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Norridge, Illinois

Norridge is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,251 at the 2020 census. The village and its neighbor to the east, Harwood Heights, together form an enclave within the city of Chicago. Norridge is sometimes referred to as the "Island Within a City". The current President of Norridge is Daniel Tannhauser.

Name origin
The name "Norridge" was suggested by resident Mrs. Link. "Nor" comes from Norwood Park Township, and "Ridge" comes from the nearby suburb of Park Ridge.

History
Located in Norwood Park Township, the first names of what would become Norridge were "Goat Village", due to a local resident's goat farm, and "Swamp" due to a lack of streets and the area's swamp-like conditions. Norridge began as an 80 acre subdivision that ran from Ozanam Avenue in the west to Olcott Avenue in the east and from Irving Park Road in the south to Montrose Avenue in the north. In 1948, a local improvement association incorporated Norridge as a village, stymieing an effort by Chicago to annex the area.

That year, Karl Kuchar was elected the first President of the village.

The 1950s was a decade of growth and development, encouraged by the paving of sidewalks, streets, and curbs, and the installation of storm and sanitary sewers. In 1954 Norridge annexed land north from Montrose to Lawrence.

Norridge borders the Cook County Forest Preserves and was home to several horse stables, including Happy Days Stables at Montrose and Cumberland. Most of the stables were gone by the late 1970s.

Geography
Norridge is located at 41.965°N, -87.82389°W (41.965030, -87.823859).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Norridge has a total area of 1.81 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 15,251 people, 5,530 households, and 3,700 families residing in the village. The population density was 8,435.29 PD/sqmi. There were 5,956 housing units at an average density of 3,294.25 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 82.94% White, 0.43% African American, 0.38% Native American, 6.08% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.36% from other races, and 5.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 11.74% of the population.

There were 5,530 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were married couples living together, 9.76% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.09% were non-families. 28.37% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.37% 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 2.54.

The village's age distribution consisted of 18.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 22% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $78,300, and the median income for a family was $93,170. Males had a median income of $58,365 versus $39,837 for females. The per capita income for the village was $36,959. About 1.9% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government
As of the 2023 elections, the current elected officials of the Village of Norridge are:

 * Daniel Tannhauser - President (since 2019)
 * Gabriela Krasinski - Clerk (since 2021)
 * Donald Gelsomino - Trustee (since 2011)
 * William Larson - Trustee (since 2019)
 * Jack Bielak - Trustee (since 2019)
 * Andrew Ronstadt - Trustee (since 2019)
 * Debra Budnik - Trustee (since 2021)
 * Frank Avino, Jr. - Trustee (since 2021)

Local culture
The Harlem Irving Plaza brought in sales tax that led to decreased property taxes. Begun in 1956 with 45 stores, the center had 140 stores by the 1990s.

Public schools
Public elementary school districts serving Norridge include:
 * Pennoyer Elementary School District 79
 * Norridge School District 80 (James Giles School and John V. Leigh School)
 * Union Ridge School District 86

Public high school districts include:
 * Maine Township High School District 207 (Maine South High School)
 * Ridgewood High School District 234

Churches

 * Divine Savior Church (Merged with St. Eugene Church and Our Lady Mother of the Church)

Libraries
Eisenhower Public Library District serves Harwood Heights and Norridge.

Transportation
Bus service in the village is provided by both Pace and CTA.

Notable people

 * Bruce Artwick, creator of the first consumer flight simulator software; founder of Sublogic
 * Nicholas Calabrese, the first made man ever to testify against the Chicago Outfit
 * James Fotopoulos, independent filmmaker of over 100 films, including Christabel
 * Robert F. Martwick Jr., Democratic member of the Illinois Senate; formerly a Norridge trustee
 * Gene Nudo, head coach of the Arizona Rattlers, then of the Arena Football League
 * Jeff Schroeder, season 11 and season 13 contestant on Big Brother, season 16 contestant on The Amazing Race
 * Dino Stamatopoulos, comedy writer, actor and producer (Mr. Show, TV Funhouse, Mad TV, The Dana Carvey Show, Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien)
 * Joseph A. Tunzi, author, publisher, self-publisher, producer, archivist, researcher and historian; has been described as "one of the foremost authorities on Elvis Presley"

title: Norridge, Illinois


text:
North Riverside, Illinois

North Riverside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 7,426.

Geography
North Riverside is located at 41.84611°N, -87.82972°W (41.846222, -87.829585).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, North Riverside has a total area of 1.64 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 7,426 people, 2,626 households, and 1,681 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,517.03 PD/sqmi. There were 3,012 housing units at an average density of 1,832.12 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 58.50% White, 7.04% African American, 1.24% Native American, 3.10% Asian, 13.79% from other races, and 16.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.18% of the population.

There were 2,626 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.00% were married couples living together, 17.25% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.99% were non-families. 31.57% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.41% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 2.44.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.4% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $55,879, and the median income for a family was $72,545. Males had a median income of $44,607 versus $41,795 for females. The per capita income for the village was $35,963. About 4.5% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
North Riverside is divided between three congressional districts. The area east of the Des Plaines River is in Illinois's 3rd congressional district; the area west of 1st Avenue is in the 7th district; the area between 1st Avenue and the river, consisting almost entirely of the western half of the Riverside Golf Club, is in the 4th district.

The Village of North Riverside is governed by a Village President (also referred to a Mayor), Village Clerk, and six Trustees who are all elected to four year terms. The terms are staggered, with elections being held in odd number years. The Mayor and Board of Trustees exercise policy-making and legislative powers of the Village, including adopting ordinances and resolutions, approving the Village’s annual appropriation and operating budget and enacting tax levies. In addition, the Village Board receives findings and recommendations from a number of appointed citizen advisory committees.

An Illinois state appeals court ruled in 2016 that the village must pay into the fire and police pensions. The village had argued that it was unable to contribute to the pension plans because of economic hardship during the Great Recession, which lowered tax revenues. The state Department of Insurance determined that the village had not contributed to its police and firefighter pension funds for several years prior to 2013. The state ordered the village to pay into the pensions, and instead the village filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court in 2014. The judge ruled against the village, and the village appealed.

Education
North Riverside is split into two educational districts. First Avenue, IL-171, serves as the dividing line. Komarek School District 94 serves the population on the west side of First Avenue and Riverside School District 96 serves the population on the east side of First Avenue.

North Riverside Park Mall
North Riverside Park Mall is located at 7501 W. Cermak Road. The mall features three department store anchors as well as 130 specialty shops. In addition, the food court, located at the main entrance to the mall, features local favorites, as well as several chain restaurants.

Costco & Edward Don
In 2011, Edward Don, a large restaurant supply company, elected to relocate to the Village of Woodridge, citing better tax incentives and issues with the property owners. In March 2013, Costco closed on a deal with North Riverside and the property owners of the vacated Edward Don building. Costco held their grand opening on November 25. The property also has 4 outlots slated to be sold to other companies.

Transportation
Pace and CTA provide bus service connecting North Riverside to destinations across the region.

Notable persons
New York Times bestselling author Chris DeRose.

Bud Light spokes-dog's Spuds MacKenzie, portrayed by dog Honey Tree Evil Eye.

Fire Department privatization
In a letter dated June 19, 2014, to the residents of North Riverside, Mayor Hermanek pitched the idea of contracting the fire department positions to a private contact company, Paramedic Services of Illinois, Inc.. The Village currently contracts with the company to provide paramedic services, but the plan was to contract the fire fighter positions as well. The plan has drawn significant opposition from the Fire Fighters Union Local 2714, as well as village residents, and department supporters.

At the July 24 Special Meeting of the Village Board to adopt the annual appropriation, there was no vote on the privatization proposal, but the Appropriation Ordinance passed by a vote of 4 to 1. The Fiscal Year 2014-2015 (which began May 1, 2014) budget includes slashed salaries for the fire fighters. "The negotiations are not going to go on forever," said Hermanek. "This will be done by the end of the summer."

