Winnetka, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Winnetka is an affluent North Shore village
located approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) north of downtown Chicago
in Cook County, Illinois
. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011. The area is known as one of the most exclusive and wealthy suburbs in the nation.
and has a magnetic declination
of 3° 10' W. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), of which 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (2.30%) is water.
The oldest surviving house in Winnetka is the Schmidt-Burnham House. It was relocated in the 2003 from its previous location on Tower Road to the Crow Island Woods.
Winnetka’s neighborhoods include estates and homes designed by distinguished architects including George Washington Maher, Walter Burley Griffin
, John S. Van Bergen
, Robert Seyfarth
, Robert Mcnitt, Howard Van Doren Shaw
, and David Adler
.
The Chicago and Milwaukee Railway was built in 1855 through Winnetka, connecting its namesake cities, this eventually became the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. In 1995 the C&NW was merged into the Union Pacific. Only Metra
trains are operated on this track now; freight operations ended in the late 1980s. Winnetka has three Metra stations: Hubbard Woods, Winnetka, and Indian Hill.
The Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee electric interurban
was built through Winnetka and the North Shore
in the first decade of the 1900s and the line through Winnetka was removed in 1955. This is now the Green Bay Trail
bicycle path
.
During the Great Depression
both the C&NW and the C&NSM lines were rebuilt into a grade separated right of way mostly below street level to prevent crossing accidents.
The Crow Island School
, designed by Eliel & Eero Saarinen and the architectural firm Perkins, Wheeler & Will, was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1990. It was declared 12th among all buildings and the best architectural design of all schools. 10,000 people attended the opening in 1938.
of 2000, there were 12,419 people, 4,162 households, and 3,433 families residing in the village. The population density
was 3,242.7 people per square mile (1,252.0/km2). There were 4,310 housing units at an average density of 1,125.4 per square mile (434.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.29% White, 0.25% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,162 households out of which 47.2% had children under the age of 18, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the village the population was spread out with 34.6% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $167,458, and the median income for a family was $200,000+. The 2008 CNN Money Top 25 Highest Earning Towns rankings failed to mention Winnetka due to an increase in the minimum population requirements.
consists of three elementary schools and two middle schools. Hubbard Woods, Crow Island, and Samuel Sewall Greeley (est. 1912) Elementary Schools serve grades kindergarten through four, students in fifth and sixth grades attend Skokie Middle School and seventh and eighth graders attend Washburne Middle School, named after educator Carleton Washburne
. Winnetka's schools were modeled after Washburne's educational philosophy in an experiment called the Winnetka Plan
. The town's schools continue to reflect his educational philosophy.
Winnetka is in New Trier Township, and public school students who reside in Winnetka attend New Trier High School
for grades 9 through 12.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
located approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) north of downtown 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...
in Cook County, Illinois
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...
. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011. The area is known as one of the most exclusive and wealthy suburbs in the nation.
Geography
Winnetka is located at 42°6′22"N 87°44′16"W (42.106227, -87.73801).. Winnetka is located 198 m (650 ft) above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
and has a magnetic declination
Magnetic declination
Magnetic declination is the angle between magnetic north and true north. The declination is positive when the magnetic north is east of true north. The term magnetic variation is a synonym, and is more often used in navigation...
of 3° 10' W. 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 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), of which 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (2.30%) is water.
History
The first houses were built in 1836. That year Erastus Patterson and his family arrived from Vermont and opened a tavern to service passengers on the Green Bay Trail post road. The village was first subdivided in 1854 by Charles Peck and Walter S. Gurnee, President of Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Winnetka's first school opened in 1856. The town was incorporated in 1869 with a population of 450.The oldest surviving house in Winnetka is the Schmidt-Burnham House. It was relocated in the 2003 from its previous location on Tower Road to the Crow Island Woods.
Winnetka’s neighborhoods include estates and homes designed by distinguished architects including George Washington Maher, Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin was an American architect and landscape architect, who is best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australia's capital city...
