Norwood Park | |
|---|---|
| Community Area 10 - Norwood Park | |
 Norwood Park sign in 2025 | |
 Location within the city of Chicago | |
| Coordinates:41°58.8′N87°48.0′W / 41.9800°N 87.8000°W /41.9800; -87.8000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Cook |
| City | Chicago |
| Named after | Norwood, or Village Life in New England (1868 novel) |
| Neighborhoods | list
|
| Area | |
• Total | 4.29 sq mi (11.11 km2) |
| Population (2022)[1] | |
• Total | 39,641 |
| • Density | 9,241/sq mi (3,568/km2) |
| Demographics 2022[1] | |
| • White | 69.5% |
| • Black | 0.9% |
| • Hispanic | 19.7% |
| • Asian | 7.1% |
| • Other | 2.8% |
| Educational Attainment 2022[1] | |
| • High School Diploma or Higher | 92.9% |
| • Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.1% |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | parts of 60631, 60646, 60656 |
| Median household income (2022) | $107,122[1] |
| Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services | |
Norwood Park is one of the 77Chicagocommunity areas. It encompasses the smallerneighborhoods of Big Oaks, Norwood Park East, Norwood Park West, Old Norwood Park, Oriole Park, and Union Ridge.
The community area contains the oldest extant building in Chicago, theNoble–Seymour–Crippen House, built in 1833 and greatly expanded in 1868.[2] Organized in 1873 asa township from the adjacent townships ofJefferson,Leyden,Niles, andMaine,[3] and named afterHenry Ward Beecher's 1868 novelNorwood, or Village Life in New England (With the "Park" added to account foranother post office in Illinois with the Norwood name), Norwood Park was incorporated as a village in 1874[4] and annexed to Chicago on November 7, 1893.[5]
EveryMemorial Day since 1922 there has been a parade that runs through Norwood Park.[6]William Howard Taft High School, best known as the inspiration for the musicalGrease, was completed in 1939 with major additions made in 1959 and 1974.
The first inhabitant of European descent in the area was Mark Noble, who arrived in 1833 and constructeda house that is still standing as of 2024, the oldest in the Chicago city limits.[3][4] English farmers were the main group in the 1830s, although they would later be supplanted by Germans and to a lesser extent Poles and Scandinavians.[4] In 1853 the Illinois and Wisconsin Railroad, which would eventually become theChicago and North Western Railway and is currently Metra'sUnion Pacific / Northwest Line, laid tracks in the area, and in 1868 the Norwood Land and Building Association was formed and purchased the land.[3][4] A hotel was constructed shortly thereafter in an attempt to lure tourists from Chicago, although it was ultimately unsuccessful.[4] The first Post Office and store were built respectively in 1870 and 1871.[3]
Upon its incorporation the Village of Norwood Park prohibited the sale of alcohol.[4] As of April 2014 there were still eight dry precincts in the community area.[8] The first liquor store in the area in 50 years opened in 2016, without controversy about its existence but with such restrictions on its operation as early closing hours and a price minimum of $5.99.[9][10]
During the 1920s such roads asFoster Avenue,Milwaukee Avenue,Devon Avenue,Northwest Highway, andHarlem Avenue were improved, further facilitating transportation between Norwood Park and its surroundings.[4] The fieldhouse of the eponymous Norwood Park was built in 1928.[11] Between 1930 and 1940 the area added approximately 2,000 residents despite theGreat Depression.[4][12] TheKennedy Expressway was constructed nearby in the 1950s although the historic buildings ofOld Norwood were unaffected.[4] The Norwood Park Chamber of Commerce was incorporated on May 20, 1977.[11] The City of Chicago recognized the Norwood Park Historical District in 1986 and declared the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House a Chicago Landmark on May 11, 1988. The Noble-Seymour-Crippen House was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places on August 11, 2000.[3]
TheNorwood Park Historical District, also known asOld Norwood, was recognized by the City of Chicago in 1986. It contains the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House, Wingert House, Taft High School, and the Norwood Park Public School.