On September 12, 2014, in a press release from the Village, Mayor Hugh Hermanek stated that he has instructed Village attorney's to file suit with the Cook County Courts, for the right to terminate the Firefighter's Contact, which expired April 30, 2014. The press release in part reads: "The law firm of Odelson & Sterk, the village's attorneys, filed the lawsuit today to affirm that, 'like any other contract between two parties, there is a beginning and an end,' according to Burt Odelson, the firm's lead partner. 'The union's contract with North Riverside expired on April 30, 2014; so, after making six good faith efforts to find a way to build a new contract while also maintaining the village's solvency, the failure to accomplish that requires us to move ahead expeditiously on the privatization plan.'"

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

title: North Riverside, Illinois


text:
Northbrook, Illinois

Northbrook is a suburb of Chicago, located at the northern edge of Cook County, Illinois, United States, on the border of Lake County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 35,222.

When incorporated in 1901, the village was known as Shermerville in honor of Frederick Schermer, who donated the land for its first train station. The village changed its name to Northbrook in 1923 as an effort to improve its public image. The name was chosen because the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River runs through the village.

Glenbrook North High School, founded in 1952 as Glenbrook High School, is located in Northbrook. The village is also home to the Northbrook Park District, the Northbrook Court shopping mall, the Ed Rudolph Velodrome, the Chicago Curling Club, and the Northbrook Public Library.

History
Members of the Potawatomi tribe were the earliest recorded residents of the Northbrook area. After signing the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, the Potawatomi ceded their Illinois lands and moved to a place near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Afterward, Joel Sterling Sherman moved from Connecticut with his family and bought 159 acre of land in the northwest quarter of Section 10 for $1.25 per acre; Northbrook's downtown is located on this site. A German immigrant named Frederick Schermer donated a portion of the land he bought from Sherman to be used for the town's first railroad station, which was named after him. By the 1870s, Shermerville (which also took its name from Shermer) was a farming community. In 1901 the community was incorporated as the Village of Shermerville after a close referendum for incorporation. At the time of incorporation, it had 311 residents and 60 houses. In these early years, Shermerville became notorious for rowdy gatherings at its five saloons; by 1921, therefore, residents believed that the name "Shermerville" had a negative reputation and sought to change it. A renaming contest was held, and the name "Northbrook" was submitted by the US postmaster (and then President of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association) Edward Landwehr. Landwehr was the son of Herman and Anna Helene Landwehr, both German immigrants and early settlers in the community and for whose family Landwehr Road in Northbrook is named. In 1923, "Northbrook", the winning name, was adopted. At the time, Northbrook had 500 residents. Later on, after the end of World War II, Northbrook's population began to rapidly increase. In 1997, President Bill Clinton visited Northbrook to congratulate the 8th-grade students of Northfield Township (which is mainly Northbrook) for getting the highest score on a world science test, and for getting the second-highest score on a world math test. Between 1950 and 1980, the town's population rose from 3,319 to 30,735. Northbrook was the first community not bordering Lake Michigan to filter Lake Michigan water for public use. Owing to the suburbanization of the community, the last working farm in Northbrook, the Wayside Farm, was sold and closed in 1987.

Geography
Northbrook is a suburb of the city of Chicago, located at 42.12917°N, -87.84083°W (42.129226, −87.840715). in the extreme northeastern region of Illinois. Whilst the vast majority of the village lies within Northfield Township, its northwest corner is situated in Wheeling Township. Northbrook shares a border with Northfield to its southeast, Glenview and Prospect Heights to its southwest and south, Glencoe directly east, Highland Park to its northeast, Deerfield directly north, Riverwoods to its northwest, and Wheeling directly west. Techny, once a separate community, was annexed by Northbrook in 1989 and predominantly lies south of Voltz Road and stretches south to border Glenview. Interstate 294 curves along Northbrook's western edge while the Edens Spur marks most of the village's northern boundary. Illinois Route 68 stretches west from Wheeling into Northbrook, terminating at the Edens Expressway near Glencoe. In addition, a portion of Illinois Route 43 cuts through Northbrook.

According to the 2020 US gazetteer files, the village has a total area of 13.30 sqmi, of which 13.24 sqmi is land, and 0.07 sqmi (or 0.45%) is water. Situated along the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River, Techny Prairie Park and Fields is the largest park in Northbrook at 113.82 acres and features picnic areas, a sled hill, batting cages, the nine-hole Anetsberger Golf Course and Techny Prairie Activity Center, a 44,200 square foot facility housing fitness equipment and studios, an indoor track, pickleball courts, and more. One of the biggest lakes in Northbrook, Lake Shermerville, is located within Wood Oaks Green Park, a 55.9 acre open space with fishing platforms, tennis courts, a playground, bike trail, and more. Northbrook lies within the Chicago/Calumet Rivers watershed.

Climate
Due to its proximity to the city, Northbrook's climate shares many of the same traits as Chicago. Northbrook lies in a humid continental climate zone (Köppen: Dfa) and experiences four distinct seasons. Northbrook receives an average of 37.82 in of precipitation each year. According to MyForecast, Northbrook's record high is 104 °F (40 °C), and the record low is -24 °F (-31.1 °C). Summers are hot and humid, with frequent heat waves. July is the hottest month, and the daily average temperature is 82 °F (27.7 °C), while the daily low temperatures are around 66 °F (18.8 °C). On average, summer temperatures reach at least 90 °F (32 °C) on as many as 16 days. Winters are relatively cold and snowy, with blizzards sometimes occurring, as in 2011. There are many sunny but cold days in winter. The average winter high from December through March is about 36 °F (2.2 °C), with January and February being the coldest months; a polar vortex occurred in January 2019. Spring and autumn are mild, short seasons. Dew point temperatures in the summer range from an average of 56 °F (13.3 °C) in June to 62 °F (16.7 °C) in July. Like all Chicago suburbs, Northbrook lies within USDA plant hardiness zone 5b.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 35,222 people, 12,749 households, and 9,347 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,647.28 PD/sqmi. There were 14,209 housing units at an average density of 1,067.94 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 77.53% White, 0.76% African American, 0.07% Native American, 16.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 4.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.

There were 12,749 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.61% were married couples living together, 5.79% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.68% were non-families. 24.98% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.31% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 2.55.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 17.5% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $128,883, and the median income for a family was $173,545. Males had a median income of $105,262 versus $53,061 for females. The per capita income for the village was $72,969. About 1.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Religion
Northbrook is home to a diverse religious community including Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus.

The North Shore is known for having a significant Jewish population; Northbrook has eight synagogues, a K-8 Jewish Day School, a branch of JCC Chicago, and Hebrew language courses at its high school.

Besides Judaism, Protestantism and Catholicism are major religions in Northbrook. Northbrook has many churches, including the St. Nortbert Catholic Church, the Village Presbyterian Church of Northbrook, the Northbrook United Methodist Church, the St. Giles Episcopal Church, and the Northbrook Covenant Evangelical Church. There is also a small Eastern Orthodox community.

The Society of the Divine Word constructed Northbrook's Techny Towers in 1901 to house their North American headquarters and St. Joseph's Technical School, which operated for twelve years; Techny's name is derived from this school. St. Mary's Mission Seminary, the first of its kind which prepared priests and brothers for foreign missions, was opened by the Divine Word Missionaries in 1909.

The Islamic Cultural Center of Greater Chicago is a mosque located in Northbrook. Nearby, the Hanuman Mandir of Greater Chicago is in Glenview and the Bahá'í House of Worship is in Wilmette.