, John S. Van Bergen
John S. Van Bergen
John Shellette Van Bergen was an American architect born in Oak Park, Illinois. Van Bergen started his architectural career as an apprentice draftsman in 1907. In 1909 he went to work for Frank Lloyd Wright at his studio in Oak Park. At Wright's studio he did working drawings for and supervised...
, Robert Seyfarth
Robert Seyfarth
- Background : Robert Seyfarth grew up as a member of a prominent local family. His grandfather William Seyfarth had come to the United States in 1848 from Schloss Tonndorf in what is now the state of Thuringia, Germany, with the intention of opening a tavern in Chicago...
, Robert Mcnitt, Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw was an American architect. He became one of the best-known architects of his generation in the Chicago area.-Early life and career:...
, and David Adler
David Adler
David Adler was a prolific architect, designing over 200 buildings...
.
The Chicago and Milwaukee Railway was built in 1855 through Winnetka, connecting its namesake cities, this eventually became the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. In 1995 the C&NW was merged into the Union Pacific. Only Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
trains are operated on this track now; freight operations ended in the late 1980s. Winnetka has three Metra stations: Hubbard Woods, Winnetka, and Indian Hill.
The Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee electric interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
was built through Winnetka and the North Shore
North Shore (Chicago)
The North Shore is a term that refers to the generally affluent suburbs north of Chicago, Illinois bordering the shore of Lake Michigan.- History :Europeans settled the area sparsely after an 1833 treaty with local Native Americans...
in the first decade of the 1900s and the line through Winnetka was removed in 1955. This is now the Green Bay Trail
Green Bay Trail
The Green Bay Trail The Green Bay Trail follows the old North Shore Electric Line and runs parallel to the Metra North Line for nearly nine miles, from Wilmette to Highland Park...
bicycle path
Bicycle Path
Bicycle Path is a historic road in Central Suffolk County on Long Island, New York, built in the late 19th Century in order to capitalize on the bicycle craze of that period...
.
During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
both the C&NW and the C&NSM lines were rebuilt into a grade separated right of way mostly below street level to prevent crossing accidents.
The Crow Island School
Crow Island School
Crow Island School is an elementary school significant for its progressive philosophy and its architecture. The design of its building was a collaboration between the Chicago firm of Perkins, Wheeler and Will and Eero Saarinen...
, designed by Eliel & Eero Saarinen and the architectural firm Perkins, Wheeler & Will, was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1990. It was declared 12th among all buildings and the best architectural design of all schools. 10,000 people attended the opening in 1938.
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 12,419 people, 4,162 households, and 3,433 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,242.7 people per square mile (1,252.0/km2). There were 4,310 housing units at an average density of 1,125.4 per square mile (434.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.29% White, 0.25% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,162 households out of which 47.2% had children under the age of 18, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the village the population was spread out with 34.6% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $167,458, and the median income for a family was $200,000+. The 2008 CNN Money Top 25 Highest Earning Towns rankings failed to mention Winnetka due to an increase in the minimum population requirements.
Notable events
- In 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
spoke in Winnetka. A plaque dedicated to him is on the Village Green, a park in the town, where he spoke. - Site of the Hubbard Woods Elementary School shooting by Laurie DannLaurie DannLaurie Dann was an American murderer who shot and killed a boy, and wounded two girls and three boys, in a Winnetka, Illinois, elementary school, then took a family hostage and shot a man before killing herself.-Early life:Dann was born into a Jewish family in Chicago and grew up in Glencoe, an...
- 1938 song named "Big Noise from WinnetkaBig Noise From WinnetkaBig Noise from Winnetka is a jazz composition co-written by composer and bass player Bob Haggart. It was first recorded in 1938 and featured Haggart and drummer Ray Bauduc, both members of a sub-group of the Bob Crosby Orchestra called The Bobcats....
". - In 2007, Winnetka was ranked by CNN Money as having the 4th highest median household income in the country.
- Winnetka was named number 4 on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2009.