Norwood Park East is bounded byNiles, the north branch of theChicago River, Devon Avenue, Indian Road, Austin Avenue, Bryn Mawr Avenue, Avondale Avenue andHarlem Avenue. The Roden branch of theChicago Public Library system is located in the neighborhood. The public school that is located in the central part of the area and that the area is mostly zoned to is William J. Onahan Public School, located on West Raven Street. Rufus M. Hitch Public School, located on North McVicker Avenue, is in the area and zoned to as well. The neighborhood is also home to St. Thecla Catholic School and Parish.[11]
Norwood Park West is bounded by Devon Avenue, Harlem Avenue, theKennedy Expressway and Canfield Road. It is home to Edison Park Elementary School, despite the name implying a location inEdison Park. It is also home to Immaculate Conception Catholic School, Resurrection Medical Center and Resurrection High School.[11]
Big Oaks is bounded by Foster Avenue to the north, Nagle Avenue to the east, Gunnison Street to the south, and Harlem Avenue to the west. Opposite of the neighborhood's southern border at Gunnison Street is the suburb ofHarwood Heights and an unincorporated area housingRidgemoor Country Club. Many of the city's police officers live inBig Oaks, and in recent years the area has seen an increase in the number of Polish immigrants.
At one time, the area was dominated by a large golf course called Big Oaks Golf Course. In the early 1950s, the golf course was demolished, and hundreds of homes replaced it.
The neighborhood contains three schools: Daniel Carter Beard Elementary School, located on West Strong Avenue, John W. Garvy Elementary School, located on West Foster Avenue, and St. Monica Academy, located on North Mont Clare Avenue.[11][13]
Oriole Park is bordered by theKennedy Expressway to the north, Foster Ave to the south, Harlem Avenue to the east, and Cumberland Avenue to the west.
The area is home to Oriole Park, which is located in the center of the neighborhood south of Bryn Mawr Avenue. The park covers over 18 acres (7.3 ha) of land. The park is aChicago Park District facility.
The Oriole Park Library is located on Balmoral Avenue next to Oriole Park Elementary School. It operates under the Chicago Public Library.
The neighborhood contains two schools: Oriole Park Elementary School, located on Oketo and Balmoral Avenues, and St. Eugene Catholic School, located on Foster and Canfield Avenues.
Due to its proximity on the edge of Chicago and its suburban feel, Oriole Park residents are primarily city workers, such as teachers, police officers, union workers and firefighters.
Union Ridge, one of the highest points of Cook County,[3] is bounded by Bryn Mawr, Foster, Nagle, and Harlem Avenues. Union Ridge contains no schools.[11] Union Ridge Cemetery is located on Higgins and Talcott Avenues.
As of 2015, the median household income of the community area was $71,282 and the median age was 44.3. 80.1% of the population was White, 0.9% was Black, 4.2% was Asian, and 2.2% was Other. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 11.8% of the population.[1] This is a marked change from2000, when Whites were 92.7% of the population and Hispanics or Latinos were 6.4%.[4]
Although predominantly Irish, the Norwood Park neighborhood has a substantialSerbian-Americancommunity, centered on Serbian Road and the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral. There is a K-8 Serbian-American School, Saint Sava Academy, and an annual Serbian festival "Serb Fest" which takes place on Serbian Road. During 1990-1999 more than 500 Serbian families from Croatia and another 700 from Bosnia became settled refugees in Norwood Park. Although many have since moved into Edison Park, Park Ridge, Harwood Heights, and Schiller Park, Norwood Park remains the hub of Serbian migrants in Chicago.[14]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 14,408 | — | |
| 1940 | 16,466 | 14.3% | |
| 1950 | 26,798 | 62.7% | |
| 1960 | 40,953 | 52.8% | |
| 1970 | 41,995 | 2.5% | |
| 1980 | 40,586 | −3.4% | |
| 1990 | 37,697 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 37,619 | −0.2% | |
| 2010 | 37,023 | −1.6% | |
| 2020 | 38,303 | 3.5% | |
| [1][12] | |||
The community area is split between the 39th, 41st, and 45th wards of theChicago City Council, where it is represented by DemocratSamantha Nugent, IndependentAnthony Napolitano, and DemocratJim Gardiner respectively.[15]
| Years | 27th Warda | 41st Ward | 45th Ward | 39th Ward | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1893 – 1894 | Mathew J. Conway, Republican | Frederick F. Haussen, Republican | No such ward | No such ward | No such ward |
