Zion, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Zion is a city in Lake County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 22,866 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 24,303 as of 2005. The city was founded in July 1901 by John Alexander Dowie
. He also started the Zion Tabernacle of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church
, which was the only church in town. It was built in the early 1900s and burned down in 1937.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.2 km²), all of it land.
The city is one of only a few in the world to have ever been completely planned out before building. Dowie modeled the city layout after the Union Flag
, because he was originally from Scotland
and Australia
. In the planning stage he mailed the mayors of many large cities across the world for suggestions on how to design the best city possible. A few of the recommendations were:
Some of the diagonal roads were never completed. The north-south roads in the original plan are all named from the Bible except for two. Caledonia which is the Roman word for Scotland, Dowie’s native country, and Edina Blvd. which is named for an old Roman abbreviation for the City of Edinburgh, Dowie’s birthplace. The original east-west roads are numbered starting with 1 at the state line (now called Russell Road), although there are now new east-west roads which bear names. The city used to extend all of the way down to the lakefront until the state bought it to preserve the beach. Because most of the houses on the lakefront were owned by wealthy citizens, most of them were moved to places around what is now Sheridan Road.
The former city seal was the subject of a Supreme Court case because it contained a religious symbol.
: South Beach. The North Beach is in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois
. The beach was originally part of Camp Logan, a rifle range developed by the Illinois National Guard in 1892. Then in World War I and World War II it served as rifle range for the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. The range remained in operation until 1973, when it was transferred to the Illinois Department of Conservation. In 1950, the Illinois Dunes Preservation Society was established to maintain the natural qualities of the beach. With the help of the Illinois Department of Conservation the area south of Beach Road was established as the state's first natural preserve. The northern beach, between beach road and the Wisconsin state border, were obtained between 1971 and 1982.
The south beach is now home of the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center. The North Point Marina
is at the north beach. This is Illinois' newest and largest marina.
On May 9, 2000, the area encompassing Illinois Beach State Park and North Point Marina was officially designated as the Cullerton Complex in honor of William J. Cullerton, Sr., war hero, avid environmentalist and long-time friend of conservation.
of 2000, there were 22,866 people, 7,552 households, and 5,558 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,789.5 people per square mile (1,076.7/km²). There were 8,036 housing units at an average density of 980.3 per square mile (378.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.76% White, 27.10% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 7.80% from other races, and 4.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.25% of the population.
There were 7,552 households out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples
living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,723, and the median income for a family was $50,378. Males had a median income of $37,455 versus $27,563 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,730. About 10.1% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
's Union Pacific/North Line
through Zion railway station
at the east-side of the city. It connects the city to Chicago
, Kenosha
, and intermediate communities. Pace bus
line 571 provides internal transit service in Zion and connects the city to Waukegan
.
is currently in the planning stages, with groundbreaking set for summer 2009 and opening in May 2010. Once completed, it will host the home games of the Lake County Fielders
North American League
baseball team which will be co-owned by actor Kevin Costner
. The Fielders name is an homage to Costner's 1989 film Field of Dreams
, with the logo showing a ballplayer standing amid a field of corn.
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 22,866 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 24,303 as of 2005. The city was founded in July 1901 by John Alexander Dowie
John Alexander Dowie
John Alexander Dowie was a Scottish evangelist and faith healer who ministered in Australia and the United States. He founded the city of Zion, Illinois, and the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church...
. He also started the Zion Tabernacle of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church
Christian Catholic Apostolic Church
Christ Community Church in Zion, Illinois, formerly the Christian Catholic Church or Christian Catholic Apostolic Church, is an evangelical Protestant church founded in 1896 by John Alexander Dowie. The city of Zion was founded by Dowie as a religious community to establish a society on the...
, which was the only church in town. It was built in the early 1900s and burned down in 1937.
Geography
Zion is located at 42°27′12"N 87°50′25"W (42.453221, -87.840222).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 city has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.2 km²), all of it land.