Economy
Northbrook has a workforce population of 27,058 people with 15,219 who are employed, according to a 2018 estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau. The village has over 3,000 businesses providing more than 45,000 jobs, surpassing its population by over 10,000 positions. Northbrook’s economy is centered around the service industry, primarily professional services, health care, administration, retail, and manufacturing. The village has over 2.4 million square feet of commercial space, 1 million of which is at Northbrook Court. The community’s largest employer at 8,000 personnel is Allstate, which is based in an unincorporated area of Northbrook. In 2021, the company announced it would sell the property. UL, a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, is headquartered in Northbrook and employs 2,000 workers. Bell Flavors & Fragrances and Crate & Barrel are also located in the village.

Additionally, Northbrook is a base for several multinational corporations including the North American headquarters of Astellas, a Japanese pharmaceutical company, and Italian-based Barilla, the largest pasta company in the world.

Approximately 13% of Northbrook workers are employed at businesses inside the city limits, while about 87% commute elsewhere. The majority of the city's employed residents (67%) commute to work in single-occupant vehicles, while 5 percent use carpools and 10 percent use public transportation. Northbrook workplaces have employees who live across Cook county, with 5 percent from within the village, 18.9% from Chicago, 2.4% from Glenview, and 2.2% from Arlington Heights and Wheeling.

The village’s retailers had total sales of $1 billion in 2022 and are mostly concentrated in strip malls inside corridors near major roads including Sanders Road, Skokie Boulevard, and Lake Cook Road. Northbrook Court opened in 1976 and has 103 storefronts including shops, restaurants, and an AMC movie theater, although nearly half of the mall’s spaces are unoccupied due to the loss of major retailers and anchor tenants caused in part by the retail apocalypse and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail.

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

Arts and culture

Founded in 1973, the Northbrook Historical Society works to preserve Northbrook's heritage and educate people about it. It operates a museum located in the former Northfield Inn.

Founded in 1980, the Northbrook Symphony is a nonprofit that plays orchestral music in the town.

Just outside of Northbrook lie the Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview and the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.

Annual cultural events
Northbrook's largest event is Northbrook Days, a multi-day festival typically held every year towards the end of the summer. It features carnival games, roller coasters and amusement rides, food vendors, live music, and raffles. Another prominent event is the Farmers' Market held every Wednesday from June to October in the Meadow Shopping Plaza parking lot on the corner of Cherry Lane & Meadow Street in downtown Northbrook. There, vendors sell locally-made goods such as produce, cheese, pies, and condiments.

Parks and recreation
Northbrook has many parks and golf courses. Parks in Northbrook include Village Green Park, Techny Prairie Park and Fields, Wood Oaks Green Park, Stonegate Park, Crestwood Park, and Greenfield Park. Golf courses in Northbrook include Heritage Oaks Golf Club (formerly Sportsman's Country Club), Anetsberger Golf Course, and Willow Hill Golf Course. Other facilities in the town include the Techny Prairie Activity Center, Northbrook Sports Center, Northbrook Leisure Center, and Meadowhill Aquatic Center. The Skokie Valley Trail passes through the town.

In recognition of the village's vast greenspace, the Arbor Day Foundation has designated Northbrook as a Tree City U.S.A. community since 1994.

The Northbrook Park District, headquartered in Northbrook, operates recreational facilities in Northbrook. The 17.25 sqmi park district, formed in June 1927, serves all of Northbrook and some unincorporated areas within Cook County. The park district lies within the townships of Northfield and Wheeling.

Situated along the Des Plaines River Trail upon the Des Plaines River, the River Trail Nature Center houses educational exhibits and events about local biology and wildlife. Among the region's 194 tree species, 37% are native to the area including the American sycamore, the common hackberry, and Northbrook's village tree, the Bebb Oak. Other native plants include white wild indigo, Junegrass, and ninebark.

Northbrook is in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Region 3 and Region 4, which encompass nature such as Dam No. 1 Woods-East and Somme Nature Preserve, Prairie Grove, and Woods.

Law and government
The Village of Northbrook adopted a council-manager form of government after a 1953 referendum. The Village President, six-member Board of Trustees, and the Village Clerk, all of whom must be residents of Northbrook, are elected at large for staggered four year terms. The board establishes policies and hires a village manager to operate the day-to-day business. The most recent board election took place in 2021, with Kathryn Ciesla winning 4,263 votes (63.31% of the total vote). The current board consists of:

The Northbrook Police Department provides law enforcement and the Northbrook Fire Department provides fire suppression and emergency medical services for the village and its residents. Civil and criminal law cases are heard in the Cook County Circuit Court of the State of Illinois court system, or in the Northern District of Illinois in the federal system. In the state court, the public prosecutor is the Illinois state's attorney; in the Federal court it is the United States attorney.

Politics
Like other suburbs in the area, Northbrook is considered a Democratic stronghold. In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama received over 60% of Northfield Township's vote, while, likewise, Joe Biden earned more than 66% of votes in 2020.

At the national level, Northbrook is represented by Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats. The northern and western parts of the village are part of Illinois's 10th congressional district, which is currently represented by Brad Schneider, a Democrat from Deerfield. The southern and eastern parts of the village are part of Illinois's 9th congressional district, which is currently represented by Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat from Evanston.

At the state level, Northbrook is a part of the 9th Senate District represented by Laura Fine (D-Glenview), the 29th Senate District represented by Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield), and the 30th Senate District represented by Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). Additionally, the village lies within the 17th House District represented by Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), the 18th House District represented by Robyn Gabel (D-Chicago), the 57th House District represented by Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook), who has an office in Northbrook, the 58th House District represented by Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), and the 59th House District represented by Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove). At the county level, the municipality lies within District 14 represented by Scott R. Britton (D-Glenview).

Crime
The North Shore is known for its low crime rates. In fact, Northbrook was ranked by MoneyGeek, a financial planning website, as being the safest town in Illinois, largely due to its low ($116 per capita) expenditure on crime. Northbrook's crime rate is significantly lower than the national average. That being said, thefts in Northbrook are not uncommon and have made headlines. Moreover, a murderer who acted in Northbrook is on the U.S. Marshals ’15 Most Wanted Fugitives’ list.

Public schools

Northbrook is served by multiple school districts. The elementary school districts Northbrook School District 27, Northbrook School District 28, Northbrook/Glenview School District 30, and West Northfield School District 31 serve and are headquartered in Northbrook. Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21, headquartered in Wheeling, also serves sections of Northbrook. Sunset Ridge School District 29 in neighboring Northfield also includes portions of Northbrook near Northfield.

District 27 operates three grade-level centers in Northbrook, including Hickory Point Elementary School (K-2), Shabonee Elementary School (3–5), and Wood Oaks Junior High School (6-8). In the past, the district also contained the Grove School (closed in 2011) and Indian Ridge School (closed in 1984), which is now home to the Leisure Center and Indian Ridge Park.

District 28 operates three (K-5) elementary schools, Meadowbrook Elementary School, Greenbriar Elementary School, and Westmoor Elementary School. Northbrook Junior High School (6-8) is the district's middle school. Formerly operated by District 28, Oaklane School opened in 1957 and closed in 1977.

District 30 operates Wescott Elementary School (K-5) in Northbrook and Willowbrook Elementary School (K-5) in Glenview, with both schools serving Northbrook. Maple Junior High School (6-8) in Northbrook is District 30's middle school.

The portion of Northbrook encompassed by District 31 is served by Winkelman Elementary School in Glenview and Field Junior High School in Northbrook.

Areas within CCSD 21 are served by two schools, Walt Whitman Elementary School in Wheeling and Holmes Junior High School in Wheeling.

Sunset Ridge School District 29 operates two schools in Northfield - Middlefork School (K-3) and Sunset Ridge School (4-8). Several neighborhoods in Northbrook north and west of the Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield are served by this school district.

