Norridge, Illinois

Template:Geobox Norridge is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,582 at the 2000 census. The current Mayor of Norridge is Earl J. Field.

The city is completely surrounded by Chicago and Harwood Heights.

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.

Norridge is sometimes referred to as "Island Within A City", because along with nearby Harwood Heights, it is surrounded by Chicago on all sides. A history book of the same name was written by Norridge author Tom McGowen.

History

The first names of Norridge were "Goat Village", due to a local residents goat farm, and "Swamp" due to lack of streets and swamp-like conditions. Norridge started out 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, Norridge was about to be annexed by Chicago when a local improvement association moved to incorporate as a village, ending the city's effort to incorporate it. That year, Karl Kuchar was elected the first President of the Village of Norridge. The 1950s was a decade of growth and development, encouraged by the construction of a waterworks system, 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. Also that year, Norridge Youth Committee was established.

In 1969, WRHS Television opened. In 1976 WRHS Radio began playing music at Ridgewood High School.

Geography

Norridge is located at 41°57′54″N 87°49′26″W (41.965030, -87.823859).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 14,582 people, 5,727 households, and 3,991 families residing in the village. The population density was 8,013.6 people per square mile (3,093.5/km²). There were 5,842 housing units at an average density of 3,210.5/sq mi (1,239.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 94.84% White, 0.10% African American, 0.08% Native American, 2.74% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.79% of the population.

There were 5,727 households out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the village the population was spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 28.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $47,787, and the median income for a family was $57,007. Males had a median income of $41,310 versus $29,215 for females. The per capita income for the village was $23,431. About 2.9% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Karl Kuchar was elected the first Village President in 1949. He resigned on November 14, 1951. Trustee Joseph Sieb succeeded him as President. Mayor Sieb was elected to a full term in 1953 and went on to be elected to 12 consecutive terms. At the time of his death, June 23, 1998, he had served as Mayor for 46 years and 222 days, longer than any other mayor in Illinois. Trustee Earl Field was appointed to fill the vacancy in the President's office on July 8, 1998 until the general election in 1999, when he was elected to a full term. Incumbent trustees Ronald Oppedisano, Dominic Falagario, and Robert Martwick were re-elected in April 2007.

As of the 2007 election, the current elected officials of the Village of Norridge are as follows:

• Earl J. Field - President
• Judith Dunne Bernardi - Village Clerk
• Ursula A. Kucharski - Trustee
• Ronald A. Oppedisano - Trustee
• Dominic S. Falagario - Trustee
• Robert Martwick - Trustee
• Jacqueline P. Gregorio - Trustee
• Dennis Stefanowicz - Trustee

Local culture

The Harlem-Irving Plaza brought in sales tax that led to decreased property taxes. Begun in 1955 with 45 stores, the center had 140 stores by the 1990s.

Education

Public schools

Public elementary school districts serving Norridge include [1]:

• Pennoyer Elementary School District 79 [2]
• Norridge School District 80 [3] (Giles School and John V. Leigh School)
• Union Ridge School District 86 [4]

Public high school districts include:

• Maine Township High School District 207 (Maine South High School)
• Ridgewood High School

Libraries

Eisenhower Public Library District serves Harwood Heights and Norridge [5].

References

• http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/896.html
• http://www.villageofnorridge.com/village_information/QuickFacts.asp

External links

• Village of Norridge
• Norridge Park District
• Norridge School District 80
• Ridgewood High School
• Eisenhower Public Library District
• Old Timers' Baseball Association of Chicago, Inc.