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Charleston, Illinois

Charleston is a city in, and the county seat of, Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,286, as of the 2020 census. The city is home to Eastern Illinois University and has close ties with its neighbor, Mattoon. Both are principal cities of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Native Americans lived in the Charleston area for thousands of years before the first European settlers arrived. With the great tallgrass prairie to the west, beech-maple forests to the east, and the Embarras River and Wabash Rivers between, the Charleston area provided semi-nomadic Indians access to a variety of resources. Indians may have deliberately set the "wildfires" which maintained the local mosaic of prairie and oak–hickory forest. Streams with names such as 'Indian Creek' and 'Kickapoo Creek' mark the sites of former Indian settlements. One village is said to have been located south of Fox Ridge State Park near a deposit of flint.

The early history of settlement in the area was marked by uneasy co-existence between Indians and European settlers. Some settlers lived peacefully with the natives, but conflict arose in the 1810s and 1820s. After Indians allegedly harassed surveying crews, an escalating series of poorly documented skirmishes occurred between Indians, settlers, and the Illinois Rangers. Two pitched battles (complete with cannon on one side) took place just south of Charleston along "the hills of the Embarrass," near the entrance to Lake Charleston park. These conflicts did not slow American settlement, and Indian history in Coles County effectively ended when all natives were expelled by law from Illinois after the 1832 Black Hawk War. With the grudging exception of Indian wives, the last natives were driven out by the 1840s.

First settled by Benjamin Parker in 1826, Charleston was named for Charles Morton, its first postmaster. The city was established in 1831, but not incorporated until 1865. When Abraham Lincoln's father moved to a farm on Goosenest Prairie south of Charleston in 1831, Lincoln helped him move, then left to start his own homestead at New Salem in Sangamon County. Lincoln was a frequent visitor to the Charleston area, though he likely spent more time at the Coles County courthouse than at the home of his father and stepmother. One of the famous Lincoln–Douglas debates was held in Charleston on September 18, 1858, and is now the site of the Coles County fairgrounds and a small museum. Lincoln's last visit was in 1859, when the future President visited his stepmother and his father's grave.

Although Illinois was a solidly pro-Union, anti-slavery state, Coles County was settled by many Southerners with pro-slavery sentiments. In 1847, the county was divided when prominent local citizens offered refuge to a family of escaped slaves brought from Kentucky by Gen. Robert Matson. Abe Lincoln, by then a young railroad lawyer, appeared in the Coles County Courthouse to argue for the return of the escaped slaves under the Fugitive Slave Act in a case known as Matson v. Ashmore. As in the rest of the nation, this long-simmering debate finally broke out into violence during the American Civil War. On March 28, 1864 a riot—or perhaps a small battle—erupted in downtown Charleston when armed Confederate sympathizers known as Copperheads arrived in town to attack half-drunk Union soldiers preparing to return to their regiment.

In 1895, the Eastern Illinois State Normal School was established in Charleston, which later became Eastern Illinois University. This led to lasting resentment in nearby Mattoon, which had originally led the campaign to locate the proposed teaching school in Coles County. A Mattoon newspaper printed a special edition announcing the decision with the derisive headline "Catfish Town Gets It."

Thomas Lincoln's log cabin has been restored and is open to the public as the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, 8 mi. south of Charleston. The Lincoln farm is maintained as a living history museum where historical re-enactors depict life in 1840s Illinois. Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln are buried in the nearby Shiloh Cemetery.

On May 26, 1917, a tornado ripped through Charleston, killing 38 and wounding many more along with destroying 220 homes.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Charleston has a total area of 9.59 sqmi, of which 8.88 sqmi (or 92.68%) is land and 0.70 sqmi (or 7.32%) is water.

Climate
The data below were taken from 1893 through January 2020, when this chart was made. They were accessed through the Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC).

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 17,286 people, 7,847 households, and 3,850 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,803.25 PD/sqmi. There were 8,319 housing units at an average density of 867.83 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 79.65% White, 8.39% African American, 0.27% Native American, 2.54% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 3.88% from other races, and 5.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.84% of the population.

There were 7,847 households, out of which 20.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.06% were married couples living together, 12.18% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.94% were non-families. 36.05% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.57% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 2.13.

The city's age distribution consisted of 12.7% under the age of 18, 32.5% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,436, and the median income for a family was $52,521. Males had a median income of $24,609 versus $16,650 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,901. About 16.8% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Charleston is home to Eastern Illinois University, which has roughly 8,600 undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, Eastern Illinois hosts the Illinois High School Association's Girls Badminton, Journalism, and Girls and Boys Track and Field State Finals.

The establishment of an enterprise zone on the northern edge of Charleston has helped attract some manufacturing and industrial jobs, including Vesuvius USA, ITW Hi-Cone, and Dietzgen Corporation. Jimmy John Liautaud founded the first Jimmy John's restaurant in Charleston in 1983, occupying premises near the corner of Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue.

Arts and Culture
Charleston is home to the annual Coles County Fair, which typically runs for a week in the summer. The fair includes animal showings, carnival rides and attractions, a demolition derby, and more. The fair is held at the fairgrounds located at 603 W Madison Ave.

Museums and Libraries

 * Charleston Carnegie Public Library
 * EIU Tarble Arts Center
 * Doudna Fine Arts Center
 * Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum
 * Five Mile House

Parks and Recreation
Charleston has seven parks (one of which is a state park) and six trails, only one of which is not part of Lake Charleston (the Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail).

Lake Charleston
Lake Charleston lies approximately two miles (3 km) southeast of the city center. It covers 330 acres of surface area, and has a maximum depth of 12 ft and average depth of 5.7 ft. Fishing and boating are allowed, although there is a no-wake regulation. There are five trails in the park area around the lake, with the longest trail looping around the lake with a length of 3.6 mi.

List of Parks

 * Fox Ridge State Park
 * Morton Park
 * Sister City Park
 * Kiwanis Park
 * North Park
 * VFW Way Park
 * Reasor Park

Parks and Recreation Department
Charleston's Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of services, including before & after school clubs, a day club, dog training classes, and children sports leagues.

City Manager
Charleston is run under a City Manager style of government, where the City Manager is the city's chief administrative officer and oversees the City Council. The City Manager is an appointed position. As of September 18, 2003, R. Scott Smith, a former Parks & Recreation director, officially became Charleston's City Manager after serving as interim manager since August 9, 2003 and continues to hold that position as of January 2022.

City Council and Mayor
The City Council is an elected legislative body of the City of Charleston, of which the mayor is a part. They make policy decisions based on recommendations and information from the City Manager. Brandon Combs was appointed mayor of Charleston June 30, 2015 and continues to hold the office.

Education
Charleston is served by Charleston Community Unit School District 1, one of three school districts located in the county of Coles. The district itself is composed of six schools: Ashmore Elementary School (PreK-4), Mark Twain Elementary School (PreK and K), Carl Sandburg Elementary School (1-3), Jefferson Elementary School (4-6), Charleston Middle School (7-8), and Charleston High School (9-12).

Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston and has served the community since 1895; and Lakeview College of Nursing has a campus located in Charleston.

Media
Charleston is served by the JG-TC (Journal Gazette & Times Courier) local newspaper and Eastern Illinois University's daily newspaper The Daily Eastern News

Infrastructure
Charleston is located approximately 7 mi east of Interstate 57's Mattoon exit. Illinois Route 16 serves as the city's main east-west road, titled Lincoln Ave. within city limits.

Highways

 * Illinois Route 16 (Lincoln Ave.)
 * Illinois Route 130 (18th St./Olive Ave.)
 * Illinois Route 316 (Madison Ave./State St.)

Airport
Charleston is served by the Coles County Memorial Airport (MTO), which is approximately 6 mi west of Charleston. Established in 1953, the airport received commercial service until 2000, and now serves as a public general aviation facility.

Mass Transit
Charleston is serviced by two transit providers: the Charleston Zipline run by Dial-A-Ride which serves the general city area with a deviated fixed-route and demand-response service, and the Panther Shuttle, which mainly services the Eastern Illinois University campus.

Rail
Charleston does not receive direct passenger rail service, however Amtrak's Illini and Saluki and City of New Orleans routes stop in neighboring Mattoon. Freight-wise, Charleston was serviced by the Eastern Illinois Railroad, which was acquired by the Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad, which now services businesses in the region.