In Film
- The bulk of the movie Home Alone and the beginning of Home Alone 2: Lost in New YorkHome Alone 2: Lost in New YorkHome Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. It is the second film in the Home Alone series and the direct sequel to Home Alone. The film stars Macaulay Culkin in the lead role as Kevin McCallister, while...
are both filmed in Winnetka at 671 Lincoln Avenue, home to the starring character Kevin (played by Macaulay CulkinMacaulay CulkinMacaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster...
). However, in the movie, the street was named "Lincoln Boulevard." - Numerous movies were filmed in Winnetka, including portions of films Ocean's 12, Breakfast Club, National Lampoon's VacationNational Lampoon's VacationVacation, sometimes referred as National Lampoon's Vacation, is a 1983 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Dana Barron and Anthony Michael Hall...
, Ferris Bueller's Day OffFerris Bueller's Day OffFerris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
, Sixteen CandlesSixteen CandlesSixteen Candles is a 1984 American film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling and Anthony Michael Hall. It was written and directed by John Hughes.- Plot :...
, Risky BusinessRisky BusinessRisky Business is a 1983 American teen comedy-drama film written by Paul Brickman in his directorial debut. It stars Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay. The hit film launched Cruise to stardom.-Plot:...
, Planes, Trains & AutomobilesPlanes, Trains & AutomobilesPlanes, Trains and Automobiles is a 1987 American comedy film released by Paramount Pictures. It was written, produced and directed by John Hughes...
, She's Having a BabyShe's Having a BabyShe's Having a Baby is a 1988 American romance film directed by John Hughes.The film portrays a young newlywed couple, Kristy and Jake Briggs played by Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon, who try to cope with being married and what is expected of them by their parents. Jake must also deal with the...
and Uncle BuckUncle BuckUncle Buck is a 1989 John Hughes comedy film starring John Candy, Amy Madigan, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffman, and Macaulay Culkin, and co-stars Jay Underwood and Laurie Metcalf.-Plot:Bob Russell Uncle Buck is a 1989 John Hughes comedy film starring John Candy, Amy Madigan, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby...
. - A popular TV seriesTelevision programA television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, SistersSisters (TV series)Sisters is a television drama which aired on NBC for six seasons, from 1991 to 1996. The series was created by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, who also created the Showtime series Queer as Folk and wrote the acclaimed Emmy and Peabody Award winning drama An Early Frost, also for NBC...
(1991–1996), was set primarily in Winnetka. - The movie ContagionContagion (film)Contagion is a 2011 American medical thriller disaster film directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film has an ensemble cast that includes Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Bryan Cranston. Contagion follows the rapid progress of a lethal...
was filmed in this area, in the spring of 2011.
Schools
The Winnetka Public Schools system (District 36)Winnetka School District 36
Winnetka School District 36 is an elementary school district based in Winnetka, Cook County, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago that is due north of the city. The district is composed of five schools: three neighborhood elementary schools, one middle school, and one junior high school...
consists of three elementary schools and two middle schools. Hubbard Woods, Crow Island, and Samuel Sewall Greeley (est. 1912) Elementary Schools serve grades kindergarten through four, students in fifth and sixth grades attend Skokie Middle School and seventh and eighth graders attend Washburne Middle School, named after educator Carleton Washburne
Carleton Washburne
Carleton Washburne was the superintendent of schools in Winnetka, Illinois from 1919 to 1943. He is most notably associated with the Winnetka Plan that he developed for his district.-External links:...
. Winnetka's schools were modeled after Washburne's educational philosophy in an experiment called the Winnetka Plan
Winnetka Plan
The Winnetka Plan was an educational experiment held in the Winnetka, Illinois-based Winnetka School District 36. Developed by Carleton Washburne, who was the district superintendent, and inspired by John Dewey's work in the University of Chicago Laboratory School, the plan attempted to expand...
. The town's schools continue to reflect his educational philosophy.
Winnetka is in New Trier Township, and public school students who reside in Winnetka attend New Trier High School
New Trier High School
New Trier High School is a public four-year high school , with its major campus located in Winnetka, Illinois, USA, and a second campus in Northfield, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration...
for grades 9 through 12.
