Chicago Ridge, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Chicago Ridge is a village in Cook County, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 14,127 at the 2000 census.
during construction of the Columbian Exposition of 1893.
Incorporated on October 17, 1914, the Village has an area of approximately 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) and is located in the southwestern portion of Cook County, Illinois, which is about 20 miles (32.2 km) southwest of downtown Chicago.
The path of Stony Creek arcs through the village. It is not only an old creek but also the remnants of a feeder canal for the Illinois & Michigan Canal that reached from the Little Calumet River westward through the Saganash-kee Slough. Although the work on the feeder canal brought some settlers in the 1840s, German and Dutch farmers arrived after the 1850s.
Settlement increased with the coming of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad in 1882. Later, the Wabash would be crossed in the middle of Chicago Ridge by the Chicago & Calumet Terminal Railway, which also established rail yards in the village.
In 1898, the Paul E. Berger Company, manufacturers of cash registers and slot machines, located adjacent to the railroad. The Berger Company built housing for its employees, and a settlement emerged around the factory, with a tavern, rooming house, and grocery store. The first post office opened in 1900 in the Berger factory, and in 1902 the Wabash Railroad established a train station.
Both Chicago Ridge and Worth benefited from the activity and economic influences of a racetrack operating on 111th Street. Local residents proudly recall that a member of one of the founding families of the Chicago Ridge area, Fred Herbert, won the Kentucky Derby
in 1910. The racetrack was torn down in 1911 and is now the site of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
After Oak Lawn
incorporated in 1909, Chicago Ridge considered the move. An incorporated government could replace wooden sidewalks, deal with the stagnant waters in the swampy areas, initiate local municipal services and provide locally elected and accountable officials. They accomplished those tasks and more. Their successors then built on those early improvements with paved streets, sewers, street lights, and sidewalks. They also brought Lake Michigan water to the area.
Chicago Ridge grew from 176 in 1920 to 888 in 1950. With the great demand for housing and the expansion of road networks to include expressways, Chicago Ridge was poised for growth. Along with a strong new industrial and commercial base, the population increased dramatically, to 5,748 in 1960 and 14,127 in 2000.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all of it land.
Located in Cook County, the village is 15 miles (24.1 km) SW of the Loop
. Chicago Ridge's irregular shape is bounded by Oak Lawn on the north and east, Bridgeview on the west, and Worth
on the south.
of 2000, there were 14,127 people, 5,739 households, and 3,483 families residing in the village. The population density
was 6,336.3 people per square mile (2,445.9/km²). There were 5,897 housing units at an average density of 2,645.0 per square mile (1,021.0/km²). The racial makeup
of the village was 89.13% White, 2.44% African American
, 0.23% Native American
, 1.47% Asian
, 1.96% from other races, and 4.77% from two or more races. Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 6.25% of the population.
The top five ancestries reported in Chicago Ridge as of the 2000 census were Irish
(25.5%), Polish
(20.3%), German
(19.1%), Italian
(11.2%) and Arab
(6.9%).
There were 5,739 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $44,101, and the median income for a family was $56,314. Males had a median income of $38,464 versus $27,683 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $20,278. About 8.1% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
.
Charles Polchow served as the first president of Chicago Ridge when it organized as a village in 1914. He emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1897. Charles and his wife the former Luzina Zippel, arrived March 10, 1897 to Chicago Ridge, Ill. Their first home was a farmhouse at 107th near Oak Park Avenue, where their first four children were born. Later the family moved to another farmhouse at 105th and Central, where they had seven children. One of his sons, Herbert Polchow, became village president of Chicago Ridge in 1953. Farming was the Polchow family's first occupation, but in 1919 at 107th and South Ridgeland Avenue the family built Polchow's Grove and Tavern. Polchow's was one of three taverns, the others being John Henry Meyer's Chicago Ridge Hotel at 103rd and South Ridgeland Avenue and Liberty Hall. Charles Polchow died in 1951 at the age of 78.
