Lemont, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Lemont is a village located in Cook
, DuPage
, and Will
Counties in the U.S. state
of Illinois
, and is roughly 27 miles (43.5 km) southwest of Chicago
. The population was 16,625 at the 2007 Special Census.
in birch bark canoes on trading trips between the Mississippi River
and Lake Michigan
. The native Potowatomi lived off the land in this area, directly using natural resources for food, shelter, clothing and medicine. In the 18th century, French voyageurs traveled down the Des Plaines River, trading Native Americans metal, beads and cloth for animal furs and changing the Native American lifestyle forever.
Established in 1836, the Village of Lemont stands as one of the oldest American communities in northeastern Illinois. It's historically significant for its role in transforming the northern region of the state from a sparsely settled frontier to a commercial, agricultural, and industrial region that supplied Chicago and areas beyond with commodities. Lemont is also unique in boasting an authentic historic district that remains intact and has been continually used since the 19th century.
Both Lemont's history and architectural uniqueness connects to the Illinois and Michigan Canal
(I&M Canal). Construction of the I&M Canal began in 1837 and stands as one of the last major canal undertakings in the United States (the Hennepin Canal opened in 1907). When it was completed in 1848, it provided a continuous waterway stretching from New York
(through the Erie Canal
, Lake Erie
, Lake Huron
and Lake Michigan to Chicago, then through the I&M Canal for 97 miles entering the Illinois River
at LaSalle, Illinois, to the Mississippi River, to New Orleans) to the Gulf of Mexico
.
Immigrant workers, mostly Irish, settled in Lemont to work on the canal and later moved along the corridor of the canal, improving farms within the many communities that sprang up along. They also were for the most part responsible for the many Lemont brothels during that time.
In digging, workers discovered Lemont yellow dolomite, a harder and finer grained version of limestone
. It delayed digging on the canal but was the start of the area's second industry, quarrying. By the mid-19th century, limestone quarrying took over as the main economic factor in Lemont and sustained its growth. The town's important major buildings were faced with the Lemont limestone abundant in local quarries. Today, 38 of those buildings remain as the Lemont downtown district. Lemont limestone was used in the Chicago Water Tower
, the only commercial structure to survive the Great Chicago Fire
of 1871.
Cargo and passengers were transported on the I&M until the early 20th century, when the wider, deeper Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
was built parallel to it. The Sanitary Canal is still used today as part of the Illinois Waterway System.
Lemont's motto is "Village of Faith" and its church spires reflect the many ethnic groups who came here to quarry stone, dig the Sanitary and Ship Canal and work in other industries.
Lemont is credited with being the largest recruiting station for the Union Army during the American Civil War
and The Old Stone Church, built in 1861 of limestone, was used as a recruiting depot. It served as the Lemont Methodist Episcopal church for 100 years, from 1861 until 1970 when it became home to the Lemont Area Historical Society. The oldest building in Lemont, it now serves as a museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
During the Civil War, Lemont was required to sign up 33 soldiers, the village recruited 293 soldiers; only 63 returned. A Lemont Civil War Memorial Committee has formed to build a statue in Memorial Park to honor Lemont's Civil War.
By 1854, railroads transported goods faster than water and the I&M became obsolete as Lemont evolved into a railroad community. Increasingly, the Canal was used to carry wastes away from Chicago. In 1900, the larger Sanitary and Ship Canal went into operation, carrying both wastes and larger, more modern barges. All use of the I&M Canal ended in 1933, with the opening of the Canal's modern successor - the Illinois Waterway.
By about 1920, the quarries declined as builders began to use more durable Bedford limestone from Indiana and less expensive new materials like concrete.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan
signed legislation establishing the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor as the nation's first National Heritage Corridor. The status recognizes the historic importance of this region and the waterway that connected Lake Michigan and the Illinois River. Today, it is a 100-mile long cultural park between Chicago and LaSalle/Peru, representing an on-going partnership between the public and private sectors created to achieve a successful mixture of preservation, public use and industrial activity.
