Cherry Valley, Illinois
Encyclopedia
The village
of Cherry Valley, Illinois
is a community of 8.72 square miles (22.6 km²) located in the Kishwaukee River
valley, which lies primarily in Winnebago County
, but approximately ten percent of the Village is located in Boone County. The village is within the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area
, and borders the southeast side of Rockford
. The population is 3,162 as of the 2010 Federal Census census, up from 2,191 at the 2000 census.
Cherry Valley was originally called Griggs Ford, and then other names, none of which were found suitable. Accordingly the leaders in the village decided to change the name; people could make choices and put their suggestions in a hat. A Mrs. Butler, from Cherry Valley, New York
placed the name of Cherry Valley in the hat and that name won. The core of the village, centered on its main street businesses in small brick buildings, is surrounded by several blocks of houses built in the 1800s. This late 19th century appearance is further accentuated by turn of the century style lamp lights as well as the original brick paving along the eastern end of main street.
. As the city of Rockford grew and expanded its boundaries it came in direct contact with Cherry Valley. Since that time there have been land control related issues between the two municipalities. Ultimately these "issues" culminated in a boundary agreement between the two communities in 1991.
The boundary agreement is scheduled to expire in August 2011.
, with roughly a third of its new residents being former Chicago suburban residents who live in the village and commute to work in the Chicago suburbs. Being near to an interchange on I-90 (Jane Addams Memorial Tollway) contributed to this shift, and in 2006 the toll booths on the Cherry Valley interchange and exit were removed because of increased traffic flow and the need to remove the chronic traffic jams that had built over the years.
Cherry Valley was the first community in the area to implement a comprehensive, curb side recycling program for all its residents. It was also the first community in the area to require full urban improvements for all new subdivisions (sanitary sewer, municipal water, curb, gutters, sidewalks, etc.) Cherry Valley was also the first community in the region to require subdivison developers to dedicated land or fees for the development of parks and open space.
Most of Cherry Valley is within the Rockford School District, with a small portion in the Belvidere School District. There is only one school within the village center, which is named Cherry Valley Elementary, taking children in grades 3 through 5, with village children in grades K-2 going to White Swan Elementary outside the village center.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.31%) is water. The north branch of the Kishwaukee River
travels through Cherry Valley's central business district. The largest body of water in the village is Cherry Valley Lake which is situated just east of the Kishwaukee River in Baumann Park. The village is served by Interstate 90
, Interstate 39
, U.S. Route 20
and U.S. Route 51
.
Annexations in 2007, to the southwest of the village along the Kishwaukee River
, have increased the total area of the village to 7.44 square miles (19.3 km²).
of 2000, there were 2,191 people, 857 households, and 623 families residing in the village. The population density
was 583.3 people per square mile (225.0/km²). There were 887 housing units at an average density of 236.1 per square mile (91.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.98% White, 1.69% African American, 0.18% Native American, 2.56% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races
, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.
There were 857 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples
living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $59,871, and the median income for a family was $70,833. Males had a median income of $50,943 versus $29,153 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $23,725. About 4.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over. Cherry Valley has the highest income and education levels of any community within the Rockford metropolitan area.
, one of the first enclosed shopping mall
s in Illinois. CherryVale, which draws shoppers from a radius of over 50 miles (80.5 km), produces the greatest single source of revenue for the village, in the form of a 1% sales tax that is levied and collected by the State of Illinois and then distributed to the community. Because of this sales tax, Cherry Valley is one of only a handful of communities within Illinois that does not levy a municipal property tax.
Another notable commercial enterprise in Cherry Valley is the Kegel Motorcycle Company, which has a strong claim to being the world's oldest Harley-Davidson dealership.
Also located in the village is Magic Waters Waterpark, the largest water park in Illinois.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Cherry Valley, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
is a community of 8.72 square miles (22.6 km²) located in the Kishwaukee River
Kishwaukee River
The Kishwaukee River, sometimes locally known as simply "The Kish", is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. "The Kish" is famous for its high number of bridges that cross within its 100-year floodplain.-Location:...
valley, which lies primarily in Winnebago County
Winnebago County, Illinois
Winnebago County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 295,266, which is an increase of 6.1% from 278,418 in 2000...
, but approximately ten percent of the Village is located in Boone County. The village is within the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area
Rockford metropolitan area
The Rockford Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in north-central Illinois, anchored by the city of Rockford. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 320,204...
, and borders the southeast side of Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. The population is 3,162 as of the 2010 Federal Census census, up from 2,191 at the 2000 census.
History
Official documents from the Winnebago County Clerk's office and the Village of Cherry Valley state Cherry Valley was settled in 1835. The first settler was Joseph Griggs. Cherry Valley was incorporated as a village on January 31, 1857. Early landmark events for Cherry Valley was the establishment of a mill on the Kishwaukee River, and the coming of the railroad in 1852.Cherry Valley was originally called Griggs Ford, and then other names, none of which were found suitable. Accordingly the leaders in the village decided to change the name; people could make choices and put their suggestions in a hat. A Mrs. Butler, from Cherry Valley, New York
Cherry Valley, New York
Cherry Valley, New York is the name of two locations in Otsego County, New York:*Cherry Valley , New York*Cherry Valley , New York...
placed the name of Cherry Valley in the hat and that name won. The core of the village, centered on its main street businesses in small brick buildings, is surrounded by several blocks of houses built in the 1800s. This late 19th century appearance is further accentuated by turn of the century style lamp lights as well as the original brick paving along the eastern end of main street.
