Maywood, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Maywood is a village
in Proviso Township
, Cook County
, Illinois
, United States
. It was founded on April 6, 1869 and organized October 22, 1881. The population was 26,987 at the 2000 census
.
community, Maywood had experienced many changes since the closing of American Can Company
in the late 1970s. There is a Metra
commuter railroad station
in the village and it is also served by Pace Bus Service.
Maywood is located 10 miles west of downtown Chicago. Interstate 290
, the Eisenhower Expressway, bisects (north and south) the town as it goes from Chicago west to join Interstate 294, the Tri-State Tollway west of Maywood in Hillside
. It is located between O'Hare
and Midway airports.
There are many gracious century-old homes in relatively unaltered condition, and Maywood boasts 16 homes and properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Maywood and the rest of Proviso Township has a rich history as shown by the Franzosenbusch Heritage Project.
At one time there were two airports in Maywood. One was on the location where the Loyola University Medical Center
is today, at the southwest corner of First Avenue and Roosevelt Road. It was the airfield used by Charles Lindbergh
during his days as an airmail pilot. Checkerboard Field was on the southeastern corner of that intersection and was a private field. It is now a forest preserve meadow. There was some apparent consolidation of the fields in later years. The current Hines Veterans Hospital's long narrow building is built on the foundation of the former grandstand for automobile board
racetrack from many years ago; Barney Oldfield
raced on the track.
Citizen concerns include poor response times from the Village Police
Department. The Village Website lists the following citizen question: "Why do police take so long to respond to calls? Answer:
Calls are prioritized based on the seriousness or the nature of the call. Personal injury takes precedence over property damage."
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²), all of it land.
Neighboring towns are: Broadview (S), Forest Park (E), Melrose Park (N), and Bellwood (W).
of 2000, there were 26,987 people, 7,937 households, and 6,151 families residing in the village. The population density
was 9,965.7 people per square mile (3,844.9/km²). There were 8,475 housing units at an average density of 3,129.6 per square mile (1,207.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 82.7% African American, 9.7% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 5.6% from other races
, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.5% of the population.
There were 7,937 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples
living together, 30.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38 and the average family size was 3.84.
In the village the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $41,942, and the median income for a family was $46,776. Males had a median income of $41,638 versus $37,316 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $14,915. About 11.1% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.
is in Maywood.
Loyola University's
Stritch School of Medicine
is also located in Maywood. The Jesuit school is home to around 600 medical students.
. The Armory was located on Madison Street, two blocks east of First Avenue. It was organized on 3 May 1929 with the purpose of training men for combat. On 25 November 1940, 122 men of the 33rd Tank Company were inducted into active service to become Company B of the famous 192nd Tank Battalion
which fought on the Philippine islands. They were destined to become victims of the Bataan Death March
in April 1942. Of the 122 men of Company B, only 41 returned to Maywood alive. Their sacrifice has been honored with a Bataan Day Parade.
Charles Lindberg lived in Maywood while flying the mail, on 3rd Ave
Walter Burley Griffith, famous architect, was born and lived in Maywood
Eugene Cernan, astronaut was from Maywood
Film and TV star Dennis Franz
grew up in Maywood and attended Proviso East High School
.
NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke
attended Proviso East High School
in Maywood.
Folk/outlaw country singer John Prine
grew up in Maywood, and his song "Bruised Orange" references an accident in which a local boy was hit by a train.
Hip-Hop/R&B recording artist Maserati X raised in Maywood, attended numerous elementary schools and Proviso East High School.
Former Black Panther Fred Hampton
, a Maywood native, has a street and a public swimming pool named after him in the Village.
Current NBA guard for the Los Angeles Lakers Shannon Brown
born and raised in Maywood, attended Proviso East High School.
Current European guard for Italy Dee Brown
was raised in Maywood, attended Proviso East High School.
Boston Celtics coach Glen Doc Rivers
graduated from Proviso East High School
in Maywood.
Former Boston Celtics guard Michael Finley graduated from Proviso East High School in Maywood.
Naima Adedapo
lived in Maywood.
Baseball pitcher Norma Berger
, a Maywood native, played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
.
