Wheeling, Illinois | |
|---|---|
 Pond on North Wolf Road | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: "Revolving Around Community" | |
 Location of Wheeling in Cook County, Illinois | |
  Wheeling  Wheeling  Wheeling | |
| Coordinates:42°07′25″N87°55′15″W / 42.12361°N 87.92083°W /42.12361; -87.92083[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Counties | Cook andLake |
| Townships | Wheeling andVernon |
| Founded | 1894 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager |
| • Village President | Patrick Horcher |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.73 sq mi (22.61 km2) |
| • Land | 8.67 sq mi (22.46 km2) |
| • Water | 0.058 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
| Elevation | 650 ft (200 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 39,137 |
| • Density | 4,513.0/sq mi (1,742.46/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) | 60089, 60090 |
| Area codes | 847 and 224 |
| FIPS code | 17-81087 |
| Website | www |
Wheeling is a village inCook andLake counties in the U.S. state ofIllinois. A suburb ofChicago, it is primarily in Cook County, approximately 23 mi (37 km) northwest of downtown Chicago. The population was 39,137 at the2020 census.[3] Wheeling is named afterWheeling, West Virginia.[4]
The land that is now Wheeling, Illinois, was controlled by theMiami Confederacy (which contained theIllini andKickapoo tribes) starting in the early 1680s. The Confederacy was driven from the area by theIroquois andMeskwaki in the early 1700s. The French-alliedPotawatomi began to raid and take possession of Northern Illinois in the 1700s. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Potawatomi expanded southwards from their territory in Green Bay and westward from their holdings in Detroit, until they controlled in an L-shaped swath of territory from Green Bay to the Illinois River, and from the Mississippi River to the Maumee River.[5] The descendants of the Potawatomi who once inhabited the land that is now Wheeling currently live ona reservation in Mayette, Kansas.[6]
The first cabin inWheeling Township was built by a Mr. Sweet in March of 1833. He became the first settler and was able to live peacefully alongside the neighboring Native Americans. The following September, Mr. Sweet sold the cabin to George Strong for $60, making Mr. Strong the first permanent resident inWheeling Township. In 1834, Mr. Strong purchased 160 acres of land from the government for $200. Today, Strong Street is named after him.
In 1834, Joseph Filkins opened the first tavern-hotel in the township at the intersection of Dundee Road and Milwaukee Avenue. Joseph Filkins was also the owner of a 720 acre farm in Wheeling and he spent 15 years living in Wheeling. He laid down roads and served aspostmaster, supervisor ofWheeling Township, and as theJustice of Peace. He worked alongside George Strong to help settle land claim disputes. By 1835, there were 18 cabins in the township, and a post office was established in Filkins' Tavern.[7]
In 1837, Russell Wheeler and Charles Daniels opened a general store and trading post next to Filkins' Tavern. The settlers whomigrated to that area formed the Village of East Wheeling, which later became known as simply Wheeling.[8] In 1845, Wheeling built its first ever school and was named The Wheeling School. Due to a growing population in Wheeling, a new school was built in 1861 which burned and was destroyed in 1870. In 1850, Napoleon Periolat built Wheeling’s first ever industry, abrewery which lasted until 1910.
In 1886, Wheeling built its first railroad station. The railroad station wasn't part of Wheeling until the land was purchased by residents in the area. The Old Wheeling Station was part of theSoo Line and only freight trains travelled through. This forced Wheeling residents to hop on milk trains to get toChicago and back.[7]
On June 18, 1894, Wheeling wasincorporated into avillage through a special election held at the Union Hotel. Forty-three people voted in favor and three voted against. On July 18, 1894, another election was held to officially elect aVillage President, sixtrustees, aPolice Magistrate, and aVillage Clerk. Incorporation was needed to enforce existing ordinances and control illegal activities. Wheeling was struggling with controlling Railroad workers who would go to taverns and drink, by incorporating they were able to arrest them until they sobered up.[7]
In 1894, the first Village Hall was built which contained two jail cells and was used by both theChief of Police andChief Magistrate. it also served as the only polling place in the village and where the Village Board met on the first Monday of each month. The original Village Hall is now the Wheeling Historical Museum located in Chamber Park.[7]
In the 1920's and 1930's, Wheeling had dairy farms like the Buffalo Creek Farm which supplied milk to restaurants and residents of Wheeling. There was also truck farms where vegetables were grown and later sold to markets in Chicago. Spanish-speaking migrants fromTexas andMexico would come and work on the truck farms in Wheeling during the Spring and Summer seasons. Many would go back to their homes when the farming season was over, but some decided to stay year round.[7]
In 1970, the Village of Wheeling became a Council-Manager type of government. Currently, Wheeling has a Village President, six trustees, a Village Clerk, and a Village Manager. The Village is a home rule community which allows the Village to make its own laws and carry out its responsibilities.[7]
According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 8.74 square miles (22.6 km2), of which 8.74 square miles (22.6 km2) (or 97.26%) is land and 0.24 square miles (0.62 km2) (or 2.74%) is water.[9]
The climate in Wheeling can be classified astemperate. Winters are usually very cold and snowy. Summers are often hot and humid, but can be pleasantly warm as well. Precipitation is uniformly distributed throughout the year.
