Olympia Fields, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Olympia Fields is a village in Cook County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the prestigious Olympia Fields Country Club
, and is also noteworthy as one of the wealthiest majority black communities in the United States. It is home to the Tolentine Monastery and Care Center of the Augustinian Order.
catering to Chicago's elite. Among these investors was Charles Beach, who envisioned a residential community to surround the golf course. The golf course and club was established in 1915. Its name, Olympia Fields Country Club, was selected by University of Chicago
coach Alonzo Stagg
.
In 1927, the Olympia Fields residential community formally completed the process of incorporation as a village
. Charles Beach was the village's first president.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 4,732 people, 1,696 households, and 1,380 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,665.3 people per square mile (643.3/km²). There were 1,915 housing units at an average density of 673.9 per square mile (260.3/km²).
There were 1,696 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 19.5% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $94,827, and the median income for a family was $100,121. Males had a median income of $62,170 versus $46,435 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $46,698. About 3.1% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
rail station in the village that offers commuters frequent scheduled round-trip transportation to Chicago on the Metra Electric Main Line
.
On March 26, 2003, Olympia Fields and neighboring Park Forest
were hit by a large meteorite shower, "the first time that a meteorite shower has hit such a populated area," according to Field Museum
curator Meenakshi Wadhwa. The museum spent about $30,000 to acquire about six pounds of meteorites that fell, and other meteorites were also recovered.
owns a house in the Maynegate subdivision of Olympia Fields.
Super Star Judi Jai from the Bad Girls Club season 7 is from Olympia Fields.
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 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the prestigious Olympia Fields Country Club
Olympia Fields Country Club
Olympia Fields Country Club is a golf club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago, about 25 miles south of The Loop. It is a private club with two eighteen-hole courses, the North and the South. The North Course is considered one of the top three courses in the Chicago area, and...
, and is also noteworthy as one of the wealthiest majority black communities in the United States. It is home to the Tolentine Monastery and Care Center of the Augustinian Order.
History
Investors in the 1910s sought land in what is now Olympia Fields for a golf courseGolf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
catering to Chicago's elite. Among these investors was Charles Beach, who envisioned a residential community to surround the golf course. The golf course and club was established in 1915. Its name, Olympia Fields Country Club, was selected by University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
coach Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
.
In 1927, the Olympia Fields residential community formally completed the process of incorporation as a village
Village (United States)
In the United States, the meaning of "village" varies by geographic area and legal jurisdiction. In many areas, "village" is a term, sometimes informal, for a type of administrative division at the local government level...
. Charles Beach was the village's first president.
Geography
Olympia Fields is located at 41°31′6"N 87°41′34"W (41.518290, -87.692744).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 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), all of it land.
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 4,732 people, 1,696 households, and 1,380 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 1,665.3 people per square mile (643.3/km²). There were 1,915 housing units at an average density of 673.9 per square mile (260.3/km²).
There were 1,696 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 19.5% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $94,827, and the median income for a family was $100,121. Males had a median income of $62,170 versus $46,435 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 $46,698. About 3.1% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
There is a MetraMetra
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...
rail station in the village that offers commuters frequent scheduled round-trip transportation to Chicago on the Metra Electric Main Line
Metra Electric Line
The Metra Electric District is an electrified commuter rail line owned and operated by Metra which connects Millennium Station in downtown Chicago, with the city's southern suburbs...
.
On March 26, 2003, Olympia Fields and neighboring Park Forest
Park Forest, Illinois
Park Forest is a village located south of Chicago in Cook County and Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 23,462...
were hit by a large meteorite shower, "the first time that a meteorite shower has hit such a populated area," according to Field Museum
Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago...
curator Meenakshi Wadhwa. The museum spent about $30,000 to acquire about six pounds of meteorites that fell, and other meteorites were also recovered.
Notable people
R&B singer R. KellyR. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
owns a house in the Maynegate subdivision of Olympia Fields.
Super Star Judi Jai from the Bad Girls Club season 7 is from Olympia Fields.