Crestwood, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Crestwood is a village in Cook County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 11,251 at the 2000 census. In April 2009 the Chicago Tribune
reported that for 20 years the city had been drawing its drinking water from a well that was contaminated with toxic chemicals.
, the village has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8 km²), of which, 3.1 square miles (8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.61%) is water.
, there were 11,251 people, 4,685 households, and 2,759 families residing in the village. The population density
was 3,682.3 people per square mile (1,419.6/km²). There were 4,805 housing units at an average density of 1,572.6 per square mile (606.3/km²). The racial makeup
of the village was 92.46% White, 4.52% African American
, 0.12% Native American
, 0.73% Asian
, 1.04% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 3.68% of the population.
The top five ancestries reported in Crestwood as of the 2000 census were Irish
(29.4%), German
(23.8%), Polish
(19.8%), Italian
(12.0%) and English
(4.8%).
There were 4,685 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the village the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $45,813, and the median income for a family was $56,030. Males had a median income of $41,448 versus $31,455 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $21,995. About 2.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
The Windy City ThunderBolts
of the independent baseball
Frontier League
play at Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood.
Crestwood's government used to rebate to its residents a portion of their property and other municipal tax payments. Crestwood's rebates ended in 2009 so that the village could pay the legal fees associated with the contaminated water scandal.
Crestwood is in Illinois' 1st congressional district
.
Crestwood is home to the Illinois National Guard 2nd Battalion 122 Field Artillery, Company G, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, 108th Signal Company, 633D Personnel Service Detachment, Early Entry Element, 108th Brigade Troops Battalion, with soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
in an investigative article titled "Poison in the Well" reported that the water from a well used to supply residents with drinking water had been contaminated with chemicals (including two linked to the known carcinogen perchloroethylene) from dry cleaning
solvents. Village of Crestwood officials, including the Mayor, and the former Mayor Chester Stranczek are accused of secretly and illegally using the well and lying to regulatory authorities in order to cover that up. The ensuing investigation has generated three class-action lawsuits, two wrongful deaths lawsuits, several federal raids, but no criminal charges yet.
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, 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,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 11,251 at the 2000 census. In April 2009 the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
reported that for 20 years the city had been drawing its drinking water from a well that was contaminated with toxic chemicals.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 3.1 square miles (8 km²), of which, 3.1 square miles (8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.61%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2000 censusUnited States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, there were 11,251 people, 4,685 households, and 2,759 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 3,682.3 people per square mile (1,419.6/km²). There were 4,805 housing units at an average density of 1,572.6 per square mile (606.3/km²). The racial makeup
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...
of the village was 92.46% White, 4.52% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.12% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.73% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 1.04% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race were 3.68% of the population.
The top five ancestries reported in Crestwood as of the 2000 census were Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(29.4%), German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(23.8%), Polish
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
(19.8%), Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(12.0%) and English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
(4.8%).
There were 4,685 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% 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, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the village the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $45,813, and the median income for a family was $56,030. Males had a median income of $41,448 versus $31,455 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 $21,995. About 2.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
The Windy City ThunderBolts
Windy City ThunderBolts
The Windy City ThunderBolts are a professional baseball team based in the Chicago suburb of Crestwood, Illinois, in the United States. The ThunderBolts are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent baseball
Independent baseball
Independent baseball leagues are professional baseball organizations located in the United States and Canada. They are not operated in conjunction with either a Major League Baseball team or an affiliated minor league team. Being independent allows teams to be located close to major-league teams...
Frontier League
Frontier League
The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
play at Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood.
Government
The Mayor is Robert Stranczek, son of former mayor, Chester Stranczek. Chester retired in October 2007, and it was then announced that Robert would be taking over his father's role as mayor.Crestwood's government used to rebate to its residents a portion of their property and other municipal tax payments. Crestwood's rebates ended in 2009 so that the village could pay the legal fees associated with the contaminated water scandal.
Crestwood is in Illinois' 1st congressional district
Illinois' 1st congressional district
Illinois's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Illinois. Based in Cook County, the district includes much of the South Side of Chicago, extending into the city's southwest suburbs until reaching the border of Will County, and covers , making it one of the 40...
.
Crestwood is home to the Illinois National Guard 2nd Battalion 122 Field Artillery, Company G, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, 108th Signal Company, 633D Personnel Service Detachment, Early Entry Element, 108th Brigade Troops Battalion, with soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Water contamination
In April 2009, the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
in an investigative article titled "Poison in the Well" reported that the water from a well used to supply residents with drinking water had been contaminated with chemicals (including two linked to the known carcinogen perchloroethylene) from dry cleaning
Dry cleaning
Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a chemical solvent other than water. The solvent used is typically tetrachloroethylene , abbreviated "perc" in the industry and "dry-cleaning fluid" by the public...
solvents. Village of Crestwood officials, including the Mayor, and the former Mayor Chester Stranczek are accused of secretly and illegally using the well and lying to regulatory authorities in order to cover that up. The ensuing investigation has generated three class-action lawsuits, two wrongful deaths lawsuits, several federal raids, but no criminal charges yet.