Palatine, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Palatine, Illinois
Village
Palatine Village Hall
Logo
Motto(s):  A Real Home Town
Location of Palatine in Cook County, Illinois
Palatine, Illinois Location in Greater Chicago Show map of Greater Chicago Palatine, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Palatine, Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Township	Palatine
Area
• Total	14.28 sq mi (36.98 km2)
• Land	14.11 sq mi (36.56 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2)
Elevation	741 ft (226 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	67,908
• Density	4,811.39/sq mi (1,857.69/km2)
Demonym(s)	Palatinian
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	60067, 60074, 60078, 60094, 60095, 60173, 60195
Area codes	847, 224
FIPS code	17-57225
Home value:	$254,600 (2013)
Wikimedia Commons	Palatine, Illinois

Palatine (/ˈpælətaɪn/) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, USA. It is a residential suburb located northwest of Chicago. In 2020, Palatine had a population of 67,908 people. It was the seventh-largest community in Cook County in 2010. It was also the 18th-largest community in all of Illinois.

Exploring Palatine's Past: A Look at its History

The first European-American to settle in the Palatine area was likely George Ela. He built a log cabin in a place now called Deer Grove. Ela was one of many pioneers who moved to northern Illinois after the Black Hawk War. A road in Palatine, Ela Road, is named after him. Palatine is believed to be named after a town in New York.

The Palatine Metra station connects Palatine to Chicago and other towns.

The Village of Palatine was officially started in 1866. It grew around a station on the new Chicago and North Western Railway. Joel Wood planned and laid out the village. Because of this, he is known as Palatine's founder. One of the original streets downtown is named after Wood.

In 1920, the Indian Fellowship League held its first American Indian Day celebration. This event took place at Camp Reinberg in Palatine. The Daily Herald newspaper reported that 60,000 people attended. This caused the roads leading to the camp to be very crowded.

Palatine's historic George Clayson House was built in 1873.

A shortline railroad, the Palatine, Lake Zurich and Wauconda Railroad, was built in 1911. It started carrying passengers to Wauconda, Illinois, in 1912. This train line closed in 1924. This happened after some money problems and when roads in the area got better. The PLZ&W railroad helped people travel to Dr. Wilson's Deer Grove Park. This park was just north of Dundee Road in Palatine.

Palatine's first modern neighborhood was Palanois Park. It was built soon after World War II. The town has grown very quickly since the 1970s. This growth is part of Chicago's expanding suburbs. Palatine was also home to the Cook County Fair from 1914 to 1931. The land where the fair was held is now a neighborhood called Fairgrounds Park. Its name remembers Palatine's old fairgrounds.

In the early 1990s, Palatine faced a legal challenge. An atheist activist, Rob Sherman, sued Palatine. He also sued nearby Rolling Meadows and Zion. The lawsuit was about the village's official seal and flag. These items had a Christian cross inside an outline of an eagle. In 1992, people voted to keep the seal. However, another vote to use public money to defend the seal failed. This led the village to stop using the seal. Palatine has not had an official seal or flag since then. It is the largest city or village in Illinois without one. Sometimes, the French tricolor flag flies outside the village hall. This shows Palatine's sister city relationship with Fontenay-le-Comte, France.

Palatine has been working to improve its downtown area since 1999. This project has brought many new things. These include a new passenger train station and a nearby parking garage. Several new condominiums, rowhouses, and shops have also been built.

In 2008, Palatine considered leaving Cook County. This was because of a sales tax increase by the county. As a result, Palatine's sales tax became 9.0%. In 2009, people in Palatine Township voted strongly to support leaving Cook County.

Palatine's Landscape: Exploring its Geography

Undeveloped wooded marshland near Euclid Avenue in southern Palatine

Palatine covers about 14.28 square miles (36.98 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 14.11 square miles (36.56 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.16 square miles (0.42 square kilometers), is water. Palatine's shape looks a bit like the head of an axe.

Palatine is located in a wooded marshland area. Several streams start around the village. Most of these streams flow into Salt Creek. Salt Creek begins at Wilke Marsh on the east side of the village. An exception is the northeast side of Palatine. Streams there flow into the Buffalo Creek watershed. A small part of the east and southeast sides is in the McDonald Creek watershed.

Who Lives in Palatine? A Look at its Population

In 2020, Palatine had 67,908 residents. There were 26,804 households and 17,120 families. The population density was about 4,757 people per square mile. About 29,058 homes were in the village.

The people living in Palatine come from many different backgrounds.

• About 63.88% of residents were White.
• 12.95% were Asian.
• 3.11% were African American.
• 0.85% were Native American.
• 0.03% were Pacific Islander.
• 9.79% were from other races.
• 9.40% were from two or more races.
• Hispanic or Latino people made up 19.59% of the population.

In terms of households, 30.4% had children under 18 living with them. About 47% were married couples. The average household had 3.15 people. The average family had 2.52 people.

The age breakdown of the village was:

• 24.0% were under 18 years old.
• 6.3% were from 18 to 24.
• 28.9% were from 25 to 44.
• 26.9% were from 45 to 64.
• 13.9% were 65 years or older.

The average age in Palatine was 37.8 years.

The median income for a household was $83,495. For a family, it was $108,166. The average income per person was $43,978. About 7.2% of families and 9.9% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 18.7% of those under 18.

Palatine is home to a large Sikh gurdwara (a place of worship). It is located on the northwest side of the village. Sikhs from all over the country visit this gurdwara.

Palatine's Economy: Jobs and Businesses

The headquarters of Weber-Stephen Products, makers of the Weber grill, are in Palatine.

