Markham, Illinois | |
---|---|
City | |
Nickname: Prairie Capital of the Prairie State | |
Motto: Unity for the Community | |
Coordinates: 41°35′51″N87°41′30″W / 41.59750°N 87.69167°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Illinois |
County | Cook |
Townships | Bremen, Thornton |
Incorporated | 1925 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Roger Agpawa |
Area | |
• Total | 5.41 sq mi (14.00 km2) |
• Land | 5.41 sq mi (14.00 km2) |
• Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 11,661 |
• Density | 2,157.45/sq mi (833.01/km2) |
Standard of living (2007-2011) | |
• Per capita income | $19,318 |
• Median home value | $120,300 |
ZIP code(s) | 60428 |
Area code(s) | 708 |
Geocode | 47007 |
FIPS code | 17-47007 |
Website | www |
Markham is a city and a south suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,661 at the 2020 census. [2]
This article needs additional citations for verification .(April 2017) |
It is claimed this area was beach 10,000 years ago. After countless ages of geologic swamps, marshes and sloughs, the prairies dominated the landscape with groves of trees, flowers, and wildlife in abundance.
Markham, southwest of the southern tip of Lake Michigan, had been a crossroad for early pioneers. In 1816 a treaty was made with the Ottawa, Chippewa and Potawatomi tribes which ceded a corridor of land located between a point north of the Chicago River and the mouth of the Calumet River to the settlers. The southern boundary, one of two Indian Treaty Boundary Lines, was surveyed along a line from the Kankakee River to Lake Michigan. The line still appears on government maps and now includes a short portion of Interstate 57 near the US 6 interchange northwest of Markham.
The village of Markham was incorporated in 1925 with a population under 300. The village was named for Charles H. Markham, president of the Illinois Central Railroad 1911–1918, 1919–1926. In the mid-1930s, the Croissant Park subdivision was built and increased the population from 349 to 1,388. After World War II, Markham's population doubled to 2,753 residents by 1950. The village developed into a bedroom community as residents sought homes, not industry. An airport developed at 165th Street and Kedzie Avenue was the nearest field outside of Chicago. The airport site was located near what is now the Cook County Sixth Circuit Courthouse. On August 24, 1967, Markham was incorporated as a city.[ citation needed ]
In 1860, a German immigrant named Lawrence Roesner made his way to the southern boundary and settled on land located in the northwest corner of Markham. He brought with him six seedlings from the Black Forest of Germany and planted them along the Indian Boundary Line. This "Lone Pine Tree" was adopted as the official city symbol in 1985. The lone survivor of six pine trees brought from the Black Forest in 1860 died in 1986. The Markham City Council appropriated money to get a replacement tree from the Black Forest, which the Markham Garden Club planted that year.
Markham is located at 41°35′51″N87°41′30″W / 41.59750°N 87.69167°W (41.597467, -87.691570). [3]
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Markham has a total area of 5.41 square miles (14.01 km2), all land. [4]
There are approximately 2,500 acres (10 km2) of virgin and restored prairie land located within the boundary of Markham. There are four prairies known as "Dropseed", "Sundrop", "Paintbrush" and "Gensburg". The prairie is under the supervision of Northeastern Illinois University and The Nature Conservancy. The Gensburg-Markham Prairie portion has been designated a National Natural Landmark. The prairies continue to grow and flourish with the help of the Friends of the Indian Boundary Prairies. [5]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1930 | 349 | — | |
1940 | 1,288 | 269.1% | |
1950 | 2,783 | 116.1% | |
1960 | 11,704 | 320.6% | |
1970 | 15,987 | 36.6% | |
1980 | 15,534 | −2.8% | |
1990 | 13,136 | −15.4% | |
2000 | 12,620 | −3.9% | |
2010 | 12,508 | −0.9% | |
2020 | 11,661 | −6.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 2010 [7] 2020 [8] |
As of the 2020 census [9] there were 11,661 people, 3,832 households, and 2,821 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,157.45 inhabitants per square mile (833.00/km2). There were 4,283 housing units at an average density of 792.41 per square mile (305.95/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 72.93% African American, 8.88% White, 0.91% Asian, 0.39% Native American, 10.26% from other races, and 6.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.27% of the population.
There were 3,832 households, out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.42% were married couples living together, 37.42% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.38% were non-families. 23.12% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.84 and the average family size was 3.23.