Private schools
- Faith, Hope & Charity School, (JK-8) Catholic school
- Sacred Heart School, (JK-8) Catholic school
- North Shore Country Day SchoolNorth Shore Country Day SchoolNorth Shore Country Day School, is a small private school founded in 1919 and located in Winnetka, Illinois. It consists of a lower school, a middle school, and an upper school.-History:...
, a private K-12 academy - Hadley School for the BlindHadley School for the BlindHadley School for the Blind is a distance education school for blind and visually impaired people, their families, and blindness service professionals. The school is located in a suburb of Chicago: Winnetka, Illinois....
Notable residents
- Adam BaldwinAdam BaldwinAdam Baldwin is an American actor, known for his roles as Animal Mother in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, Ricky Linderman in My Bodyguard, Knowle Rohrer in The X-Files, and Marcus Hamilton in Joss Whedon's Angel...
, actor. - Peter BaldwinPeter BaldwinPeter Baldwin is a British actor best known for his role of Derek Wilton in the UK soap opera Coronation Street.-Career:...
, director. - Todd CareyTodd CareyTodd Carey is an American musician and singer-songwriter currently signed to Rock Ridge Music. Born and raised near Chicago, Illinois, he later relocated to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California for a degree in music. At USC, Carey formed a band, Telepathy, with other students...
, singer-songwriter and musician - Dale ClevengerDale ClevengerDale Clevenger has been Principal Horn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1966. Before joining the CSO, he was a member of Leopold Stokowski's American Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony of the Air directed by Alfred Wallenstein. He was also principal horn of the Kansas City...
, principal horn Chicago Symphony OrchestraChicago Symphony OrchestraThe Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
. - Deborah Eisenberg, Short-story writer, winner of MacArthur Fellowship.
- Rock HudsonRock HudsonRoy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
, actor who was born in Winnetka in 1925. - Brendan LeonardBrendan LeonardBrendan Patrick Leonard is a filmmaker best known for his hit series on ABC Family, The Brendan Leonard Show.-Personal life:...
, filmmaker best known for his hit series on ABC Family, The Brendan Leonard Show. - John Moore (ice hockey)John Moore (ice hockey)John Moore is an American ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.-Junior:Moore attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois...
- Chris O'DonnellChris O'DonnellChristopher Eugene "Chris" O'Donnell is an American actor. He has played Robin in two Batman films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, Charlie Simms in Scent of a Woman, Finn Dandridge in Grey's Anatomy, Peter Garrett in Vertical Limit, and more recently, Jack McAuliffe in The Company. O'Donnell...
, actor known for playing Robin in Batman ForeverBatman ForeverBatman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
and Batman & Robin (1997) - Liz PhairLiz PhairPhair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
, musician. - Ralph PomeroyRalph PomeroyRalph Hayward Pomeroy was an American gynecologist who became posthumously famous for the female sterilization procedure that he had developed and now carries his name as the Pomeroy tubal ligation....
, poet and writer. - Pat RyanPat RyanPatrick J. C. Ryan is a Canadian curler originally from Edmonton, Alberta. Ryan is a former World Champion skip, and three time Brier champion. Ryan currently lives in Toronto....
, founder and executive chairman of Aon Corporation. - Donald RumsfeldDonald RumsfeldDonald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
, American politican and businessman. - Jenny SanfordJenny SanfordJennifer Sullivan Sanford is the former First Lady of South Carolina, heiress, and former investment banker.She was married to Governor Mark Sanford, whose initial campaigns she substantially funded...
, former First Lady of South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
Local Media
Media outlets covering Winnetka include Winnetka-Glencoe Patch, TribLocal, Pioneer Press and 22nd Century Media.External links
- Winnetka Public School District
- U.S. Census data on Winnetka
- Village of Winnetka
- Winnetka Historical Society
- Winnetka Historical Society: History of Buildings
Further Reading
- Dickinson, Lora Townsend. The Story of Winnetka. Winnetka: Winnetka Historical Society, 1956. Print.