| Forest Park, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||
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| County: | Cook | |||||||||||||||
| Township: | Proviso | |||||||||||||||
| Incorporated: | Village, 1907 | |||||||||||||||
| Mayor: | Mayor Anthony T. Calderone | |||||||||||||||
| ZIP code(s): | 60130 | |||||||||||||||
| Area code(s): | 708 | |||||||||||||||
| Population (2000): | 15,688 | |||||||||||||||
| Change from 1990: | up 5.16% | |||||||||||||||
| Density: | 6,480.8/mi² (2,503.0/km²) | |||||||||||||||
| Area: | 2.4 mi² (6.3 km²) | |||||||||||||||
| Per capita income: | $26,045 (median: $44,103) |
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| Home value: | $143,130 (median: $131,900) |
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| Website: | www.forestpark.net | |||||||||||||||
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Forest Park (formerly Harlem) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in the United States. The population was 15,688 at the 2000 census. The Forest Park train stop on the CTA Blue Line is the line's western terminus, located on the Eisenhower Expressway at Des Plaines Avenue.[2]
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Forest Park is located at (41.873031, -87.811155)[3].
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 15,688 people, 7,632 households, and 3,480 families residing in the village. The population density was 6,480.8 people per square mile (2,503.0/km²). There were 7,981 housing units at an average density of 3,297.0 per square mile (1,273.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 56.14% White, 31.18% African American, 0.15% Native American, 6.83% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.80% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.84% of the population, including 5.6% Mexican.
The top five non-African American, non-Hispanic ethnicities reported in Forest Park as of the 2000 census were German (15.9%), Irish (14.6%), Italian (8.1%), English (5.9%) and Polish (5.3%).[5]
There were 7,632 households out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.9% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.4% were non-families. 45.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the village the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 39.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $44,103, and the median income for a family was $52,611. Males had a median income of $39,402 versus $32,255 for females. The per capita income for the village was $26,045. About 6.3% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Forest Park Middle School is the middle school here.
The Village of Forest Park runs under a Commission Form of Government led by a Mayor and four Commissioners elected every four years. Forest Park is divided between three congressional districts. The area east of the Des Plaines River and south of Harrison Street is in Illinois' 3rd congressional district, except for the area northeast of Elgin Avenue and 13th Street; the area north of the Eisenhower Expressway and east of Van Buren Street is in the 7th district; the area in between (primarily consisting of Concordia and Forest Home cemeteries and a city park) is part of the 4th district.
The United States Postal Service operates the Forest Park Post Office at 417 Des Plaines Avenue.[6]
The Park District of Forest Park, located near the center of the village, has a 15-acre (61,000 m2) park, with an aquatic center. Shopping is mostly located on Madison Street. Previously known for many taverns, it now also features antique merchants, boutiques, and eating establishments.
Every summer, in early June the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce & Development hosts an annual Summerfest along Madison Street, its downtown district. In the last few days of July and first few of August, Forest Park's Park District plays host to the Forest Park No Glove National Invitational Softball Tournament. This is an invitational to all the best 16-inch softball teams in Chicagoland (and sometimes from other regions). The game is slow-pitch softball played without gloves, a favorite in Chicagoland.
Every autumn the St. Bernardine Church hosts an Oktoberfest and the Village hosts a Rib-fest.
The Village has several industries, but two of the prominent ones are Mohr Oil and Ferrara Pan Candy Co. The candy factory can be seen and smelled from the Harlem Blue Line stop. Mohr Oil can only be seen from there.
The main street Madison has a bustling downtown with many diverse restaurants and bars. Recently it was voted by the readers of the Chicago Tribune as the "Best Neighborhood Dining" in Chicagoland. Some the restaurants include Cafe DeLuca, Louie's Grill and Francesca Fiore.
The town is served by a weekly newspaper, the Forest Park Review, coming out every Wednesday. It is printed by Wednesday Journal, Inc. as well as a bi-monthly publication, The Forest Park Post which is distributed to all homes and businesses in the Village of Forest Park and is published by 34 Publishing, Inc.
An independent discussion board not affiliated with the village, Forest Park Forums, serves as a water cooler for residents to gather, discuss issues of general interest, politics, youth activities, education and local services.
For much of its history, Forest Park was known as a "Village of cemeteries," with more dead "residents" than living ones; some figures estimate the ratio at 30:1, dead to alive. Forest Park cemeteries include: Altenheim,[9] German Waldheim (now merged into Forest Home),[10] Jewish Waldheim (producer Mike Todd is buried in Beth Aaron there[11]),[12] Woodlawn[13][14] (including Showmen's Rest),[15][16] and Concordia.[9][17] Forest Home cemetery is home to the famous Haymarket Riot monument.[18]
Forest Park was host to the Forest Park Amusement Park, a small but popular amusement park at the end of the train lines, from 1907 to 1922. Unfortunately there was a spectacular fire which all but decimated the park and it never reopened. Its former location is now occupied by the Forest Park station on CTA's Blue Line at Desplaines Ave.[19][20] From 1927 to 1928, Forest Park also had a radio station called WNBA, with its studios near Des Plaines and Roosevelt Road.[20]
Forest Park is also home for the 25 year old professional (non-equity) theatre company, Circle Theatre.[21] Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times writes: “One of the most consistently satisfying theatrical operations in the area ...everything from classics to new American plays ...theatre at its very best.” Circle Theatre has produced over 175 productions and received over 80 Joseph Jefferson (JEFF) nominations and won over 30 Jeff Awards.[22] Notable visits from famous playwrights have included Marvin Hamlisch, Rupert Holmes, Douglas Post, Michael John LaChiusa, Stephen Clark and Rebecca Gilman.[21] Rebecca Gilman had her first play produced at Circle Theatre before becoming one of America's leading playwrights. Notable supporters have included Harry Connick Jr and Russel Crowe.[21]
Women's professional baseball/softball has roots in Forest Park. Emery Parichy purchased the Boston Bloomer Girls softball team in the early 1930s, re-named them Emery Parichy's Bloomer Girls, and moved them to Forest Park. The team operated in the suburb until 1955, when the land their softball field was on was taken for the Eisenhower Expressway.[23]
The community (formerly part of a larger town called Harlem) officially became incorporated under the name of Forest Park on April 17, 1907. In 2007, the town held a summer-long centennial celebration. Forest Park has also held two other centennial celebrations, one in 1956 for when the first settlers came and one in 1984 for the 100th anniversary of the creation of the town of Harlem.[24]
The Forest Park Public Library is located at 7555 Jackson Boulevard.[25] The current Library building opened on October 8, 1995. It covers 26,400 square feet (2,450 m2) over two levels and is completely accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is spacious and comfortable, with more seating and study areas, along with a meeting room, a youth activity room and computer room. The total cost of the building was projected to be $3,295,000, including construction, site improvements, furnishings, computer and security systems, professional and financing costs and contingencies. The funding comes from the Imber Fund, now grown to $900,000, a State of Illinois Construction Grant of $250,000, General Obligation Bonds for $2.9 million and interest income.