Healthcare
Charleston is serviced by the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, whose main campus is approximately 6 mi west of Charleston. There is a Walk-In Clinic located within the city itself.

Notable people

 * Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls, IFBB pro bodybuilder
 * Ronald W. Davis, director of the Stanford Genome Technology Center, biochemist, geneticist
 * Frank K. Dunn, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
 * Jim Edgar, governor of Illinois from 1990 to 1998, was raised in Charleston and graduated from Eastern Illinois University
 * Jeff Gossett, longtime journeyman punter who played in the NFL for 16 years
 * George Hilton Jones III, historian and author
 * Joshua Scott Jones, Big Machine Records recording artists (country music) and one-half of the duo "Steel Magnolia"
 * Tom Koch, longtime comedy writer for Mad Magazine and Bob and Ray
 * David Lamb, musician and songwriter for Brown Bird; born in Charleston in 1977
 * James John Liautaud, founder of the Jimmy John's restaurant franchise
 * Lee Lynch, Illinois newspaper editor and politician
 * Rex Morgan, basketball player
 * Marty Pattin, pitcher for the California Angels, Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals
 * Curtis Price, the Principal of the Royal Academy of Music and a professor of music at the University of London; was raised in Charleston
 * Zeke Rosebraugh, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates; born in Charleston
 * Stan Royer, former Major League Baseball player. Graduated from Charleston High School
 * Willis R. Shaw, Illinois state senator; born in Charleston
 * Larry Stuffle, member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1977 to 1985. He was born in Charleston and represented the area in the Illinois House of Representatives.
 * Gregg Toland, cinematographer of Citizen Kane and Wuthering Heights (for which he won an Oscar), was born and raised in Charleston.

title: Charleston, Illinois


text:
Humboldt, Illinois

Humboldt is a village in Coles County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 361. It is part of the Charleston-Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The village was incorporated on April 16, 1878. The village was named after Alexander von Humboldt, a German natural scientist.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Humboldt has a total area of 0.34 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 361 people, 185 households, and 112 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,052.48 PD/sqmi. There were 189 housing units at an average density of 551.02 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 87.53% White, 1.39% African American, 0.28% Native American, 6.65% from other races, and 4.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.08% of the population.

There were 185 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.41% were married couples living together, 12.97% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.46% were non-families. 31.89% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.59% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 2.41.

The village's age distribution consisted of 27.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $39,875, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $36,705 versus $26,875 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,972. About 9.8% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

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

title: Humboldt, Illinois


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Lerna, Illinois

Lerna is a village in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 226 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area. Thomas Lincoln, father of President Abraham Lincoln, spent the later part of his life on a homestead a few miles away, preserved today as the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site. Thomas Lincoln and his second wife Sarah Bush Lincoln are buried in Shiloh Cemetery south of town.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Lerna has a total area of 0.12 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 226 people, 110 households, and 69 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,965.22 PD/sqmi. There were 118 housing units at an average density of 1,026.09 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 94.25% White, 1.33% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 3.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.

There were 110 households, out of which 18.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.09% were married couples living together, 0.91% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.27% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.73% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 2.28.

The village's age distribution consisted of 16.7% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $44,286, and the median income for a family was $54,583. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $32,250 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,442. About 8.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Charles W. Clabaugh, Illinois state representative, educator, and businessman

title: Lerna, Illinois


text:
Mattoon, Illinois

Mattoon is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 16,870 as of the 2020 census. The city is home to Lake Land College and has close ties with its neighbor, Charleston. Both are principal cities of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Early history
One of the main factors determining the settlement of Mattoon and Coles County in general was the topography. Coles County straddled a timberline in the southern half and prairie in the north. The forested areas were primarily fed by two major rivers: the Embarras River in the east and the Kaskaskia in the west. The prairie, known as the "Grand Prairie", was generally wet and swampy. An early historian described the geography:

"Away from the timber to the north, the face of the country is generally quite level, broken only by long undulations. It is almost entirely prairie land in this part, and was allowed to remain uncultivated until after the opening of the railroads. It was largely used for pasturage during this period, and often presented signs of great animation as the herds of cattle, under the care of their drovers, moved about over its grassy, slightly undulating surface."

Groves could be found scattered throughout the area. Early settlers to the area started homesteads in the timberline, which provided building materials and fuel. Since the vast majority of early settlers came from wooded areas of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee (by way of the Ohio and Wabash River valleys), the forests also provided a sense of familiarity.

In 1826, Kentucky émigré Charles Sawyer became the first white man known to settle in the Mattoon area, just north of the timberline (known as the Wabash Point Timber) along the Little Wabash River. Levi Doty built Sawyer's cabin while the latter returned to Kentucky to retrieve the rest of his family. Within a year, a few families very quickly settled around Sawyer in the area of Paradise Township, including Dr. John Epperson, the county's first physician. Settlers built log cabins using pegs (no iron or nails). "The luxuries of life were generally not seen the first years of the settlement, but appeared as the residents could obtain them."

Corn was planted and remained a staple crop. Gardens of potatoes and other vegetables were maintained. Hogs, which ran wild in the woods, provided pork, while "deer, bears, wild turkeys, and prairie chickens provided an abundant supply of wild meat." Wolves proved troublesome to domesticated animals.

The first school was established in 1827–28 in the Paradise Township, taking place in a makeshift cabin and taught by James Waddill. The costs were $2.50-3.00 per student. School was maintained in this location until 1844–45, when the first real schoolhouse was built in what would become Mattoon. That year, the Illinois State Legislature passed its first school laws, making Mattoon a forerunner for early education in the state.

As the population grew, demand for a local government increased. On Christmas Day, 1830, Coles County was established. The county was named after Edward Coles, the second governor in Illinois who served from 1822 to 1826. Settlers in the Mattoon area remained poor and humble, but their community remained close knit.

In 1836, "Old State Road", which runs along the southern end of town, became one of the first trails to be established in the Mattoon area. Another trail, the Kaskaskia Pass, traveled past what was known as "The Lone Elm Tree", a natural landmark that helped guide visitors and newcomers. The tree was cut down on August 1, 1950, due to disease. A plaque at the corner of 32nd Street and Western Avenue marks the location of this important landmark.

1850–1900
The growth and subsequent history of Mattoon is tied to that of local railroads. In 1854, railroad surveyors from the Illinois Central Railroad and Terre Haute and Alton Railroad found their railroads would cross in the Mattoon area, and a burst of investment and land speculation began. The two railroads raced to the meeting point, on the understanding that the first to arrive would not have to pay to maintain the crossing. The community that had grown in the area of swamp grass and prairie came to be known as "Pegtown", which referred to the pegs (stakes) used to demarcate lots to be sold at public auction. Among the speculators were Elisha Linder, Ebenezer Noyes, James T. Cunningham, Stephen D. Dole, John L. Allison, and John Cunningham. Land was purchased for $2.50 per acre. On December 12, 1854, County Surveyor John Meadows laid out the town.

The 1850s saw a flurry of activity for the emerging town. In 1855, the first houses were built. Benjamin Turney used 16 yoke of oxen to drag his home from a farm three miles away, while R. H. McFadden built his home near the area of present-day First Street and Prairie Avenue. In May that year, "Pegtown" lots were auctioned. On June 9, 1855, the first train arrived on the Terre Haute Alton Railroad. In July, the Pennsylvania House became the first hotel in town, operating at the present-day 1600 block of Broadway Avenue. That month the first post office was established, with James M. True serving as postmaster. In September, Rev. Isaac Hart performed the town's first wedding, marrying Sarah Norvell and R. H. McFadden.

The next year, 1856, saw the creation of the first newspaper. The weekly "Independent Gazette" published four page, seven-column editions. In that same year, the first public school was established (at 1307 Champaign Ave.). In 1856, the first two babies were born in Mattoon, Charles Cartmell in July and Mollie Puff in September. By now, the rapidly growing town had more than 100 buildings. Between 1856 and 1857, the first Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Christian, and Presbyterian churches were formed.

In May 1857, residents voted to incorporate the town, with 65 votes for and 25 votes against. Also in 1857, ordinances passed forbidding drunkenness, working on Sunday, disturbing public or religious meetings, gaming, leaving carcasses on the streets, littering, obstructing sidewalks, and driving fast horses. In 1858, the first public park was created with a land deed from John Allison and James and John Cunningham. The park remains and is today called Allison–Cunningham Park.

