York Center, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
York Center, Illinois
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 York Center, Illinois
Location in Illinois
York Center, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | DuPage |
| Township | York |
| Elevation | 722 ft (220 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
60148 (Lombard)
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| Area code(s) | 630 & 331 |
| GNIS feature ID | 422172 |
York Center is a small community in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own city government. Instead, it's part of York Township.
You can find York Center near Meyers Road and 16th Street. It's close to the towns of Lombard and Oakbrook Terrace. The community has an elementary school, which opened in 1958. It also has a fire department that helps protect York Center and nearby parts of Lombard, Villa Park, Oak Brook, and Oakbrook Terrace.
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A Special Community: The York Center Cooperative
York Center is famous for its unique history. Right after World War II, a special community called the York Center Cooperative (Co-op) was started. A "co-op" is a group of people who own and run something together. This co-op was built on ideas of sharing and working together.
Building a Fair Place to Live
The people who started the Co-op wanted to create a place with good values and a strong community spirit. They followed ideas called the Rochdale Principles, which are about fair and equal cooperation. That's why the main road in the community is named Rochdale Circle!
A person named Louis Shirky bought a farm to start this housing co-op. He also helped create a Church of the Brethren in York Center. At the time, living in a co-op like this was seen as a very new and different idea.
Welcoming Everyone
Many people from Chicago wanted to move away from the city. They were looking for affordable homes in the suburbs and a place free from unfair treatment. They came to this peaceful farm, which the co-op members bought and divided into homes.
The co-op was special because it welcomed everyone. It was a community where people of all races, religions, and backgrounds could live together. This was very important because, at that time, many places had rules that kept different groups of people apart.
Fighting for Equality
The York Center Cooperative played a big role in fighting for fairness. An expert named Dennis Bilger said that the York Center Cooperative was one of the very first communities in the United States where people of all races could live together.
In 1949, the President of the United States, Harry Truman, made an important rule. He said it was illegal to treat people unfairly when giving out housing loans because of their race. This big step happened after the York Center Co-op members worked with the NAACP, a group that fights for civil rights. They helped show why such a rule was needed.
Girl Scouts in York Center
Being a Girl Scout was an important part of growing up in York Center. The Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana now serves the area. Back then, a leader named R. Hopley "Hop" Roberts helped guide the Girl Scouts when it was part of the DuPage County Council.
The Co-op's Legacy
The York Center Cooperative officially ended in 2010. However, its story continues to inspire people.
In 2021, the Lombard Historical Society made a movie about the community. It's called Common Good ~ The York Center Co-op Story. The film tells the amazing story of how this faith-based effort helped provide fair housing and a strong community. It shows how they offered opportunities during a time when unfair rules often stopped people of color from achieving their dreams.