The city is one of only a few in the world to have ever been completely planned out before building. Dowie modeled the city layout after the Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
, because he was originally from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In the planning stage he mailed the mayors of many large cities across the world for suggestions on how to design the best city possible. A few of the recommendations were:
- Make provisions for alley ways for utilities and garbage removal, and help keep the city looking clean
- Have the houses face east and west so that thermal heat from the sun could be used to reduce heating bills
- Build as many parks as possible
Some of the diagonal roads were never completed. The north-south roads in the original plan are all named from the Bible except for two. Caledonia which is the Roman word for Scotland, Dowie’s native country, and Edina Blvd. which is named for an old Roman abbreviation for the City of Edinburgh, Dowie’s birthplace. The original east-west roads are numbered starting with 1 at the state line (now called Russell Road), although there are now new east-west roads which bear names. The city used to extend all of the way down to the lakefront until the state bought it to preserve the beach. Because most of the houses on the lakefront were owned by wealthy citizens, most of them were moved to places around what is now Sheridan Road.
Major streets
-
Sheridan RoadSheridan RoadSheridan Road is a major north-south thoroughfare that leads from Diversey Parkway in Chicago, Illinois, north to the Illinois-Wisconsin border and beyond to Racine. Throughout most of its run, it is the easternmost north-south through street, closest to Lake Michigan... -
21st Street/Bethlehem Avenue -
Green Bay Road - Galilee Avenue
- 9th Street
- Shiloh Boulevard
- 29th Street
- 33rd Street
- Lewis Avenue
- Wadsworth Road
Illinois Beach State Park
Zion is the closest municipality to the Illinois Beach State ParkIllinois Beach State Park
Illinois Beach State Park is part of the Illinois state park system and is located along Lake Michigan in northeast Illinois in unincorporated Zion, Illinois and the Village of Winthrop Harbor. The park is broken into two units that encompass an area of and contains over six miles of Lake Michigan...
: South Beach. The North Beach is in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois
Winthrop Harbor, Illinois
Winthrop Harbor is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and it is the northernmost city in Illinois. Winthrop Harbor's main claim to fame is North Point Marina. With moorage over 1,500 boats, it is the largest marina on the Great Lakes...
. The beach was originally part of Camp Logan, a rifle range developed by the Illinois National Guard in 1892. Then in World War I and World War II it served as rifle range for the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. The range remained in operation until 1973, when it was transferred to the Illinois Department of Conservation. In 1950, the Illinois Dunes Preservation Society was established to maintain the natural qualities of the beach. With the help of the Illinois Department of Conservation the area south of Beach Road was established as the state's first natural preserve. The northern beach, between beach road and the Wisconsin state border, were obtained between 1971 and 1982.
The south beach is now home of the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center. The North Point Marina
North Point Marina
North Point Marina is an Illinois state park on in Lake County, Illinois, United States....
is at the north beach. This is Illinois' newest and largest marina.
On May 9, 2000, the area encompassing Illinois Beach State Park and North Point Marina was officially designated as the Cullerton Complex in honor of William J. Cullerton, Sr., war hero, avid environmentalist and long-time friend of conservation.
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 22,866 people, 7,552 households, and 5,558 families residing in the city. 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 2,789.5 people per square mile (1,076.7/km²). There were 8,036 housing units at an average density of 980.3 per square mile (378.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.76% White, 27.10% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 7.80% from other races, and 4.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.25% of the population.
There were 7,552 households out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% 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, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,723, and the median income for a family was $50,378. Males had a median income of $37,455 versus $27,563 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 city was $17,730. About 10.1% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Zion is served by MetraMetra
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 Union Pacific/North Line
Union Pacific/North Line
The Union Pacific/North is a commuter rail line in the Chicago metropolitan area that runs between Chicago and Waukegan, Illinois, with some trains continuing to Kenosha, Wisconsin. It is part of the Metra system, but it is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad...
through Zion railway station
Zion (Metra)
Zion is a small commuter railroad station on Metra's Union Pacific/North Line located in Zion, Illinois. It is located on 2501 South Eden Road, near the intersection with Shiloh Boulevard, is away from Ogilvie Transportation Center, the inbound terminus of the Union Pacific/North Line, and also...
at the east-side of the city. It connects the city to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Kenosha
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
, and intermediate communities. Pace bus
Pace (transit)
Pace is the suburban bus division of the Regional Transportation Authority in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was created in 1983 by the RTA Act, which established the formula that provides funding to CTA, Metra and Pace. In 2010, Pace had 35.077 million riders. Pace's headquarters are in...
line 571 provides internal transit service in Zion and connects the city to Waukegan
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
.