Lemont is home to the Argonne National Laboratory
, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club
(home of the PGA Tour
's Western Open
and now the PGA Tour's BMW Championship). Sacred architecture
is another strong suit of Lemont, whose skyline is dominated by two landmark religious edifices: the Hindu
Temple
of Greater Chicago and SS. Cyril and Methodius
church in the 'Polish Cathedral style
'. Interestingly enough, both are situated in the sides of hills, giving an even more dramatic backdrop to their monumental architecture
.
The 1976 tornado was 'a 10-mile, 62-minute, J-shaped pattern of destruction that packed funnel winds between 207 and 260 mph...It was slow moving, going at 10 mph as compared to the 25 mph average of most tornadoes...Another unusual aspect its final touchdown was almost five miles due North of its first touchdown.
On March 27, 1991, Lemont was once again hit with a twister through the town in a selective manner, demolishing one home, not touching the other. The tornado destroyed 15 homes and damaged 180 more. First downing a 100 ft. microwave relay tower at 127th St. west of town, the tornado erratically veered in a northeast path through residential Peiffer, Warner, State and the Blue Hill (neighborhood around SS. Cyril & Methodius Church ) area. It then rammed the McCarthy Pointe subdivision off of McCarthy Road, then traumatized Franciscan Village on Main St. (near Walker Road) and continued on Main Street, it badly damaged the Powell Duffryn Terminal. Still following a northeast pattern, it tore the roof off St. James Church in Sag before dissipating.
Lives were saved by the quick thinking of Lemont Police Sgt. Tom Hess. A department policy is to station an officer at the village’s highest point on 127th St.
Hess got the surprise of his life when he saw the tornado coming right toward him in his rear view mirror. He yelled into his radio, ”I’m getting hit by a tornado – sound the sirens!” The tornado had his squad car up on two wheels, pushing it across the road and flipping it over. Hess’s early warning provided the cushion that helped people get to safety. He was awarded the Silver Cross for bravery and inducted into the Policemen Hall of Fame for his heroic deed. He was included in the Hall of Fame’s trading cards recognizing outstanding officers for the year. He was later featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show that centered on tornado safety. Many agencies, organizations, businesses and private individuals pitched in to help. The State ESDA was very impressed with the village’s disaster readiness. The local Christian Clergy Association was assigned the task of distributing funds to victims of the tornado.
starring Julia Stiles
. The first five minutes of the movie take place in various areas of Lemont. Lemont High School
was depicted as Johnson's white Midwestern high school. Portions of the front of the high school were shown along with the main staircase inside the school. A Lemont home and flower shop and Theo J. Gorski & Sons Bus Company http://www.lemont.il.us/PDF%20Files/LicBusGuide.pdf were also featured in the beginning of the film.
Lemont has also been featured in The Hunter (1980), Straight Talk
(1992), Evil has a face (1996), Children on Their Birthdays
(2002), The Poker House (2008), Witless Protection
starring Larry the Cable Guy
(2008), and Under the Bus (2000). Furthermore, several commercials and a made-for-TV movie, "Enememies" (2006) were filmed in the downtown location.
In 2007, R. Kelly
filmed a music video for the song Rock Star at The Carousel, a Lemont bar that closed in 2007 and later reopened as the Illinois Bar and Grill.
in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania
. The team, which represented the Great Lakes region, received 4th place after losing to the Beaverton, Oregon
team and was the only team to beat the champions from Georgia. Upon Flinck returning home, the Lemont team received a parade down State Street in honor of their achievements.
The BMW Championship (PGA Tour) has been held in Lemont since 2007, when the Western Open became the BMW Championship. The annual PGA Tournament is played at Cog Hill Country Club, which was founded in 1927.
In 2008, the girls 11 year old Lemont Little League All-Star team traveled to Beardstown, IL for the state tournament and won the state title.