Weber-Stephen Products, the company that makes the famous Weber grill, has its main office in Palatine.

Top Employers in Palatine

Here are the largest employers in Palatine, based on a 2020 report:

Fun in Palatine: Arts, Culture, and Events

Palatine's Oktoberfest celebration in 2019.

• Streetfest: This event is like a big outdoor food festival. Food vendors line the streets of Downtown Palatine. There is also live music, games, and other fun activities. Streetfest happens at the end of every summer in August. It's a great event for families and friends to enjoy together.
• Fourth of July Celebration: Palatine has many traditions for the Fourth of July. There's an annual parade and fireworks, which usually happen on July 3rd. A carnival also comes to town. These events are for all ages and happen every year.
• Oktoberfest: This is a newer tradition that started in 2008. The Rotary Club of Palatine hosts it. The celebration includes live German music, craft beers, and food from local vendors. It celebrates Palatine's German heritage. This event is for all ages. Saturday morning is Family Day, with activities especially for younger people. Oktoberfest starts on Friday night during the third weekend of September.

Parks and Recreation: Staying Active in Palatine

Birchwood Park offers many activities for residents.

The Palatine Park District serves about 85,000 people. These residents live in Palatine and nearby communities. These include Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Inverness, Hoffman Estates, and Barrington. Five elected park commissioners manage the district. They oversee a team of professional staff.

The Palatine Park District has several swimming pools. These are at the Family Aquatic Center, Birchwood, and Eagle. It also has recreation centers at its Community Center, Birchwood, and Falcon Park. Falcon Park opened in January 2010. In 1989, the district bought Palatine Stables. This facility is home to about 70 horses.

Learning in Palatine: Schools and Colleges

Public Schools

Harper College provides higher education opportunities.

William Fremd High School is one of Palatine's public high schools.

Palatine High School serves students in the area.

Palatine is part of two main public school districts. Community Consolidated School District 15 is for elementary schools. Township High School District 211 is for high schools. Schools located within Palatine include:

• Gray M. Sanborn School
• Hunting Ridge School
• Jane Addams School
• Lake Louise School
• Lincoln School
• Marion Jordan School
• Pleasant Hill School
• Stuart R. Paddock School
• Virginia Lake School
• Walter R. Sundling Junior High
• Winston Campus Junior High
• Palatine High School
• William Fremd High School
• District 211 Academy-North

Private Schools

• Saint Theresa (Catholic) (Preschool-8th grade)
• Saint Thomas of Villanova (Catholic) (Preschool-8th grade)
• Immanuel Lutheran (Lutheran) (Preschool-8th grade)

Independent Schools

• Quest Academy (Preschool-8th grade)
• Acton Academy (Kindergarten-12th grade)
• The Chicago Northwest Suburban Chinese School holds classes at William Fremd High School. This school teaches students from preschool through 10th grade.

College

• William Rainey Harper College

Getting Around Palatine: Transportation Options

The Palatine station offers Metra commuter train service. It is part of the Union Pacific Northwest Line. Trains travel southeast to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago. They also go northwest to Harvard station or McHenry station.

Pace provides bus service in Palatine. Routes 604 and 697 connect Palatine to the Northwest Transportation Center in Schaumburg. They also go to other places.

Famous Faces from Palatine: Notable People

Many interesting people have connections to Palatine:

• Dean Boltz, a professional soccer player.
• Michael Bradley, a midfielder for the US National Team and Toronto FC; he lived in Palatine.
• Perry Caravello, an actor and comedian, lived in Palatine as a child.
• J. Michael Durnil – president of the Simon Youth Foundation.
• Mauro Fiore, an Academy Award-winning cinematographer; he attended Palatine High School.
• Gudy Gaskill, a mountaineer who helped create the Colorado Trail.
• John Gegenhuber, an actor.
• Belle C. Greene, a novelist, spent summers here.
• Vicki Gunvalson, a cast member of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
• Stanley M. Hough, a thoroughbred racehorse trainer.
• Todd Hundley, a catcher for the Mets, Cubs, and Dodgers; he attended William Fremd High School.
• Liz Johnson, a professional bowler and Hall of Famer; she moved to Palatine in 2017.
• Wendell E. Jones, an educator, businessman, and politician.
• Thymme Jones, drummer for Cheer-Accident.
• Elinor Levin, a member of the Iowa House of Representatives.
• Larry Lujack, a radio personality; he lived in Palatine.
• Carol Marin, a journalist (NBC 5 Chicago, Chicago Tonight); she attended Palatine High School.
• Christina Moore, an actress (MADtv, Jessie).
• Richard A. Mugalian, a lawyer and politician.
• Kris Myers, drummer for Umphrey's McGee.
• Ted Nugent, a guitarist and singer; he grew up in Palatine.
• Bernard E. Pedersen, a businessman and Illinois state legislator.
• Frederik Pohl, a science-fiction writer and critic.
• John Ratcliffe, a former member of the United States House of Representatives.
• David Saunders, a wide receiver and linebacker for several arena football teams.
• Jim Schwantz, a linebacker for the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys; he is also the mayor of Palatine.
• Mike Tauchman (born 1990), an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs.
• Scott Tolzien, a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers.
• Taylor Hill, a Victoria's Secret model; she was born in Palatine.
• Rollin S. Williamson, a state politician and judge.

Global Connections: Sister Cities

• Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée, France

Musical Group

• Born of Osiris, a Metal band; most of the members attended William Fremd High School.

Images for kids

• 

  Undeveloped wooded marshland near Euclid Avenue in southern Palatine

See also

In Spanish: Palatine (Illinois) para niños