Originally part of Potawatomi Native American landscape, the Lombard area was first settled by Americans of European descent in the 1830s. Lombard shares its early history with Glen Ellyn. Brothers Ralph and Morgan Babcock settled in a grove of trees along the DuPage River. In what was known as Babcock's Grove, Lombard developed to the east and Glen Ellyn to the west. In 1837, Babcock's Grove was connected to Chicago by a stagecoach line which stopped at Stacy's Tavern at Geneva and St. Charles Roads. Fertile land, the DuPage River, and plentiful timber drew farmers to the area.

Sheldon and Harriet Peck moved from Onondaga, New York, to this area in 1837 to farm 80 acres (320,000 m²) of land. In addition, Peck was an artist and primitive portrait painter who traveled to clients across northeastern Illinois. The Peck house also served as the area's first school and has been restored by the Lombard Historical Society. In 2011, the Peck House was inducted into the National Park Service's Network to Freedom—a list of verified Underground Railroad locations.

The 1848 arrival of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad provided local farmers and merchants rail access to Chicago, and commercial buildings soon sprang up around the train station. Lombard was officially incorporated in 1869, named after Chicago banker and real estate developer Josia Lewis Lombard.

Women's rights

On April 6, 1891, Ellen A. Martin led a group of women to the voting place at the general store. She demanded that the three male election judges allow the women to vote. The judges were so surprised that one of them had a "spasm," one leaned against the wall for support, and the other fell backwards into a barrel of flour. They acquiesced to Ellen, but fundamentally did not want to let the women vote, so a county judge was asked to decide. He agreed that the women were right. Ellen Martin then became the first woman in Illinois to vote, and one of the first in the entire U.S. In 1916 Illinois women could vote in national elections, but the 19th Amendment (the Women's Suffrage Amendment) was not passed until 1920.

In 2008, Lombard declared April 6 to be "Ellen Martin Day" in commemoration of Ms. Martin's historic victory for women's suffrage.

Little Orphan Annie House

William LeRoy built a home in the Italianate style on Lombard's Main Street in 1881. LeRoy specialized in making artificial limbs for civil war veterans and lived in this house until 1900. The house would eventually become the home of Harold Gray's parents and the studio of Harold Gray, the originator of Little Orphan Annie cartoon strip. Harold Gray used the home's study to work on the Annie cartoons, and some features of the house are drawn into some of his cartoons, such as the grand staircase and the outer deck. Gray lived at 215 S. Stewart Ave in Lombard at this time. Later, he remarried and moved to the east coast. Harold Gray was a charter member of Lombard Masonic Lodge #1098, A.F. & A.M. in 1923.

The Lilac Village

In 1927, the estate of Colonel William Plum, a local resident, was bequeathed to the village. The Plum property included his home, which became the site of the original Helen M. Plum Memorial Library (decommissioned in 2023), and a large garden containing 200 varieties of lilac bushes. This garden became a public park, Lilacia Park.

Culture

Since 1930, Lombard has hosted an annual Lilac Festival and parade in May. "Lilac Time in Lombard," is a 16-day festival ending in mid-May. It starts with the Lilac Queen coronation and her court. Many lilac themed events take place, including a formal ball, concerts, wine and beer tasting in the park, a Mothers' Day Brunch, an arts and crafts fair, and tours of the park. The grand finale is Lombard's Lilac Festival Parade. The first Lilac Princess in 1930 was Adeline Fleege.

There is a farmers market held in downtown Lombard once a week from May to October every year.

There is a food cooperative slated to open sometime in 2024 in town.

Education

Lombard's high schools (9-12) belong to Glenbard Township High School District 87. They are shared with the neighboring town of Glen Ellyn, thus the creation of the portmanteau word "Glenbard". Lombard's elementary and middle schools (K-8) belong to Lombard School District 44 or DuPage School District 45.

