, with characters developed from a skit on the television show Saturday Night Live. One of the authors was from neighboring Naperville, Illinois, and thought Aurora had the appropriate blue-collar feel desired. Most of the movie was filmed elsewhere, but some small sections were filmed on location in Aurora. One scene shows the local White Castle. The film's sequel, Wayne's World 2, is also set in Aurora.

Sports and recreation
The Stonebridge Country Club, on Aurora's far northeast side, was home to the LPGA Tour's Kellogg-Keebler Classic from 2002 to 2004. Stonebridge also hosted the Ameritech Senior Open from 1991 to 1995 on the Senior PGA Tour.

The Aurora Islanders/Blues/Foxes, a minor league baseball franchise, played from 1910 to 1915 in the Wisconsin-Illinois League. Their most famous player was Casey Stengel, who played one season with the team before being bought by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Stengel batted .352 and was the batting champion of the league for 1911; he also led the league with 50 stolen bases and had 27 outfield assists. The team played in a stadium on the west side in the former Riverview Park. He became known as a manager of baseball teams.

Aurora University fields numerous teams that compete in NCAA Division III.

Aurora also has its own zoo, Phillips Park Zoo, located within Phillips Park.

Education
The city is home to Aurora University, two branches of Waubonsee Community College, and a branch of Rasmussen College. According to the 2022 Estimates for the American Community Survey, 79.1% of Aurora residents over the age of 24 pursued higher education.

Public education
Starting in the 1860s, Aurora was served by two main school systems, one on either side of the Fox River, which physically divides the city. In the mid-20th century, the district on the western side of the river expanded to include the students in the village of North Aurora, including the North Aurorans on the east side of the Fox. Additionally, in 1972, the Indian Prairie School District (IPSD) 204 was formed to serve the far eastern portion of Aurora within DuPage County. All three districts (Aurora Public Schools: West Side (District 129), Aurora Public Schools: East Side (District 131) and IPSD) have their headquarters and administrative offices within the Aurora city limits. As of 2005, there were at least forty public schools within Aurora city limits, serving residents of Aurora and neighboring communities.

Due to the city's size, these are not the only three school systems serving residents – some students in the far north end of the city (north of I88 in Kane County) attend Batavia public schools, some on the far southwest side attend Kaneland CUSD 302 schools (headquartered in Maple Park), and some students in the far south end of the city (a small corner of the Kane, Kendall and Will County portions) attend Oswego public schools. Four of the schools in Oswego CUSD 308, Wheatlands Elementary, Homestead Elementary, Wolf's Crossing Elementary, and Bednarcik Junior High are within Aurora's limits.

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) is a state-funded residential magnet school for grades 10 to 12. While IMSA operates under public funds (and uses the site originally designated West Aurora High School North Campus), it is managed independently of Aurora's other public schools. Any Illinois student who meets admission requirements may apply to attend IMSA, tuition free. The above-named districts have forty-six public schools within the city limits of Aurora (seventeen for District #131, thirteen for District #129, eleven for District #204, four for Oswego District #308 and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy).

Private education
Aurora is also home to other private schools. Within Aurora, there are three Roman Catholic High Schools, Aurora Central Catholic (Diocese of Rockford), Rosary, and Marmion Academy (Order of St. Benedict), and seven Catholic elementary schools operated by the Diocese of Rockford. Along with these three schools is Aurora Christian High School and Elementary School and Resurrection Lutheran School, a Pre-K-8 grade school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Aurora is also home to Fox Valley Montessori School, one of the first Montessori schools established in Illinois in 1969, which offers a preschool and elementary program.

Library
The Aurora Public Library includes the main library, two branches, an express center, a support facility and a bookmobile. The library operations budget is $10 million and the staff numbers 85 full-time and 89 part-time employees. The library was funded in 1901 through a Carnegie grant. The Santori Public Library, the main library, was opened in June 2015, and offers a 3D printer and a digital media lab in addition to standard book and media services.

Media
In addition to the Chicago broadcast stations, the following are based in Aurora:

Television

 * WXFT-DT – TeleFutura Channel 50/60.1, Aurora/Chicago
 * WPVN-CD – Polnet Communications Channel 20, Aurora
 * Aurora Community TV (ACTV) – Channel 10
 * Total Living Network (TLN)
 * Waubonsee Community College Educational Television – Comcast Channel 99

Radio

 * WBIG (AM) 1280 Aurora
 * WERV-FM 95.9 Aurora
 * WLEY-FM 107.9 Aurora

Newspapers
The Beacon-News is Aurora's oldest business, first published in 1846, and is part of the Tribune Publishing. The newspaper has two editions: the Aurora edition and the Kendall County edition. The Beacon-News has been recognized repeatedly by the Associated Press, Illinois Press Association, Northern Illinois Newspaper Association and the Chicago Headline Club as one of the best daily newspapers in Illinois.

