Berwyn, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Berwyn is a city in Cook County, Illinois
, co-existent with Berwyn
Township
, which was formed in 1908 after breaking off from Cicero Township
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,016.
of 2000, there were 54,016 people, 19,702 households, and 12,924 families residing in the city. The population density
was 13,876.2 inhabitants per square mile (5,361.4/km²). There were 20,691 housing units at an average density of 5,315.3 per square mile (2,053.7/km²). The racial makeup
of the city was 73.44% White, 1.30% African American
, 0.44% Native American
, 2.59% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 18.59% from other races, and 3.62% from two or more races. Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 38% of the population, with Mexican American
s representing 31.0%. Non-Hispanic whites were 56.42% of the population.
The top five non-Hispanic ancestries reported in Berwyn as of the 2000 census were Polish
(12.0%), German
(11.8%), Irish
(11.1%), Italian
(10.4%) and Czech
(6.8%).
There were 19,702 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.45.
The age distribution was 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,833, and the median income for a family was $51,767. Males had a median income of $35,490 versus $26,668 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,113. About 6.2% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
In 1846, the first land in "Berwyn" was deeded to Theodore Doty who built the 8 feet (2.4 m) Plank Road from Chicago to Ottawa. This thoroughfare became what is now Ogden Avenue in South Berwyn. In 1856, Thomas F. Baldwin purchased 347 acres (1.4 km²) of land, bordered by what is now Ogden Avenue, Ridgeland Avenue, 31st Street, and Harlem Avenue, in hopes of developing a rich and aristocratic community called "LaVergne." However, few people were interested in grassy marshland. Mud Lake extended nearly to the Southern border of today's Berwyn, and the land flooded regularly during heavy rains. Also the only mode of transportation to LaVergne was horse and buggy on the Plank Road.
To encourage people to move to LaVergne, Baldwin sold an 80 feet (24.4 m) wide strip of property to the Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1862. The rail line opened in 1864, but the train did not stop regularly in the area. The railroad refused to build a station, so the residents of the area constructed LaVergne Station on Ridgeland Avenue in 1874.
However, the financial panic of 1873 and Baldwin's death in 1876 stunted the growth of LaVergne. Baldwin's daughter, Emma, inherited her father's estate, and in 1879 she sold most of the land to a group of realtors controlled by Marshall Field. The new development enacted building codes and stipulated the minimum building cost of each home. By the end of 1880, 12 new homes were built. By 1888, the settlement had grown so much that the Baldwin family donated the triangular piece of land bounded by Ogden Avenue, 34th Street, and Gunderson Avenue so that a school could be built. LaVergne School became the first public building in Berwyn.
In 1890 Charles E. Piper and Wilbur J. Andrews, two Chicago attorneys, purchased a 106 acre (0.42896716 km²) plot of land from the Field syndicate to develop. The land was bounded by Wesley, Kenilworth, 31st Street, and Ogden Avenues. By the following year, the two received approval from the Cicero Township to double their land holdings.
Piper and Andrews wanted the railroad to a build a station in their development, but the railroad already had stations at La Vergne
and at Harlem Avenue
. Piper and Andrews decided to build a station with the understanding that trains would stop regularly. They did not know what to name their station so they consulted a Pennsylvania train timetable to a find a name. The name they chose was "Berwyn
", a beautiful subdivision outside of Philadelphia. After 1901, all settlements in the area were known as Berwyn.
While Piper and Andrews were developing the Southern portion of present-day Berwyn, John Kelly was helping to develop the North part from 12th Street to 16th Street. This area was really a part of an Oak Park subdivision, and it even appeared on some maps as "South Oak Park." In fact, children who lived in this area went to school in Oak Park. John Kelly was known as "Mr. Everything" because he was a realtor, builder, insurance seller, and community servant.
In between the two settlements there was little except for a few farms. The area between 16th and 31st Streets was not settled. There were only two paths by which to travel between the two settlements, and today these paths are known as Oak Park Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue. Although Berwyn was chartered as a city in 1908, it was not until the 1920s that this middle portion of land was developed.