The Village of Chicago Ridge is governed by a President and Board of Trustees. The Village President is the chief executive officer and the Board of Trustees is the legislative body. The Village Clerk is the keeper of the records. The Village President, Board of Trustees and Clerk are all elected to four year terms. Local elections are held every two years in the spring.
The Chicago Ridge Park District offers a "before/after" school care program.
Corp. in 2003.
The Park at Chicago Ridge is a 135 acre (0.5463261 km²) Industrial Park located off Southwest Highway at 103rd Street, which features rail transport and easy access to major expressways, including the Tri-State Tollway, and the Stevenson and Eisenhower Expressways.
(1)Represents compounded annual growth rate from 1987 to 2002.
(formerly the Chicago Ridge Mall) at 95th and Ridgeland has over 130 stores and a six screen theater. Additionally, the Chicago Ridge Commons at 99th and Ridgeland has over 55 strip stores. Development is currently centered in the industrial sector, the Park at Chicago Ridge.
on Metra
's SouthWest Service
, which provides daily rail service between Manhattan, Illinois
and Chicago, Illinois (at Union Station
).
Pace bus 835, which stops at Birmingham and Ridgeland, also transports commuters to the downtown area.
Elden Finley Junior is Chicago Ridge's middle school. Their website is- http://www.crsd1275.org/finley/index.htm. The mascot is a Viking. The colors are black, white, and gray. They provide grades 6 through 8.
Ridge Central Elementary School is one of Chicago Ridge's elementary schools. Their website is accessed through the main website- http://crsd1275.org/. The mascot are stars. the colors are navy blue and gold. They provide grades pre-kindergarten through fifth.
Ridge Lawn Elementary School is the other of Chicago Ridge's elementary schools. Their website is also accessed through the main website. The mascot is an eagle. The colors are royal and white. They provide grades pre-kindergarten through fifth.
Chicago Ridge high school students attend Harold L. Richards High School
in neighboring Oak Lawn.
-Tim Pyznarski
, former professional baseball player for the San Diego Padres
and Chicago Cubs
-Lauren Gunnes, Three-time World Power Walking Association(WPWA) Champion. 2001, 2007, 2008.
- Maria Pacheco- Convicted fellon
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 14,127 at the 2000 census.
History
Chicago Ridge takes its name from ridges left behind when trainloads of dirt were brought out by the Wabash RailroadWabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
during construction of the Columbian Exposition of 1893.
Incorporated on October 17, 1914, the Village has an area of approximately 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) and is located in the southwestern portion of Cook County, Illinois, which is about 20 miles (32.2 km) southwest of downtown Chicago.
The path of Stony Creek arcs through the village. It is not only an old creek but also the remnants of a feeder canal for the Illinois & Michigan Canal that reached from the Little Calumet River westward through the Saganash-kee Slough. Although the work on the feeder canal brought some settlers in the 1840s, German and Dutch farmers arrived after the 1850s.
Settlement increased with the coming of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad in 1882. Later, the Wabash would be crossed in the middle of Chicago Ridge by the Chicago & Calumet Terminal Railway, which also established rail yards in the village.
In 1898, the Paul E. Berger Company, manufacturers of cash registers and slot machines, located adjacent to the railroad. The Berger Company built housing for its employees, and a settlement emerged around the factory, with a tavern, rooming house, and grocery store. The first post office opened in 1900 in the Berger factory, and in 1902 the Wabash Railroad established a train station.
Both Chicago Ridge and Worth benefited from the activity and economic influences of a racetrack operating on 111th Street. Local residents proudly recall that a member of one of the founding families of the Chicago Ridge area, Fred Herbert, won the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
in 1910. The racetrack was torn down in 1911 and is now the site of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
After Oak Lawn
Oak Lawn, Illinois
Oak Lawn is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 55,245 at the 2000 census.Oak Lawn is a suburb of the city of Chicago, located southwest of the city...
incorporated in 1909, Chicago Ridge considered the move. An incorporated government could replace wooden sidewalks, deal with the stagnant waters in the swampy areas, initiate local municipal services and provide locally elected and accountable officials. They accomplished those tasks and more. Their successors then built on those early improvements with paved streets, sewers, street lights, and sidewalks. They also brought Lake Michigan water to the area.