The city's age distribution consisted of 31.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,050, and the median income for a family was $45,880. Males had a median income of $28,214 versus $29,815 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,580. About 17.4% of families and 20.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.6% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010 [7] | Pop 2020 [8] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH) | 1,275 | 823 | 10.19% | 7.06% |
Black or African American alone (NH) | 10,076 | 8,420 | 80.56% | 72.21% |
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 15 | 11 | 0.12% | 0.09% |
Asian alone (NH) | 84 | 103 | 0.67% | 0.88% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 8 | 0 | 0.06% | 0.00% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 22 | 32 | 0.18% | 0.27% |
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 191 | 258 | 1.53% | 2.21% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 837 | 2,014 | 6.69% | 17.57% |
Total | 12,508 | 11,661 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2017, Roger Agpawa was elected mayor. [10] He had previously served as fire chief in neighboring Country Club Hills. Having been convicted in 1999 of felony mail fraud in a federal health insurance case, he is one of the first convicted felons to have been elected mayor. Experts state that he would have been ineligible to serve in the highest office in that city, despite being sworn in as mayor in October 2018 after an 18-month legal battle. [11] [12]
Markham is divided between two congressional districts. Most of the city is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district, consisting of the area south of the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-57) that is bordered on the west by Homan Avenue from 155th to 161st streets, Trumbull Avenue from 161st to 163rd, and Lawndale Avenue from 163rd to 167th; the rest of the city is part of the 1st district.
In the Illinois State Senate Markham is split by two districts:
In the Illinois House of Representatives Markham is split by two districts:
Most of Markham is within Prairie-Hills School District 144, which includes 6 elementary schools, and Prairie-Hills Junior High School. A portion of Markham is within the Posen-Robbins School District 143½, which includes 4 elementary schools, and Thomas J. Kellar Middle School. [13] Another Portion is within Hazel Crest School District 152.5, which includes 2 elementary schools, and Robert Frost Middle School. The remaining portion is within Harvey School District 152, which includes 5 elementary schools, and Brooks Middle School.
Most of Markham is served by Bremen High School, with another portion attending Hillcrest High School, and the remaining section goes to Tinley Park High School in Bremen Community High School District 228 [14] The rest of the city is served by Thornwood High School within Thornton Township High School District 205.
The Markam Police Department is responsible for public safety and law enforcement.
Anthony "Tony" DeBois, the deputy police chief from 2008 to 2012 and described as an "ally of Markham Mayor David Webb Jr." by the Chicago Tribune , had been the subject to numerous lawsuits alleging brutality and misconduct from 2004 to 2011. [15] [16] In 2014 he was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for raping a woman under arrest in 2010 and lying about it to the FBI in 2012. [16] [17]
Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Markham to destinations across the Southland. [18]
Alsip is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,063 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.
Broadview is a village in Cook County, Illinois, 12 miles (19 km) west of downtown Chicago. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 7,998.
Brookfield is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located 13 miles (21 km) west of downtown Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 19,476. The city is home to the Brookfield Zoo.
Country Club Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb and south of Chicago. The population was 16,775 at the 2020 census.
Crestwood is a village about 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 10,826.
Dixmoor is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States and a south suburb of Chicago. The population was 2,973 at the 2020 census.
Ford Heights is a village and a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,813 at the 2020 census. Many of the area’s first settlers were African American and since its incorporation in 1949 the village has remained predominantly Black. Due to the lack of commercial activity and financial stability, the village has declined over the years. Urban renewal efforts were attempted in the 1960s, although the village has continued to decline.
Harvey is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 20,324 at the 2020 census.
Hazel Crest is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,382 at the 2020 census.
Matteson is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,073 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Chicago.
Palos Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a southwest suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 12,068.
Palos Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a southwest suburb of Chicago. The city was established in 1958 and had reached a population of 18,530 in the 2020 census. It is the home of Moraine Valley Community College as well as Amos Alonzo Stagg High School.
Palos Park is a village in southwestern Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 4,899.
Phoenix is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,708 at the 2020 census. It is located approximately 19 miles (31 km) south of the Chicago Loop in the Chicago area.
Posen is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Posen is the German-language name for the western Polish city of Poznań. The population of the village was 5,632 at the 2020 census.
Prospect Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States and is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 16,058.
Tinley Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 55,971, and it is among the fastest-growing suburbs southwest of Chicago. In 2009, BusinessWeek named Tinley Park the "best place in America" to raise a family.
Glendale Heights is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 33,176. The village is almost entirely residential, and is a far west suburb of Chicago.
Thornton Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 157,865.
Bremen Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2020 census, its population was 107,149 and it contained 42,611 housing units. It was organized in 1850 and is located southwest of Chicago in southern Cook County. An administrative office for Bremen Township is located at 16361 South Kedzie Parkway, Markham, Illinois. It is named after the State of the same name in Germany as this area was settled by primarily German settlers.