During this time Berwyn was known as being the area's fastest growing suburb. The city's stringent building codes resulted in block upon block of well-built brick two story bungalows. Many also contained elaborate design elements typically not seen, such as stained glass windows, clay tile roofs, terra cotta, and intricate brick patterns. Today, Berwyn is noted as having the most significant collection of Chicago-style bungalows in the nation.
; the northernmost portion, between Roosevelt Road
and 13th Street, is in the 4th district
.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Berwyn Post Office at 6625 Cermak Road.
High school students, depending on residency, attend either J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
's J. Sterling Morton High School West
in Berwyn or Morton East High School in Cicero
.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
operates two PK-8 schools in Berwyn:
The third one, St. Mary of Celle, closed after the 2004–2005 school year. The building and premises are still used though.
Parochial grade school students who wish to move onto Parochial secondary education can attend nearby schools such as Fenwick High School in neighboring Oak Park
, St. Joseph High School
in Westchester
, or Nazareth Academy
in LaGrange Park all of which are co-educational. Trinity High School located in River Forest
is a school for Girls.
and Cermak Road
. Notable original tenants included J.C. Penney's, Walgreen's, F.W. Woolworth, Kinney Shoes, Jewel Foods and Fannie May Candies. Cermak Plaza served as the main shopping center for the area until 1975 when the North Riverside Park Mall
opened a half mile east on Cermak Road. Current tenants include Marshall's, K&G, Office Depot
and Dollar Tree
.
Berwyn was notable for the sculpture Spindle
, created by artist Dustin Shuler
, and located in the Cermak Plaza shopping center along with other works of art. The Spindle was shown in the movie Wayne's World
. It was demolished and scrapped on the night of May 2, 2008 to make way for a new Walgreens
. Grassroots efforts to Save the Spindle failed to raise the $300,000+ that it would have taken to dismantle and relocate it, which was a major upset amongst the supporters of the art considering the sculputure did not encroach upon the new Walgreens final position.
Portions of the 2008 film Wanted with Angelina Jolie
were also filmed in Cermak Plaza. Portions of the film A League of Their Own
were filmed at FitzGerald's Nightclub in Berwyn.
Berwyn has one of the world's largest laundromats, 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) in size, with 161 washers and 140 dryers, a kids' play area, big screen TVs, a bird sanctuary, and free pizza on Wednesday nights. It incurred extensive damage from an electrical fire in 2004 but was rebuilt in early 2006. This laundromat received considerable recognition for using a solar thermal system (the largest such installation in Illinois) to meet its hot water needs.
Berwyn now has a growing arts community with a professional equity theater, an Arts Council and top notch music and entertainment venues. The area has become haven for artists who enjoy a vibrant and affordable alternative to Chicago.
Berwyn is a very diverse community with many larger homes on its south side, and many smaller, bungalow
-type homes on the north side around Roosevelt Road
and Cermak Road
.
For a period Cermak Road earned the nickname "The Bohemian Wall Street" due to the large number of savings and loans located there. In 1991 the Chicago Sun Times reported that "Berwyn has the highest concentration of financial institutions in the world - a tribute to the frugality of its forebears." The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s hit the area especially hard.
Just off the street East Avenue is a large park called Janura Park. It has three baseball/softball diamonds and a hockey/basketball arena.
Proksa Park comprises approximately 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) and is located between 29th and 31st streets. It contains numerous flower beds, 64 species of trees, 85 species of shrubs, as well as a small pond and stream. Recreational facilities include 3 tennis courts, 2 softball fields, and a large playground.
Another notable park, Baseball Alley, is right off East Avenue and 29th street stretching all the way to Ridgeland just next to Berwyn's Freedom Middle School. Baseball Alley is home to one of the more popular baseball teams in the neighborhood, Team Dynasty.
Horror Host
Rich Koz aka Svengoolie
regularly comments on "beautiful Berwyn" as a long running gag on his Chicago TV show.
slovakian
population, and to celebrate their heritage the Houby Day Parade was organized in 1968. It coincides with the Fall mushroom harvest.
