Evergreen Park, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Evergreen Park, Illinois
Village
Side/Aerial view of Evergreen Park, Illinois
Seal
Motto(s):  "The Village of Churches"
Location of Evergreen Park in Cook County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Evergreen Park, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Evergreen Park, Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Township	Worth
Incorporated	1893
Area
• Total	3.16 sq mi (8.19 km2)
• Land	3.16 sq mi (8.19 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	19,943
• Density	6,305.09/sq mi (2,434.72/km2)
Standard of living (2007–11)
• Per capita income	$28,499
• Median home value	$219,500
ZIP Code	60805
Area code	708
Geocode	17-24634
FIPS code	17-24634
GNIS ID	2398846

Evergreen Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. In 2020, about 19,943 people lived there. The village borders the city of Chicago on its north, east, and south sides. It also shares a border with Oak Lawn on its west side.

Evergreen Park is sometimes called the "Village of Churches." This is because it has thirteen churches very close to each other.

History of Evergreen Park

In 1828, a German farming family settled in the area that is now Evergreen Park. More German immigrants arrived in the years that followed. Roads like Kedzie Avenue and 95th Street helped farmers get their goods to markets.

Early Development and Growth

The first railroad came through the area in 1873. In 1875, the community built its first school. This school and nearby stores became the main business area. A real estate developer created a star-shaped park with eight streets. The evergreen trees planted in this park gave the village its name. This park was later renamed Klein Park.

In 1888, St. Mary's Cemetery opened. People traveled by train from Chicago to visit the cemetery. Restaurants and taverns opened to serve these visitors. Within five years, the village became a fun place with picnic spots and dance halls. The first of the village's 13 churches was built in 1893.

Becoming an Independent Village

In the 1890s, many towns joined Chicago due to money problems. Evergreen Park decided to become its own village to avoid this. On December 20, 1893, it officially became an independent village. About 500 people lived there before it became a village. Most residents voted to stay separate from Chicago. John M. Foley became the village's first mayor.

After becoming a village, Evergreen Park grew. Telephone services started in 1899. By 1910, homes had gas and electricity. Street lights were also put up. By 1920, most homes had indoor plumbing.

Challenges and New Buildings

Early in the 20th century, many people still farmed. There were also many open fields. This meant fires were a big risk. In 1918, a spark from a train burned down the first village hall. A new village hall was built in 1920. By then, the population had grown to 800 people.

In 1930, Little Company of Mary Hospital opened. It was built at 95th and California. In its first year, 232 babies were born there. In 1967, a strong tornado hit Evergreen Park and other nearby towns.

First Successful Organ Transplant

On June 17, 1950, Little Company of Mary Hospital made history. It was the site of the world's first successful organ transplant. Dr. Richard Lawler, a skilled surgeon, led the team.

Preparing for the Operation

Dr. Lawler spent years studying and practicing organ transplants. He used dogs for his research. He learned that a kidney from a deceased donor had the best chance of success. He wanted to "get it all started" and help a very sick patient.

The Historic Procedure

The patient was Ruth Tucker, a 44-year-old woman. She had a serious kidney disease. Dr. Lawler and his team performed the operation. Ruth Tucker lived for another five years after the transplant.

Dr. Lawler's work was new and faced criticism at first. But by the 1970s, organ transplants became common. Dr. Lawler and his team earned great respect from the medical world. He retired in 1979 and passed away in 1982.

Historical Landmarks

Evergreen Plaza: A Shopping First

The Evergreen Plaza, also known as "The Plaza," was a famous shopping mall. It opened in the early 1950s at 95th and Western. In 1952, developer Arthur Rubloff opened the Plaza.

A few years later, Rubloff made it the first indoor shopping mall in the Chicago area. This changed shopping by letting people park and shop in one place. The Plaza was very large, covering 1.2 million square feet. By 2006, about 7 million people visited it each year.

After 61 years, The Plaza closed in 2013 for new development. It reopened on October 18, 2018, with a new name: the Evergreen Marketplace.

Geography of Evergreen Park

Evergreen Park is located at 41°43′12″N 87°42′9″W / 41.72000°N 87.70250°W / 41.72000; -87.70250. It is surrounded by the city of Chicago on three sides. Oak Lawn and Hometown are to its west.

Chicago's Ashburn community is to its north. Beverly is to its east. Both Beverly and Mount Greenwood are to its south.

The village covers about 3.16 square miles (8.19 square kilometers) of land. U.S. Route 12 and U.S. Route 20 run through Evergreen Park as 95th Street.

Population Information

In 2020, Evergreen Park had 19,943 people living in 7,161 households. The average household size was about 3.3 people.

The population included people of different backgrounds:

• 57.84% White
• 24.49% African American
• 17.10% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
• Other groups made up the rest.

The median age in the village was 41.1 years. About 23.6% of the population was under 18 years old.

Getting Around Evergreen Park

Pace and CTA provide bus services. These buses connect Evergreen Park to many places in the Southland area.

Notable People from Evergreen Park

Many famous people have connections to Evergreen Park:

• Tom Baldwin, a professional football player.
• Chris Chelios, a retired NHL and Olympic hockey player. He is in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• Tony Cingrani, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Bil Dwyer, a comedian and game show host.
• Jim Dwyer, an outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams.
• Ed Farmer, an MLB pitcher and White Sox radio announcer.
• Ruben Gallego, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He went to Evergreen Park Community High School.
• Rick Gorecki, an MLB pitcher.
• Tom Gorzelanny, a pitcher for the Washington Nationals.
• Brad Guzan, a soccer player for Atlanta United FC and the U.S. national team.
• Wayne Huizenga, a business leader who founded AutoNation and owned sports teams.
• Mahalia Jackson, a famous gospel singer.
• Ted Kaczynski, a person who graduated from Evergreen Park High School.
• Jane Lynch, a well-known actress, comedian, and author.
• Scott Meyer, a catcher for the Oakland Athletics.
• Maureen Murphy, a political leader in Cook County.
• Rich Nugent, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Frank M. Ozinga, an Illinois state senator and lawyer.
• Donn Pall, a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.
• David Patterson, a computer pioneer and academic.
• Billy Pierce, a pitcher, broadcaster, and scout for the Chicago White Sox.
• Bill Rancic, a television personality.
• Lou Pote, an MLB pitcher.
• Joe Shanahan, owner of Metro Chicago.
• Kevin Sullivan, a former White House Communications Director.
• Joseph C. Szabo, a former Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
• John Tumpane, a baseball umpire.
• Mike Wengren, the drummer for the band Disturbed.

Schools in Evergreen Park

Evergreen Park has public and private schools for students. It is part of the Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124 and the Evergreen Park Community High School District 231.

Public Schools

• Northeast Elementary
• Northwest Elementary
• Southeast Elementary
• Southwest Elementary
• Central Middle School
• Evergreen Park Community High School

Private Schools

• Most Holy Redeemer School
• Queen of Martyrs

Other private schools like Brother Rice High School, Mother McAuley High School, and St. Rita High School are close by in Chicago. St. Xavier University is also near Evergreen Park.

Notable Events

Evergreen Park Little League hosted the 2009 Little League State Championship. This event was shown on Comcast.

Images for kids

• 

  The official logo of Evergreen Park.

See also

In Spanish: Evergreen Park para niños