Maywood, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maywood, Illinois
Village
Masonic Temple
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  "Village of Eternal Light"
Location of Maywood in Cook County, Illinois.
Maywood, Illinois Location in Greater Chicago Show map of Greater Chicago Maywood, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Maywood, Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Township	Proviso
Area
• Total	2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2)
• Land	2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,512
• Density	8,653.66/sq mi (3,340.70/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	60153–60155
Area codes	708/464
FIPS code	17-47774

Maywood is a village located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the larger Chicago metropolitan area. The village was founded on April 6, 1869, and officially organized on October 22, 1881. In 2020, about 23,512 people lived in Maywood.

Village History

Before railroads were built after the American Civil War, not many European-Americans lived in the Maywood area. The railroad helped Chicago grow and led to more people settling here.

One house in what became Maywood was a stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped African-American slaves escape to freedom. Some settled in Illinois, a free state. Others went to Canada, where slavery was against the law. A special marker now shows where this house once stood. It is near Lake Street and the Des Plaines River bridge.

This early suburb of Chicago grew along the oldest railway line from the city. Real estate developers liked the area because of its open grassy fields and old trees.

In 1868, some businessmen from Vermont started the Maywood Company. In 1870, they planned the streets and began building homes. They planted 20,000 young trees to make the future town look nice. Sadly, by 2010, the last of these 148-year-old trees were lost to an insect called the emerald ash borer.

The oldest known ash tree in northeast Illinois is in Maywood. It is about 250 years old. People are protecting it from the borers with special treatments. This ash tree is called "The Great Dane." It is named after Jens Jensen, who started the prairie ecology movement a long time ago. The tree is in old woods behind Proviso East High School.

The village was officially founded on October 22, 1881. Colonel William T. Nichols named it after his daughter, May, and the many groves of trees.

Many homes that are over 100 years old are still in Maywood. They look much like they did when they were built. Maywood has 17 homes and properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.

Maywood once had two airports. One of them was where Loyola University Medical Center is now. This was the airfield used by Charles Lindbergh when he was an airmail pilot.

The other airport, Checkerboard Field, was a private field. This land is now a forest preserve meadow. Later, a special board racetrack was built here. Famous racer Barney Oldfield raced on this track. One of the buildings at the Hines Veterans Hospital was built on the old grandstand's foundation.

Maywood in World War II

Maywood was home to the 33rd Tank Company of the Illinois National Guard. Their building was on Madison Street. On November 25, 1940, 122 men from this company joined the famous 192nd Tank Battalion. This group fought in the Philippine islands during World War II.

Many of these American soldiers were captured by the Japanese. They died in April 1942 during the Bataan Death March. Out of the 122 men from Company B, only 41 returned to Maywood after the war. An annual Bataan Day Parade honors their bravery and sacrifice.

Ian Smith, who led the history department at Proviso East High School, said that "World War II hit the town of Maywood really hard" because of these losses.

Village Geography

Maywood covers an area of about 2.72 square miles (7.04 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Maywood is surrounded by other villages. To the south is Broadview. To the east are Forest Park and River Forest. Melrose Park is to the north, and Bellwood is to the west.

Population Information

The Illinois Prairie Path entrance in Maywood

In 2020, Maywood had 23,512 people living in 7,634 households. About 5,065 of these were families. The population density was about 8,653 people per square mile.

Most people in Maywood are African American. A large part of the population is also Hispanic or Latino.

About 32.7% of households had children under 18. The average household had 3.86 people. The average family had 3.04 people. The median age in the village was 37.4 years.

The median income for a household was $56,623. For families, it was $64,212. About 11.7% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Education in Maywood

The Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 runs elementary and middle schools in the area. For high school, students attend schools operated by Proviso Township High Schools District 209. Proviso East High School is located right in Maywood.

Some elementary schools in Maywood include Emerson, Garfield, Lincoln, and Washington Dual Language Academy. Irving Middle School is also in Maywood. Students can also apply to Proviso Math & Science Academy in nearby Forest Park.

Triton College is the local community college for students after high school.

Transportation and Infrastructure

The Maywood Commuter Station with a freight train passing by

Public Transportation

Maywood has a Metra commuter railroad station on the Union Pacific West Line. Trains travel east to Chicago and west to Elburn. A trip from Maywood to Chicago takes about 22 to 27 minutes. The Maywood station is in the center of the village's business area. There is also the Melrose Park station nearby.

Pace Bus also provides bus services throughout Maywood.

Illinois Prairie Path

The Illinois Prairie Path is a long trail for walking, biking, and other non-motorized activities. It stretches for about 61 miles across three counties in Illinois. It was one of the first "rail-to-trail" projects in the U.S. in the 1960s. This means an old railroad track was turned into a public trail.

In Maywood, the path runs between North and South Maywood Drive. It also follows the Adams Street right-of-way.

Roads and Air Travel

Interstate 290, also known as the Eisenhower Expressway, cuts through Maywood. This highway goes from Chicago west to connect with Interstate 294. Maywood is conveniently located between two major airports: O'Hare and Midway.

Notable People from Maywood

See also

In Spanish: Maywood (Illinois) para niños