Northfield Township High School District 225 is the high school district serving most of Northbrook. Glenbrook North High School is located in and serves most of Northbrook while Glenbrook South High School, Glenbrook North's main rival, serves nearby Glenview but includes some parts of Northbrook.

The western area within Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 is served by Township High School District 214. This area is a part of the Wheeling High School attendance area.

Residents of Sunset Ridge School District 29 are served by New Trier Township High School District, which operates a freshmen-only campus in Northfield and a campus for upperclassmen in Winnetka.

Private schools

 * St. Norbert Catholic School, a K-8 Catholic Grade School.
 * The Cove School, a K–12 school for disabled children.
 * Solomon Schechter, a K-8 Jewish school.
 * Countryside Montessori School, a K-8 private school.

Colleges
Oakton Community College (in Skokie, Des Plaines and other locations) serves Northbrook and surrounding areas. Northwestern University is located in nearby Evanston, and Lake Forest College is located in nearby Lake Forest.

Public library

Northbrook Public Library is the public library of Northbrook. The library's origins stem from a reading room created by the Citizens' Club of Shermerville. A primary advocate for a library in Northbrook after World War II was Carolyn A. Landwehr, daughter-in-law of Edward Landwehr who had originally suggested the name "Northbrook" for the community. The Northbrook Public Library first opened on June 30, 1952, in space located in the village hall; the first dedicated library building was dedicated in 1954. The northern portion of the current library opened in 1969, and bonds of 1975 and 1997 expanded the current library.

Television
Northbrook's government has a television station that all residents are able to access, NCTV Cable Channel 17. The station broadcasts meetings and information about the village.

Newspapers
Northbrook is served by two newspapers, the Northbrook Star and the Northbrook Herald. The Northbrook Star is a division of the Chicago Tribune, whilst Northbrook Herald is a division of Daily Herald, which is headquartered in Arlington Heights. In the past, the village also housed The Northbrook Tower, a division of 22nd Century Media, which went bankrupt in 2020.

Movies and filming
Director John Hughes, a native of Northbrook, used the fictional town of "Shermer" as a setting for several of his films. David Kamp of Vanity Fair said "Hughes's Shermer was partly Northbrook and partly a composite of all the North Shore's towns and neighborhoods—and, by extension, all the different milieus that existed in American suburbia" and that Shermer "was at once an Everytown for every teen and an explicit homage to Hughes's home turf, the North Shore suburbs above Chicago". Hughes and his family moved to Northbrook in 1962, and Hughes attended Glenbrook North High School.

Some exterior shots of Glenbrook North High School were used in the films The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Northbrook is notable for being home to the "Save Ferris" water tower featured in the movie, which inspired the name of the synonymous band.

Radio
Northbrook is served by WGBK, a non-commercial station operated by students at Glenbrook North High School and Glenbrook South High School. It broadcasts popular music, local high school sports, and covers local news.

Transportation
Northbrook is connected to Chicago's transportation network.

Roads
Interstate Highways:

U.S. Highways: Illinois State Routes:
 * I-94.svg Edens Expressway
 * I-294.svg Tri-State Tollway
 * US_41.svg Skokie Highway
 * US_45.svg Milwaukee Avenue

 * Illinois_21.svg Milwaukee Avenue
 * Illinois_43.svg Waukegan Road
 * Illinois_68.svg Dundee Road

Public Transit
Northbrook is served by Metra commuter rail. The village is located along the Milwaukee District North Line, which runs from Chicago Union Station to Fox Lake. Northbrook station is located on Shermer Road in downtown Northbrook and Lake Cook Road station is located just across the border in Deerfield. Furthermore, the Amtrak Hiawatha Service and Empire Builder trains stop in nearby Glenview.

Northbrook is also served by Pace suburban bus routes 213, 422, and 471.

For elderly or disabled residents, Northbrook offers paratransit in the form of a subsidized taxi program. Northfield Township, which Northbrook lies in, has an identical program called "Dial-a-Ride".

Airports
Northbrook is located 17 miles away from O'Hare International Airport, 33 miles away from Midway Airport, and next to Chicago Executive Airport. Other major regional airports within driving distance include Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, Chicago Rockford International Airport, and Waukegan National Airport.

From 1929 to 1973 Northbrook was home to Sky Harbor Airport. Today the area it sat on has been transformed into Sky Harbor Business Park, which includes a restaurant and an air conditioning business that operate out of the airport's former hangar.

Utilities
Northbrook's government manages water and sewer services while other utilities are privately managed; electricity is provided by Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), internet can be accessed through Comcast or AT&T, natural gas is provided by Nicor Gas, and garbage and recycling services are handled by Waste Management.

The United States Postal Service operates three post offices in Northbrook: the Northbrook Post Office, the Northbrook Downtown Post Office, and the Techny Post Office.

Health Systems
Several clinics and medical service centers exist in Northbrook including a Lurie Children's Hospital's Outpatient Center. Nearby hospitals include Glenbrook Hospital and Highland Park Hospital, both of which are operated by NorthShore University HealthSystem.

Area codes
From 1947 until 1988, Northbrook used a single area code, 312. However, in 1988, the 312 area code was made exclusive to Chicago and the 708 area code was introduced. Then, in 1996, the 708 area code was split into three: 708, 630, and 847. Currently, Northbrook uses the 847 area code as well as the 224 area code which was introduced in 2002.

Notable people

 * David Abidor (born 1992), soccer player
 * Scott Adsit (born 1965), comedian, cast member of 30 Rock, voiced Baymax in the Disney film Big Hero 6
 * Steve Bartman, namesake of "Bartman incident" from Game 6 of 2003 National League Championship Series
 * Steven D. Binder (born 1971), Hollywood producer and screenwriter
 * Mike Brown (born 1985), right wing for several National Hockey League teams
 * Nusrat Jahan Choudhury (born 1976), Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She was a childhood resident of Northbrook.
 * Meg Waite Clayton (born 1959), novelist
 * Chris Collins (born 1974), basketball head coach, Northwestern
 * J. T. Compher (born 1995), center for NHL's Colorado Avalanche
 * Billy Donlon (born 1977), head coach for Wright State Raiders men's basketball 2010-16
 * Han Chae-young (born 1980), actress who primarily stars in South Korean television dramas
 * Luol Deng (born 1985), small forward for NBA's Chicago Bulls
 * Anne Henning (born 1955), Olympic speed skater, 1972 gold medalist
 * Dianne Holum (born 1951), Olympic speed skater, 1972 gold medalist
 * John Hughes (1950–2009), film director and screenwriter
 * Kaskade (born 1971), professional DJ
 * Ken Goldstein (born 1969), documentary director; writer; musician, author of "The Way of the Nerd" book series
 * Krewella, EDM group
 * Jason Kipnis (born 1987), second baseman for MLB's Chicago Cubs
 * Jayson Megna (born 1990), right wing for NHL's Vancouver Canucks
 * Pat Misch (born 1981), pitcher for MLB's San Francisco Giants, New York Mets
 * John Park (born 1988), former American Idol contestant; currently active as a musician in South Korea
 * Kathleen Parker (born 1943), Illinois state senator
 * Scott Sanderson (1955–2019), pitcher with several MLB teams
 * Johnny Suh (born 1995), K-pop artist, member of the K-pop groups NCT 127 and NCT (group)
 * Jon Scheyer (born 1987), American-Israeli All-American basketball player for national champion 2009–10 Duke basketball team, also played for Maccabi Tel Aviv

Sister cities
Northbrook became sister cities with Diegem, Belgium, in 1966.

title: Northbrook, Illinois


text:
Northfield, Illinois

Northfield is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located approximately 19 mi north of downtown Chicago. As of the 2020 census, the village's population was 5,751. It is part of a collection of upscale residential communities north of Chicago that belong to New Trier and Northfield Townships and the greater North Shore.