In 2009, a new group of 11 year old All-Stars from Lemont won the State Championship for a second consecutive year.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²), of which, 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (5.15%) is water.
of 2000, there were 13,098 people, 4,420 households, and 3,407 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,029.9 people per square mile (784.1/km²). There were 4,553 housing units at an average density of 705.6 per square mile (272.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.40% White, 0.31% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races
, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.00% of the population.
Ancestries: Polish (33.7%), German (25.7%), Irish (20.8%), Italian (12.1%), English (4.5%), Lithuanian (4.1%).
There were 4,420 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were married couples
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the village the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $70,563, and the median income for a family was $80,558. Males had a median income of $52,464 versus $37,314 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $28,354. About 1.7% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Lemont's Sister city is Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
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...
, DuPage
DuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
, and Will
Will County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...
Counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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,...
, and is roughly 27 miles (43.5 km) southwest of Chicago
Chicago
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...
. The population was 16,625 at the 2007 Special Census.
History
Even before white settlers came to Lemont, Native Americans traveled the Des Plaines RiverDes Plaines River
The Des Plaines River is a river that flows southward for through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the U.S. Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River....
in birch bark canoes on trading trips between the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. The native Potowatomi lived off the land in this area, directly using natural resources for food, shelter, clothing and medicine. In the 18th century, French voyageurs traveled down the Des Plaines River, trading Native Americans metal, beads and cloth for animal furs and changing the Native American lifestyle forever.
Established in 1836, the Village of Lemont stands as one of the oldest American communities in northeastern Illinois. It's historically significant for its role in transforming the northern region of the state from a sparsely settled frontier to a commercial, agricultural, and industrial region that supplied Chicago and areas beyond with commodities. Lemont is also unique in boasting an authentic historic district that remains intact and has been continually used since the 19th century.
Both Lemont's history and architectural uniqueness connects to the Illinois and Michigan Canal
Illinois and Michigan Canal
The Illinois and Michigan Canal ran from the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago on the Chicago River to LaSalle-Peru, Illinois, on the Illinois River. It was finished in 1848 when Chicago Mayor James Hutchinson Woodworth presided over its opening; and it allowed boat transportation from the Great...
(I&M Canal). Construction of the I&M Canal began in 1837 and stands as one of the last major canal undertakings in the United States (the Hennepin Canal opened in 1907). When it was completed in 1848, it provided a continuous waterway stretching from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(through the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
, Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
and Lake Michigan to Chicago, then through the I&M Canal for 97 miles entering the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
at LaSalle, Illinois, to the Mississippi River, to New Orleans) to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
Immigrant workers, mostly Irish, settled in Lemont to work on the canal and later moved along the corridor of the canal, improving farms within the many communities that sprang up along. They also were for the most part responsible for the many Lemont brothels during that time.
In digging, workers discovered Lemont yellow dolomite, a harder and finer grained version of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. It delayed digging on the canal but was the start of the area's second industry, quarrying. By the mid-19th century, limestone quarrying took over as the main economic factor in Lemont and sustained its growth. The town's important major buildings were faced with the Lemont limestone abundant in local quarries. Today, 38 of those buildings remain as the Lemont downtown district. Lemont limestone was used in the Chicago Water Tower
Chicago Water Tower
The Chicago Water Tower is a contributing property in the Old Chicago Water Tower District landmark district. It is located at 806 North Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, Illinois...
, the only commercial structure to survive the Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
of 1871.
Cargo and passengers were transported on the I&M until the early 20th century, when the wider, deeper Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, historically known as the Chicago Drainage Canal, is the only shipping link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system, by way of the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers...
was built parallel to it. The Sanitary Canal is still used today as part of the Illinois Waterway System.
Lemont's motto is "Village of Faith" and its church spires reflect the many ethnic groups who came here to quarry stone, dig the Sanitary and Ship Canal and work in other industries.