On the night before the fourth Lincoln-Douglas debate of September 18, 1858, at the Coles County Fairgrounds, both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas slept in nearby Mattoon,. Lincoln slept in the Essex House hotel, a popular hotel in those times. He addressed a small crowd from his hotel room. The Essex House, the third brick building in town, opened on the southwest corner of the railroad intersection with Union Station located on the lower story. The Essex House served as hotel, restaurant, and ticket office for both railroads. Later, Ulysses S. Grant would also use the hotel. Today, the mural "Civility" (2009), located in Progress Square, commemorates the arrival of the railroad and depicts the Essex House and both Lincoln and Douglas. "The Lone Elm Tree" occupies the center of the mural.

In 1861, the town was officially named after William B. Mattoon, the chief construction engineer working for the Terre Haute and Alton Railroad and partner of the Massachusetts firm "Phelps, Mattoon, and Barnes." The reason for the honor is unclear; some say he won the naming rights because his rail crew arrived first. Others say he beat other claimants in a card game, or that Pegtown residents hoped the wealthy Mattoon would invest in the town if they named it after him. With its combination of excellent transportation and remarkably fertile prairie soils, Mattoon expanded rapidly. By the dawn of the 20th century, Mattoon's growing population and rail access brought manufacturing and industry.

On June 17, 1861, General Ulysses S. Grant took his first post of the American Civil War when he assumed command of the 21st Illinois Infantry in Mattoon. The flagpole from General Grant's camp was preserved and is on display at the Mattoon Public Library.

In 1865, Amish settlers began a community to the north near Arthur. Amish farm stands and horse-drawn buggies are not uncommon sights in the northern part of Mattoon today.

In the 1890s, Mattoon led the successful campaign to have a proposed college in eastern Illinois located in Coles County. The citizens were chagrined when neighboring Charleston was chosen as the home of the future Eastern Illinois University instead.

20th century
On May 26, 1917, the town was devastated by an F4 tornado which killed 101 people and injured approximately 638 people. The tornado was Illinois's third-deadliest tornado disaster.

In 1932, the Kuehne Manufacturing Co. began producing dinette sets at their new plant on the south side of Mattoon. Its early sets were wooden, but by the 1950s Kuehne was making the chromed metal breakfast-room sets so popular during that decade. The company closed in 1965. Today, Kuehne dinette sets are prized by collectors of mid-century modern furniture. The 1940 discovery of petroleum reserves near Mattoon led to a small "oil boom" over the next two decades, bringing with it economic benefits and increased civic pride. Oil extraction continues to be an important economic activity.

Mattoon was the site of the "Mad Gasser" attacks of the 1940s.

In 1966, Lake Land College was built just south of the city. The community college offers degrees for immediate employment and pre-university education.

The Burger King — unrelated to the Florida-based fast food chain Burger King — is a Mattoon restaurant whose owners claim it is the "original" Burger King. In 1968, they sued the national chain Burger King, producing a well-known case in United States trademark law. The federal 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal trademark registration has priority over state law, giving the national Burger King chain rights to the name beyond a 20-mile radius around the original Burger King. Today, the closest Burger King franchise location is 25 miles away in Tuscola, Illinois.

Mattoon was home to several minor-league baseball teams in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The last stadium, with about 2,000 seats, was torn down in the late 1950s. Today, the city has a thriving junior league and has hosted many junior league regionals and World Series.

21st century
Traditionally a bastion of manufacturing, Mattoon has lost several major plants in the last two decades. On December 18, 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy chose the city as the site of its FutureGen project, a zero-emissions coal-fueled power plant that was to make hydrogen and electricity while using carbon capture and storage. Three years later, the city rejected the proposal after DoE announced its intention to retrofit an existing power plant in Meredosia instead of building a new one in Mattoon.

In 2000, Mattoon native Clyde D. Hood was indicted for the Omega Trust scam, a 1994–95 scam that brought in around $10 million and was one of the largest in U.S. history. Hood and accomplices bought businesses in the Mattoon area, including the Blue Bird Diner, a longtime family favorite in the small town.

The 1986 arrival of the Lender's Bagels factory led Mattoon to dub itself the "Bagel Capital of the World." Home to the world's largest bagel, the town holds a weeklong family festival, "Lenders Bagelfest", at the end of July. The main event is a 3-day weekend festival held in Peterson Park near downtown, featuring food and craft vendors, local organizations, rides such as the Ferris wheel and the Tilt-A-Whirl, and morning community events such as The Big Bagel Breakfast and Bagel Bingo. A beauty pageant crowns winners in various age groups, who ride in the parade held on the Saturday morning of the event. The festival features concerts by local and national musicians. In 2009, Zac Brown Band headlined the festival; others have included Night Ranger, 38 Special, Jason Aldean, The Marshall Tucker Band, Travis Tritt, and Ronnie Milsap. There is also a Christian night featuring contemporary Christian musicians such as Building 429 and Remedy Drive.

General Electric closed since the need for traditional lighting has decreased. The plant opened in the 1940s and has remained a staple ever since. On January 15, 2020, LSC Communications announced they would be closing their Mattoon facility. LSC Communications was Mattoon's largest employer. Affiliates of Phoenix Investors purchased LSC.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Mattoon has a total area of 10.32 sqmi, of which 10.31 sqmi (or 99.96%) is land and 0.00 sqmi (or 0.04%) is water. Nearby rivers have been dammed to form Lake Paradise and Lake Mattoon south of the city.

The terminal moraine of the Wisconsin Glacier is located just to the south of Mattoon. Heading south on I-57 there is an impressive vista from the top of the moraine at the south Mattoon exit. While the moraine is of Wisconsinan age (about 10,000 years before present), the land to the south is of Illinoian age (about 100,000 years before present). The small oil field to the south of the moraine is also attributed to glacial activity: The weight of the glacier to the north created cracks in the underlying bedrock. Oil collected adjacent to these cracks.

Demographics
Mattoon is a principal city of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the 2020 census there were 16,870 people, 7,662 households, and 4,187 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,635.01 PD/sqmi. There were 8,685 housing units at an average density of 841.73 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 89.25% White, 3.25% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 1.03% from other races, and 5.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.05% of the population.

There were 7,662 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.18% were married couples living together, 15.56% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.35% were non-families. 39.04% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.99% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 2.19.

The city's age distribution consisted of 21.6% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 26% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,576, and the median income for a family was $56,307. Males had a median income of $34,280 versus $28,271 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,615. About 14.8% of families and 22.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.6% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Mattoon is home to several companies. Rural King, which is a large retailer for agricultural supplies, has its headquarters located on the west side of town off of Dewitt Avenue. Other companies who have heavy focus in the area include Consolidated Communications, which is headquartered on Charleston Avenue, as well First Mid Bank & Trust, which has several important corporate facilities in the area. Other manufacturing plants include a Bimbo Bakeries USA plant, a Mars, Incorporated pet food plant, and Justrite. Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System and Carle Foundation Hospital provide many jobs in health care for Mattoon and its neighboring towns and communities, such as Charleston. Both hospitals and facilities are located right off the East side of Interstate 57, heading toward Charleston.

The Cross County Mall is the area's major shopping center. It opened in 1971 and it features Rural King, Marshalls, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and Dunham's Sports as its anchor locations. Coles Together is a non-profit economic development organization for Coles County based in Mattoon.

Education
Mattoon is served by Mattoon Community Unit School District 2, one of three school districts located in the county of Coles. The district itself is composed of six schools-Franklin Preschool, Williams Elementary, Riddle Elementary, Mattoon Middle School, and Mattoon High School. A new Regional Innovation Center called LIFT opened in 2022.

Mattoon is also home to two private schools. St. John’s Lutheran School (PreK-8) and Maranatha Christian Academy (K-12).

Lake Land College is a community college in Mattoon.

Transportation
Transportation is still a vital part of local economic life. Much of the major commercial development in recent years has occurred along Interstate 57, which crosses the eastern edge of Mattoon. US Route 45 also makes its way through the city. The south end forms into Lake Land Boulevard, while the north end begins off of Dewitt Avenue.