In the 1960s and 1970s, many Italian
families moved into Berwyn. The Maria SS Lauretana Italian-Sicilian Religious Festival is still held near the Morton West H.S grounds during Labor Day weekend.
Ogden Avenue is part of the Historic "Route 66
" in Berwyn, and an annual Vintage Car Show that's been taking place in early September since 1990. Ogden Ave. is "shut down" from Ridgeland to Oak Park Ave. and hundreds of car enthusiasts come out to celebrate the spirit of Route 66. More recently, Berwyn has begun to host its annual art car parade called Cartopia. Art car artists from all over the country meet to show off their latest creations, and then a parade through the neighborhood.
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...
, co-existent with Berwyn
Berwyn Township, Cook County, Illinois
Berwyn Township is one of thirty townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 54,016. It is coterminous with the city of Berwyn.-Geography:...
Township
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
, which was formed in 1908 after breaking off from Cicero Township
Cicero Township, Cook County, Illinois
Cicero Township is one of thirty townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 85,616.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Cicero Township covers an area of...
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,016.
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 54,016 people, 19,702 households, and 12,924 families residing in the city. 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 13,876.2 inhabitants per square mile (5,361.4/km²). There were 20,691 housing units at an average density of 5,315.3 per square mile (2,053.7/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 city was 73.44% White, 1.30% 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...
, 0.44% 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...
, 2.59% 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,...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
, 18.59% from other races, and 3.62% 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 38% of the population, with Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
s representing 31.0%. Non-Hispanic whites were 56.42% of the population.
The top five non-Hispanic ancestries reported in Berwyn as of the 2000 census were 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...
(12.0%), 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...
(11.8%), 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...
(11.1%), 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...
(10.4%) and Czech
Czech American
Czech Americans are citizens of the United States who were born in, or who descended from, the territory of the historic Czech lands, , or succession states, now known as the Czech Republic...
(6.8%).
There were 19,702 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.45.
The age distribution was 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,833, and the median income for a family was $51,767. Males had a median income of $35,490 versus $26,668 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 city was $19,113. About 6.2% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
History
The land that today makes up Berwyn was originally fairly marshy and cold. As the glaciers receded at the end of the last ice age, a giant body of water known as Ancient Lake Chicago was created. Over time Lake Chicago grew smaller and became Lake Michigan, and the stream that connected the lake to Illinois River became a swamp known as Mud Lake. Mud Lake extended nearly to the Southern border of today's Berwyn.In 1846, the first land in "Berwyn" was deeded to Theodore Doty who built the 8 feet (2.4 m) Plank Road from Chicago to Ottawa. This thoroughfare became what is now Ogden Avenue in South Berwyn. In 1856, Thomas F. Baldwin purchased 347 acres (1.4 km²) of land, bordered by what is now Ogden Avenue, Ridgeland Avenue, 31st Street, and Harlem Avenue, in hopes of developing a rich and aristocratic community called "LaVergne." However, few people were interested in grassy marshland. Mud Lake extended nearly to the Southern border of today's Berwyn, and the land flooded regularly during heavy rains. Also the only mode of transportation to LaVergne was horse and buggy on the Plank Road.
To encourage people to move to LaVergne, Baldwin sold an 80 feet (24.4 m) wide strip of property to the Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1862. The rail line opened in 1864, but the train did not stop regularly in the area. The railroad refused to build a station, so the residents of the area constructed LaVergne Station on Ridgeland Avenue in 1874.
However, the financial panic of 1873 and Baldwin's death in 1876 stunted the growth of LaVergne. Baldwin's daughter, Emma, inherited her father's estate, and in 1879 she sold most of the land to a group of realtors controlled by Marshall Field. The new development enacted building codes and stipulated the minimum building cost of each home. By the end of 1880, 12 new homes were built. By 1888, the settlement had grown so much that the Baldwin family donated the triangular piece of land bounded by Ogden Avenue, 34th Street, and Gunderson Avenue so that a school could be built. LaVergne School became the first public building in Berwyn.