Geography
Northfield is located in Northfield Township, Cook County at 42°6'N 87°46'W (42.10,-87.77).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Northfield has a total area of 3.23 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 5,751 people, 2,407 households, and 1,710 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,780.50 PD/sqmi. There were 2,420 housing units at an average density of 749.23 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 82.84% White, 0.47% African American, 0.16% Native American, 9.23% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 6.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.83% of the population.

There were 2,407 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.53% were married couples living together, 9.35% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.96% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 2.36.

The village's age distribution consisted of 18.8% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 28.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $143,661, and the median income for a family was $200,132. Males had a median income of $89,089 versus $56,364 for females. The per capita income for the village was $103,893. About 8.7% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Northfield is represented by Democrat Jan Schakowsky of Illinois's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, Democrat Tammy Duckworth and Democrat Dick Durbin in the United States Senate, State Representative Robyn Gabel, State Senator Laura Fine and Northfield Village President Greg Lungmus.

Education
Northfield is home to New Trier High School's freshman campus.

Northfield houses Middlefork (K–3) and Sunset Ridge School (4–8). It shares its ZIP code (60093) with Winnetka. The high school is New Trier High School.

A small part of Northfield (east of the former Chicago and Northwestern train tracks) is served by Avoca School District 37 in Wilmette. An even smaller part (south of Winnetka Avenue between Sunset Ridge Road and the Forest Preserve) is served by Glenview School District 34 in Glenview.

Christian Heritage Academy is a private school in Northfield that serves students in preschool through twelfth grade. It offers a Christian-based education.

Northfield is also home to Glenview Montessori School, a fully accredited, non-sectarian school for 2-6 year olds. The Glenview Montessori School is part of the Deerfield Montessori Schools, one of the first Montessori schools established in Illinois.

Saint Louise de Marillac High School was an all-girls Catholic secondary school in Northfield from 1967 to 1994, run by the Daughters of Charity. In 1994, Marillac merged with Loyola Academy. The campus was sold to Christian Heritage Academy.

The local Catholic parish, St. Phillip the Apostle, ran an elementary school which closed in 2004. The facility is currently leased by the Hyde Park Day School, a University of Chicago laboratory school for students with learning disabilities.

Northfield Fire-Rescue Department
The Northfield Fire-Rescue Department, headed by Chief Michael Nystrand, is a combination department. They respond to fire related emergencies, medical emergencies, and specialized rescue situations. The department operates out of one station, centrally located at 1800 Winnetka Avenue. The Northfield Fire Rescue Department's Paramedic program is overseen by Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, as part of Illinois EMS Region X.

Northfield Police Department
The Northfield Police Department, headed by Chief William Lustig, is responsible for all law enforcement operations in Northfield as well as emergency communications (E-911) for the Village. The police department, operated out of one station within the city hall complex, is well known for professionalism and good community relations. This department is Accredited by CALEA, and was one of the first in the State of Illinois to become so accredited.

Economy
The headquarters of Kraft Foods was formerly located in Northfield. Medline Industries now occupies Kraft's former office location. The Stepan Company, a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, is also headquartered in Northfield.

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

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Northfield to destinations across the region.

Notable residents

 * Lance Briggs, linebacker in the National Football League; former resident
 * Stephen Calk (born 1965), banker, economic advisor to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, and convicted felon. He was a resident of Northfield until his incarceration.
 * Tyson Chandler, center in the national basketball association; former resident
 * Chief Keef, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer; former resident
 * Luke Donald, professional golfer and former Northfield resident.
 * Pat Fitzgerald, head football coach for the Northwestern Wildcats
 * Robert Leo Hulseman (1932–2016), inventor of the red solo cup and CEO of the Solo Cup Company from 1980 to 2006. He was a Northfield resident at the time of his death.
 * Jerry Reinsdorf (born 1936), owner of the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox; he was a resident of Northfield until 2016.

title: Northfield, Illinois


text:
Northlake, Illinois

Northlake is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,840 at the 2020 census. The city's moniker is "The City of Friendly People". The name "Northlake" comes from two streets, North Avenue (IL 64) and Lake Street (US 20), which intersect on the city's West border.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Northlake has a total area of 3.18 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 12,840 people, 4,188 households, and 2,979 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,042.82 PD/sqmi. There were 4,356 housing units at an average density of 1,371.54 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 39.08% White, 3.81% African American, 2.27% Native American, 2.93% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 33.98% from other races, and 17.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 61.70% of the population.

There were 4,188 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.29% were married couples living together, 19.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.87% were non-families. 24.12% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.91% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.48 and the average family size was 2.87.

The city's age distribution consisted of 24.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $60,495, and the median income for a family was $69,475. Males had a median income of $43,580 versus $32,003 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,813. About 15.3% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
A Dominick's distribution center was located in Northlake until the supermarket chain's closure in December 2013. Empire Today is headquartered in Northlake.

Education
Northlake is serviced by two elementary school districts: District 87 (Berkeley) and District 83 (Mannheim).
 * District 83: Operates Roy Elementary School and Westdale Elementary School in Northlake and Mannheim Middle School in Melrose Park
 * District 87: Riley Elementary School, Whittier Elementary School, and Northlake Middle School

Two high school districts serve sections of Northlake:
 * West Leyden High School District 212
 * North of North Ave, west of Mannheim Rd, and south of Belmont Ave is served by West Leyden High School District 212 (with few exceptions).
 * Proviso Township High Schools District 209; the section is served by Proviso West High School in Hillside.

Private schools:
 * St. John Vianney

Triton College is the designated community college.

Centerpoint Preserve
The Centerpoint Preserve (Grant Park) is a 32 acre preserve that was donated to the City of Northlake by Centerpoint Properties. Located in the heart of Northlake, Centerpoint Preserve has become the center of activity for the city. The park has a walking/bicycle path and a dog park. Along the walking path there are many different workout stations for pull ups, wall hurdles, squat bars, sit-up benches and there is also beautiful metal art work along the path. The park is monitored by several cameras, and the Northlake police department surveys the area often, making it a safe place to work out at night. The city also has plans for a picnic area with running water.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on routes 309, 318, 319 and 330 connecting Northlake to destinations across the region.

Notable people

 * Tom Dore, retired American basketball player and former play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Bulls. He is a native of Northlake.
 * Eugene C. Doyle, member of the Illinois House of Representatives and Mayor of Northlake
 * Little Arthur Duncan, a Chicago blues and electric blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter, died in Northlake of complications following brain surgery.
 * Richard Fegley, professional photographer who worked for Playboy magazine for 30 years. He died in Northlake.
 * Manny Flores, Alderman for Chicago's 1st ward from 2003 to 2010. He was raised in Northlake.
 * Geoffrey Obrzut, Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993. He was a Northlake resident while serving as State Representative.
 * Mark Venturini, actor. He was a Northlake native and attended West Leyden High School.
 * Linda Williamson, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1985 to 1991. She was a Northlake resident while serving as State Representative.

title: Northlake, Illinois


text:
Oak Brook, Illinois

Oak Brook is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,163 at the 2020 census.

A suburb of Chicago, it contains the headquarters of Ace Hardware, Blistex, Federal Signal, CenterPoint Properties, Sanford L.P., TreeHouse Foods, Lions Clubs International, U.S. Census Bureau Chicago regional office, and former headquarters of McDonald's and Ferrara Candy. The Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art moved here in 2019.

History
Oak Brook was originally known as Fullersburg, named after Ben Fuller, an early settler.

Oak Brook was incorporated as a village in 1958, due in large part to the efforts of Paul Butler, a prominent civic leader and landowner whose father had first moved to the vicinity in 1898 and opened a dairy farm shortly thereafter. Prior to incorporation, the name Oak Brook was used by local residents to distinguish their community from neighboring Hinsdale and Elmhurst, going back to the founding of the Oak Brook Civic Association almost two decades earlier.