Rail
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Mattoon. Amtrak Train 59, the southbound City of New Orleans, is scheduled to depart Mattoon at 11:13pm daily with service to Effingham, Centralia, Carbondale, Fulton, Newbern-Dyersburg, Memphis, Greenwood, Yazoo City, Jackson, Hazlehurst, Brookhaven, McComb, Hammond, and New Orleans. Amtrak Train 58, the northbound City of New Orleans, is scheduled to depart Mattoon at 5:23am daily with service to Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Homewood, and Chicago. Mattoon is also served by Amtrak Train 390/391, the Saluki, daily in the morning, and Amtrak Train 392/393, the Illini, daily in the afternoon/evening. Both the Saluki and the Illini operate between Chicago and Carbondale.

The Illinois Central Station in the heart of downtown Mattoon has recently been totally renovated. It is handicap accessible with an elevator to the lower level train platform. Funding of $2.5 million was obtained for it via the 2005 Transportation Bill. Today the station is unmanned; passengers boarding at the Mattoon station must order their tickets by telephone or online.

Public transit
Transit service in Mattoon is provided by Dial-A-Ride Rural Public Transportation, which provides deviated fixed-route and demand-response services.

Notable people

 * Leverett Baldwin, Illinois state representative
 * Hayden Birdsong, Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
 * Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin, geologist
 * William Cook, founded medical products manufacturer The Cook Group
 * Merab Eberle, journalist and playwright
 * Roscoe Vernon "Gadabout" Gaddis, host of nationally syndicated TV show about fly fishing
 * Patricia Roberts Harris, U.S. ambassador, politician, 1st Health and Human Services Secretary of the United States
 * Steven Hatfill, physician, virologist, and bio-weapons expert
 * Clyde Hood, fraudster founder of Omega Trust
 * Kyle Hudson, former Major League Baseball player and former football and baseball player for the Fighting Illini; born in Mattoon
 * Joe Knollenberg, U.S. Congressman (1993–2009)
 * Will Leitch, writer
 * Robert A. McClure, Major General, Father of U.S. Army Special Warfare. Born Matoon March 4, 1897.
 * Andy Miller, harness racing driver
 * Jackie Moran, actor, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Buck Rogers; born in Mattoon
 * Vickie M. Moseley, Illinois state politician
 * Julius Penn, U.S. Army brigadier general in World War I
 * Daniel Lee Siebert, serial killer
 * Bryan Stork, former center for the New England Patriots and Super Bowl XLIX champion;
 * Edward Mills Purcell, physicist, Nobel Laureate, educated in Mattoon's public schools.
 * Monte Reel, writer and journalist
 * Hope Summers, actress, known for recurring role as Clara Edwards on The Andy Griffith Show
 * Bill Tate, 1952 Rose Bowl most valuable player for Illinois, former head coach at Wake Forest, Mattoon High School graduate
 * Craig Titley, writer
 * Charlie Whitehouse, pitcher for the Indianapolis Hoosiers, Newark Peppers and Washington Senators; born in Mattoon
 * Arland D. Williams, Jr., hero of Air Florida Flight 90. Born in Mattoon, he is the posthumous namesake of a local elementary school.

title: Mattoon, Illinois


text:
Oakland, Illinois

Oakland is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 739 at the 2020 census.

History
Oakland, formerly known as Independence, was platted in 1833.

Pioneer doctor and abolitionist Hiram Rutherford moved to Oakland in 1840 to start his practice in the young town. He became a prominent citizen. Rutherford is best known for his involvement in the 1847 Matson Trial, which involved his friend Abraham Lincoln. A Kentucky slave owner, General Robert Matson, annually brought slaves to work on his land near Oakland. One year, a family of slaves ran away from the farm and took refuge with Rutherford and Gideon Ashmore. Matson sued the men for harboring slaves; Rutherford and Ashmore countered that the slaves could not legally be held in a free state. Rutherford attempted to have Lincoln represent him in the case, but Lincoln had already agreed to represent the slave owner. Matson, represented by Lincoln, lost the case in Coles County court.

Rutherford's home and office, as well as other historic sites, are maintained and available for tours.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Oakland has a total area of 0.82 sqmi, of which 0.78 sqmi (or 95.60%) is land and 0.04 sqmi (or 4.40%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 739 people, 494 households, and 272 families residing in the city. The population density was 902.32 PD/sqmi. There were 387 housing units at an average density of 472.53 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.72% White, 0.41% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 4.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.17% of the population.

There were 494 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.71% were married couples living together, 1.82% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.94% were non-families. 42.11% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.22% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 2.15.

The city's age distribution consisted of 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 18.1% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,806, and the median income for a family was $64,000. Males had a median income of $41,816 versus $25,288 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,515. About 8.5% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Rich T. Buckler (1865–1950), member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota's 9th congressional district. Buckler was born in Oakland and resided in the area until moving to Minnesota in 1904.
 * Robert Matson (1796–1859), a slave owner involved in the 1847 Matson Trial
 * Chris Miller (born 1954), state representative for Illinois's 110th district
 * Mary Miller (born 1959), U.S. representative for Illinois's 15th congressional district.
 * Stanton C. Pemberton (1858–1944), businessman and Illinois state senator
 * Hiram Rutherford, a doctor and abolitionist involved in the 1847 Matson Trial

title: Oakland, Illinois


text:
Alsip, Illinois

Alsip is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,063 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Alsip was settled in the 1830s by German and Dutch farmers. The village is named after Frank Alsip, the owner of a brickyard that opened there in 1885. The village began to grow after the Tri-State Tollway was built there in 1959.

Geography
Alsip is located at 41.67056°N, -87.73222°W (41.670433, -87.732199).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Alsip has a total area of 6.63 sqmi, of which 6.53 sqmi (or 98.49%) is land and 0.10 sqmi (or 1.51%) is water.

Alsip is bordered to the west by the villages of Worth and Palos Heights. To the south is Crestwood. Oak Lawn lies to the north. Merrionette Park, Blue Island, and Robbins lie to the east (north-south, respectively). The Mount Greenwood neighborhood of Chicago lies to the north and east.

Most of the town lies to the north of the Cal-Sag Channel. However, Chippewa Ridge subdivision, which was built upon the former Alsip Nursery, lies southwest of the Cal-Sag. In conjunction with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Water Reclamation District of Chicago, the village operates a boat launch on the canal, permitting inland access to Lake Michigan.

The Alsip area is home to two predominantly African-American cemeteries, Burr Oak and Restvale cemeteries, which are the resting places of many Chicago blues musicians (including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Dinah Washington), athletes (Jimmie Crutchfield), and other celebrities. Emmett Till, whose murder in Mississippi at age 14 in 1955 was an important moment in the Civil Rights Movement, is buried at Burr Oak. In 2004, that cemetery was covered in the national media when the murder investigation was re-opened, and Till's body was exhumed.

Six years later, on July 9, 2010, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart alleged that four workers at Burr Oak cemetery dug up more than 200 graves, dumped the bodies into unmarked mass graves, and resold the plots to unsuspecting members of the public. The three men and one woman were charged and convicted with one count each of dismembering a human body.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 19,063 people, 7,796 households, and 4,455 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,877.43 PD/sqmi. There were 8,016 housing units at an average density of 1,209.96 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 51.58% White, 22.48% African American, 1.95% Asian, 0.70% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 12.20% from other races, and 11.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 26.52% of the population.

The top five non-African American, non-Hispanic ancestries reported in Alsip as of the 2000 census were Irish (17.1%), German (14.0%), Polish (9.7%), Italian (4.8%) and English (3.5%).

There were 7,796 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.60% were married couples living together, 13.94% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.86% were non-families. 38.13% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.23% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.27 and the average family size was 2.41.

The village's age distribution consisted of 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $58,768, and the median income for a family was $72,444. Males had a median income of $48,254 versus $36,313 for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,308. About 7.7% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Most of Alsip is in Illinois's 1st congressional district; the portion north of 115th Street, and the city block northeast of 119th Street and Lawndale Avenue, are in the 3rd district.

