Elmwood Park, Illinois

Elmwood Park, Illinois
Elmwood Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 24,521 at the 2020 census. The community has long maintained a large Italian-American population, with a more recent influx of Polish-American and Hispanic residents.
Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Elmwood Park has a total area of , all land.
History
Elmwood Park was incorporated as a village in early April 1914 in order to prevent annexation by the greater city of Chicago. Today one can still see evidence of a minority of landowners, or share farmers who voted for annexation to the city in 1915 by the odd chunk taken out of Elmwood Park's northeast corner, which kept the community from achieving a full square rectangular border.
At the turn of the century, urban dwellers would take a train on the Milwaukee Road, (which is now Canadian Pacific) westward out of the harsh concrete city for family picnics at the "Elm-Wood-Park," which was an ancient "Grove of majestic 180 year old Elms" found near 72nd Ave/Harlem and Irving Park Road. Taking advantage of the park's provenance, a new cemetery was named Elmwood, while the closest train stop to both cemetery and park in unincorporated Marwood/Ellsworth became identified with the official name of "Elmwood Park." During the pressure era of incorporation a decade later, the village's founding representatives thought it most ideal to legally title the community after the stop, and after the namesake elm, which is a native, locally evolved, riparian prairie "bottomland" tree species.
Russell's Barbecue, the oldest continuously operating barbecue restaurant in Chicago, is located in Elmwood.
Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 24,521 people, 9,223 households, and 5,979 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 10,068 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 63.68% White, 3.02% African American, 0.98% Native American, 3.18% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 15.65% from other races, and 13.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.07% of the population.
There were 9,223 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.55% were married couples living together, 12.43% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.17% were non-families. 32.53% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.73% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.37 and the average family size was 2.61.
The village's age distribution consisted of 21.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 28% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $63,312, and the median income for a family was $84,159. Males had a median income of $40,257 versus $34,548 for females. The per capita income for the village was $31,248. About 4.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Elmwood Park's public schools are operated under Illinois Community Unit School District #401. The schools include:
High school
Elmwood Park High School
Middle school
Elm Middle School
Elementary schools
John Mills Elementary School
Elmwood Elementary School
Transportation
Elmwood Park is accessible via Elmwood Park station on Metra's Milwaukee District West Line, which provides daily rail service between Elgin, Illinois, and Chicago Union Station.
Sister city
Frosinone, Lazio, Italy (from 1996)
Village Presidents
Carl E. Johnson, Jr.: 1914-1915
Merritt B. Marwood: 1915-1920
Adolph H. Bracher: 1921-1923
John R. Beck: 1924-1929
Gerald R. Howe: 1929-1931
Charles P. Hoehamer: 1931-1933
Thomas Careyd: 1933-1935
John A. Cullerton: 1935-1948
Adam J. Roulo: 1948-1953
Elmer W. Conti: 1953-1985
Don Storino: 1985-1987
Richard G. Torpe: 1987-1989
Peter N. Silvestri: 1989-2013
Angelo Saviano: since 2013
Notable people
Elmer W. Conti, Illinois businessman and politician
John Giannini, college basketball coach
Lee Loughnane, trumpet player and founding member of the rock band Chicago
Jeff Mauro, television personality, Food Network
Ray Nitschke, linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
References
External links
Village of Elmwood Park official website
Elmwood Park Public Library
Elmwood Park Public Library Local History Blog
Fifty Years of Life in Elmwood Park, at Illinois Digital Archives
Eppllocalhistory Photostream at Flickr.com
Elmwood Park Community Unit School District #401
Elmwood Park Neighborhood Civic Organization
St. Celestine Parish
Elmwood Park Pony Baseball and Softball
City Data
Elmwood Park Bible Church
Chicago Tribune Photo gallery: A history of Elmwood Park
Chicago metropolitan area
Italian-American culture in Illinois
Little Italys in the United States
Populated places established in 1914
Villages in Cook County, Illinois
Villages in Illinois
1914 establishments in Illinois
Polish-American culture in Illinois