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...
in Proviso Township
Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois
Proviso Township is one of thirty townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 155,831. It was organized in 1850 and originally named Taylor, but shortly afterward its name was changed to make reference to the Wilmot Proviso, a contemporary piece of...
, Cook County
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...
. It was founded on April 6, 1869 and organized October 22, 1881. The population was 26,987 at the 2000 census
United 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...
.
Overview
Considered a blue collarBlue collar
Blue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
community, Maywood had experienced many changes since the closing of American Can Company
American Can Company
The American Can Company was a manufacturer of tin cans. It was a member of the Tin Can Trust, that controlled a "large percentage of business in the United States in tin cans, containers, and packages of tin." It was formerly a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average from 1959–1991, though...
in the late 1970s. There is a Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
commuter railroad station
Maywood (Metra)
Maywood is a Metra commuter railroad station in Maywood, a western suburb of Chicago, on the Union Pacific/West Line. Trains go east to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago and as far west as Elburn, Illinois. Travel time to Ogilvie is 22 to 27 minutes. There are 13 inbound trains on...
in the village and it is also served by Pace Bus Service.
Maywood is located 10 miles west of downtown Chicago. Interstate 290
Interstate 290 (Illinois)
Interstate 290 is a main Interstate freeway that runs westwards from the Chicago Loop. A portion of I-290 is officially called the Dwight D. Eisenhower Expressway. In short form, it is known as "the Ike" or the Eisenhower...
, the Eisenhower Expressway, bisects (north and south) the town as it goes from Chicago west to join Interstate 294, the Tri-State Tollway west of Maywood in Hillside
Hillside, Illinois
Hillside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,155 at the 2000 census.One notable landmark in Hillside is the Mount Carmel Cemetery. On the grounds of the cemetery are the graves of a number of organized crime figures, such as Al Capone and Dion O'Bannion...
. It is located between O'Hare
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
and Midway airports.
There are many gracious century-old homes in relatively unaltered condition, and Maywood boasts 16 homes and properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Maywood and the rest of Proviso Township has a rich history as shown by the Franzosenbusch Heritage Project.
At one time there were two airports in Maywood. One was on the location where the Loyola University Medical Center
Loyola University Medical Center
The Loyola University Medical Center is a quaternary care system with a main medical center campus in the western suburbs of Chicago. The medical center campus is conveniently located in Maywood, west of the Chicago Loop and east of Oak Brook, Illinois. The heart of the medical center campus,...
is today, at the southwest corner of First Avenue and Roosevelt Road. It was the airfield used by Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
during his days as an airmail pilot. Checkerboard Field was on the southeastern corner of that intersection and was a private field. It is now a forest preserve meadow. There was some apparent consolidation of the fields in later years. The current Hines Veterans Hospital's long narrow building is built on the foundation of the former grandstand for automobile board
Board track racing
Board track, or motordrome, racing was a type of motorsport popular in the United States between the second and third decades of the 20th century. Competition was conducted on oval race courses with surfaces composed of wooden planks...
racetrack from many years ago; Barney Oldfield
Barney Oldfield
Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval...
raced on the track.
Citizen concerns include poor response times from the Village Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
Department. The Village Website lists the following citizen question: "Why do police take so long to respond to calls? Answer:
Calls are prioritized based on the seriousness or the nature of the call. Personal injury takes precedence over property damage."
Geography
Maywood is located at 41°52′52"N 87°50′36"W (41.881181, -87.843309).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 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²), all of it land.
Neighboring towns are: Broadview (S), Forest Park (E), Melrose Park (N), and Bellwood (W).
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 26,987 people, 7,937 households, and 6,151 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 9,965.7 people per square mile (3,844.9/km²). There were 8,475 housing units at an average density of 3,129.6 per square mile (1,207.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 82.7% African American, 9.7% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 5.6% 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 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.5% of the population.
There were 7,937 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% 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, 30.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38 and the average family size was 3.84.
In the village the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $41,942, and the median income for a family was $46,776. Males had a median income of $41,638 versus $37,316 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 $14,915. About 11.1% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Emerson Elementary School is an elementary school in Maywood. Enrollment as of 2006 was 476 students. The school teaches grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Other elementary schools in Maywood include Lexington, Garfield, Lincoln, Washington and Irving Elementary Schools. Proviso East High SchoolProviso East High School
Proviso East High School is a public secondary school in Maywood, Illinois which serves the educational needs of Maywood and three other villages within Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois: Broadview, Forest Park and Melrose Park. It is the original campus of Proviso Township High Schools...
is in Maywood.