Lemont is credited with being the largest recruiting station for the Union Army during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and The Old Stone Church, built in 1861 of limestone, was used as a recruiting depot. It served as the Lemont Methodist Episcopal church for 100 years, from 1861 until 1970 when it became home to the Lemont Area Historical Society. The oldest building in Lemont, it now serves as a museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
During the Civil War, Lemont was required to sign up 33 soldiers, the village recruited 293 soldiers; only 63 returned. A Lemont Civil War Memorial Committee has formed to build a statue in Memorial Park to honor Lemont's Civil War.
By 1854, railroads transported goods faster than water and the I&M became obsolete as Lemont evolved into a railroad community. Increasingly, the Canal was used to carry wastes away from Chicago. In 1900, the larger Sanitary and Ship Canal went into operation, carrying both wastes and larger, more modern barges. All use of the I&M Canal ended in 1933, with the opening of the Canal's modern successor - the Illinois Waterway.
By about 1920, the quarries declined as builders began to use more durable Bedford limestone from Indiana and less expensive new materials like concrete.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
signed legislation establishing the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor as the nation's first National Heritage Corridor. The status recognizes the historic importance of this region and the waterway that connected Lake Michigan and the Illinois River. Today, it is a 100-mile long cultural park between Chicago and LaSalle/Peru, representing an on-going partnership between the public and private sectors created to achieve a successful mixture of preservation, public use and industrial activity.
Lemont is home to the Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory is the first science and engineering research national laboratory in the United States, receiving this designation on July 1, 1946. It is the largest national laboratory by size and scope in the Midwest...
, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club is a public golf complex located southwest of Chicago. Cog Hill hosts the PGA Tour's BMW Championship from 2009 to 2011 on its championship course Dubsdread.-History:...
(home of the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
's Western Open
Western Open
The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open...
and now the PGA Tour's BMW Championship). Sacred architecture
Religious architecture
Sacred architecture is a religious architectural practice concerned with the design and construction of places of worship and/or sacred or intentional space, such as churches, mosques, stupas, synagogues, and temples...
is another strong suit of Lemont, whose skyline is dominated by two landmark religious edifices: the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
of Greater Chicago and SS. Cyril and Methodius
SS. Cyril and Methodius in Lemont
SS. Cyril and Methodius in Lemont - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, located in Lemont, Illinois.It is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral style' of churches in both its opulence and grand scale...
church in the 'Polish Cathedral style
Polish Cathedral style
The Polish Cathedral architectural style is a North American genre of Catholic church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England...
'. Interestingly enough, both are situated in the sides of hills, giving an even more dramatic backdrop to their monumental architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
Tornadoes
On June 13, 1976, a few minutes after 5:00 PM, a killer tornado struck Lemont, and took the lives of two, a third died later from injuries. 23 were injured, 87 homes were destroyed and 82 more damaged. Damage to the high school alone was estimated at $500,000. Huddled in spaces praying for life, many people reported watching neighbors' homes explode, implode, shattering before their eyes. Then they "saw the tornado coming back." Cited as an unusual tornado, it did back up on its path before heading north somewhat parallel to the path of origin.The 1976 tornado was 'a 10-mile, 62-minute, J-shaped pattern of destruction that packed funnel winds between 207 and 260 mph...It was slow moving, going at 10 mph as compared to the 25 mph average of most tornadoes...Another unusual aspect its final touchdown was almost five miles due North of its first touchdown.
On March 27, 1991, Lemont was once again hit with a twister through the town in a selective manner, demolishing one home, not touching the other. The tornado destroyed 15 homes and damaged 180 more. First downing a 100 ft. microwave relay tower at 127th St. west of town, the tornado erratically veered in a northeast path through residential Peiffer, Warner, State and the Blue Hill (neighborhood around SS. Cyril & Methodius Church ) area. It then rammed the McCarthy Pointe subdivision off of McCarthy Road, then traumatized Franciscan Village on Main St. (near Walker Road) and continued on Main Street, it badly damaged the Powell Duffryn Terminal. Still following a northeast pattern, it tore the roof off St. James Church in Sag before dissipating.
