Chicago Heights

History

The first recorded settlement by non-native Americans of the area that would become Chicago Heights occurred in 1833 when Absalom Wells built a cabin on the ridge above Thorn Creek. By the 1840s, a small rural community known as Thorn Grove had been formed, centered around a Presbyterian church. The newly-created factories and plants drew large numbers of Italian, Polish, Slovak, Lithuanian, Irish, and Black American workers to the East Side and Hill neighborhoods. A downtown area formed and became a center of activity for the surrounding region. In 1916, the Lincoln Highway Association was persuaded to route the country's first transcontinental highway through the city, leading the community to be dubbed "the crossroads of the nation." During the Prohibition era, the city was home to many bootleggers. Al Capone was a frequent presence, and criminal bootlegging operations employed many area runners, sugar buyers, and plumbers. Period newspaper accounts placed the value of locally-produced alcohol during the 1925-1929 period at $35 million. During the Great Depression the area was hard-hit due to its large industrial presence. World War II drove production in local factories essential for the war effort, which led to a resurgence in area prosperity during the 1950s. A Ford stamping factory created during that decade helped further the area. The area declined economically during the 1970s as heavy manufacturing scaled down or left the region.

Geography

Chicago Heights lies on the high land of the Tinley Moraine, with the higher and older Valparaiso Moraine lying just to the south of the city. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.13%) is water. : Homewood / Glenwood : Flossmoor Glenwood : Olympia Fields Ford Heights : Park Forest Sauk Village : South Chicago Heights

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Homewood-Flossmoor High School
  High · Flossmoor · 2,798 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Rich Township High School
  High · Olympia Fields · 2,487 students · 12.4:1 ratio
• Thornwood High School
  High · South Holland · 1,996 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Thornton Fractnl So High School
  High · Lansing · 1,927 students · 18:1 ratio
• Bloom High School
  High · Chicago Heights · 1,737 students · 18.7:1 ratio
• Thornton Township High School
  High · Harvey · 1,628 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Bremen High School
  High · Midlothian · 1,497 students · 17.6:1 ratio
• Thornton Fractnl No High School
  High · Calumet City · 1,383 students · 15.9:1 ratio