In 1890 Charles E. Piper and Wilbur J. Andrews, two Chicago attorneys, purchased a 106 acre (0.42896716 km²) plot of land from the Field syndicate to develop. The land was bounded by Wesley, Kenilworth, 31st Street, and Ogden Avenues. By the following year, the two received approval from the Cicero Township to double their land holdings.
Piper and Andrews wanted the railroad to a build a station in their development, but the railroad already had stations at La Vergne
La Vergne (Metra)
La Vergne is one of three stations on Metra's BNSF Railway Line, located in Berwyn, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the eastern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, La Vergne is in zone B.-Bus connections:Pace...
and at Harlem Avenue
Harlem Avenue (Metra)
Harlem Avenue is one of three stations on Metra's BNSF Railway Line in Berwyn, Illinois. The station is from Union Station, the east end of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Harlem Avenue is in zone B...
. Piper and Andrews decided to build a station with the understanding that trains would stop regularly. They did not know what to name their station so they consulted a Pennsylvania train timetable to a find a name. The name they chose was "Berwyn
Berwyn (Metra)
Berwyn is one of three stations on Metra's BNSF Railway Line in Berwyn, Illinois. The station is from Union Station, the east end of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Berwyn is in zone B...
", a beautiful subdivision outside of Philadelphia. After 1901, all settlements in the area were known as Berwyn.
While Piper and Andrews were developing the Southern portion of present-day Berwyn, John Kelly was helping to develop the North part from 12th Street to 16th Street. This area was really a part of an Oak Park subdivision, and it even appeared on some maps as "South Oak Park." In fact, children who lived in this area went to school in Oak Park. John Kelly was known as "Mr. Everything" because he was a realtor, builder, insurance seller, and community servant.
In between the two settlements there was little except for a few farms. The area between 16th and 31st Streets was not settled. There were only two paths by which to travel between the two settlements, and today these paths are known as Oak Park Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue. Although Berwyn was chartered as a city in 1908, it was not until the 1920s that this middle portion of land was developed.
During this time Berwyn was known as being the area's fastest growing suburb. The city's stringent building codes resulted in block upon block of well-built brick two story bungalows. Many also contained elaborate design elements typically not seen, such as stained glass windows, clay tile roofs, terra cotta, and intricate brick patterns. Today, Berwyn is noted as having the most significant collection of Chicago-style bungalows in the nation.
Government
Nearly all of Berwyn is in Illinois' 3rd congressional districtIllinois' 3rd congressional district
The 3rd Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Dan Lipinski since January 2005. The district was previously represented by his father Bill Lipinski beginning in 1993....
; the northernmost portion, between Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. It is 1200 South in the city's street numbering system, but only one mile south of Madison Street...
and 13th Street, is in the 4th district
Illinois' 4th congressional district
The 4th Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Luis Gutierrez since January 1993....
.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Berwyn Post Office at 6625 Cermak Road.
Education
Berwyn is served by two K-8 school districts:- Berwyn North School District 98Berwyn North School District 98Berwyn North School District 98 is a school district headquartered in Berwyn, Illinois, United States.The district serves the northern half of Berwyn....
comprises 4 schools: Havlicek, Prairie Oak, and Jefferson Elementary Schools, and Lincoln Middle School.
- South Berwyn School District 100 comprises 8 schools: Emerson, Hiawatha, Irving, Komensky, Pershing, and Piper Elementary Schools,Freedom Middle School, and Heritage Middle School.
High school students, depending on residency, attend either J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
J. Sterling Morton High School District 201 is a school district headquartered in Cicero, Illinois, United States. The district serves the city of Berwyn, the town of Cicero, and the villages of Forest View, Lyons, McCook, and Stickney...
's J. Sterling Morton High School West
J. Sterling Morton High School West
J. Sterling Morton West High School is a four-year public high school in Berwyn, Illinois. It is a part of J. Sterling Morton High School District 201. Opened in 1958, it is the newer of the two large high schools in the district, the other being J...
in Berwyn or Morton East High School in Cicero
Cicero, Illinois
Cicero is an incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman statesman and orator....
.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
operates two PK-8 schools in Berwyn:
- St. Odilo School
- St. Leonard School
The third one, St. Mary of Celle, closed after the 2004–2005 school year. The building and premises are still used though.
