Phoenix, Illinois Explained

Phoenix, Illinois
Settlement Type:Village
Seal Size:150px
Mapsize:260px
Image Map1:Illinois in United States (US48).svg
Map Caption1:Location of Illinois in the United States
Coordinates:41.6122°N -87.6306°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Illinois
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Cook
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Thornton
Established Title:Founded
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Terry Wells
Leader Title1:Village president
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:1.20
Area Total Sq Mi:0.46
Area Land Km2:1.20
Area Land Sq Mi:0.46
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:1708
Population Density Km2:1422.38
Population Density Sq Mi:3681.03
Timezone1:CST
Utc Offset1:-6
Timezone1 Dst:CDT
Utc Offset1 Dst:-5
Postal Code Type:ZIP Code(s)
Postal Code:60426
Area Code:708
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:17-59572
Blank2 Name Sec2:Wikimedia Commons
Blank2 Info Sec2:Phoenix, Illinois

Phoenix is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,708 at the 2020 census.[2] It is located approximately south of the Chicago Loop in the Chicago area.

History

The development of Phoenix is closely tied to its larger neighbor, Harvey. Harvey was established as an industrial city with no saloons. Many of its early factories were located between the Illinois Central Railroad and Harvey's eastern boundary at Halsted Street. One local businessman, William McLatchy, owned a large tract of land in an unincorporated area outside of Harvey. Soon, five saloons had opened in the area and a small housing subdivision known as Phenix Park was constructed during the 1890s.[3] City leaders in Harvey, seeing businesses just outside their boundaries selling alcohol to local workers, sought to annex Phenix Park and render it "dry" or free of alcohol-related establishments. The residents of Phenix Park wanted to retain local control of their affairs as an independent village. On August 29, 1900, an election was held to determine the future status of the area. A total of 56 votes were cast with 38 (67.9%) voting in favor of incorporation and 18 (32.1%) against. Despite legal challenges from Harvey, the result was upheld.

After incorporation, the name Phenix Park was changed to Phoenix. By 1910, the village had a population of 500, with most residents being of either Dutch or Polish ancestry. The first African Americans moved to Phoenix in 1915. Most came from Chicago and the South. Industry in Harvey and the railroads provided a strong employment base for Phoenix residents. The African American population steadily increased during the 1920s. By 1930, the village was home to 3,033 people. The demographic makeup of the community was 84.2% White, 15.1% Black, and 0.7% other.[3] Growth continued through the 1940s and 1950s. New housing was constructed to accommodate this growth. The population in 1960 was 4,203. At this time, Phoenix had a diverse ethnic composition but the community was racially segregated. African Americans, comprising 65.3% of the population, lived in the northern portion of the village while Whites, forming 34.7% of the population, lived in the southern portion of Phoenix. In 1960, the municipal administration of Phoenix voted to de-annex the predominantly White portion of the village into Harvey. The exchange occurred in 1962 and with it, Phoenix lost one-third of its population as well as 60% of its tax base.

By 1990, the population was 2,217.[3]

On October 16, 1979, Phoenix Mayor William Hawkins was shot and fatally wounded in an ambush outside of his home. He died two days later.[4] Bobby Joe Anderson, a city policeman, was indicted 13 years later for the crime and was convicted of first degree murder in the killing of Hawkins.[5]

Geography

Phoenix is located at 41.6122°N -87.6306°W (41.612333, -87.630545)[6] in southern Cook County. The village is nestled between Harvey and South Holland.[7]

According to the 2010 census, Phoenix has a total area of 0.45sqmi, all land.[8]

Surrounding areas

Harvey South Holland

Harvey South Holland

Harvey South Holland

Harvey / South Holland

Demographics

As of the 2020 census[9] there were 1,708 people, 612 households, and 261 families residing in the village. The population density was 3681.03PD/sqmi. There were 825 housing units at an average density of 1778.02/sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 85.30% African American, 1.23% White, 0.53% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 7.85% from other races, and 4.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.94% of the population.

There were 612 households, out of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 16.01% were married couples living together, 17.81% had a female householder with no husband present, and 57.35% were non-families. 54.58% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.04% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.62 and the average family size was 2.29.

The village's age distribution consisted of 17.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $30,455, and the median income for a family was $44,076. Males had a median income of $25,586 versus $30,313 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,421. About 26.4% of families and 29.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.4% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.

Phoenix village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)!Pop 2000[10] !Pop 2010[11] ![12] !% 2000!% 2010!
White alone (NH)2928style='background: #ffffe6; 141.34%1.43%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.82%
Black or African American alone (NH)2,0091,781style='background: #ffffe6; 1,44593.14%90.68%style='background: #ffffe6; 84.60%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)56style='background: #ffffe6; 70.23%0.31%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.41%
Asian alone (NH)13style='background: #ffffe6; 40.05%0.15%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.23%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)00style='background: #ffffe6; 20.00%0.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.12%
Some Other Race alone (NH)40style='background: #ffffe6; 130.19%0.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.76%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)2230style='background: #ffffe6; 191.02%1.53%style='background: #ffffe6; 1.11%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)87116style='background: #ffffe6; 2044.03%5.91%style='background: #ffffe6; 11.94%
Total2,1571,964style='background: #ffffe6; 1,708100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 100.00%

Government

Phoenix is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district.

Transportation

Pace provides bus service on Route 348 connecting Phoenix to destinations across the Southland.[13]

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. March 15, 2022.
  2. Web site: Phoenix village, Illinois, Illinois profile . United States Census Bureau. January 24, 2022.
  3. Web site: Phoenix, IL . Encyclopedia of Chicago . July 29, 2009.
  4. "Ambushed Mayor of Suburb In Chicago Dies of Wounds", "Around the Nation", The New York Times, October 19, 1979, p. A14
  5. https://casetext.com/case/people-v-anderson-892 People of the State of Illinois v. Bobby Joe Anderson
  6. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. April 23, 2011. February 12, 2011.
  7. Web site: History of Phoenix . Village of Phoenix . July 29, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091028132445/http://www.villageofphoenix.com/About/tabid/54/Default.aspx . October 28, 2009 . dead .
  8. Web site: G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1 . December 25, 2015 . . https://archive.today/20200213064540/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1759572 . February 13, 2020 . dead .
  9. Web site: Explore Census Data . June 28, 2022 . data.census.gov.
  10. Web site: P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Phoenix village, Illinois. United States Census Bureau.
  11. Web site: P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Phoenix village, Illinois . United States Census Bureau.
  12. Web site: P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Phoenix village, Illinois . United States Census Bureau.
  13. Web site: RTA System Map. February 1, 2024.
  14. News: Damer. Roy. Hoosiers nip Irish. December 12, 1975. Chicago Tribune. ProQuest.
  15. News: McAllister. Cal. Housing follows jobs to Phoenix. May 20, 1995. Chicago Tribune. ProQuest.
  16. News: 2 Iowa St. athletes charged in robbery. April 1, 1989. Chicago Tribune. ProQuest.
  17. The Wrong-Headed Scholar Who Said Obama Could Not Be Elected President. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. New York City. 62. 2009. 13–15. ProQuest.
  18. News: Clayton. Janet. Shelby Steele : Pushing All the Buttons: Equating Quotas With Goals. January 13, 1991. Los Angeles Times.
  19. Van Peebles. Melvin. Artistic development, near-death experiences, and the power of persistence. Lee Ann Norman. BOMB Magazine. July 30, 2021.