Policy-making and legislative authority are vested in the governing Village Board consisting of the Village President, often referred to as the Mayor, and six Trustees, and a Village Clerk. The Village Clerk is an ex officio member of the Board and does not vote. All Board members are elected at large. All Board members serve four-year terms, with the Village President, the Village Clerk, and three Trustees elected usually on the first Tuesday in April following Presidential election year, while the other three Trustees are usually elected on the first Tuesday in April two years later. Beginning with those elected in the April 4, 2017 election, no person may hold the office of Village President, Village Clerk, or Village Trustee for more than three consecutive four-year terms.

The current Village government, as of May 2019 (with the year their term ends):

 * Mayor: John D. Ryan (2021)
 * Clerk: Susan M. Petzel (2021)
 * Trustee: Richard S. Dalzell (2023)
 * Trustee: Christine L. McLawhorn (2023)
 * Trustee: Christopher W. Murphy (2023)
 * Trustee: Michael J. Zielinski (2021)
 * Trustee: Monica M. Juarez (2021)
 * Trustee: Catalina Nava-Esparza (2021) (Elected to a two-year term to fill the remaining term of Trustee who resigned)

Each trustee and the mayor serve on one or more committees or commissions which oversee government functions. The individual assignments are available at the village website.

There are also a finance director who helps guide the government on fiduciary matters and a law firm that serves as the village attorneys to guide the government on legal matters.

Mayors

 * Gustave Termunde (1927–33)
 * Leonard Holmberg (1933–36)
 * John Benck (1936–56)
 * John J. Alsterda (1956–61)
 * Raymond L. Termunde (1961–73)
 * Arnold A. Andrews (1973–2005)
 * Patrick E. Kitching (2005–2016)
 * John D. Ryan (2017–Present)

Education

 * Elementary school districts
 * Alsip-Hazelgreen-Oaklawn School District 126
 * Prairie Junior High School in Alsip
 * Atwood Heights School District 125
 * Lawn Manor Elementary School in Oak Lawn
 * Meadow Lane Intermediate School in Alsip
 * Hamlin Junior High School in Alsip
 * Cook County School District 130

 * Secondary School District
 * Community High School District 218

 * Community college
 * Moraine Valley Community College

 * Private schools
 * Marist High School, a coed Catholic school in Chicago affiliated with the Marist Brothers
 * Brother Rice High School, an all-male Catholic school in Chicago affiliated with the Congregation of Christian Brothers
 * Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School, an all-female Catholic school in Chicago affiliated with the Sisters of Mercy
 * Chicago Christian High School

Business and industry
Alsip is home to the international headquarters of Griffith Laboratories.

One of the two Chicago area Coca-Cola bottling plants is located in Alsip.

Alsip is home to Alsip MiniMill, a producer of corrugating medium using Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) as the primary raw material.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on routes 383 and 385 connecting Alsip to destinations across the Southland.

title: Alsip, Illinois


text:
Arlington Heights, Illinois

Arlington Heights is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. A northwestern suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 mi northwest of the city's downtown. As of the 2020 census, the village's population was 77,676, making it the 15th-most populous municipality in Illinois.

Arlington Heights is known for the former Arlington Park Race Track, home of the Arlington Million, a Breeders' Cup qualifying event; it also hosted the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships in 2002. The village is also home to the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, which has one of the largest collections of books in the state.

History
Arlington Heights lies mostly in the western part of Wheeling Township, with territory in adjacent Elk Grove and Palatine townships, in an area originally notable for the absence of groves and trees.

Pre-settlement history
The land that is now the Village of Arlington Heights was controlled by the Miami Confederacy (which contained the Illini and Kickapoo tribes) starting in the early 1680s. The Confederacy was driven from the area by the Iroquois and Fox in the early 1700s.

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

Throughout the 1830s, the Potawatomi maintained a camp in modern-day Arlington Heights that was used for six weeks out of the year as the Potawatomi migrated from their summer encampments to their winter encampments.

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

The Potawatomi would occasionally return to their holdings in Northern Illinois to honor their buried ancestors, but these return visits ended as old villages and burial sites were destroyed by settlers to make way for farming.

The descendants of the Potawatomi who once inhabited the land that is now Arlington Heights currently live on a reservation in Mayette, Kansas.

West Wheeling
Many prominent roads in the Arlington Heights area were built on top of Native American trails: Rand Road was built on top of a Native trail which passed by the property of Socrates Rand, who built a tavern near a crossing on the Des Plaines River. Arlington Heights Road was developed from a Native trail that ran from what was once called Naper Settlement (now Naperville) to what was once called Indian Creek (now Half Day).

Around the same time, a trading post was established in the Southwest corner of the township by Frederick T. Miner, the cabins established near Miner's trading post came to be known as West Wheeling.

Dunton
In 1837, Asa Dunton, a settler who built one of the first cabins in what was then known as Deer Grove, registered three land claims for himself and two sons in the land in the west of Wheeling Township.

In 1845, Asa's eldest son, William Dunton, married Almeda Wood and brought her to the house he built beside the Potawatomi trail which then became known as Dunton's Road (and is now known as Arlington Heights Road). West Wheeling then became known as Dunton. The town's name changed several times before it officially became known as Arlington Heights in 1874.

William Dunton persuaded the Illinois & Wisconsin Railroad company to build track through his property. In 1853, Dunton sold 16 acres of his land to the company for $350. The first Dunton train station was built in 1854. The construction of the railroad helped to expand the population of Dunton, as it was easier for settlers to reach the village. By 1850, the area had largely changed its ethnic composition, as many German farmers from Saxony had arrived during the 1840s. John Klehm might serve as an example; he was at first a potato farmer, supplying the Chicago market, and in 1856 began a nursery for cherry, apple, and pear trees, later moving into spruce, maple, and elm, and then flowers. By the late 1850s the area had become noted for its truck farms, sending dairy products as well as vegetables to Chicago on the railroad.

During the Civil War, Chicago experienced a population boom, and many migrants moved to villages surrounding Chicago such as Dunton. Dunton also saw an influx of German immigration By the 1870s, Dunton's population had surpassed 1200.

The Civil War
Several Dunton residents served in the Civil War, however only three of those residents who left for the war returned. One of the survivors, a recently naturalized Alsatian named Charles Sigwalt (namesake of Sigwalt Street), fought at the Battle of Chickamauga and the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Warren Kennicott (namesake of Kennicott Avenue) was killed in action at the Battle of Gettysburg.

During the Civil War, Arlington Heights was a stop for many Union soldiers travelling South to fight the Confederacy or traveling North to fight in the Dakota War.

Arlington Heights
Dunton slowly grew after the Civil War, acquiring a blacksmith, a cheese factory, a hardware store, and a hotel. In 1874, the town's name was officially changed to Arlington Heights.

In 1878, Civil War veteran Charles Sigwalt and his brother John founded the Sigwalt Sewing Machine Company, which made 40,000 machines from the period of 1878 to 1883. The company was destroyed by a fire in 1895.

Arlington Heights was an early commuter suburb.

Religious heritage
The town developed religious institutions that reflected the origins of its citizens. The first churches were Presbyterian (1856) and Methodist (1858), with St. Peter Lutheran Church, a German Lutheran church, following in 1860. Today, the village has many Roman Catholics, boasting three very large churches: St. James (founded 1902—now home to 4,600 registered families), St. Edna (2,800 registered families), and Our Lady of the Wayside (3,100 registered households), in addition to several large Lutheran churches, Evangelicals and several other Protestant churches, including two United Churches of Christ, an Episcopal Church and a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Arlington Park Racetrack

By the start of the 20th century Arlington Heights had about 1,400 inhabitants, and it continued to grow slowly with a good many farms and greenhouses after World War II. By then Arlington Heights was also known for Arlington Park, a racetrack founded in 1927 by the California millionaire Harry D. "Curly" Brown upon land formerly consisting of 12 farms. Camp McDonald and two country clubs were founded in the 1930s. On July 31, 1985, a fire burned down the grandstand. The current six-story grandstand was completed and opened for use June 28, 1989.

In February 2021, the track's owners, Churchill Downs Inc., announced that they would sell the site for redevelopment, which would draw in many new developers. In June 2021, the Chicago Bears of the National Football League emerged as prospective buyers of Arlington Park, raising speculation that they would leave Soldier Field (their current home stadium in downtown Chicago) and build a new stadium on the site, either alongside or directly atop the track. On September 29, 2021, the Bears and Churchill Downs reached a $197.2 million purchase and sell agreement for the property where the new stadium would be built.