| 1894 – 1895 | Hubert W. Butler, Republican | ||||
| 1895 – 1897 | George S. Foster, Democratic | ||||
| 1897 – 1899 | Spencer S. Kimbell, Republican | ||||
| 1899 – 1900 | Arthur F. Keeney, Republican | ||||
| 1900 – 1902 | Henry Wulff, Independent | ||||
| 1902 – 1903 | Hubert W. Butler, Republican | ||||
| 1903 – 1905 | Silas F. Leachman, Democratic | ||||
| 1905 – 1906 | Henry J. Siewert, Republican | ||||
| 1906 – 1908 | Hans Blase, Democratic | ||||
| 1908 – 1909 | James F. Clancy, Republican | ||||
| 1909 – 1910 | Joseph F. Capp, Republican | ||||
| 1910 – 1911 | Frank J. Wilson, Democratic | ||||
| 1911 – 1913 | Jens N. Hyldahl, Democratic | ||||
| 1913 – 1914 | George E. Trebing, Democratic | ||||
| 1914 – 1915 | Oliver L. Watson, Independent | ||||
| 1915 – 1919 | John C. Kennedy, Socialist | ||||
| 1919 – 1920 | Edward R. Armitage, Republican | ||||
| 1920 – 1923 | Christ A. Jensen, Democratic | ||||
| 1923 – 1930 | Not in ward | Thomas J. Bowler, Democratic | Not in ward | Not in ward | |
| 1930 – 1931 | Vacant | ||||
| 1931 – 1935 | James C. Moreland, Republican | ||||
| 1935 – 1947 | William J. Cowhey, Democratic | ||||
| 1947 – 1958 | Joseph P. Immel Jr., Republican | ||||
| 1958 – 1959 | Vacant | ||||
| 1959 – 1963 | Harry Bell, Democratic | ||||
| 1963 – 1972 | Edward T. Scholl, Republican | ||||
| 1972 – 1973 | Vacant | ||||
| 1973 – 1983 | Roman Pucinski, Democratic | ||||
| 1983 – 1987 | Gerald McLaughlin, Democratic | ||||
| 1987 – 1991 | Patrick Levar, Democratic | ||||
| 1991 – 2011 | Brian Doherty, Republican | ||||
| 2011 – 2015 | Mary O'Connor, Democratic | John Arena, Democratic | |||
| 2015 – 2019 | Anthony Napolitano, Republican | Margaret Laurino, Democratic | |||
| 2019 – present | Jim Gardiner, Independent | ||||
| ^a Prior to 1923 Chicago comprised 35 wards, each electing two aldermen in staggered two-year terms.[16] | |||||
In theCook County Board of Commissioners the large majority of the area is in the 9th district, represented by RepublicanPeter N. Silvestri, while the eastern parts of Norwood Park East, Union Ridge, and Big Oaks are in the 10th district, represented by DemocratBridget Gainer.[21] As of 2018 Silvestri is the only Republican County Commissioner representing a part of the City of Chicago.
In theIllinois House of Representatives the majority of the community area is located within District 20, represented by RepublicanMichael P. McAuliffe, while most of Union Ridge and Big Oaks is in District 19, represented by DemocratRobert Martwick, and a tiny fraction in the northeast is part of District 15, represented by DemocratJohn D'Amico.[22]
In theIllinois Senate the vast majority of the community area is located within District 10, represented by DemocratJohn G. Mulroe, while a tiny part in the northeast is part of District 8, represented by DemocratIra I. Silverstein.[23]
In theUnited States House of Representatives it is split betweenIllinois's 5th andIllinois's 9th congressional districts, where it is respectively represented by DemocratsMike Quigley andJan Schakowsky.
Norwood Park has supported theDemocratic nominee forPresident in the past two presidential elections. In the2016 presidential election, Norwood Park cast 9,894 votes (51.81%) forHillary Clinton and cast 8,280 votes (43.36%) forDonald Trump.[24] In the2012 presidential election, Norwood Park cast 8,441 votes (54.19%) forBarack Obama and cast 6,833 votes (43.86%) forMitt Romney.[25]
Chicago Public Schools serves Norwood Park, as the aforementioned schools are located in and serve the area.Taft High School is in Norwood Park, serving the entire community area for public education, while for secondary education Luther North and Resurrection High Schools are also in the area.[11]
Grease creatorJim Jacobs attended Taft High School, which was used as the backdrop to Grease. Much of what is in the play is based on his experience growing up in Norwood Park during the 1950s and 1960s. He has stated that the characters of Grease were based on actual people he attended school with. A 2011 reproduction of the originalGrease musical by American Theater Company in Chicago revisited Norwood Park's influence on the production. During the reproduction, many Chicago references were put in, including references to the characters living on "Chicago's Northwest side" as middle class first-generation Americans with parents who worked in local factories. Also mentioned were local favorites, including the hot dog restaurantSuperdawg.[26]
Places adjacent to Norwood Park, Chicago | |
|---|---|
