Burr Ridge, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Burr Ridge, Illinois
Village
Village of Burr Ridge
Flag logo
Motto(s):  "A Very Special Place"
Location of Burr Ridge in DuPage County, Illinois.
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Counties	DuPage, Cook
Townships	Downers Grove, Lyons
Incorporated	1956
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	7.33 sq mi (18.99 km2)
• Land	7.20 sq mi (18.64 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.35 km2)  1.96%
Elevation	702 ft (214 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,192
• Density	1,554.88/sq mi (600.32/km2)
Standard of living (2007-11)
• Per capita income	$81,192
• Home value	$679,400
ZIP code(s)	60527
Area code(s)	630 and 331
Geocode	17-09980
FIPS code	17-09980

Burr Ridge, once called Harvester, is a village located in both Cook and DuPage counties in Illinois, United States. In 2020, about 11,192 people lived there.

Exploring Burr Ridge's Location

Burr Ridge is found at coordinates 41.753030 degrees North and -87.919998 degrees West. The village covers about 7.29 square miles (18.88 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 7.16 square miles (18.54 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.14 square miles (0.36 square kilometers), is water.

Burr Ridge is in two different counties: DuPage and Cook. It shares borders with several other towns. To the north is Hinsdale. To the northeast is Western Springs. Indian Head Park is to the east, and Willow Springs is to the south and southeast. To the west, you'll find Willowbrook.

The Story of Burr Ridge

How Glaciers Shaped the Land

The gentle hills of Burr Ridge were formed by huge sheets of ice called glaciers. This happened at the end of the last ice age. Most of the village sits on a landform called the Valparaiso Moraine. A stream called Flagg Creek, which flows into the Des Plaines River, also runs through the town.

Early Settlers and Farming Life

In 1834, Joseph Vial built a log cabin near Wolf and Plainfield roads. He also ran a hotel for travelers on the stagecoach line. The Vial family was very involved in local politics and helped start the Lyonsville congregational church. The first big political meeting for the Democratic Party in Cook County happened in Burr Ridge in 1835. After 1848, farmers could send their crops to Chicago using the Illinois and Michigan Canal. By the 1880s, a small group of German farmers also lived near Flagg Creek.

The Village's Name Change

In 1917, a company called International Harvester bought 414 acres (1.68 square kilometers) of land. They used it as an experimental farm to test the world's first all-purpose tractor, the Farmall. Also in 1917, a large farm run by Cook County began operating in what is now Burr Ridge.

In 1947, a developer named Robert Bartlett started a new community called Hinsdale Countryside Estates. This community was built on what used to be a pig farm. In 1956, the people living there decided to officially become a village. They named it Harvester, to honor International Harvester.

Later, in the 1940s, Denver Busby bought 190 acres (0.77 square kilometers) for his Burr Ridge dairy farm. He then created Burr Ridge Estates, with large home sites. In 1961, International Harvester and the Burr Ridge Estates joined with the village of Harvester. This is when the community changed its name to Burr Ridge. The name comes from a group of bur oak trees. By 1963, the population had more than doubled to 790 people. By 1975, it had grown to over 2,200.

Modern Development and Growth

In the 1970s, more farmland was developed into neighborhoods like Carriage Way and Braemoor. An area once owned by the Boy Scouts of America became the Burr Ridge Club. The village also has five corporate parks. Being close to major highways like Interstate 294 and Interstate 55 helped Burr Ridge grow a lot.

Population and People of Burr Ridge

In 2020, Burr Ridge had 11,192 residents living in 4,278 households. About 3,194 of these were families. The village had about 1,535 people per square mile (600 per square kilometer).

Most of the people in Burr Ridge, about 74.42%, identified as White. About 16.46% were Asian, and 1.96% were African American. A small number were Native American or Pacific Islander. About 5.44% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 26% of households had children under 18. Most households (66.29%) were married couples. The average household had 2.97 people, and the average family had 2.50 people.

The median age in Burr Ridge was 54.5 years. About 20.3% of the population was under 18. The median income for a household was $151,900, and for a family it was $204,167. The average income per person was $97,295. About 3.3% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Famous People from Burr Ridge

Many well-known people have lived in Burr Ridge, including:

• Bo Jackson – A former professional athlete who played both baseball and football.
• Jennifer Hudson – A famous singer and actress.
• Jim Peterik – A member of the band Survivor, who helped write the hit song "Eye of the Tiger".
• Dennis DeYoung – The former lead singer of the band Styx.
• Allison Rosati – A weeknight news anchor for WMAQ-TV.
• Bobby Simmons – A professional basketball player.
• Jim Thome – A former major league baseball player and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
• David Otunga – A former WWE wrestler.
• Dan K. Webb – A top lawyer and former U.S. Attorney.

Schools and Learning in Burr Ridge

Burr Ridge has several schools for different age groups:

Elementary and Middle Schools

• Burr Ridge Community Consolidated School District 180
  • Anne M. Jeans Elementary School
  • Burr Ridge Middle School
• Gower School District 62
  • Gower West Elementary School
  • Gower Middle School
• Hinsdale School District 181
  • Elm School
  • Hinsdale Middle School
• Pleasantdale School District 107
  • Pleasantdale Elementary School
  • Pleasantdale Middle School
• Trinity Lutheran School

High Schools

• Hinsdale Township High School District 86
  • Hinsdale Central High School
  • Hinsdale South High School
• Lyons Township High School District 204

Community Colleges

• Community College District #502
  • College of DuPage

Parks and Recreation

Burr Ridge is home to 12 main parks. One of the biggest is Harvester Park, which is also where the Burr Ridge Park District is located. Other large parks include:

• Pleasantdale Park District (with Walker Park)
• Citizens Park
• Kraml Park
• Palisades Park
• Stevens Park
• Whittaker Park
• Garywood Park
• McCullough Park
• Oak Grove Park
• Woods Pool Park

Places of Worship

Burr Ridge has several religious institutions:

• St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church
• Trinity Lutheran Church – This church was started in 1865. It also runs an elementary school, founded in 1883, which is accredited by National Lutheran Schools.
• St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church – This church was built in 1981 and finished in 1983. It holds services every Sunday and has a Montessori pre-school.
• St. Helena's Episcopal Church – Founded in the mid-1950s, this church helps with food programs. They have a 24/7 food donation box and grow fresh vegetables on their 5-acre site to give to food banks.
• Zoroastrian Center of Chicago – This is one of the few Zoroastrian centers in Illinois. It was founded in 1975.