Bolingbrook, Illinois

Template:Chicagoland municipality Bolingbrook is a village in Will County, Illinois and DuPage County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 56,321. As of a 2005 estimate, the population is 69,662. Today, Bolingbrook has nearly 75,000 residents.

Geography

Bolingbrook is located at 41°41′55″N 88°5′19″W (41.698613, -88.088668)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 53.7 km² (20.7 mi²). 53.1 km² (20.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.16%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 56,321 people, 17,416 households, and 14,246 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,060.2/km² (2,746.5/mi²). There were 17,884 housing units at an average density of 336.7/km² (872.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the village was 64.51% White, 20.41% African American, 0.23% Native American, 6.38% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 5.65% from other races, and 2.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.09% of the population.

There were 17,416 households out of which 48.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.22 and the average family size was 3.56.

In the village the population was spread out with 32.3% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $67,852, and the median income for a family was $71,527. Males had a median income of $46,915 versus $33,665 for females. The per capita income for the village was $23,468. About 2.9% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Growth History

Bolingbrook is a relatively new suburb of Chicago, having been incorporated in 1965. It grew solidly for the remainder of the 1960s, reaching a population of 7,000 by 1970. The 1970s were the first period of rapid growth in Bolingbrook, during which its population quintupled to reach over 37,000 by 1980. Much of this growth was as much due to mass annexation as well as raw population growth; the population of Bolingbrook by the 1970 census but with its 1980 land boundary was approximately 25,000, further reflecting the vigorous annexation that took place during the 1970s.

During the 1980s, growth in Bolingbrook and Will County slowed considerably as the focus of Chicago area growth in that decade largely shifted to the northern tier of suburbs in Lake and McHenry counties. By 1990, Bolingbrook's population had only increased by about 10% from the previous decade, to about 41,000. The main benefit of this slower growth is that it allowed the village's infrastructure (especially its school district) to catch up with its population.

An average neighborhood street in Bolingbrook, IL

The 1990s ushered in a second wave of strong growth to Bolingbrook, as Will and nearby Kendall counties once again became Chicago's fastest growing region. This second growth wave continues to the present day, and Bolingbrook now has a population in excess of 75,000 residents.

Transportation

Illinois Route 53 - Bolingbrook Drive, Illinois Route 126

Interstate 55 and Interstate 355

Former U.S Route 66

Other Major streets include Boughton Road, Weber Road, Lily Cache Lane, and Briarcliff Road

There is a small airport off of Boughton-Weber: Bolingbrook-Clow International Airport, with an estimated 3,600 foot runway (maybe addition of one more). The airport is a public (non-commercial) airport.

Notable Residents

Jaslene Gonzalez, America's Next Top Model Cycle 8

Steve Jaros, PBA Bowler - Major Champion

Schools

High Schools: Bolingbrook High School (365U), Plainfield North (202), Nequa Valley (204), and Downers Grove North [Served by four high schools, Romeoville High school also serves as an alternative for some students.]

Middle Schools: Brooks Middle School (located in the former Bolingbrook High School building and home of the district's ESL [English as a Second Language] program), Jane Addams Middle School and Hubert H. Humphrey Middle School.

Elementary Schools: Bernard J. Ward Elementary School (formerly a middle school), Independence Elementary School, Jamie McGee Elementary School, John R. Tibbott Elementary School, Jonas E. Salk Elementary School, Pioneer Elementary School, Oak View Elementary School, and Wood View Elementary School.

Alternative Schools: Phoenix Experierence [also housed in the Brooks Middle School building.]

Catholic Schools: St. Dominic School (serving grades PK - 8)

Other

Bolingbrook has one airport which is owned by the Village and operated under a contract with a management company., Clow International Airport. WGN-TV Helicopter is stationed at Clow Airport as well as a base station for Air Angels Aeromedical transport. (life flight type operation)

Bolingbrook Medical Center which currently operates the only free standing full service hospital emergency room, was given the OK to become a full service hospital. The first new hospital in Illinois since Olympia Fields Osteopathic Medical Center and Hospital (now St James Hospital) opened in Olympia Fields in 1979.(Note other hospitals have been built in Illinois, but these new hospitals have replaced older hospitals) The emergency room is unique in that it is one of the few full service ERs in the country not directly connected to a hospital. It is a level II trauma center.

The current mayor of Bolingbrook is Roger C. Claar, who has served in that role for nearly two decades.

District 365U was originally known as District 94. It took it's present name when it became the first school district in the United States to implement the 45-15 plan where schools were occupied year round with 3/4 of the students in session at any one time. Students went to school for 9 weeks and had 3 weeks off. Teachers were optionally allowed to work year-round.

Part of the area where Bolingbrook lies today was originally known as "Barber's Corners", and before that, "Welco".

The first subdivision in Bolingbrook was known as Westbury. It was located immediately west of Route 53.

The second subdivision in Bolingbrook was known as Colonial Village. It was built by Dover Construction. It was located on the far east side of Route 53.

Early versions of the Rand McNally atlas had a typo that showed Bolingbrook as "Colonial Village".

John J."Jack" Leonard was instrumental in the initial incorporation of the village. He served as the village's first village president. Prior to hiring a full-time police chief he served "double-duty" as both Village President and part-time Police Chief.

His wife Delphine M. Leonard(Hench) served as the village's first police radio operator.

During the first year of Bolingbrook's history the police "station" was headquartered in a spare bedroom in Village President Leonard's home. The police car was kept in their garage when it was not patrolling. Later the station moved to an old farmhouse on Braircliff Road by Saint Dominic's Church.

The first police chief, Fred Greening was recruited from the detective division of the Detroit Police Department.

The first village president(Jack Leonard) resided in Colonial Village(Section 1).

Swedish retailer IKEA opened its second location in Illinois here on September 28, 2005.

An outdoor mall, The Promenade Bolingbrook, opened on April 26, 2007 at the intersection of Boughton Road and Interstate 355. Anchor tenants include Bass Pro Shops and Macy's.[1]

Military contractor which specializes in advanced night vision technologies, EPIR Technologies Inc. opened here in 2000.

Bolingbrook was briefly referenced by Nicolas Cage's character in the 2005 movie "The Weather Man."

Most of Bolingbrook lies within the boundaries of Valley View School District 365U and Fountaindale Public Library District, both of which also include nearby Romeoville, Illinois. Other school districts that serve Bolingbrook include: Plainfield School District 202, Indian Prairie School District 204, Naperville School District 203, Woodridge Elementary, and Downers Grove High School District.

The first school built in Bolingbrook was North View School(now closed). It was located on Braircliff Road, close to Westbury.

Bolingbrook is home to the Boughton Ridge Golf Course, a 9-hole course owned by the Bolingbrook Park District, and the Bolingbrook Golf Club, a municipal facility which includes an 18-hole course.

Old Chicago Amusement Park operated here between 1975 and 1980.