La Grange (Illinois)
| La Grange | |||
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 Village Hall (Town Hall) of La Grange |
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| Location in Illinois | |||
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1879 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Illinois | ||
| County : | Cook County | ||
| Coordinates : | 41 ° 48 ′ N , 87 ° 52 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 ) | ||
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Inhabitants : - Metropolitan Area : |
15,608 (as of: 2000) 9,572,572 (as of 2010) |
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| Population density : | 2,401.2 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 6.5 km 2 (approx. 3 mi 2 ) of which 6.5 km 2 (approx. 3 mi 2 ) is land |
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| Height : | 197 m | ||
| Postal code : | 60525 | ||
| Area code : | +1 708 | ||
| FIPS : | 17-40767 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 411638 | ||
| Website : | www.villageoflagrange.com | ||
| Mayor : | Elizabeth Asperger (President) | ||
La Grange is a suburb of Chicago in the US state of Illinois with a population of around 15,608 (census in 2000). The area was first settled around 1830.
history
The village was founded on June 11, 1879 by Franklin Dwight Cossitt. It was his dream to build an exemplary suburb . He built roads, planted trees, donated land for schools and churches, and built quality houses for sale. He also put alcohol restrictions in the land contracts to keep the village from becoming an eyesore.
When Cossitt began development, the area was known as Kensington. But after another Illinois ward had the same name, Cossitt named his ward after La Grange , Tennessee, where he had worked on his uncle's cotton farm as a youth .
After the fire in Chicago on October 8, 1871 destroyed many houses there, thousands of people looked for accommodation. La Grange was the ideal location to accommodate this.
geography
La Grange is located at 41 ° 48'N, 87 ° 52'W and is approximately 13 miles west of Chicago.
The village extends over an area of 6.5 km². Two major railroad lines cross the place, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and CSX Transportation .
About 14,000 years ago, the site was on the west bank of prehistoric Lake Chicago, the predecessor of Lake Michigan . Bluff Avenue, a north-south street in the eastern part of the town, follows the prehistoric coastline.
Economy and Infrastructure
La Grange is the shipping address of a locomotive manufacturer , Electro-Motive Diesel . The headquarters and partial production are, however, located in the neighboring town of McCook. Originally the production was also located there, but a few years ago it was relocated to another EMD facility in London (Ontario) .
Personalities
- Derrick R. Dirk Meyer (* 1961), computer scientist and manager
- Jeff Hornacek (born 1963), NBA Shooting Guard
- Sarah Wayne Callies (born 1977), actress
- Jake Elliott (born 1995), American football player