Population increase
A population explosion took place in the 1950s and 1960s, when the spread of automobile ownership, together with the expansion of the Chicago-area economy, the baby boom, and white flight from the city, drove the number of people in Arlington Heights—expanded by a series of annexations—up to 64,884 by 1970. By then virtually all the available land had been taken up, and the formerly isolated depot stop found itself part of a continuous built-up area stretching from Lake Michigan to the Fox River.

Geography

Arlington Heights is located at 42.09498°N, -87.98087°W (42.094976, −87.980873).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Arlington Heights has a total area of 16.64 sqmi, of which 16.61 sqmi (or 99.81%) is land and 0.03 sqmi (or 0.19%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 77,676 people, 30,672 households, and 19,988 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,669.15 PD/sqmi. There were 33,356 housing units at an average density of 2,005.05 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 78.95% White, 10.77% Asian, 1.63% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.64% from other races, and 5.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.94% of the population.

There were 30,672 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.72% were married couples living together, 5.95% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.83% were non-families. Of all households, 30.04% were made up of individuals, and 13.46% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 2.42.

The village's age distribution consisted of 22.9% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $100,221, and the median income for a family was $126,753. Males had a median income of $71,416 versus $51,319 for females. The per capita income for the village was $51,340. About 2.6% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Arlington Heights has experienced a recent boom in development of condos, restaurants and other businesses in the Central Business District or downtown area of Arlington Heights, with restaurants experiencing the greatest overall success. Although land and space is now limited in Arlington Heights, business and community development along with community design are key concerns. The Village of Arlington Heights is also instrumental in business, residential and community development. The community is served by many fine hotels.

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

Entertainment venues
From 1964 to 1970, Arlington Heights served as the home to The Cellar. The club was located in an unused warehouse on Davis Street, along the Chicago and Northwestern railroad tracks. Founded by local record store owner Paul Sampson, The Cellar offered live rock and blues bands for its mostly teenage audience to listen and to dance. It hosted a wealth of regional bands and repeat performers, such as The Shadows of Knight, The Mauds, H. P. Lovecraft, and Ted Nugent. It also hosted a significant array of national and international rock bands as well, including The Who, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Cream, and The Spencer Davis Group.

Entertainment venues include the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in downtown Arlington Heights, which opened in 1999. The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre includes live entertainment as well as arts education. The facility includes a 350-seat theatre, ballroom and classrooms for music and theatre. Music venue Hey Nonny opened in 2018.

Notable landmarks and establishments

 * Lake Arlington
 * Mitsuwa Marketplace - Chicago

Primary and secondary schools

Public elementary schools and middle schools that serve most of the city are operated by Arlington Heights School District 25. Portions of the city are also served by Prospect Heights School District 23, Wheeling School District 21, Community Consolidated School District 59 and Community Consolidated School District 15. Seventeen elementary schools and nine middle schools serve sections of Arlington Heights.

Public high schools serving most of the community are operated by Township High School District 214. There is one public high school in the city, John Hersey High School. Other District 214 high schools serving sections of the city are: Buffalo Grove, Prospect, Rolling Meadows, and Wheeling. Portions of the city are also served by Palatine High School (Palatine, Illinois) in Township High School District 211. During peak enrollment from the 1960s to the 1980s, there were three public high schools in Arlington Heights: Hersey, Arlington High School, and Forest View High School.

Arlington High School was the original high school founded in 1922, but was closed in 1984, and is now the private Christian Liberty Academy. Forest View High School was closed in 1986, but serves as the administration center for the district. Today Arlington Heights high school students attend Rolling Meadows High School, Prospect High School, John Hersey High School and Buffalo Grove High School, with small portions attending Wheeling High School, Elk Grove High School, and Palatine High School (Palatine, Illinois).

There are also several private schools in Arlington Heights, such as St. Viator High School, Our Lady of Wayside School, St. James School, St. Peter Lutheran School and Christian Liberty Academy. Chicago Futabakai Japanese School, which offers day classes for Japanese students as well as weekend supplemental instruction, is located in Arlington Heights, in a former middle school. It moved there from Niles in 1998.

Media

 * The Daily Herald, the major locally owned and operated newspaper for Arlington Heights and many other Chicago suburbs
 * Journal & Topics, covering Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, and Wheeling.
 * The Correspondent, student newspaper of John Hersey High School.

Public library

The Arlington Heights Memorial Library is the public library in the village. According to the Institute of Museum & Library Services' Public Libraries Survey, in 2014, 63.5 percent of Arlington Heights residents (47,713 out of a service area population of 75,101) held library cards, entitling cardholders to borrowing privileges. For seven consecutive years, the library received a 5-star rating in Library Journal's national rating of public libraries, making it one of 21 libraries in the United States to earn five stars for the past seven years.

The library has books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and books on CD in 17 different languages. The Arlington Heights Memorial Library maintains the Arlington Heights Community Information web site. Computers are available for public use, and library card holders can also check out a laptop to use within the library. Wifi is available throughout the library.

The bookmobile stops in 29 Arlington Heights neighborhoods, delivering books, DVDs, and music. Village residents who are temporarily or permanently homebound due to an illness or physical disability may have library items brought to their homes through the Library Visitor Program. Participants may request books, audiobooks, videos, and other materials that will be delivered monthly by a library volunteer. The Library meets other special needs as well.

The library sponsors seven book discussion clubs, and two more at the Arlington Heights Senior Center in addition to a film discussion group. The library also maintains a reading room and computer room at the senior center.

Live homework help is available for students in grades 4–12 on the library's web site through Tutor.com. Ten summer volunteer squads attracted more than 250 students in 7th through 12th grade to learn life skills and teamwork. The literacy office at the library has eight computers with software to improve English skills, conversation programs and adult basic reading books. The library also offers free literacy and ESL classes in cooperation with Township High School District 214.

One Book, One Village is an annual community reading project which features a selected title an author each year, with book discussions, Meet the Author and related programs.

Transportation

Arlington Heights has two stations (Arlington Heights and Arlington Park) on Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line, which provides daily rail service between Harvard, Illinois and Ogilvie Transportation Center. Other nearby rail service includes the North Central Service, which stops nearby in Prospect Heights. Interstate 90 and Illinois Route 53 (northern extension of Interstate 290) run along the south and western edges, respectively, of the city, providing easy access to nearby O'Hare International Airport, the city of Chicago, and other suburbs.

Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Arlington Heights to destinations across the region. The Pace Headquarters is located in Arlington Heights.

Arlington Heights Road is a main street running north–south through all of central Arlington Heights. Running to the south it passes through Elk Grove Village, and its southern terminus is in Itasca of DuPage County. Running north it passes through Buffalo Grove, and its northern terminus is in Long Grove of Lake County. Northwest Highway (U.S. Route 14) runs northwest–southeast through central Arlington Heights, from Chicago to Crystal Lake of McHenry County. Other major streets/roads include Rand Road (U.S. Route 12), Golf Road (Illinois Route 58), Algonquin Road (Illinois Route 62), Dundee Road (Illinois Route 68), Palatine Road, Central Road, Hintz Road, Euclid Avenue, Dunton Avenue, Campbell Street, White Oak Street, Thomas Street, Olive Street, Oakton Street, Kennicott Avenue, Ridge Avenue, Dryden Avenue and Windsor Drive.

Police Department
The Arlington Heights Police Department has employed exactly 139 people since 2012. In 2021, 86 of those employees are officers. The 2021 budget of the Arlington Heights Police Department is $28,013,100. This a slight decrease from the biggest of $28,220,179 in 2020.

In popular culture
The following movies were partially filmed in Arlington Heights:

 * Lucas (1986) (many scenes filmed at the former Arlington High School including the former Grace Gym and Foyer)
 * A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010 film) (high school scenes filmed at John Hersey High School)
 * The Lucky Ones (2008)
 * Normal Life (1996)
 * Uncle Nino (2003)
 * Bernadette (2018)
 * The Founder

title: Arlington Heights, Illinois


text:
Barrington, Illinois

Barrington is a village in Cook County and Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,722 at the 2020 census. A northwest suburb of Chicago, the area features wetlands, forest preserves, parks, and horse trails in a country-suburban setting.