Parochial grade school students who wish to move onto Parochial secondary education can attend nearby schools such as Fenwick High School in neighboring Oak Park
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
, St. Joseph High School
St. Joseph High School (Westchester, Illinois)
St. Joseph High School is a Roman Catholic, coeducational, college prep, school in Westchester, Illinois, and is sponsored by the Christian Brothers of De La Salle....
in Westchester
Westchester, Illinois
Westchester is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a western suburb of Chicago. The population was 16,824 at the 2000 census. The current Village President is Sam D...
, or Nazareth Academy
Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park, Illinois)
Nazareth Academy is a Roman Catholic college-preparatory high school located in LaGrange Park, Illinois, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. It was founded in 1900 by the Sisters of St. Joseph.-History:...
in LaGrange Park all of which are co-educational. Trinity High School located in River Forest
River Forest, Illinois
River Forest is a suburban village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Two universities make their home in River Forest, Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago. The village is closely tied to the larger neighboring community of Oak Park, Illinois. There are significant...
is a school for Girls.
Top employers
According to Berwyn's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MacNeal Hospital Vanguard Health Systems Vanguard Health Systems is an operator of hospitals and other medical facilities in five U.S. states: Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas. The company's headquarters are located in Nashville, Tennessee... |
2,200 |
| 2 | J. Sterling Morton High School West J. Sterling Morton High School West J. Sterling Morton West High School is a four-year public high school in Berwyn, Illinois. It is a part of J. Sterling Morton High School District 201. Opened in 1958, it is the newer of the two large high schools in the district, the other being J... |
1,000 |
| 3 | City of Berwyn | 550 |
| 4 | Berwyn South School District 100 Berwyn South School District 100 Berwyn South School District 100 is located in Berwyn, Illinois, and is composed of Freedom Middle School, Heritage Middle School, Emerson Elementary School, Hiawatha Elementary School, Irving Elementary School, Komensky Elementary School, Pershing Elementary School and Piper Elementary School.... |
480 |
| 5 | Berwyn North School District 98 Berwyn North School District 98 Berwyn North School District 98 is a school district headquartered in Berwyn, Illinois, United States.The district serves the northern half of Berwyn.... |
382 |
| 6 | Turano Baking Company Turano Baking Company The Turano Baking Company, headquartered just West of Chicago in Berwyn, Illinois, was founded in 1962 and has remained a family-owned business. Originally known for the Old Fashioned Italian Round known as Pane Turano, today the company produces sliced breads, buns and rolls in addition to... |
300 |
| 7 | BP Amoco | 90 |
| 8 | Rosin Eyecare | 85 |
| 9 | Pillars | 50 |
| 10 | Physicians’ Record Company | 35 |
Features
In 1956 the Cermak Plaza Shopping Center opened at the corner of Harlem AvenueHarlem Avenue
Harlem Avenue is a major north-south street in Chicago and the West/Southwest/Northwest Suburbs. For most of its length it carries Illinois Route 43...
and Cermak Road
Cermak Road
Cermak Road, formerly 22nd Street, is a major east-west artery on Chicago's south side and western suburbs. It is named for assassinated Chicago mayor Anton Cermak.-Points of interest:...
. Notable original tenants included J.C. Penney's, Walgreen's, F.W. Woolworth, Kinney Shoes, Jewel Foods and Fannie May Candies. Cermak Plaza served as the main shopping center for the area until 1975 when the North Riverside Park Mall
North Riverside Park Mall
The North Riverside Park Mall is a regional mall located in North Riverside, Illinois. It is owned by the Feil Organization and it contains three anchor stores: Carson Pirie Scott, J.C. Penney and Sears....
opened a half mile east on Cermak Road. Current tenants include Marshall's, K&G, Office Depot
Office Depot
Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping,...
and Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree, Inc. is an American chain of discount variety stores that sells every item for $1.00 or less. A Fortune 500 company, Dollar Tree is headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia and operates 4,010 stores throughout the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Its stores are supported by a nationwide...
.