Transportation
Aurora has long been a regional transportation hub. Aurora's transportation system connects its residents and visitors to neighboring towns and cities. The city is served by several major roadways, including Interstate 88 and Illinois Route 59, making it easily accessible by car. Additionally, Aurora offers various public transportation options, including two Metra commuter stops, Pace Bus services, and an expanding bicycle network.

Rail
The city is the final stop of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line of the Metra commuter rail system, allowing rail service into Chicago. The city also has a stop at the Rt. 59 station on the BNSF Line. This station is on the border with Naperville and each city maintains a parking lot on their respective side of the tracks. The BNSF Railway owns and maintains a rail yard in Aurora, which they named Eola Yard.

Bus
Pace Suburban Bus operates local bus service in Aurora six days a week (no service on Sundays) and connects to cities and village such as Naperville, Geneva, Batavia, Oswego, and St. Charles. Pace Bus offers 6 fixed-route bus connections at the Aurora Transportation Center. The City of Aurora also has two Pace On Demand service zones allowing riders to reserve a trip to anywhere within one of the On Demand Zones. Aurora residents within Kane County are eligible to participate in the Ride in Kane transportation program, providing curb to curb bus or taxi service to individuals 65 and older, individuals with a disability, and those with low income.

Aviation
The Aurora Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport in Sugar Grove, Illinois, just outside Aurora. Although the airport is in Sugar Grove, it is owned and operated by the City of Aurora. The Aurora Airport is designed as a reliever airport for Chicago's O'Hare and Midway Airports and also handles a lot of international cargo. It is capable of landing Boeing 757 aircraft. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center is on Aurora's west side.

Bicycle
Aurora aims to be a bicycle-friendly community and promotes bicycling throughout the city. In July 2020, the City of Aurora partnered with Koloni to launch its new Fox Valley Bike Share program. The city has also invested in bike infrastructure improvement projects, further expanding the network of bike lanes and multi-use paths. The completion of a bridge in 2021 over the Fox River in Aurora provides a safe and direct route for bicyclists and pedestrians from the Aurora Transportation Center to the Fox River Trail.

Historic transit
Aurora does not have a stop for Amtrak trains, as the old station closed in the 1980s. The closest Amtrak station is in Naperville. Aurora City Lines, the old city bus lines, was closed in the late 1980s in favor of regional bus service. Greyhound buses used to stop at the Aurora Transportation Center, but service was discontinued on September 7, 2011. Aurora also had an extensive streetcar system, operated by the Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company, that served most neighborhoods. Aurora was served by a number of interurban lines, the most prominent of which was the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad which provided service into Chicago. The STAR Line would have included a third station at Ferry Rd. north of the BNSF Line.

Major highways
Major highways in Aurora include:

Interstate Highways

Interstate 88

US Highways

US 30

US 34

Lincoln Highway (historic)

Illinois Highways

Route 25

Route 31

Route 56

Route 59

Route 110

Healthcare
Aurora has two hospitals, one on the west side, Ascension Mercy Medical Center, and one in Fox Valley, Rush–Copley Medical Center.

Sister cities

 * 🇲🇽 Iguala, Mexico, since 2007

title: Aurora, Illinois


text:
Batavia, Illinois

Batavia is a city mainly in Kane County and partly in DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, it was founded in 1833 and is the oldest city in Kane County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 26,098.

During the latter part of the 19th century, Batavia, home to six American-style windmill manufacturing companies, became known as "The Windmill City". Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, a federal government-sponsored high-energy physics laboratory, where both the bottom quark and the top quark were first detected, is located just east of the city limits.

Batavia is part of a vernacular region known as the Tri-City area, along with St. Charles and Geneva, all western suburbs of similar size and relative socioeconomic condition.

History
Batavia was settled in 1833 by Christopher Payne and his family. Originally called Big Woods for the wild growth throughout the settlement, the town was renamed by local judge and former Congressman Isaac Wilson in 1840 after his former home of Batavia, New York. Because Judge Wilson owned the majority of the town, he was given permission to rename it.