Barrington is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Early history
The original settlers of the Barrington area were the indigenous peoples of the Native American Prairie Potawatomi or Mascoutin tribes, which later divided into the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Ottawa tribes. Many local roads still in use today, including Algonquin Road, Rand Road, Higgins Road, and St. Charles Road, were originally Native American trails. For many years, Barrington was considered part of the Northwest Territory, then the Illinois Territory.

19th century
By treaty dated September 26, 1833, ending the Black Hawk War, the Ojibwe, Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes ceded to the United States all lands from the west shore of Lake Michigan west to the area that the Winnebago tribe ceded in 1832, north to the area that the Menominees had previously ceded to the United States, and south to the area previously ceded by an 1829 treaty at Prairie du Chien, a total of approximately 5000000 acre. Through this treaty, the Sauk, Meskwaki, Winnebago, Ojibwe, Ottawa and Pottawatomi tribes ceded all title to the area east of the Mississippi River. Between 1833 and 1835, the U.S. government paid approximately $100,000 in annuities and grants to the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Ojibwe tribes, presumably as payment for the land.

Following this treaty, pioneers traveled from Troy, New York, via Fort Dearborn (now the city of Chicago) to live in Cuba Township in Lake County. The first white pioneers known to have settled in Barrington township were Jesse F. Miller and William Van Orsdal of Steuben County, New York, who arrived in 1834, before the three-year period which had been given the Native Americans to vacate the region, and before local land surveys. Other Yankee settlers from Vermont and New York settled in what is now the northwest corner of Cook County.

The combined settlement of these pioneers, located at the intersection of Illinois Route 68 and Sutton Road, was originally called Miller Grove due to the number of families with that surname but later renamed Barrington Center because it "centered" both ways from the present Sutton Road and from Algonquin and Higgins roads. Although residents and historians agree that the name Barrington was taken from Great Barrington in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and that many settlers immigrated to the area from Berkshire County, there is currently no evidence that settlers emigrated from Great Barrington itself. In addition, several original settlers, including Miller, Van Orsdal, and John W. Seymour, emigrated from Steuben County, New York, which also features a town named Barrington founded in 1822. However, it is currently unknown whether any settlers emigrated from Barrington, New York, itself or whether the New York settlement influenced the naming of Barrington, Illinois. Much of the history of Barrington since its settlement parallels the development of railroad lines from the port facilities in Chicago. In 1854, the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, now known as the Union Pacific Northwest Line, led by William Butler Ogden, extended the train line to the northwest corner of Cook County and built a station named Deer Grove.

In 1854, Robert Campbell, a civil engineer who worked for the railroad, purchased a farm 2 mi northwest of the Deer Grove station and platted a community on the property. Deer Grove residents protested, and at Campbell's request, the railroad later moved the Deer Grove station near its current location, which Campbell named Barrington after Barrington Center. In 1855, the village's first lumber facility began operations on Franklin Street.

By 1863, population growth during the Civil War era increased the number of Barrington residents to 300. In order to provide a tax mechanism to finance improvements, Barrington submitted its request for incorporation in 1863. Delays due to the Civil War resulted in the appropriate incorporation deeds not returning to Barrington for nearly two years. The Illinois legislature granted Barrington's charter on February 16, 1865. The Village held its first Board meeting on March 20, 1865, and appointed resident Homer Wilmarth as Mayor for one year.

In 1866, resident Milius B. McIntosh became the first elected Village President.

In 1889, the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (the "EJ&E") was built through Barrington, crossing what is now the Union Pacific/Northwest Line northwest of town. In the late 19th century, a series of fires damaged numerous downtown buildings. In 1890, fire swept along the north side of East Main Street east of what is now the Union Pacific/Northwest Line, destroying several buildings. In 1893, another fire destroyed most of the block that is now Park Avenue, and in 1898 a fire destroyed several buildings along the north side of Main Street from Hough Street to the Northwest Line railroad tracks. As a result of these fires, residents replaced the burned frame structures with more substantial brick and stone buildings, many of which remain in use today (albeit with substantially altered facades).

20th century
At the beginning of the 20th century, the village streets were unpaved, although the downtown area had wooden slat sidewalks, with some on elevated platforms. The downtown area also featured hitching posts for tethering horses as well as public outhouses. Meanwhile, fenced residential backyards in the village often contained livestock and barnyard animals.

In 1907, the village began replacing its wooden sidewalks with cement pavement. In 1929, the Jewel Tea Company built a new office, warehouse, and coffee roasting facility northeast of the village center, creating hundreds of local jobs despite the Great Depression.

The last major fire in downtown Barrington occurred on December 19, 1989. The fire completely destroyed Lipofsky's Department Store, then one of the oldest continually operating businesses in the village.

The Battle of Barrington
On November 27, 1934, a running gun battle between FBI agents and Public Enemy # 1 Baby Face Nelson took place in Barrington, resulting in the deaths of Special Agent Herman "Ed" Hollis and Inspector Samuel P. Cowley. Nelson, though shot nine times, escaped the gunfight in Hollis's car with his wife, Helen Gillis. Nelson succumbed from his wounds at approximately 8 p.m. that evening and was unceremoniously dumped near a cemetery in Niles Center (now Skokie), Illinois. Infamous for allegedly killing more federal agents than any other individual, Nelson was later buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois. A plaque near the entrance to Langendorf Park, part of the Barrington Park District, commemorates the agents killed in the gunfight.

21st century
In April 2009, in a non-binding referendum, residents voted in favor of permitting Barrington Township officials to begin looking into seceding from Cook County in part due to Cook County's increased sales tax, now the highest in the country. (See Government section below.) Today, Barrington and its nearby villages are considered to be some of the wealthiest in the country.

Opposition to Canadian National Railway Purchase of EJ&E Railway
Since 2008, Barrington has made national news for its opposition to the purchase of the EJ&E by Canadian National Railway, known as "CN", a purchase that may drastically increase the number of freight trains passing through the village daily. The EJ&E intersects at grade with eight major roads in the Barrington area, including Northwest Highway, Illinois State Route 59 and Lake Cook Road in downtown Barrington, as well as the Metra Union Pacific line. By 2012, CN is expected to run at least 20 trains on the line per day. In summer 2008, Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator for Illinois, voiced opposition to the purchase, vowing to work with affected communities to make sure their views were considered.

On October 15, 2010, the CN railroad crossing at U.S. Route 14, as well as rail crossings at Lake Zurich Road and Cuba Road, were blocked for over one and half hours during the early afternoon rush hour due to a stopped 133-car CN southeast bound freight train. At times during the incident, the Hough Street crossing was also blocked. The stopped train also caused back-ups on the Metra commuter rail service of their "Union Pacific Northwest Line", which operates over Union Pacific's Harvard and McHenry subdivisions. That same day, U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-8th) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) released a statement that Barrington will receive a $2.8 million grant to fund the planning, design and engineering of a grade separation at the U.S. Route 14 and CN railroad crossing. Construction of any grade separation at that intersection is estimated to cost approximately $69 million; the source(s) of any such funding are currently unknown, and there are currently no plans to design or construct grade separations at any of the other seven Barrington area CN railroad crossings.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Barrington has a total area of 4.79 sqmi, of which 4.61 sqmi (or 96.12%) is land and 0.19 sqmi (or 3.88%) is water.

Barrington is 30 mi northwest of Chicago.

Climate
Barrington has a continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa), with summers generally wetter than the winters:

The highest recorded temperature was 103 °F on July 10, 1974; the lowest recorded temperature was -28 °F on January 31, 2019. Historical tornado activity for the Barrington area is slightly below Illinois state average. On April 11, 1965, an F4 tornado approximately 9.4 mi away from downtown Barrington killed 6 people and injured 75; on April 21, 1967, another F4 tornado approximately 5.1 mi away from the village center killed one person, injured approximately 100 people and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 10,722 people, 3,988 households, and 2,902 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,237.01 PD/sqmi. There were 4,394 housing units at an average density of 916.75 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 84.29% White, 6.02% Asian, 1.15% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.11% from other races, and 6.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.07% of the population.

There were 3,988 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.41% were married couples living together, 11.36% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.23% were non-families. 25.68% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.47% 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 2.56.