The original boundaries were smaller than the present extent of the village, but a considerable amount of land was annexed soon after the founding of the village, including the land that is now the site of the Oakbrook Center shopping mall, which opened in 1962.

In 1964 Butler entered a joint venture with the Del E. Webb Corporation of Phoenix, Arizona, to increase development of the area. Webb's construction company constructed dozens of buildings in Oak Brook both commercial and residential. The Webb Corporation's involvement in the development of the village lasted into the late 1970s.

Paul Butler's interest in sport was reflected in the Oak Brook Sports Core, which features polo fields, a golf course (which was at one time the venue for the Western Open), swimming and tennis facilities, and other recreational facilities not commonly found in a village of this size.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Oak Brook has a total area of 8.29 sqmi, of which 7.96 sqmi (or 96.11%) is land and 0.32 sqmi (or 3.89%) is water.

Oak Brook is located about 19 mi west of the Chicago Loop (downtown Chicago).

Most of Oak Brook consists of residential subdivisions, with the exception of the Oakbrook Center shopping mall and other retail and office properties along 22nd Street and the Interstate 88 corridor in the northern part of the village.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 8,163 people, 3,029 households, and 2,320 families residing in the village. The population density was 985.16 PD/sqmi. There were 3,308 housing units at an average density of 399.23 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 57.79% White, 32.84% Asian, 1.85% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races, and 5.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.85% of the population.

There were 3,029 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.19% were married couples living together, 6.54% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.41% were non-families. 22.85% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.02% 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 2.63.

The village's age distribution consisted of 19.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 15.8% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 35.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $140,743, and the median income for a family was $175,500. Males had a median income of $136,125 versus $77,067 for females. The per capita income for the village was $79,838. About 2.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over. ''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

Economy

While many Oak Brook residents commute to jobs scattered throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, Oak Brook is also the home of many corporate offices. The world headquarters of McDonald's Corporation was in Oak Brook from 1971, when McDonald's moved into the Oak Brook facility from an office within the Chicago Loop, until 2018, when it moved back to Chicago. Other corporations include Ace Hardware, Blistex, Crowe Horwath, TreeHouse Foods, Federal Signal, Sanford, CenterPoint Properties, Dantech Information Technology, Hub Group and Follett Higher Education Group. Global non-profit organizations such as Lions Clubs International, and Zonta International are also based in Oak Brook.

The Institute in Basic Life Principles, a controversial Christian sect founded by Bill Gothard, was formerly based in Oak Brook; however, it would sell its facilities and relocate to Texas.

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

Public schools
Brook Forest Elementary, and Butler Junior High, are located in Oak Brook; they are administered by Butler School District 53.

Private schools

 * Sunshine Montessori of Oakbrook

Transportation
Oak Brook is served by a network of major federal, state, and county roads, including the Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294), the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88), and the Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290). The commercial corridor is served by Pace bus routes.

Notable people

 * Chris Chelios, Stanley Cup-winning defenseman with the Detroit Red Wings, who also played for the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and Atlanta Thrashers
 * William J. Cullerton, World War II flying ace, former host of "Great Outdoors" on WGN Radio
 * Bill Gothard, founder of Institute In Basic Life Principles, a controversial Christian sect made popular by the Duggar family
 * Stan Mikita, Stanley Cup-winning center with the Chicago Blackhawks
 * Dick Portillo, founder of the Portillo Restaurant Group
 * Ed Rensi, a former CEO of McDonald's
 * Frank Thomas, first baseman with several Major League Baseball teams; lived in Oak Brook (1996–2003)
 * Ty Warner, founder of toy company Ty
 * Doug Wilson, defenseman with the San Jose Sharks
 * Frank Calabrese, Sr., made man and caporegime of the Chicago Outfit

title: Oak Brook, Illinois


text:
Oak Forest, Illinois

Oak Forest is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The city is out 24 mi south-southwest of downtown Chicago in Bremen Township. Per the 2020 census, the population was 27,478.

History
Human habitation in Oak Forest began during the early Holocene. This is made evident by the remains of hunting camps on what would become the grounds of the city's hospital. Several millennia later, the final known indigenous settlement in Oak Forest, a Potawatomi longhouse village, was established nearby. However, it was abandoned by the 1620s.

The origins of present-day Oak Forest begins with a railroad whistle stop on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad 1 block south of the intersection of 167th street and Central Avenue which primarily served area dairy farmers. This stop was located in a largely forested area of what was previously known as the Cooper's Grove Stand of Timber. By the 1880s this particular area of timber was being referred to as the "Oak Forest" due to its abundance of oak trees. A section of the former "Cooper's Grove Road" paralleling the railroad track from 66th Court to 167th Street in Tinley Park became known as "Oak Forest Avenue," because it was the road from the Village of Bremen/New Bremen (now Tinley Park) that lead to this "Oak Forest."

In 1907, Cook County approved construction of a second county poor farm and infirmary on a site generally at the southeast corner of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue to address overcrowding conditions at the County Poor Farm in Dunning on the northwest side of Chicago. This location was very near the Rock Island railroad and a new railroad station was constructed northwest of the present day intersection of 159th Street (US Route 6) and Cicero Avenue (Illinois Route 50), which provided convenient rail access to the facility. A railroad spur off of the Rock Island railroad line was also constructed onto the Oak Forest Hospital site that was used for both delivery of materials during its construction and delivery of coal for its heating plant and other goods used at the facility for many years. The Oak Forest Infirmary opened in 1910. Shortly after its opening, the facility accommodated close to 2,000 people suffering from poverty, mental illness, alcoholism, and other problems. The residents of the Infirmary helped maintain farmlands at and around the facility. By 1932, the Infirmary was serving more than 4,000 patients, including over 500 with tuberculosis.

Over the ensuing years following the opening of the Oak Forest Infirmary, a small settlement developed near both the railroad stop and the Oak Forest Infirmary populated by both workers at the facility and relatives of individuals in the Oak Forest facility. By the 1920s there were several residential subdivisions developing near the facility. The 1940 census reflected 611 residents outside the hospital. The hospital provided other business opportunities. For example, several mortuaries/funeral homes were to be found just outside the facility.

In the 1930s, there were some efforts made to rename the community "Arbor Park." The proposed name did not gain much momentum, but the name did become memorialized in the name of the Arbor Park School District 145. In 1947, with a population of 1,618, the residents voted to incorporate as the Village of Oak Forest. It was reincorporated as a city in 1971.

Christian Goesel and several relatives settled near 147th and Oak Park Avenue (then Bachelor's Grove Road) beginning in about 1861. In 1884, the Goeselville post office was established (replacing the East Orland Post Office) to continue to serve the small settlement in that general vicinity (which had previously been part of the larger area of the earlier Batchelor Grove settlement). This post office operated as a satellite of the New Bremen/Tinley Park post office until it was discontinued in 1903. At its peak there were about 30 residents in the Goeselville area, with a few general stores to supply the farmers. Parts of the former Goeselville settlement are now within the far northwestern boundaries of the City of Oak Forest. Although that post office has been closed for over 100 years, the Goeselville name occasionally continues to be found on current maps.

On August 10, 2020, an EF1 tornado touched down in Oak Forest and caused significant damage to portions of the city. Extensive tree damage and long lasting power outages affected most of Oak Forest north of 155th Street.

Geography
Oak Forest is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is mostly surrounded by Cook County Forest Preserves (hence the name). Some neighboring communities of Oak Forest include Crestwood to the north, Midlothian to the northeast, Markham to the east, Country Club Hills to the southeast, Tinley Park to the southwest, Orland Park to the west, and beyond Bachelor's Grove Cemetery and Forest Preserve is Palos Heights to the northwest.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Oak Forest has a total area of 6.07 sqmi, of which 6.02 sqmi (or 99.21%) is land and 0.05 sqmi (or 0.79%) is water.

