Highland Park is a suburban city located in the southeastern part of Lake County, Illinois, United States, about 25 miles (40 km) north of downtown Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 30,176.[2] Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago metropolitan area.
History
A traveler in the area in 1833 described visiting a village of bark-covered structures where he ate roasted corn with a chief named Nic-sa-mah at a site likely located south of present-day Clavey Road and east of the Edens Expressway.[4]
In 1847, two German immigrants, John Hettinger and John Peterman founded a town along Lake Michigan, which they called St. John's. Soon, the town was abandoned, due to questions regarding ownership of the land. Three years later, another German Immigrant, Jacob Clinton Bloom, founded Port Clinton, which happened to be just south of St. John's. Port Clinton was described by Elijah Middlebrook Haines as "one of the most promising villages in the city". In 1854, a lighthouse was built in Port Clinton, thanks to funding by the US Congress and sponsorships from Illinois representatives. Despite having a functioning lighthouse with a keeper, a pier, sawmill, and a plank road, Port Clinton did not have a train station in 1855. In 1860, Port Clinton stopped growing as a town, and the lighthouse was shut down.[5]
In 1867, ten men purchased Highland Park for $39,198.70. They were the original stockholders of the Highland Park Building Company. Following construction of the Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad, a depot was established at Highland Park and a plat, extending south to Central Avenue, was laid out in 1856.[6] At that point, Highland Park was settled on mostly scattered farms and undeveloped forested land.[5] Highland Park was established as a city on March 11, 1869, with a population of 500, and evolved from the two settlements of St. John and Port Clinton; St. John's Avenue and Port Clinton Square are named after the settlements.[5][6] Highland Park was named from its parklike setting at a lofty elevation relative to the lake, and was given its name from Walter S. Gurnee.[7] The town annexed the village of Ravinia in 1899.
From its establishment in 1869 until November 1, 1900, Highland Park was a "dry" community, in which the sale of alcoholic drinks was prohibited.[8]
Highland Park has several attractions including a downtown shopping district and the Ravinia Festival. Ravinia Festival is an open-air pavilion seating 3,200, which hosts classical, pop, jazz and Latin concerts in the summers. It has been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936. Concert-goers can purchase seats in the covered pavilion or tickets to sit on the lawn. Many visitors arrive early and picnic on the lawn before and during concerts.[14] The festival is located in Ravinia District, originally an artists' colony, which still retains much of its early character and architecture.
There are three public beaches in Highland Park: Rosewood Beach, Moraine Beach (part of which is available for off-leash dogs), and Park Avenue Beach (which also has a boating facility). Highland Park is also home to the North Shore Yacht Club.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.2 square miles (31.7 km2), of which 12.2 square miles (31.6 km2) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.27%, is water.[15] Its geographic features include a 100-foot-high (30 m) bluff running along 6 miles (10 km) of Lake Michigan shoreline and deep, wooded ravines extending up to 1 mile (1.6 km) inland. Elevations range from 580 to 725 feet (177 to 221 m) above sea level.
Highland Park city, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the census[21] of 2000, there were 31,365 people, 11,521 households, and 8,917 families living in the city. The population density was 2,537.5 inhabitants per square mile (979.7/km2). There were 11,934 housing units at an average density of 965.5 per square mile (372.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.20% White, 1.78% African American, 0.08% Native American, 2.28% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.46% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.90% of the population.
There were 11,521 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $100,967, and the median income for a family was $117,235. Males had a median income of $83,121 versus $41,175 for females. The per capita income for the city was $55,331. About 2.3% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Incumbent mayor Nancy Rotering
The City of Highland Park is a council-manager government. The nonpartisan City Council consists of seven members, including an elected mayor and six council members, all elected at-large and serving staggered four-year terms. The current city council consists of:[22]
Position
Name
First elected
Term expires
Mayor
Nancy Rotering
2011*
2023
Councilman
Anthony Blumberg
2011
2023
Councilwoman
Michelle Holleman
2015
2023
Councilwoman
Annette Lidawer
2021
2025
Councilman
Adam Stolberg
2017
2023
Councilwoman
Kim Stone
2013
2021
Councilman
Andrés Tapia
2021
2025
Politics
Presidential election results
Presidential election results in Highland Park[23]
At the state level, Highland Park is a part of the 58th House District, represented by Bob Morgan (D-Highwood), and the 29th Senate District, represented by Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield). At the county level, the city is split between Districts 11 and 12, represented by former Highland Park City Councilman Paul Frank (D-Highland Park) and former Lake Forest Mayor Mike Rummel (R-Lake Forest), respectively.
Mayors
Mayors of Highland Park have included:
Frank L. Hawkins (first mayor, elected April 13, 1869)[24][25]
Academy Award winning screenwriter William Goldman was raised in Highland Park.
Game of Thrones showrunner D. B. Weiss grew up in Highland Park and was inspired to get into screenwriting after hearing a talk by another Highland Parker, David Seltzer, screenwriter of The Omen and Lucas (1986 film), which he also directed.[38] Prolific screenwriter Allan Loeb, too, hails from Highland Park.'
Award-winning novelist and short story writer Peter Orner and his brother, Eric Orner, a well-known cartoonist and graphic novelist, are both Highland Park natives.
"Highland Park has the feel of a gated community without the actual gates", writes Vanity Fair, and has a tradition of "very clever minds who left to strike gold in Hollywood." The creators of the Revenge of the Nerds, Beethoven, and other films grew up in Highland Park.[43]
It also was the setting for the 2000/2001 Fox and PBS documentary show American High.
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