Lives were saved by the quick thinking of Lemont Police Sgt. Tom Hess. A department policy is to station an officer at the village’s highest point on 127th St.
Hess got the surprise of his life when he saw the tornado coming right toward him in his rear view mirror. He yelled into his radio, ”I’m getting hit by a tornado – sound the sirens!” The tornado had his squad car up on two wheels, pushing it across the road and flipping it over. Hess’s early warning provided the cushion that helped people get to safety. He was awarded the Silver Cross for bravery and inducted into the Policemen Hall of Fame for his heroic deed. He was included in the Hall of Fame’s trading cards recognizing outstanding officers for the year. He was later featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show that centered on tornado safety. Many agencies, organizations, businesses and private individuals pitched in to help. The State ESDA was very impressed with the village’s disaster readiness. The local Christian Clergy Association was assigned the task of distributing funds to victims of the tornado.
Featured in Media
Lemont was featured in the movie Save the Last DanceSave the Last Dance
Save the Last Dance is a 2001 romantic drama dance film produced by MTV Films, directed by Thomas Carter and released by Paramount Pictures on January 12, 2001. The film stars Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas as a teenage interracial couple in Chicago who work together to help the main...
starring Julia Stiles
Julia Stiles
Julia O'Hara Stiles is an American actress.After beginning her career in small parts in a New York City theatre troupe, she has moved on to leading roles in plays by writers as diverse as William Shakespeare and David Mamet...
. The first five minutes of the movie take place in various areas of Lemont. Lemont High School
Lemont High School
Lemont High School, or LHS, is a public four-year high school located in Lemont, Illinois, a south-western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
was depicted as Johnson's white Midwestern high school. Portions of the front of the high school were shown along with the main staircase inside the school. A Lemont home and flower shop and Theo J. Gorski & Sons Bus Company http://www.lemont.il.us/PDF%20Files/LicBusGuide.pdf were also featured in the beginning of the film.
Lemont has also been featured in The Hunter (1980), Straight Talk
Straight Talk
Straight Talk is an 1992 American comedy-film distributed by Hollywood Pictures, directed by Barnet Kellman and starring Dolly Parton and James Woods. Parton did not receive star-billing in any other theatrically-released films until the 2012 film Joyful Noise, alongside Queen Latifah...
(1992), Evil has a face (1996), Children on Their Birthdays
Children on Their Birthdays
Children on Their Birthdays is a 2002 American independent film directed by Mark Medoff. The screenplay written by Douglas Sloan is based on "Children on Their Birthdays", the short story of the same title by Truman Capote.-Plot:...
(2002), The Poker House (2008), Witless Protection
Witless Protection
Witless Protection is a 2008 comedy film from Lionsgate, starring Daniel Lawrence Whitney, better known as Larry the Cable Guy and Jenny McCarthy written and directed by Chicago native Charles Robert Carner. Whitney plays "Larry", a small-town deputy in Mississippi...
starring Larry the Cable Guy
Larry the Cable Guy
Daniel Lawrence Whitney , better known by his stage name and character Larry the Cable Guy, is an American comedian, actor, and former radio personality....
(2008), and Under the Bus (2000). Furthermore, several commercials and a made-for-TV movie, "Enememies" (2006) were filmed in the downtown location.
In 2007, R. Kelly
R. 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...
filmed a music video for the song Rock Star at The Carousel, a Lemont bar that closed in 2007 and later reopened as the Illinois Bar and Grill.
Sports
In 2006, the Lemont Little League All-Star team traveled to the 60th Little League World SeriesLittle League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania
South Williamsport, Pennsylvania
South Williamsport is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,412 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. The team, which represented the Great Lakes region, received 4th place after losing to the Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
team and was the only team to beat the champions from Georgia. Upon Flinck returning home, the Lemont team received a parade down State Street in honor of their achievements.
The BMW Championship (PGA Tour) has been held in Lemont since 2007, when the Western Open became the BMW Championship. The annual PGA Tournament is played at Cog Hill Country Club, which was founded in 1927.