Chicago Ridge grew from 176 in 1920 to 888 in 1950. With the great demand for housing and the expansion of road networks to include expressways, Chicago Ridge was poised for growth. Along with a strong new industrial and commercial base, the population increased dramatically, to 5,748 in 1960 and 14,127 in 2000.
Geography
Chicago Ridge is located at 41°42′9"N 87°46′43"W (41.702482, -87.778690).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all of it land.
Located in Cook County, the village is 15 miles (24.1 km) SW of the Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
. Chicago Ridge's irregular shape is bounded by Oak Lawn on the north and east, Bridgeview on the west, and Worth
Worth, Illinois
Worth is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, a suburb of Chicago. The population was 10,789 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Worth is located at ....
on the south.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,127 people, 5,739 households, and 3,483 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6,336.3 people per square mile (2,445.9/km²). There were 5,897 housing units at an average density of 2,645.0 per square mile (1,021.0/km²). The racial makeup
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of the village was 89.13% White, 2.44% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.23% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 1.47% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 1.96% from other races, and 4.77% from two or more races. Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race were 6.25% of the population.
The top five ancestries reported in Chicago Ridge as of the 2000 census were Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(25.5%), Polish
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
(20.3%), German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(19.1%), Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(11.2%) and Arab
Arab American
An Arab American is a United States citizen or resident of Arab ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage or identity, who identifies themselves as Arab. Arab Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World...
(6.9%).
There were 5,739 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $44,101, and the median income for a family was $56,314. Males had a median income of $38,464 versus $27,683 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $20,278. About 8.1% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Chicago Ridge is in Illinois' 3rd congressional districtIllinois' 3rd congressional district
The 3rd Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Dan Lipinski since January 2005. The district was previously represented by his father Bill Lipinski beginning in 1993....
.
Charles Polchow served as the first president of Chicago Ridge when it organized as a village in 1914. He emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1897. Charles and his wife the former Luzina Zippel, arrived March 10, 1897 to Chicago Ridge, Ill. Their first home was a farmhouse at 107th near Oak Park Avenue, where their first four children were born. Later the family moved to another farmhouse at 105th and Central, where they had seven children. One of his sons, Herbert Polchow, became village president of Chicago Ridge in 1953. Farming was the Polchow family's first occupation, but in 1919 at 107th and South Ridgeland Avenue the family built Polchow's Grove and Tavern. Polchow's was one of three taverns, the others being John Henry Meyer's Chicago Ridge Hotel at 103rd and South Ridgeland Avenue and Liberty Hall. Charles Polchow died in 1951 at the age of 78.
The Village of Chicago Ridge is governed by a President and Board of Trustees. The Village President is the chief executive officer and the Board of Trustees is the legislative body. The Village Clerk is the keeper of the records. The Village President, Board of Trustees and Clerk are all elected to four year terms. Local elections are held every two years in the spring.
The Chicago Ridge Park District offers a "before/after" school care program.
Business and Industry
Over the years, recreational and cultural amenities including parks and a library, as well as business and industry were added to the picture.Industry
Landis Plastics, Inc. is based in Chicago Ridge, Illinois, with five domestic facilities supporting North American customers. Landis manufactures injection molded and thermoformed plastic packaging for dairy and other food products. Over the past 15 years, Landis has experienced robust organic growth in sales of 10.4%(1). During 2002, Landis generated $211.6 million of net sales. Landis Plastics, Inc. was purchased by Berry PlasticsBerry Plastics
In September 2006, Apollo Management, L.P. and Graham Partners completed acquisition of BPC Holding Corporation from Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan.-Mergers & Acquisitions:...
Corp. in 2003.