Spindle (sculpture)
Spindle was a sculpture created in 1989 by artist Dustin Shuler . It consisted of a 50 foot spike with eight cars impaled on it. From 1989 until its demolition on May 2, 2008, it was located in the car park of Cermak Plaza shopping center, at the corner of Cermak Road and Harlem Avenue in Berwyn,...
, created by artist Dustin Shuler
Dustin Shuler
Dustin Shuler was an American sculptor, best known for a 1989 piece called the Spindle, which consisted of a 50 foot spike with eight cars impaled on it.Shuler was born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, on August 17, 1948...
, and located in the Cermak Plaza shopping center along with other works of art. The Spindle was shown in the movie Wayne's World
Wayne's World
Wayne's World was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series Saturday Night Live. It evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" on the CBC Television series It's Only Rock & Roll, as the main character first appeared in that show...
. It was demolished and scrapped on the night of May 2, 2008 to make way for a new Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
. Grassroots efforts to Save the Spindle failed to raise the $300,000+ that it would have taken to dismantle and relocate it, which was a major upset amongst the supporters of the art considering the sculputure did not encroach upon the new Walgreens final position.
Portions of the 2008 film Wanted with Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
were also filmed in Cermak Plaza. Portions of the film A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
were filmed at FitzGerald's Nightclub in Berwyn.
Berwyn has one of the world's largest laundromats, 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) in size, with 161 washers and 140 dryers, a kids' play area, big screen TVs, a bird sanctuary, and free pizza on Wednesday nights. It incurred extensive damage from an electrical fire in 2004 but was rebuilt in early 2006. This laundromat received considerable recognition for using a solar thermal system (the largest such installation in Illinois) to meet its hot water needs.
Berwyn now has a growing arts community with a professional equity theater, an Arts Council and top notch music and entertainment venues. The area has become haven for artists who enjoy a vibrant and affordable alternative to Chicago.
Berwyn is a very diverse community with many larger homes on its south side, and many smaller, bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
-type homes on the north side around Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. It is 1200 South in the city's street numbering system, but only one mile south of Madison Street...
and Cermak Road
Cermak Road
Cermak Road, formerly 22nd Street, is a major east-west artery on Chicago's south side and western suburbs. It is named for assassinated Chicago mayor Anton Cermak.-Points of interest:...
.
For a period Cermak Road earned the nickname "The Bohemian Wall Street" due to the large number of savings and loans located there. In 1991 the Chicago Sun Times reported that "Berwyn has the highest concentration of financial institutions in the world - a tribute to the frugality of its forebears." The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s hit the area especially hard.
Just off the street East Avenue is a large park called Janura Park. It has three baseball/softball diamonds and a hockey/basketball arena.
Proksa Park comprises approximately 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) and is located between 29th and 31st streets. It contains numerous flower beds, 64 species of trees, 85 species of shrubs, as well as a small pond and stream. Recreational facilities include 3 tennis courts, 2 softball fields, and a large playground.
Another notable park, Baseball Alley, is right off East Avenue and 29th street stretching all the way to Ridgeland just next to Berwyn's Freedom Middle School. Baseball Alley is home to one of the more popular baseball teams in the neighborhood, Team Dynasty.
Horror Host
Horror host
Horror hosts are a particular type of television presenter, often tasked with presenting low-grade films to television audiences. This tradition is primarily American, though there have been a few international hosts over the years.-Film Packages:...
Rich Koz aka Svengoolie
Svengoolie
Svengoolie is the name of a character from a long-running series of locally-produced television programs in the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area...
regularly comments on "beautiful Berwyn" as a long running gag on his Chicago TV show.
Annual happenings
In the 1950s/1960s, Berwyn had a large CzechoCzech American
Czech Americans are citizens of the United States who were born in, or who descended from, the territory of the historic Czech lands, , or succession states, now known as the Czech Republic...
slovakian
Slovak American
Slovak Americans are Americans of Slovak descent. In the 1990 Census Slovak Americans made up the second-largest portion of Slavic ethnic groups. There are currently about 790,000 people of Slovak descent living in the United States. -Eighteenth century:...
population, and to celebrate their heritage the Houby Day Parade was organized in 1968. It coincides with the Fall mushroom harvest.