High Schools
- Glenbard East High School (located in Lombard)
  - Serves the majority of Lombard.
- Glenbard South High School (located in Glen Ellyn)
  - Serves the far southwest part of Lombard.
- Glenbard West High School (located in Glen Ellyn)
  - Serves the far northwest part of Lombard.
- Willowbrook High School (located in Villa Park)
  - Serves the southeast and far northeast part of Lombard.
- Addison Trail High School (located in Addison)
  - Serves parts of unincorporated Lombard.
Private Schools
- Montini Catholic High School
- College Preparatory School of America

Geography

Lombard is located at 41°52′34″N 88°0′54″W / 41.87611°N 88.01500°W / 41.87611; -88.01500 (41.875979, -88.015060).

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Lombard has a total area of 10.41 square miles (26.96 km²), of which 10.22 square miles (26.47 km²) (or 98.21%) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.49 km²) (or 1.79%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	378	—
1890	515	36.2%
1900	590	14.6%
1910	883	49.7%
1920	1,331	50.7%
1930	6,197	365.6%
1940	7,075	14.2%
1950	9,817	38.8%
1960	22,561	129.8%
1970	34,043	50.9%
1980	36,879	8.3%
1990	39,408	6.9%
2000	42,322	7.4%
2010	43,165	2.0%
2020	44,476	3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

Lombard's Masjid Darussalam, an Islamic center built in 2013

As of the 2020 census there were 44,476 people, 17,030 households, and 10,914 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,274.07 inhabitants per square mile (1,650.23/km²). There were 19,150 housing units at an average density of 1,840.28 per square mile (710.54/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 70.83% White, 4.62% African American, 0.35% Native American, 13.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.82% from other races, and 7.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.17% of the population.

There were 17,030 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 9.82% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.91% were non-families. 29.47% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 2.54.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $86,167, and the median income for a family was $100,420. Males had a median income of $58,398 versus $40,411 for females. The per capita income for the village was $41,154. About 3.5% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

**Lombard village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	35,591	32,790	30,503	84.10%	75.96%	68.58%
Black or African American alone (NH)	1,125	1,925	2,014	2.66%	4.46%	4.53%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	40	24	52	0.09%	0.06%	0.12%
Asian alone (NH)	2,970	4,207	5,821	7.02%	9.75%	13.09%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	6	4	4	0.01%	0.01%	0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	19	58	138	0.04%	0.13%	0.31%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	559	670	1,423	1.32%	1.55%	3.20%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,012	3,487	4,521	4.75%	8.08%	10.17%
Total	42,322	43,165	44,476	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Economy

According to Lombard's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	J.C. Penney Co. Inc.	400
2	School District 87	300
3	Westin Lombard Yorktown	275
4	Adjustable Forms, Inc.	250
5	Vitas Healthcare Corporation	250

Transportation

The former train station for the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad at Main Street, pictured in 1902

Lombard is served by Metra's Union Pacific West Line, which runs from the Ogilvie Transportation Center out to Elburn, Illinois over the old Chicago and Northwestern Railway trackage. Lombard's also served by I-88 / Illinois 110 and I-355 as well as Illinois Routes 38, 53, 56, and 64.

Formerly, it was also served by trains of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad (with commuter stops at Stewart Ave, Main St, Brewster Ave and Westmore/Meyers Road) and the Chicago Great Western Railway. These former railroads have been preserved as multiple use recreational trails (Illinois Prairie Path and Great Western Trail).

Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Lombard to Naperville, Cicero, and other destinations. The Yorktown Center serves as a hub for bus routes in the area.

Notable people

Winifred Bonfils, newspaper journalist and columnist
Dallas Frueh, racing driver
Russ Gamester, racing driver
Harold Gray, cartoonist and creator of Little Orphan Annie
Tom Higgenson, founder of Plain White T's, grew up in Lombard
Ted Kaczynski, American terrorist, also known as the Unabomber
James Marcello, reputed Mafia leader
Ellen Annette Martin, first woman to vote in Illinois in 1891
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, actor
Sheldon Peck, folk artist and abolitionist
Mary Doria Russell, author of five novels including The Sparrow and Children of God
Bob Schacht, racing driver
Daniel M. Tani, NASA astronaut
Charles Tilly, scholar
Doug Walker, film critic and comedian
Timothy Zahn, science-fiction author

Lombard, Illinois facts for kids

Contents

History