Batavia's settlement was delayed one year by the Black Hawk War, in which Abraham Lincoln was a citizen soldier, and Zachary Taylor and Jefferson Davis were Army officers. Although there is no direct evidence that Lincoln, Taylor, or Davis visited the future site of Batavia, there are writings by Lincoln that refer to "Head of the Big Woods", Batavia's original name. The city was incorporated on July 27, 1872.

After the death of her husband, Mary Todd Lincoln was an involuntary resident of the Batavia Institute on May 20, 1875. At the time the institute was known as Bellevue Place, a sanitarium for women. Mrs. Lincoln was released four months later on September 11, 1875. In the late 19th century, Batavia was a major manufacturer of the Conestoga wagons used in the country's westward expansion. Into the early 20th century, most of the windmill operated water pumps in use by America's farms were made at one of three windmill manufacturing companies in Batavia. Many of the limestone buildings of these factories remain in use as government and commercial offices, and storefronts. The Aurora Elgin and Chicago Railway constructed a power plant in southern Batavia and added a branch to the city in 1902. The Campana Factory was built in 1936 to manufacture cosmetics for The Campana Company, particularly Italian Balm, the nation's best-selling hand lotion at the time.

Geography
Batavia is located on the Fox River at 41.84889°N, -88.30833°W (41.8488583, −88.3084400).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Batavia has a total area of 10.84 sqmi, of which 10.65 sqmi (or 98.28%) is land and 0.19 sqmi (or 1.72%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 26,098 people, 9,728 households, and 6,947 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,408.45 PD/sqmi. There were 10,381 housing units at an average density of 958.01 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 84.23% White, 2.48% African American, 0.24% Native American, 2.28% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.25% from other races, and 7.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.17% of the population.

There were 9,728 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.70% were married couples living together, 6.31% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.59% were non-families. 23.97% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.52% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 2.71.

The city's age distribution consisted of 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $97,995, and the median income for a family was $123,247. Males had a median income of $69,895 versus $39,602 for females. The per capita income for the city was $46,134. About 3.6% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over. ''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

Economy
Aldi, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Aldi Süd, has its headquarters in Batavia.

Fermilab is located just outside the town borders and serves as employment for many of the town's residents.

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

Arts and culture
Batavia is served by Batavia Public Library District, which was founded in April 1881 as a township library; the first Board of Library Trustees was elected in April 1882. It converted to a district library in June 1975. The library serves most of Batavia Township, Kane County, Illinois and portions of Winfield Township, DuPage County, Illinois, Geneva Township, Kane County, Illinois, and Blackberry Township, Kane County, Illinois. Its current facility opened in January 2002.

Government
Batavia is a part of Illinois' 11th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Bill Foster. From 2013 to 2023, it was part of the 14th Congressional District, which was represented by Randy Hultgren and later Lauren Underwood. Linda Holmes, Karina Villa, Barbara Hernandez, Matt Hanson, and Maura Hirschauer—all Democrats—represent parts of Batavia in the Illinois General Assembly.

Batavia is governed by a 14-member city council. There are seven wards in the city, and each ward elects two aldermen. The mayor chairs the city council and is elected citywide every four years.

Jeffery Schielke has been Mayor of Batavia since 1981.

Education
Batavia is served by Batavia Public School District No. 101. The district currently consists of six K–5 elementary schools, one 6–8 middle school, and Batavia High School. Small pockets of the city are served by Geneva Community Unit School District 304 and West Aurora Public School District 129.

Transportation
Some bus transportation is serviced by Pace. The Geneva and Aurora Metra train stations are nearby. Paths for biking and walking exist along the Fox River.

Batavia is considered car-dependent and somewhat bikeable.