The village's age distribution consisted of 26.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $112,794, and the median income for a family was $157,083. Males had a median income of $104,050 versus $61,388 for females. The per capita income for the village was $64,507. About 2.0% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.2% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Barrington receives much of its sales tax revenue from its half-dozen car dealerships. State sales tax figures indicate that Barrington's auto sales, gasoline sales and state-taxable auto repairs accounted for $2.1 million in sales taxes for the village in 2008, or approximately 56 percent of its sales-tax income.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute, often featured in the company's commercials, was formerly located in Barrington just west of downtown, across the street from Barrington High School before closing in June 2022. Barrington was also formerly home to GE Healthcare IT prior to relocating to Chicago in 2016. Other notable businesses include defense contractor ISR Systems, part of the Goodrich Corporation (formerly known as Recon Optical), and commercial real estate developer GK Development. For many years, the village was home to the Jewel Tea Company; its former headquarters was razed in the early 21st century for redevelopment as Citizens Park.

In addition to its downtown area, the village is home to several shopping centers, including the Ice House Mall and The Foundry, located northwest of town.

Top employers
According to Barrington's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture
Annual celebrations and events in Barrington include the Memorial Day parade, a Fourth of July parade and evening fireworks display, and a Homecoming parade associated with Barrington High School. In addition, the village hosts the "Great Taste Fest of Barrington", a food festival exhibiting fare from local restaurants. During the fourth weekend of every September, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital hosts "Art in the Barn", a juried fine arts show that features the exhibition and sale of fine art. Started in 1974 with only 30 artists, the event now attracts over 6,500 visitors and features live entertainment and pony rides for children in addition to the art exhibits. A fundraising event, Art in the Barn has generated more than $2.5 million for Good Shepherd Hospital. During May Barrington also hosts "KidFest Kite Fly" event which is free, fun, family event that gets the entire family outside and moving.

Barrington also hosts a variety of charity functions, including Barrington CROP Hunger Walk; Relay for Life by the American Cancer Society held at Barrington High School; and the Duck Race and Pool Party, a rubber duck race held to benefit JourneyCare (formerly Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois).

Library
The Barrington Area Library, located northeast of the village's center on Northwest Highway, contains over 226,000 book volumes and 27,000 audiovisual items. Originally established in 1915, the library moved to its current site in the mid-1970s. Through various additions, most recently in 1993, the building was expanded to its current size of approximately 60000 sqft. The library currently features exhibits by local artists, including an outdoor sculpture garden.

Architecture
The Village of Barrington Historic District was established in 2001 to protect and preserve historical areas of the Village and individual structures and sites within this area which have historic, architectural or cultural significance. Barrington's Historic Preservation Overlay District is noted for its Victorian, Victorian Gothic, Queen Anne, and other popular late-19th century forms of architecture. Among Barrington's notable buildings is the Octagon House, also known as the Hawley House. Claimed to be built around 1860, although the oldest home in Barrington Village is on North Avenue dating to 1872, the Octagon House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; although initially a residence, it now serves as a commercial property. The downtown area is home to the historic Catlow Theater, which features interiors by noted Prairie School sculptor and designer Alfonso Iannelli. In May 1927, the Catlow Theater opened for business with Slide, Kelly, Slide as its first feature film. The Catlow is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to operate as one of the few remaining single-screen theaters in the area. The Catlow was one of the first theaters to offer in-theater dining, provided by the adjoining Showtime Eatery. Patrons may bring food from Showtime Eatery (formerly Boloney's) into the 526-seat auditorium.

Another historic building in the village, the Ice House Mall, is located just northwest of the town's center. Originally built in 1904 for the Bowman Dairy, the brick structure, with its turn of the 20th century styling, served as an actual ice house for 68 years. Renovations and additions beginning in the 1970s have transformed the original building into a collection of local specialty shops.

The Michael Bay 2010 re-make of A Nightmare on Elm Street was partially filmed in Barrington's Jewel Park subdivision (Built by the Jewel T company for their executives) using a home actually on Elm Street, using the village's residential architecture as a backdrop.

South Barrington has been described as the, “9th circle of McMansion Hell” by local architectural critic, Kate Wagner, on architecture humor website McMansion Hell due to the high number of properties whose extremely large square footage and dubious architectural merits subjectively classify them as McMansions.

Parks and recreation
The Barrington area features numerous parks and nature preserves. The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Barrington as a Tree City USA every year since 1986, in part due to the village's Tree Preservation and Management Ordinance governing the proper care for trees within the area. The Barrington Park District administers several Barrington area parks including Citizens Park, Langendorf Park (formerly North Park), Miller Park (formerly East Park), and Ron Beese Park( formerly South Park). Langendorf Park features tennis courts, playgrounds, outdoor and indoor basketball courts, baseball fields, meeting/activity rooms, and "Aqualusion", a water park that includes a zero-depth pool, lap pool, and diving area, and a splashpad. Northeast of town is Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve, a 782 acre wetlands preserve featuring 3 mi of crushed-gravel trail offering views of the adjacent marsh. The preserve is named for Cuba Road, which provides the park's northern boundary. It is administered by Lake County Forest Preserves. In 2011, Barrington received a $65,000 grant from the Northwest Municipal Conference for preliminary engineering of a bike path along Northwest Highway. However, a timetable for the project has not yet been set.

There are two golf courses within village limits including the Makray Memorial Golf Club. (formerly known as the Thunderbird Golf Course) Located southeast of the village center on Northwest Highway, the 18-hole course totals 7000 yd and includes four sets of tees per hole. The other golf course is a five-hole public course operated by the Barrington Park District at the far western end of Langendorf Park.

Government
The Village of Barrington is a home rule municipality which functions under the council-manager form of government with a village President and a six-member board of trustees, all of whom are elected at large to staggered four-year terms. The current Village President is Karen Darch. There are six current members of the Board of Trustees in addition to a village treasurer. The village clerk, also an elected position, is responsible for taking and transcribing minutes of all Village Board and Committee of the Whole meetings along with other municipal clerk duties. The current village clerk is Adam Frazier, and the deputy village clerk is Melanie Marcordes. A village manager currently Jeff Lawler assist the President with local operations and projects.

Relationship with Cook County
In April 2009, in a non-binding referendum, village residents voted in favor of permitting Barrington township officials to begin looking into seceding from Cook County. The referendum, entitled "Barrington Twp – Disconnect from Cook County," asked, "Should Barrington Township consider disconnection from Cook County, Illinois, and forming a new county if a viable option exists for doing so?" The referendum came in response to Cook County's increased sales tax, now the highest in the country, and increased tensions between the county and towns neighboring Lake County. Hanover and Palatine townships, as well as the Village of Tinley Park, (already partially located in Will County,) also passed similar measures.

Education

Barrington serves as the geographic center for the 72 sqmi Barrington Community Unit School District 220. Schools located in Barrington include:

 * Barrington High School
 * Barrington Middle School - Prairie Campus
 * Barrington Middle School - Station Campus
 * Arnett C. Lines Elementary School
 * Countryside Elementary School
 * Grove Avenue Elementary School
 * Hough Street Elementary School (2015 Blue Ribbon school)
 * Roslyn Road Elementary School

St. Anne Catholic Community is a K-8 Catholic school.

Media
The Barrington Courier-Review is a local newspaper.

Barrington is included in the Chicago market and receives its media from Chicago network affiliates. The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times also cover area news. The village's Community Relations board broadcasts all Village Board meetings, as well as community announcements, on a local government-access television (GATV) cable TV station.

Transit
Metra provides commuter rail service on the Union Pacific Northwest Line connecting Barrington station southeast to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago and northwest to Harvard or McHenry.

Highways

 * US 14.svg US Route 14 (Northwest Highway)
 * Illinois 59.svg Illinois Route 59 (Hough Street)
 * Illinois 68.svg Illinois Route 68 (Dundee Road)

Medical and emergency
In 1927, residents established a "Barrington General Hospital" in a local house. The hospital closed in 1935. Various resident petitions and fundraising during the 1960s and 1970s renewed interest in a local hospital, and Good Shepherd Hospital opened in 1979 north of Barrington.

In 2009, the Barrington Police Department had 23 full-time police officers; and in 2007, the Barrington Fire Department had 38 full-time firefighters. The Village has an emergency operations plan as well as a community notification system called Connect-CTY.

title: Barrington, Illinois