Wards
The City of Oak Forest is split into 7 wards and each ward is represented by an Alderman.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 27,478 people, 10,102 households, and 7,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,527.60 PD/sqmi. There were 10,750 housing units at an average density of 1,771.30 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 71.60% White, 7.52% African American, 4.82% Asian, 0.59% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 6.61% from other races, and 8.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.53% of the population.

There were 10,102 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.67% were married couples living together, 8.31% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.54% were non-families. 23.37% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.38% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 2.71.

The city's age distribution consisted of 21.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $78,865, and the median income for a family was $94,225. Males had a median income of $49,488 versus $35,735 for females. The per capita income for the city was $35,289. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 6.2% 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.''

Arts and culture
From 1987 to 2019 the city hosted Oak Fest. The festival, held in early July, featured music, carnival attractions, fireworks and more. In 2020 the commission responsible for the event dissolved and announced that after 32 years, Oak Fest would not continue.

Education
Public grade school districts in Oak Forest include Forest Ridge School District 142, Arbor Park School District 145, and Tinley Park Community Consolidated School District 146.

The city also includes one parochial Pre-K through 8 elementary school, St. Damian School, named for its connection to Oak Forest Hospital.

Oak Forest is home to Oak Forest High School, one of four high schools in Bremen Community High School District 228. Some of Oak Forest feeds into Tinley Park High School. A portion of Oak Forest west of Ridgeland Avenue feeds into Victor J. Andrew High School. A small portion of Oak Forest feeds into Carl Sandburg High School.

Oak Forest is part of Community College District 510 (South Suburban College). Higher education is also readily available at the South Suburban College University and College Center, and there are branches of University of St. Francis, Chicago State University, Governors State University and Illinois Institute of Technology.

Notable places

 * Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County, a large hospital specializing in long-term care and some other varieties of care
 * Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, near Oak Forest in the Rubio Forest Preserve

Politics
Most of Oak Forest is part of Illinois's 1st congressional district and is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Democrat Bobby Rush. Some very small areas totaling under 0.05 sqmi at the city's southeast edge are in the 2nd district.

Oak Forest is a part of 3 state legislative districts of the Illinois General Assembly. The 14th senate/28th house district, which lies west of Central Ave. and north of 159th St., the 15th senate/30th house district, which lies east of Central Ave., and the 19th senate/38th house district, which lies west of Long Ave. and south of 159th St. These districts are represented by state senators Emil Jones, III, Napoleon Harris, and Michael Hastings; and representatives Robert Rita, William Davis, and Al Riley, respectively.

Transportation
Oak Forest is served by U.S. Route 6 (159th Street) and Illinois Route 50 (Cicero Avenue). Central Avenue serves as a sort of Main Street for Oak Forest, where the local Jewel-Osco, Food 4 Less, post office, Acorn Public Library, Oak Forest Park District, Police Station/Fire Department/City Hall, and Oak Forest High School are all located.

Interstate 57 crosses the southeast corner of Oak Forest, just north of its intersection with Interstate 80. Exit 346 on I-57 (167th Street) is the closest access point, while Exit 348 (U.S. Route 6) is just to the east, across Pulaski Road/Crawford Avenue. The Tri-State Tollway (I-294) is also accessible a few miles east of Oak Forest.

Pace (transit) bus route 354 runs from Harvey down 147th and Central Avenue through Oak Forest to Tinley Park. Pace bus route 364 runs from Hammond, Indiana, to Orland Square Mall in Orland Park down 159th Street (U.S. Route 6) through Oak Forest and other south suburbs. Pace bus route 383 runs down Cicero Avenue (Illinois Route 50) from Chicago Midway International Airport in the south side of Chicago to 159th Street at Oak Forest Hospital.

The Oak Forest station of the Metra commuter rail line, located at 159th and Cicero, is a popular option for commuters to Chicago. This station is part of the Rock Island District Metra line that runs between Joliet and the LaSalle Street Station in the Chicago Loop.

Gateway Project
In spring 2005, Mayor Patrick M. Gordon with the assistance from ZPDA, Baxter and Woodman and city staff announced plans for a "Gateway Project", consisting of a mixed-use commercial and residential development at the corner of Illinois Route 50 (Cicero Avenue) and 159th Street. The project is said to provide the community with a transit-oriented development at the METRA commuter rail line. The development was promoted by the mayor as greatly enhancing the tax base of the city and generating additional commercial interest in the Cicero Avenue Corridor.

In 2008, the city broke ground on the Gateway Development at the northwest corner of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue. Construction of the mixed-use development will bring more than 50000 sqft of new retail and restaurant space and approximately 80 residential units to the city. By 2012, the Gateway Project still had the same two buildings built in 2008. In 2016, a two unit building was added

Fresenius Medical Care Center
In June 2012 a developer proposed to the city council to develop the Fresenius Medical Care Center. Later that month, the city council approved it to be developed. The city council chose a suitable location for it, near 159th on Lorel Avenue. The Medical Center is to serve as a kidney dialysis center. In October 2012, the builder Net3 Real Estate bought the land for $270,000. Later that month, the builder broke ground. The center is due to be complete in spring 2013.

Notable people

 * Robbie Avila, current basketball player at Indiana State University; graduate of Oak Forest High School (2022)
 * Tim Byrdak, former Major League baseball pitcher for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals; graduate of Oak Forest High School (1991)
 * Tevin Coleman, NFL running back for the New York Jets; graduate of Oak Forest High School
 * Jason Frasor, former Major League baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox; graduate of Oak Forest High School (1995)
 * Virginia Frederick, Illinois state representative
 * Tom Gorzelanny, former Major League baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs, grew up in Oak Forest
 * Lee Martin, Pulitzer Prize Finalist and author of The Bright Forever lived in Oak Forest and attended Kimberly Heights Elementary and Arbor Park Middle School from 1963 until 1969
 * Chris Medina, competed on 2011 American Idol; lived in Oak Forest
 * Garry Meier, Chicago radio personality; lived in Oak Forest
 * Jimmy Pardo, comedian and host of the podcast Never Not Funny; graduate of Oak Forest High School (1984)
 * Rick Paulas, writer; born in Oak Forest
 * Paul Runge, serial killer
 * George Saunders, short story writer and essayist; graduate of Oak Forest High School
 * Lisa Joann Thompson, dancer, actress, choreographer (In Living Color, Fame L.A., and Motown Live)
 * Rick Gorecki, former Major League baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays; graduate of Oak Forest High School (1991)

title: Oak Forest, Illinois


text:
Oak Lawn, Illinois

Oak Lawn is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 58,362 at the 2020 census. Oak Lawn is a suburb of Chicago, located southwest of the city. It shares borders with the city in two areas but is surrounded mostly by other suburbs.

Founding
In August 1835, James B. Campbell purchased the land stretching between Cicero Avenue and Central Avenue from 95th Street to 103rd Street. It is unclear what Campbell's intentions with the area were, but by 1840, he had lost a court battle with the Illinois State Bank and his land was sold in a public auction. John Simpson, a prominent figure in early Oak Lawn history, bought the northern half of the property in 1842. By 1859, the recently incorporated government of Worth Township paid for the construction of Black Oak Grove Road, an early name for 95th Street. Black Oak Grove is also the earliest known name of the area that would become Oak Lawn. It was later shortened to Black Oak or Black Oaks, but in 1882, the post office, train depot and surrounding community became known simply as Oak Lawn. Before this however, the area now known as Oak Lawn was, briefly during the early 1800s, called Agnes. It was also on some occasion referred to as Oak Park. Over the next two decades, the area grew in population as more homes were built and local business sprang into being. As the area continued to grow, many residents visited Englewood by train to shop. Oak Lawn residents also made income during early days by selling their farm and dairy products to various markets in Chicago.

