Hazel Crest

History

Hazel Crest was first settled in 1870 in a farming community known as South Harvey. An enterprising newspaper editor named William McClintock moved here from Ohio in 1890, buying from farmer Fred Puhrman, McClintock named the town South Harvey, and the town would receive its modern name in 1895, after a referendum. McClintock built a depot for a local milk train and subsequently opened transportation opportunities to Chicago and beyond. The depot also served as the area's first real estate office, public meeting place, Sunday school, day school, and post office. In 1900, the name was changed to Hazel Crest to reflect the large numbers of hazelnut bushes that grew on a rise of land just south of town. At the time, the southern border was 175th Street and the western edge of the village was Kedzie Avenue. Hazel Crest was incorporated in 1912. Many of the families of the early residents still live in the village. Later on, the city would see the construction of a Community Church in 1894, then a 1984 adaptation of an elementary school building which has now become the Martin J. Kauchak Municipal Center, named for President Kauchak who served the village for twenty years (1973–1993).

Geography

Hazel Crest is located at . The village is primarily located in Bremen Township, while the portion of the village south of 183rd Street is located in Rich Township and the portion east of I-80/94 is in Thornton Township. The village is located near Chicago in an area known as the Chicago Southland and is approximately south of the Chicago Loop. The village is bordered by Markham to the north, Harvey to the northeast, East Hazel Crest to the east, Homewood to the southeast, Flossmoor to the south and Country Club Hills to the west. According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Hazel Crest has a total area of , of which (or 99.39%) is land and (or 0.61%) is water. The village lies on the Tinley Moraine.

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
• Victor J Andrew High School
  High · Orland Hills · 2,259 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• Thornwood High School
  High · South Holland · 1,996 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• A B Shepard High Sch (Campus)
  High · Palos Heights · 1,973 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Thornton Fractnl So High School
  High · Lansing · 1,927 students · 18:1 ratio
• DD Eisenhower High Sch (Campus)
  High · Blue Island · 1,841 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Bloom High School
  High · Chicago Heights · 1,737 students · 18.7:1 ratio