Sports
The 8,500-seat Zion BallparkZion Ballpark
Fielders Stadium is a baseball park in Zion, Illinois, nicknamed "A Diamond on the Border" and "Lake County's Field of Dreams," and is home to the Lake County Fielders of the North American League...
is currently in the planning stages, with groundbreaking set for summer 2009 and opening in May 2010. Once completed, it will host the home games of the Lake County Fielders
Lake County Fielders
The Lake County Fielders are a professional minor league baseball team based in Zion, Illinois, located in Lake County in the northern reaches of the Chicago area...
North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...
baseball team which will be co-owned by actor Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
. The Fielders name is an homage to Costner's 1989 film Field of Dreams
Field of Dreams
Field of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and is from the novel Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella...
, with the logo showing a ballplayer standing amid a field of corn.
Notable people
- Jarvis BrownJarvis BrownJarvis Ardel Brown was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles. He won the World Series with the Twins.-Career:...
, Former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player, member of 1991 World Series champion Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. - Richard BullRichard Bull (actor)Richard Bull is an American film actor, stage actor and television actor.He is best known for his performance as Nels Oleson, the kindly proprietor of Oleson's Mercantile and the long suffering husband of his wife Harriet on the NBC TV series Little House on the Prairie which aired from 1974 to...
, Actor, "Nels Olson" on Little House on the PrairieLittle House on the Prairie (TV series)Little House on the Prairie is an American Western drama television series, starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, about a family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s. The show was an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books...
. - Gary ColemanGary ColemanGary Wayne Coleman was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman...
, Actor (1968–2010), "Arnold Jackson" on Diff'rent StrokesDiff'rent StrokesDiff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978 to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985 to March 7, 1986...
. - Paul Erickson, Former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player (1941–48), mostly with Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe 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...
. - John HammondJohn Hammond (basketball)John Hammond is the current general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association, having succeeded Larry Harris on April 11, 2008. Previously, Hammond had been an assistant GM with the Detroit Pistons, where he had also worked as an assistant coach...
, General Manager of the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
of the National Basketball AssociationNational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. - Scott LucasScott Lucas (musician)David Scott Lucas, born May 10, 1970, is best known for being the singer and guitar/bass player, as well as the only remaining original member, of the post-grunge band Local H....
, Lead singer/guitarist for Local HLocal HLocal H is an American rock duo, formed by Joe Daniels and Scott Lucas in Zion, Illinois in 1987. Local H's 1996 album, As Good as Dead, includes the top 10 hit "Bound for the Floor" Author, rock critic and Rolling Stone contributor Greg Kot and the Chicago Tribune named the band its 2008 Chicago...
, an alternative rock band which gained fame in the early 1990s. - Billy McKinneyBilly McKinney (basketball)William Melvin McKinney III is an American former professional basketball player and former radio broadcaster....
, former NBA player/commentator. - Juan MorenoJuan MorenoJuan Carlos Moreno, born in Maiquetía, Vargas State, Venezuela, is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres . He batted and threw left-handed....
, Two-time Olympic silver medalist (1992 and 1988) in TaekwondoTaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
in the Fin-weight (under 50 kg) class and three-time Olympian (2000, 1992, 1988); assistant coach with the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2008 Olympics. - ShoesShoes (band)Shoes are an American power pop band, formed in Zion, Illinois, in 1974 by brothers John and Jeff Murphy, and Gary Klebe and incorporating several different drummers over the years including Skip Meyer, Barry Shumaker, Ric Menck, John Richardson, and Jeff Hunter. The Murphy brothers and Klebe were...
, power pop band including Gary Klebe, Jeff Murphy, John Murphy.
External links
- City of Zion — Official City of Zion website
- Zion Historical Society
- Zion Township
- Zion Chamber of Commerce
- Zion Park District
- Zion Benton Calendar – Community Calendar
- Dowie and his host mass in the Garden (not for free)