| Climate data for Wheeling, Illinois | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32 (0) | 36 (2) | 45 (7) | 57 (14) | 68 (20) | 78 (26) | 83 (28) | 81 (27) | 74 (23) | 62 (17) | 49 (9) | 36 (2) | 58.416 (14.68) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16 (−9) | 19 (−7) | 28 (−2) | 38 (3) | 47 (8) | 57 (14) | 63 (17) | 62 (17) | 54 (12) | 42 (6) | 33 (1) | 20 (−7) | 36.916 (2.73) |
| Source:[10] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 811 | — | |
| 1900 | 331 | −59.2% | |
| 1910 | 260 | −21.5% | |
| 1920 | 313 | 20.4% | |
| 1930 | 467 | 49.2% | |
| 1940 | 550 | 17.8% | |
| 1950 | 916 | 66.5% | |
| 1960 | 7,169 | 682.6% | |
| 1970 | 13,243 | 84.7% | |
| 1980 | 23,266 | 75.7% | |
| 1990 | 29,911 | 28.6% | |
| 2000 | 34,496 | 15.3% | |
| 2010 | 37,648 | 9.1% | |
| 2020 | 39,137 | 4.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 2010[12] 2020[13] | |||
As of the2020 census[14] there were 39,137 people, 15,148 households, and 9,673 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,483.05 inhabitants per square mile (1,730.92/km2). There were 16,190 housing units at an average density of 1,854.52 per square mile (716.03/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 50.33%White, 2.36%African American, 1.42%Native American, 16.73%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 17.32% fromother races, and 11.84% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 33.34% of the population.
There were 15,148 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.45% were married couples living together, 9.84% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.14% were non-families. 29.69% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.87% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 2.52.
The village's age distribution consisted of 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $71,966, and the median income for a family was $83,406. Males had a median income of $45,470 versus $36,478 for females. Theper capita income for the village was $36,999. About 5.6% of families and 8.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[15] | Pop 2010[12] | Pop 2020[13] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 22,892 | 19,701 | 17,805 | 66.36% | 52.33% | 45.49% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 799 | 806 | 885 | 2.32% | 2.14% | 2.26% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 35 | 39 | 22 | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.06% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 3,183 | 4,826 | 6,506 | 9.23% | 12.82% | 16.62% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 18 | 2 | 6 | 0.05% | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 43 | 54 | 172 | 0.12% | 0.14% | 0.44% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 391 | 462 | 694 | 1.13% | 1.23% | 1.77% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7,135 | 11,758 | 13,047 | 20.68% | 31.23% | 33.34% |
| Total | 34,496 | 37,648 | 39,137 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
A famous hotel called the Union Hotel used to be located on Milwaukee Avenue. It was built in 1856 and reconstructed following a fire in 1925. Over the years, the building evolved into several restaurants. Billy and Company, a restaurant, was the last occupant of the building, which was torn down in 1996 to make way for Union Commons condominiums.[16]
Camp Ramah, a Jewish day camp, is located in Wheeling.
Wheeling was home to video game companyJaleco USA[17][18] and to the American branch ofTaito.[19]
The Korean Cultural Center of Chicago is located in Wheeling.[20]
Wheeling has a historical museum.[21]
TheIndian Trails Public Library District is located in the Village of Wheeling and it serves the majority of its residents. TheIndian Trails Public Library District also serves different portions ofBuffalo Grove,Prospect Heights, andArlington Heights. The library also operates a small branch in Prospect Heights.[22]
Prospect Heights Public Library District serves a part of the Village of Wheeling.[22]
Wheeling International Festival is a cultural event hosted at the Heritage Park Performance Pavilion. The festival features music, dance, and cultural booths to celebrate the diversity in the community.[23]
Lights Around Wheeling is a Christmas lighting celebration hosted at Friendship Park. The celebration marks the beginning of the holiday season in the community.[24]
Rock N Run the Runway is a summer event hosted at theChicago Executive Airport which features a 5k run, entertainment, food, and ends with a firework show.[25]
Schools located in Wheeling are administered byWheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 andTownship High School District 214. They include:[26][27]
National Louis University is an accredited, private, non-profit undergraduate and graduate institution of higher learning, organized in colleges of education, arts and sciences, and business and management.Worsham College of Mortuary Science is an accredited, private institution offering associate degrees and diplomas inmortuary science.
The Consulate-General of South Korea in Chicago maintains the Korean Education Center in Wheeling.[28]
Wheeling has astation onMetra'sNorth Central Service, which provides dailycommuter rail service betweenAntioch andChicago Union Station Monday through Friday.
Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Wheeling to Des Plaines, Buffalo Grove, and other destinations.[29]
Chicago Executive Airport, a busygeneral aviationairport, is located in Wheeling andProspect Heights and jointly run by both villages. Formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport, it is the third busiest airport inIllinois, after Chicago'sO'Hare andMidway airports.
Address: 9935 Capitol Dr, Wheeling, IL 60090 (Chicago Korean Education Center)
Municipalities and communities ofLake County, Illinois,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Villages |
| |
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
| Former settlements | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Places adjacent to Wheeling, Illinois | |
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