Loyola University's
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
Stritch School of Medicine
Stritch School of Medicine
Stritch School of Medicine is the medical school affiliated with Loyola University Chicago. It is located at the heart of the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. The medical campus includes Foster G...
is also located in Maywood. The Jesuit school is home to around 600 medical students.
Maywood in World War II
Maywood became the home of the 33rd Tank Company, Illinois National GuardArmy National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
. The Armory was located on Madison Street, two blocks east of First Avenue. It was organized on 3 May 1929 with the purpose of training men for combat. On 25 November 1940, 122 men of the 33rd Tank Company were inducted into active service to become Company B of the famous 192nd Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
The 192nd Tank Battalion of the United States Army was a federalized Army National Guard unit activated in November 1940. Deployed to the Philippines, the battalion was engaged in combat during the Japanese invasion and the US retreat to the Bataan Peninsula; being part of the force that...
which fought on the Philippine islands. They were destined to become victims of the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
in April 1942. Of the 122 men of Company B, only 41 returned to Maywood alive. Their sacrifice has been honored with a Bataan Day Parade.
Notable residents
Carl Sandburg, famous poet, lived in MaywoodCharles Lindberg lived in Maywood while flying the mail, on 3rd Ave
Walter Burley Griffith, famous architect, was born and lived in Maywood
Eugene Cernan, astronaut was from Maywood
Film and TV star Dennis Franz
Dennis Franz
Dennis Franz is an American actor best known for his role as Andy Sipowicz, a hard-boiled police detective in the television series NYPD Blue. He previously appeared as Lt...
grew up in Maywood and attended Proviso East High School
Proviso East High School
Proviso East High School is a public secondary school in Maywood, Illinois which serves the educational needs of Maywood and three other villages within Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois: Broadview, Forest Park and Melrose Park. It is the original campus of Proviso Township High Schools...
.
NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke
Ray Nitschke
Raymond Ernest "Ray" Nitschke was a professional football player who played his entire career as a middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. Wearing #66, he played fifteen seasons, from 1958-72....
attended Proviso East High School
Proviso East High School
Proviso East High School is a public secondary school in Maywood, Illinois which serves the educational needs of Maywood and three other villages within Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois: Broadview, Forest Park and Melrose Park. It is the original campus of Proviso Township High Schools...
in Maywood.
Folk/outlaw country singer John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
grew up in Maywood, and his song "Bruised Orange" references an accident in which a local boy was hit by a train.
Hip-Hop/R&B recording artist Maserati X raised in Maywood, attended numerous elementary schools and Proviso East High School.
Former Black Panther Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton was an African-American activist and deputy chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party...
, a Maywood native, has a street and a public swimming pool named after him in the Village.
Current NBA guard for the Los Angeles Lakers Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown is an American professional basketball player who plays at the shooting guard and point guard positions. He last played in the National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr...
born and raised in Maywood, attended Proviso East High School.
Current European guard for Italy Dee Brown
Dee Brown
Dee Brown may refer to:* Dee Brown , American professional football player* Dee Brown , American professional baseball player...
was raised in Maywood, attended Proviso East High School.
Boston Celtics coach Glen Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers
Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA...
graduated from Proviso East High School
Proviso East High School
Proviso East High School is a public secondary school in Maywood, Illinois which serves the educational needs of Maywood and three other villages within Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois: Broadview, Forest Park and Melrose Park. It is the original campus of Proviso Township High Schools...
in Maywood.
Former Boston Celtics guard Michael Finley graduated from Proviso East High School in Maywood.
Naima Adedapo
Naima Adedapo
Naima Adedapo is an American singer and dancer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Adedapo placed in the top 11 on the tenth season of American Idol.-Early life:...
lived in Maywood.
Baseball pitcher Norma Berger
Norma Berger
Norma A. Berger [Taylor] is a former pitcher who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the season. Berger was nicknamed ״Bergie״...
, a Maywood native, played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
.