History
Though Chicago Heights is now a thriving industrial and commercial center, it was once just a rural, agricultural village. Pioneer settlers came to the area in the 1830s, locating their homes along the banks of Thorn Creek.
This early settlement was known as Thorn Grove, with the two most influential families (the McEldowneys and the Wallaces) owning much of the land. Thorn Grove grew slowly through the 1840s, and shortly after became known as the village of Bloom in 1849.
Bloom began to prosper in 1853 when the first railroad (a branch of the Joliet and Northern Indiana) came through town. In 1869, Bloom was linked to the city of Chicago by rail, reducing the standard travel time to Chicago of two to four days to a matter of hours.
Though the advent of this railroad played a significant role in the development of Bloom, it was the building of the Chicago Outer Belt Line (the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad) in 1887 that launched the city into the 20th century. As a result, Bloom transformed into a community that promoted industrial development, yet allowed for the construction of attractive and quiet residential neighborhoods. Bloom was officially named Chicago Heights in 1892 to recognize its relation to Chicago and to note its elevation as one of the highest in the county.
By the turn of the century, 67 manufacturing entities employing 1,529 workers were established in the city, which had reached a population of 5,100. Chicago Heights continued to flourish, boasting large and prosperous factories and a residential community renowned for its beauty. Many of the original farmers who had sold their land and retired remained in the area, with many of these homes still standing to this day.
Planning for the Future
To ensure a good quality of life for its 31,000-plus citizens now and in the future, Chicago Heights and the Village of South Chicago Heights have partnered to create an environmental vision plan (Vision 2023) that addresses the sustainability for economically, socially and environmentally healthy communities.
The goal is to look into the immediate future and 20 years down the road to create a foundation for the future of both cities.
The communities will continue to work for clean air and land, brownfield redevelopment, quality of water, natural resource protection, open space preservation and compatible development. Working together to achieve these goals will develop a strong region that translates into an attractive and prosperous place to live and work.
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