In the 1960s and 1970s, many Italian
Italian
Italian may refer to:* anything of, from, or related to the country of Italy* Italian people, an ethnic group* Italian language, a Romance language* Italian or Italian-A, alternative names for the Ping-Pong virus, an extinct computer virus*Italian cuisine...
families moved into Berwyn. The Maria SS Lauretana Italian-Sicilian Religious Festival is still held near the Morton West H.S grounds during Labor Day weekend.
Ogden Avenue is part of the Historic "Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
" in Berwyn, and an annual Vintage Car Show that's been taking place in early September since 1990. Ogden Ave. is "shut down" from Ridgeland to Oak Park Ave. and hundreds of car enthusiasts come out to celebrate the spirit of Route 66. More recently, Berwyn has begun to host its annual art car parade called Cartopia. Art car artists from all over the country meet to show off their latest creations, and then a parade through the neighborhood.
Notable natives
- George Bernhardt, All-American Conference (later NFL) player for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Rockets.
- Henry Ogden Clark, politician and architect.
- James Apaumut Fall, MohicanMahicanThe Mahican are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley . After 1680, many moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts. During the early 1820s and 1830s, most of the Mahican descendants migrated westward to northeastern Wisconsin...
actor and singer. He voiced Kocoum in Disney's PocahontasPocahontas (1995 film)Pocahontas is the 33rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and was originally released to selected theaters on June 16, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
. - Joey Godspeed, NFL player for the Vikings, Rams and Chargers.
- Gary HallbergGary HallbergGary George Hallberg is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, and Champions Tour....
, golfer - Verna Johnston, ecologist and photographer. From 1955 to 1972 she worked and studied under Ansel AdamsAnsel AdamsAnsel Easton Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park....
. - Gunner McGrathGunner McGrathThis page is about Chris "Gunner" McGrath, the musician. For other people of the same name, see Chris McGrath .Christopher Leslie McGrath , better known as Gunner McGrath, is the founder, lead singer, and guitarist of the punk rock band Much The Same...
, frontman of Chicago-based Punk Rock group Much the SameMuch the SameMuch the Same was a punk rock band from the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Their style is based on the fast, melodic skate punk of the mid-to-late 1990s made popular by bands such as NOFX, Lagwagon, and No Use for a Name.... - Bob Miller, MLB player for the Tigers, Reds and Mets (1953-1962)
- Bob OdenkirkBob OdenkirkRobert "Bob" Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO sketch comedy series Mr...
, actor and comedian. - Jim PeterikJim PeterikJim Peterik is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the band Survivor and as vocalist and songwriter of the hit song "Vehicle" by The Ides of March...
, founding member of The Ides of March and SurvivorSurvivor (band)Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme... - Sondra RadvanovskySondra RadvanovskySondra Radvanovsky is an American soprano. Sondra was born in Berwyn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, on April 11, 1969. She lived and attended high school in Richmond, Indiana, a small city which, despite its size, had its own opera company...
, opera singer. - Kevin WebsterKevin WebsterKevin John Webster is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Michael Le Vell, the character first appeared onscreen on 19 October 1983...
, NFL player for the Vikings. - Dave WehrmeisterDave WehrmeisterDavid Thomas Wehrmeister is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wehrmeister pitched parts of six seasons in the majors between and , never pitching in more than 30 games....
, MLB player for the Padres, Yankees, Phillies and White Sox (1976-1985) - Bob WillBob WillRobert "Bob" Ide Will is an American rower who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.He was born in Seattle.In 1948 he was a crew member of the American boat which won the gold medal in the coxed fours event.-External links:*...
, MLB player for the Cubs, (1957-1963)
External links
- City of Berwyn
- Berwyn Development Corporation - promoting business success in Berwyn
- Berwyn Arts Council - promoting the arts and artists in the city
- Berwyn Public Library - the main library for the city
- Berwyn CARES - a local non-profit aimed at improving education
- 16th Street Theater - promoting theater and the arts in Berwyn and surrounding communities