In 2008, the girls 11 year old Lemont Little League All-Star team traveled to Beardstown, IL for the state tournament and won the state title.
In 2009, a new group of 11 year old All-Stars from Lemont won the State Championship for a second consecutive year.
People from Lemont
- Diablo CodyDiablo CodyBrook Busey , better known by the pen name Diablo Cody, is an American screenwriter, writer, blogger, journalist, and author. She was first known for her candid chronicling of her year as a stripper in her Pussy Ranch blog and her 2006 memoir, Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper...
, Academy Award winning writer of the film JunoJuno (film)Juno is a 2007 comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. Ellen Page stars as the title character, an independent-minded teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her. Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, J. K....
, was raised in Lemont. - Michael KatzbanMichael KatzbanMichael Katzban was a core molder and insurance salesman from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.- Background :...
, Wisconsin legislator was born in Lemont. - Rudy A. Kling, won the 1937 Thompson TrophyThompson trophyThe Thompson Trophy race was one of the National Air Races of the heyday of early airplane racing in the 1930s. Established in 1929, the last race was held in 1961. The race was long with pylons marking the turns, and emphasized low altitude flying and maneuverability at high speeds...
in the Folkerts SK-3Folkerts SK-3|-See also:...
named "Jupiter, Pride of Lemont". - Demi LovatoDemi Lovato"She’s got the range, the full emotional spectrum, incredible control… Vocally, she’s the best thing Disney’s had since Christina Aguilera."—Producer Toby Gad on Demi Lovato's vocals...
, was in rehab in Lemont. - Christian Vande Velde, Professional cyclist and 4th place 2008 Tour de France2008 Tour de FranceThe 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
finisher is from Lemont. - Paul Penzceki, United Airlines employee resides in Lemont.
- Christian Prietkan, Community College student.
Geography
Lemont is located at 41°40′8"N 87°59′20"W (41.668784, -87.988845).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 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²), of which, 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (5.15%) is water.
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 13,098 people, 4,420 households, and 3,407 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 2,029.9 people per square mile (784.1/km²). There were 4,553 housing units at an average density of 705.6 per square mile (272.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.40% White, 0.31% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% 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 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.00% of the population.
Ancestries: Polish (33.7%), German (25.7%), Irish (20.8%), Italian (12.1%), English (4.5%), Lithuanian (4.1%).
There were 4,420 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% 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, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the village the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $70,563, and the median income for a family was $80,558. Males had a median income of $52,464 versus $37,314 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 $28,354. About 1.7% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Lemont's Sister city is Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
Education
Schools located in Lemont include the following:- River Valley Elementary School
- Oakwood Elementary School
- St. Alphonsus'/St. Patricks'
- St. Cyril's
- Old Quarry Middle School
- Lemont High SchoolLemont High SchoolLemont High School, or LHS, is a public four-year high school located in Lemont, Illinois, a south-western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
- Mount Assisi AcademyMount Assisi AcademyMount Assisi Academy is a private, Roman Catholic, all-girls high school in Lemont, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.-History:...
, all-girls Catholic high school
Transportation
- Lemont has a stationLemont (Metra)Lemont is a station on Metra's Heritage Corridor in Lemont, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Lemont is in zone E....
on MetraMetraMetra 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...
's Heritage CorridorHeritage CorridorThe Heritage Corridor Line is a commuter rail line provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the Heritage Corridor line are printed in dark "Alton...
, which provides weekday rail service between Joliet, IllinoisJoliet, IllinoisJoliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
and Chicago, Illinois (at Union StationUnion Station (Chicago)Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
).
- In 2007, the Interstate 355Interstate 355Interstate 355 , also known as the Veterans Memorial Tollway, is an Interstate Highway and tollway in the western and southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Like most other toll roads in the northeastern portion of the state, I-355 is maintained by a State Highway Authority...
tollway extension opened, providing Lemont with more direct access to the Chicago expressway system. This is expected to generate major growth over the coming years. An interchange is located on 127th St.