The Park at Chicago Ridge is a 135 acre (0.5463261 km²) Industrial Park located off Southwest Highway at 103rd Street, which features rail transport and easy access to major expressways, including the Tri-State Tollway, and the Stevenson and Eisenhower Expressways.
(1)Represents compounded annual growth rate from 1987 to 2002.
Notable Retail Businesses
The Westfield Chicago Ridge MallWestfield Chicago Ridge
Westfield Chicago Ridge, formerly Chicago Ridge Mall, is a shopping mall in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. The mall includes three anchor stores , as well as a Bed Bath & Beyond, Michaels arts and crafts store, a movie theater and a food court. It was built in 1981 and expanded in 1986.-History:Chicago...
(formerly the Chicago Ridge Mall) at 95th and Ridgeland has over 130 stores and a six screen theater. Additionally, the Chicago Ridge Commons at 99th and Ridgeland has over 55 strip stores. Development is currently centered in the industrial sector, the Park at Chicago Ridge.
RidgeFest
Chicago Ridge is proud to host the annual RidgeFest celebration the last weekend in July at Freedom Park, which is one of the best-known summer festivals in the southwest suburban Chicago area. It consistently draws large crowds from throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.Parks and Recreation
The Chicago Ridge Park District has 23 acres (93,077.8 m²) of land available for recreational purpose, divided among 9 parks containing tennis courts, baseball fields, a fitness center/gymnasium, and a newly completed miniature golf/batting cages complex. The District offers over 100 programs for residents of all ages.Transportation
Chicago Ridge has a stationChicago Ridge (Metra)
Chicago Ridge is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line...
on Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
's SouthWest Service
SouthWest Service
The SouthWest Service is an American commuter rail line owned and operated by Metra, running southwest from Union Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Manhattan, Illinois...
, which provides daily rail service between Manhattan, Illinois
Manhattan, Illinois
Manhattan is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,071 at the 2006 special census. The city is located in northeastern Illinois approximately 50 miles southwest of Chicago.- History :...
and Chicago, Illinois (at Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
).
Pace bus 835, which stops at Birmingham and Ridgeland, also transports commuters to the downtown area.
Community Education
Chicago Ridge provides some public services. These include the Chicago Ridge Public Library, Elden Finley Junior High School, Ridge Central Elementary School, Ridge Lawn Elementary School, Freedom Activity Center (which provides preschool), and Teen Center.Elden Finley Junior is Chicago Ridge's middle school. Their website is- http://www.crsd1275.org/finley/index.htm. The mascot is a Viking. The colors are black, white, and gray. They provide grades 6 through 8.
Ridge Central Elementary School is one of Chicago Ridge's elementary schools. Their website is accessed through the main website- http://crsd1275.org/. The mascot are stars. the colors are navy blue and gold. They provide grades pre-kindergarten through fifth.
Ridge Lawn Elementary School is the other of Chicago Ridge's elementary schools. Their website is also accessed through the main website. The mascot is an eagle. The colors are royal and white. They provide grades pre-kindergarten through fifth.
Chicago Ridge high school students attend Harold L. Richards High School
Harold L. Richards High School
Harold L. Richards High School is a co-ed public high school located in Oak Lawn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and is a member of Illinois school district 218. The current enrollment is over 1,876 students. The school mascot is the bulldog. The school colors are Gold, Black, and White...
in neighboring Oak Lawn.
Notable residents
-Fred Herbert, winner of the 1910 Kentucky DerbyKentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
-Tim Pyznarski
Tim Pyznarski
Timothy Pyznarski played professional baseball for the San Diego Padres in 1986. He was selected fifteenth in the first round of the 1981 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He grew up on the South side of Chicago, attending Marist High School. Pyznarski led Marist to the IHSA Class AA State...
, former professional baseball player for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
-Lauren Gunnes, Three-time World Power Walking Association(WPWA) Champion. 2001, 2007, 2008.
- Maria Pacheco- Convicted fellon