Incorporation
In 1909, Oak Lawn was incorporated as a village. The following years, there were major improvements to local infrastructure and government services, such as the introduction of the police magistrate and village marshal, along with the building of a village hall and jailhouse. Electric lights were brought to 95th Street in 1911, the volunteer fire department began in 1923, Oak Lawn's first bank opened in 1925, and the Community High School District 218 was formed. The population had grown to 2,045 by 1930, and civic improvements were steadily made over the next decade. In 1934, a collection of one hundred books was the beginning of the Oak Lawn Public Library. By 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration as part of the New Deal, which supported a variety of public works, including libraries. With the help of a WPA grant, the new library opened its doors in 1936.

Post 1945
After World War II, with veterans returning home and taking advantage of the G.I. Bill, Oak Lawn experienced a major population boom. Beginning in 1949, Oak Lawn Round-Up Days became an annual event and helped to promote the village. It started with 25,000 people, and the Western-themed celebration brought in over 100,000 attendees in 1952. In this year, Jack Brickhouse was master of ceremonies, and the parade was televised on WGN-TV. By 1957, Round-Up Days had become too large, and the next year a final scaled-down version was held.

In the 1950s, a village managerial government began, and a new library and fire station were constructed. By 1960, there were nearly 20,000 residents in Oak Lawn.

On April 21, 1967, a tornado touched down in Oak Lawn that is recorded as one of the worst to strike an urban area. Roughly 900 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and over 30 people were killed.

The town was rebuilt in the coming years, and witnessed further population growth, peaking at 63,500 between 1973 and 1976. However, there was a decrease in residents in the 1980s, and an aging population led to the closure of several schools during this time. In response, the village began a process of redevelopment to counteract the decrease. This redevelopment has focused primarily on businesses and structures in the core area of Oak Lawn, around 95th Street between Cicero Avenue and Central Avenue.

1967 tornado
On April 21, 1967, an F4 tornado touched down at 105th Street and Kean Avenue in Palos Hills, 5 mi west of Oak Lawn. There were no deaths in Palos Hills, although a number of homes were destroyed and two transmission towers collapsed. After rising from the ground, the tornado touched down again at the Starlite Drive-In Theater at 6400 West 95th Street. With winds estimated to be over 200 mph, the tornado tore through Oak Lawn, tossing cars and buses in the air. After cutting Oak Lawn Community High School in half, it caused damage to St. Gerald's and continued to 91st Street and Cicero Avenue, heavily damaging the Airway Trailer Park and the Oak Lawn Roller Rink before rising from ground level. It touched down again in nearby Hometown, Evergreen Park, and Chicago before dissipating over Lake Michigan. In just 16 minutes, the storm left a 16 mi path of destruction and over 30 people dead.

Downtown redevelopment

Starting in 2002, downtown Oak Lawn (95th Street between Tulley Avenue and 55th Court) became the target of a massive redevelopment program; properties on the north and south sides of 95th Street were demolished. Eventually, several square blocks were leveled, making room for several multistory, high-end condominium complexes with retail space on the main floors. Part of the project was the expansion of the Metra commuter train station that houses a retail/office center and a new children's museum. This complex also includes a multistory parking garage. Downtown Oak Lawn as seen today bears little resemblance to the downtown from 2002. It now features modern high-rise buildings, new shopping areas, a large contemporary Metra train station, and several new retail and service facilities.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Oak Lawn has a total area of 8.59 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 58,362 people, 21,154 households, and 13,544 families residing in the village. The population density was 6,809.24 PD/sqmi. There were 23,362 housing units at an average density of 2,725.70 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 68.31% White, 7.65% African American, 0.87% Native American, 2.83% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 9.43% from other races, and 10.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.56% of the population.

There were 21,154 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.89% were married couples living together, 11.64% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.97% were non-families. 32.16% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.73% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 2.60.

The village's age distribution consisted of 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $69,352, and the median income for a family was $90,690. Males had a median income of $54,168 versus $38,363 for females. The per capita income for the village was $33,998. About 7.5% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Oak Lawn maintains an expansive park system. From small corner play lots to the 38 acre Centennial Park, there are over 300 acre of parks, recreational facilities and open land. These include playgrounds, walking paths, baseball fields, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, plus outdoor swimming pools, an indoor ice arena, two fitness centers, and an 18-hole golf course. Each area in Oak Lawn has its own recreational area, totaling 22 parks.

Education
Oak Lawn has public education schooling children from K–5 in its many elementary schools, including Kolb, Lieb, Harnew, Columbus Manor, Covington, Hannum, Hometown, Kolmar, and Sward. Oak Lawn has two public middle schools: Simmons Middle School, and Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School.

There are two public high schools, Oak Lawn Community High School and Harold L. Richards High School.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago operates Catholic schools. Catholic grammar schools include St. Germaine, St. Catherine, St. Linus, and St. Gerald. St. Louis de Montfort School closed in 2017 with 133 students that year.

Infrastructure

Oak Lawn has a commuter railroad station on Metra's SouthWest Service line with service to downtown Chicago and Manhattan, Illinois. It has connections to two Pace routes, while other routes run along the village borders.

Stop sign program
In mid-2007, Oak Lawn began hanging additional messages to village stop signs in an attempt to have drivers obey the signs. The signs were the idea of the village President, Dave Heilmann, and local residents were encouraged to submit their own ideas. Found throughout the village, the signs garnered attention with the press and were not well received by residents, nor did they noticeably impact public safety. While considered humorous by some, many others considered it a publicity stunt at tax payer's expense.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and IDOT voiced their concerns about the use of these nonconforming stop signs and the village removed them in April 2008. Initially, the Village President refused to remove the signs until IDOT threatened to withhold millions of dollars in funding for infrastructure.

Notable people

 * Diandra Asbaty (born 1980), professional bowler; Team USA member and spokesperson for USBC
 * Brian Bogusevic (born 1984), former outfielder for Chicago Cubs
 * Tim Byrdak (born 1973), Major League Baseball pitcher 1998 to 2013; born in Oak Lawn
 * Kevin Cronin (born 1951), lead vocalist for rock band REO Speedwagon
 * David Diehl (born 1980), football player, two-time Super Bowl champion for New York Giants
 * Mark Donahue, football player, lineman for Cincinnati Bengals, two-time Consensus All-American at University of Michigan
 * Dan Donegan, guitarist for rock band Disturbed
 * John Joseph Duda, actor; born in Oak Lawn
 * Michael Flatley (born 1958), Irish step dancer; attended St. Linus and Brother Rice High School
 * Jack Gwynne, illusionist and actor, died in Oak Lawn (1969)
 * Richard Hanania, right-wing author and academic
 * David A. Johnston, volcanologist, killed during 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption
 * Benn Jordan, recording artist known as The Flashbulb; attended Oak Lawn Community High School
 * C.J. Kupec, basketball player, Oak Lawn High School star, played for Michigan and NBA's Los Angeles Lakers
 * Sean Lewis, college football coach, attended Harold L. Richards High School
 * Rob Mackowiak, player for several Major League Baseball teams
 * Bobby Madritsch, former pitcher for Seattle Mariners
 * Rory Markham, UFC and IFL mixed martial arts fighter
 * Mike Mollo, heavyweight boxer
 * Bryan Rekar, former pitcher for Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Kansas City Royals; born in Oak Lawn
 * Michael A. Ruddy, Illinois state representative and businessman, lived in Oak Lawn
 * Marc Rzepczynski, pitcher for Seattle Mariners; born in Oak Lawn
 * Dwyane Wade, former NBA player and three-time NBA champion with Miami Heat, attended Richards High School in Oak Lawn
 * Harry Yourell, Illinois state representative and businessman
 * Kanye West, musician, rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer
 * Juice WRLD, rapper, died in Oak Lawn (2019)

title: Oak Lawn, Illinois