Tinley Park, Illinois

Chicagoland municipality
muni-name = Tinley Park
muni = Village
date = 1892
state = Illinois
county = Cook
county2 = Will
township = Bremen
tcounty = Will
tcounty2 = Cook
tcounty3 = Cook
township2 = Frankfort
township3 = Orland
township4 = Rich
gov = Council-manager
head_label = Mayor
gov_head = Edward Zabrocki
pop = 58,322
density-km = 1,250.0
density-mi = 3,236.9
status = up
percent = 30.39
prevyear = 1990
white = 93.16
black = 1.92
hispanic = 4.13
asian = 2.38
islander = 0.02
native = 0.13
other = 1.11
zips = 60477 and 60487
acode = 708
acode2 = 815
area-km = 38.8
area-mi = 15.0
pci = 25,207
geocode = 75484
mhi = 61,648
mnhv = 160,900
mhv = 174,839 (2000)
website = www.tinleypark.org

Tinley Park is a village located primarily in Cook County, Illinois, United States with a small portion in Will County. The population was 48,401 at the 2000 census, and 58,322 in the 2007 census. Tinley Park is one of the fastest growing suburbs south of Chicago. The ZIP codes of the village are 60477 and 60487.

History

Early years

Settlement of the area which now comprises Tinley Park began in the 1830s, around the time of the foundation of Chicago. The first settlers were German, and the village was originally established in 1853 as "Bremen".

In the late 19th century, railroads expanded rapidly, and the village happened to be located on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad line. The influence of the railroad on Bremen was so great that, in 1890, its name was changed to Tinley Park in honor of the village's first railroad station agent, Samuel Tinley, Sr. Even the village's official incorporation took place at the train depot on June 27th, 1892.

20th century

With the railroad came industry and commerce. 1905 saw the Diamond Spiral Washing Machine Company found its first factory in Tinley Park. Local businessmen established an electric utility in 1909. A bottling facility for soda was operated in Tinley Park until the 1950s. Inventor John Rauhoff developed and manufactured a waterproofing additive for cement called Ironite, later used in the construction of the Hoover Dam.

Today

After its centennial, Tinley Park from the late 20th century to the present has been focused on renovation of its downtown historic district. The historic district is made up of the village's original 1892 boundaries. In this district, landowners are encouraged to maintain the historic edifices.

Downtown renovation projects include the creation of a park in the very center of this historic area, near the Tinley Park Rock Island train station, and the recent "North Street Project," a multimillion dollar project which will raze businesses and dwellings to create an area for more than 100 condominiums, over convert|40000|sqft|m2|-3 of commercial retail space, convert|10000|sqft|m2|-3 of office space, an underground parking facility, and an 11-screen theater which will seat 1,920.

The First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, a venue which seats 28,000, is located in Tinley Park, as is one of the two Odyssey Fun World Chicago area locations. Tinley Park was the site of the Tinley Park Lights, an anomalous multiple mass UFO sighting event in 2004 and 2005.

According to a recently taken special census, Tinley Park's population is now 58,322, eclipsing the population of its neighbor to the west, Orland Park. [Star Newspaper, March 18, 2007]

hooting

On February 2nd, 2008, a Lane Bryant women's clothing store by 191st & Harlem was the scene of an as yet unsolved 5-victim fatal shooting massacre during an apparent armed robbery. [cite news
url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/773695,tinley020208.article
title=Five women dead in Tinley Park clothing store shooting
publisher=Chicago Sun-Times
date=February 2 2008
accessdate=2008-02-02]

Acid Spill

On June 5th, 2008, a local pool and outdoor furnishings supply store was the subject of a small hazardous waste incident. A vat of hydrochloric acid reportedly leaked in the back room of the store and reacted with the concrete floor, producing a smokey gas that filled the storage room and began to seep into the store itself. A HazMat team was quickly called and the spill was cleaned up before anyone was injured. [Tinley Junction Newspaper, June 12th, 2008]

Geography

Tinley Park is located at coor dms|41|34|26|N|87|48|14|W|city (41.573800, -87.803891)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 15.0 square miles (38.8 km²), of which, 14.9 square miles (38.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.27%) is water. The village lies on the Tinley Moraine and/or the Valparaiso Moraine.

Demographics

As of the 2000 censusGR|2, there were 48,401 people, 17,478 households, and 12,793 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,236.9 people per square mile (1,250.0/km²). There were 18,037 housing units at an average density of 1,206.2/sq mi (465.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.16% White, 1.92% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.38% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.13% of the population.

The top five ancentries reported in Tinley Park as of the 2000 census were Irish (25.5%), German (23.1%), Polish (19.7%), Italian (14.3%) and Dutch (5.3%). [ [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_DP2&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-_lang=en&-_sse=on&-geo_id=16000US1775484 Profile of Selected Social Characteristics, Tinley Park, Illinois] . U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed 2007-07-11.]

There were 17,478 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the village the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $61,648, and the median income for a family was $71,858. Males had a median income of $50,595 versus $34,401 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,207. About 1.1% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Tinley Park is divided between three congressional districts. Most of the village, including all the area in Bremen and Rich Townships, is in Illinois' 1st congressional district; the area in Will County is in the 11th district; the area in Orland Township south of 167th Street, as well as most of the area southwest of 163rd Street and Ozark Avenue, is in the 13th district.

Education

Tinley Park includes two public elementary school districts, Kirby School District 140 and Community Consolidated School District 146. The town also includes St. George, a Catholic Pre-K thru 8 elementary school. Andrew High School (School District 230) and Tinley Park High School (School District 228) are both secondary schools located within Tinley Park. Most residents of Tinley Park are located within the residency boundaries for Moraine Valley Community College.

ister cities

*.
*Mallow, Ireland

People from Tinley Park, Illinois

* Emil Andres, Indy and Sprint Car Driver
* Gary Bettenhausen, Indy and Sprint Car Driver
* Merle Bettenhausen, Sprint Car Driver
* Tony Bettenhausen, Indy Car Driver
* Tony Bettenhausen Jr, Indy Car Driver
* Frank J. Christensen, American Labor Leader
* Gina Glocksen, American Idol Finalist
* Christine Magnuson, Olympic Swimmer and 2x Silver Medalist
* Kevin Sefcik, Former Major League Baseball Player

References

2. Kenneth J. Schoon, Calumet Beginnings, 2003

External links

* [http://www.tinleypark.org www.tinleypark.org]
* [http://www.tplibrary.org www.tplibrary.org] - Tinley Park Library