Major streets include:
 * Batavia Avenue (IL-31)
 * Main Street (Route 10)
 * Randall Road
 * Washington Street/River Street (IL-25)
 * Wilson Street

Notable people

 * Ken Anderson, quarterback with the Cincinnati Bengals; grew up in Batavia
 * Charlie Briggs, second baseman with the Chicago Browns
 * Bernard J. Cigrand, father of Flag Day; lived in Batavia
 * Jackie DeShannon, 1960s singer-songwriter; attended Batavia High School
 * J. W. Eddy, 19th-century politician, lawyer and railway engineer, acquaintance of Abraham Lincoln; lived in Batavia
 * Bill Foster, U.S Congressman; lived in Batavia and worked at Fermilab
 * Winfield S. Hall, physiologist and writer
 * Dan Issel, power forward and coach in the Basketball Hall of Fame
 * Mary Todd Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln's wife; committed by her son to the Bellevue Place psychiatric hospital in Batavia (1875)
 * Samuel D. Lockwood, politician and judge
 * Meredith Mallory, former US Congressman
 * Lyle Oberwise (b.1908 Batavia - 1993), noted photographer
 * John F. Petit, businessman and politician; lived in Batavia
 * Birgit Ridderstedt, folk singer and producer
 * Craig Sager, sportscaster for TNT and TBS; born in Batavia
 * Isaac Wilson, former US Congressman

title: Batavia, Illinois


text:
Bloomingdale, Illinois

Bloomingdale is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, settled in 1833, and 25 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The population was 22,382 at the 2020 census.

History
Bloomingdale is one of the earliest villages settled in what is now DuPage County. The Meacham family settled here in 1833, and by the end of the following year, 12 to 15 families had settled in the locality. It was originally named Meacham's Grove. The community was served by the Chicago-Galena Highway, modern day Lake Street. It became an important stop for stage coaches and westward travelers. Originally a Cook County settlement, it was annexed by DuPage County in 1839. The northern part of the village wanted to develop commercially while the southern part wished to remain a farming community. In 1923, the village split to accommodate this—the northern portion of the town was incorporated as Roselle. From 1950 to 1980, the population increased from 338 to 12,659.

The landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Illinois v. Gates began with an anonymous letter written to the Bloomingdale police department.

Points of interest
Stratford Square Mall was the largest of Bloomingdale's shopping centers. The indoor mall contained two major department stores and 35 shops, plus 100 vacancies, as well as several restaurants with five vacant anchors (formerly six, yet one was demolished to make way for a Woodman's.) Also, Old Town Bloomingdale, at the intersection of Lake Street and Bloomingdale Road, is a collection of small businesses, restaurants and shops located in restored buildings at the original site of the village's first settlement.

Geography
Bloomingdale is located at 41.94944°N, -88.0825°W (41.949540, -88.082564).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Bloomingdale has a total area of 7.03 sqmi, of which 6.77 sqmi (or 96.29%) is land and 0.26 sqmi (or 3.71%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 22,382 people, 8,695 households, and 5,503 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,185.14 PD/sqmi. There were 9,301 housing units at an average density of 1,323.61 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 68.19% White, 3.64% African American, 0.48% Native American, 15.24% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 8.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.29% of the population.

There were 8,695 households, out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.37% were married couples living together, 7.27% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.71% were non-families. 32.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.01% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.12 and the average family size was 2.42.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $87,397, and the median income for a family was $107,250. Males had a median income of $62,115 versus $42,861 for females. The per capita income for the village was $47,926. About 3.3% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Elementary school districts serving Bloomingdale include:
 * Bloomingdale School District 13
 * Community Consolidated School District 93
 * It is headquartered in Bloomingdale and operates two schools in Bloomingdale: Stratford Middle School and the Early Childhood Center.
 * Keeneyville School District 20
 * Marquardt School District 15
 * It operates Winnebago Elementary School in Bloomingdale.
 * Medinah District 11

High school districts include:
 * Glenbard Township High School District 87
 * Students in the section of Bloomingdale within District 87 are zoned to either Glenbard East High School in Lombard or Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream.
 * Lake Park High School (District 108) in Roselle

Bloomingdale has one private school, St. Isidore School.

Nearby private schools:
 * St. Francis High School in Wheaton
 * St. Matthew School in Glendale Heights
 * St. Walter Catholic School in Roselle
 * Trinity Lutheran School in Roselle

The community is served by the 35000 sqft Bloomingdale Public Library.

Religious institutions
Religious institutions found within the village of Bloomingdale include:

 * Bloomingdale Church
 * Bloomingdale Community Church
 * Church of the Incarnation (Episcopal)
 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
 * Cornerstone Faith Community Church
 * Mission Church
 * Shree Radhey Shyam Temple
 * St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Church
 * St. Isidore's Roman Catholic Church
 * World Mission Society Church of God

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

Notable people

 * Nate Fox, professional basketball player
 * Frank C. Rathje, president of the American Bankers Association, founder of the Mutual National Bank of Chicago

title: Bloomingdale, Illinois