Relationship with Rockford
Although located close to Rockford, Cherry Valley was far enough away to be considered, for most of its history, not a part of the Rockford community. However, with the advent of modern transportation in the later 20th century, Cherry Valley became in essence a suburb of RockfordRockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. As the city of Rockford grew and expanded its boundaries it came in direct contact with Cherry Valley. Since that time there have been land control related issues between the two municipalities. Ultimately these "issues" culminated in a boundary agreement between the two communities in 1991.
The boundary agreement is scheduled to expire in August 2011.
Cherry Valley today
In the last dozen years Cherry Valley has seen a shift towards ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, with roughly a third of its new residents being former Chicago suburban residents who live in the village and commute to work in the Chicago suburbs. Being near to an interchange on I-90 (Jane Addams Memorial Tollway) contributed to this shift, and in 2006 the toll booths on the Cherry Valley interchange and exit were removed because of increased traffic flow and the need to remove the chronic traffic jams that had built over the years.
Cherry Valley was the first community in the area to implement a comprehensive, curb side recycling program for all its residents. It was also the first community in the area to require full urban improvements for all new subdivisions (sanitary sewer, municipal water, curb, gutters, sidewalks, etc.) Cherry Valley was also the first community in the region to require subdivison developers to dedicated land or fees for the development of parks and open space.
Most of Cherry Valley is within the Rockford School District, with a small portion in the Belvidere School District. There is only one school within the village center, which is named Cherry Valley Elementary, taking children in grades 3 through 5, with village children in grades K-2 going to White Swan Elementary outside the village center.
Geography
The core of the village is located a little north of the confluence of the north and south branches of the Kishwaukee river. There is a slight depression as one moves towards the center of the village, which is a formation of the Kishwaukee river valley.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.31%) is water. The north branch of the Kishwaukee River
Kishwaukee River
The Kishwaukee River, sometimes locally known as simply "The Kish", is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. "The Kish" is famous for its high number of bridges that cross within its 100-year floodplain.-Location:...
travels through Cherry Valley's central business district. The largest body of water in the village is Cherry Valley Lake which is situated just east of the Kishwaukee River in Baumann Park. The village is served by Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
, Interstate 39
Interstate 39
Interstate 39 is a highway in the midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois at Interstate 55 to Highway 29 in Rothschild, Wisconsin, approximately six miles south of Wausau. I-39 was designed to replace US Highway 51, which in the early 1980s was one of the busiest two-lane...
, U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
and U.S. Route 51
U.S. Route 51
U.S. Route 51 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 1,286 miles from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana to within of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Much of the highway in Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or overlaps Interstate 39...
.
Annexations in 2007, to the southwest of the village along the Kishwaukee River
Kishwaukee River
The Kishwaukee River, sometimes locally known as simply "The Kish", is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. "The Kish" is famous for its high number of bridges that cross within its 100-year floodplain.-Location:...
, have increased the total area of the village to 7.44 square miles (19.3 km²).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,191 people, 857 households, and 623 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 583.3 people per square mile (225.0/km²). There were 887 housing units at an average density of 236.1 per square mile (91.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.98% White, 1.69% African American, 0.18% Native American, 2.56% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.
There were 857 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $59,871, and the median income for a family was $70,833. Males had a median income of $50,943 versus $29,153 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $23,725. About 4.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over. Cherry Valley has the highest income and education levels of any community within the Rockford metropolitan area.
Development and Growth
Key to the village economy is million square foot CherryVale MallCherryVale Mall
Cherryvale Mall is a shopping mall in Cherry Valley, Illinois, serving nearby Rockford, Illinois. Its four anchor stores are Bergner's, J. C. Penney, Macy's and Sears. CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. acquired the shopping center in 2002. Cherryvale mall has 134 stores consisting of a gross...
, one of the first enclosed shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s in Illinois. CherryVale, which draws shoppers from a radius of over 50 miles (80.5 km), produces the greatest single source of revenue for the village, in the form of a 1% sales tax that is levied and collected by the State of Illinois and then distributed to the community. Because of this sales tax, Cherry Valley is one of only a handful of communities within Illinois that does not levy a municipal property tax.
Another notable commercial enterprise in Cherry Valley is the Kegel Motorcycle Company, which has a strong claim to being the world's oldest Harley-Davidson dealership.
Also located in the village is Magic Waters Waterpark, the largest water park in Illinois.
External links
- Cherry Valley, Illinois, official website
- Cherry Valley's Annual Festival held in August
- Cherry Valley Public Library District
- Cherry Valley Historical Society
- Cherry Valley Local History Collection at the Illinois Digital Archives
- Cherry Valley Fire Protection District
- Magic Waters Waterpark; Illinois' largest waterpark
- CherryVale Mall, Cherry Valley, IL
- Webshot Photos of Cherry Valley, IL
- Flickr Photos of Cherry Valley, IL