Lombard
Village
Village of Lombard
Lilacia Park
Lilacia Park
Nickname: 
The Lilac Village
Location of Lombard in DuPage County, Illinois.
Location of Lombard in DuPage County, Illinois.
Coordinates: 41°52′34″N 88°0′54″W / 41.87611°N 88.01500°W / 41.87611; -88.01500
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyDuPage
TownshipsYork, Bloomingdale, Milton, Addison
Incorporated1869
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • PresidentKeith Giagnorio
Area
[1]
 • Total10.41 sq mi (26.95 km2)
 • Land10.22 sq mi (26.47 km2)
 • Water0.19 sq mi (0.48 km2)  1.91%
Population
 (2021 United States Census)
 • Total44,476
 • Density4,351.86/sq mi (1,680.19/km2)
 Up 2.5% from 2000
Standard of living
 • Per capita income$40,832 (2019)
 • Home value$170,245 (median: $255,500 in Feb. 2021)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (Central)
ZIP code(s)
60148, 60149
Area code(s)630 and 331
Geocode44407
FIPS code17-44407
Websitewww.villageoflombard.org
Demographics (2000)[2]
Demographic Proportion
White 81.02%
Black 9.70%
Hispanic 4.75%
Asian 7.05%
Islander 0.02%
Native 0.15%
Other 1.43%

Lombard is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. The population was 44,476 at the 2020 census.

History

Lombard's Maple Street Chapel, built in 1870, served as the village's first town hall and library.

Originally part of Potawatomi Native American landscape, the Lombard area was first settled by Americans of European descent in the 1830s. Lombard shares its early history with Glen Ellyn. Brothers Ralph and Morgan Babcock settled in a grove of trees along the DuPage River. In what was known as Babcock's Grove,[3] Lombard developed to the east and Glen Ellyn to the west. In 1837, Babcock's Grove was connected to Chicago by a stagecoach line which stopped at Stacy's Tavern at Geneva and St. Charles Roads. Fertile land, the DuPage River, and plentiful timber drew farmers to the area.

Sheldon and Harriet Peck moved from Onondaga, New York, to this area in 1837 to farm 80 acres (320,000 m2) of land. In addition, Peck was an artist and primitive portrait painter who traveled to clients across northeastern Illinois. The Peck house also served as the area's first school and has been restored by the Lombard Historical Society.[4] In 2011, the Peck House was inducted into the National Park Service's Network to Freedom[5]—a list of verified Underground Railroad locations.[6]

The 1848 arrival of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad provided local farmers and merchants rail access to Chicago, and commercial buildings soon sprang up around the train station. Lombard was officially incorporated in 1869, named after Chicago banker and real estate developer Josia Lewis Lombard.[3]

Women's rights

On April 6, 1891, Ellen A. Martin led a group of women to the voting place at the general store. She demanded that the three male election judges allow the women to vote. The judges were so surprised that one of them had a "spasm," one leaned against the wall for support, and the other fell backwards into a barrel of flour.[7] They acquiesced to Ellen, but fundamentally did not want to let the women vote, so a county judge was asked to decide. He agreed that the women were right. Ellen Martin then became the first woman in Illinois to vote, and one of the first in the entire U.S. In 1916 Illinois women could vote in national elections, but the 19th Amendment (the Women's Suffrage Amendment) was not passed until 1920.[8]

In 2008, Lombard declared April 6 to be "Ellen Martin Day" in commemoration of Ms. Martin's historic victory for women's suffrage.[9]

Little Orphan Annie House

William LeRoy built a home in the Italianate style on Lombard's Main Street in 1881. LeRoy specialized in making artificial limbs for civil war veterans and lived in this house until 1900.[10] The house would eventually become the home of Harold Gray's parents and the studio of Harold Gray, the originator of Little Orphan Annie cartoon strip. Harold Gray used the home's study to work on the Annie cartoons, and some features of the house are drawn into some of his cartoons, such as the grand staircase and the outer deck. Gray lived at 215 S. Stewart Ave in Lombard at this time.[11] Later, he remarried and moved to the east coast. Harold Gray was a charter member of Lombard Masonic Lodge #1098, A.F. & A.M. in 1923.

The Lilac Village

In 1927, the estate of Colonel William Plum, a local resident, was bequeathed to the village. The Plum property included his home, which became the site of the original Helen M. Plum Memorial Library (decommissioned in 2023), and a large garden containing 200 varieties of lilac bushes. This garden became a public park, Lilacia Park.

Culture

Since 1930, Lombard has hosted an annual Lilac Festival and parade in May.[12] "Lilac Time in Lombard," is a 16-day festival ending in mid-May. It starts with the Lilac Queen coronation and her court. Many lilac themed events take place, including a formal ball, concerts, wine and beer tasting in the park, a Mothers' Day Brunch, an arts and crafts fair, and tours of the park. The grand finale is Lombard's Lilac Festival Parade.[13] The first Lilac Princess in 1930 was Adeline Fleege.[14]

There is a farmers market held in downtown Lombard once a week from May to October every year. [15]

There is a food cooperative slated to open sometime in 2024 in town. [16]

Education

Lombard's high schools (9-12) belong to Glenbard Township High School District 87.[17] They are shared with the neighboring town of Glen Ellyn, thus the creation of the portmanteau word "Glenbard". Lombard's elementary and middle schools (K-8) belong to Lombard School District 44[18] or DuPage School District 45.[19]

Village government

The Village of Lombard is a non-home rule community. It has a council–manager form of government. Each elective office is held for a four-year term.[20]

  • Village President: Keith Giagnorio
  • Village Clerk: Liz Brezinski
  • Trustee, District 1: Brian LaVaque
  • Trustee, District 2: Anthony Puccio
  • Trustee, District 3: Bernie Dudek
  • Trustee, District 4: Andrew Honig
  • Trustee, District 5: Daniel Militello
  • Trustee, District 6: Bob Bachner

Geography

Lombard is located at 41°52′34″N 88°0′54″W / 41.87611°N 88.01500°W / 41.87611; -88.01500 (41.875979, -88.015060).[21]

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Lombard has a total area of 10.41 square miles (26.96 km2), of which 10.22 square miles (26.47 km2) (or 98.21%) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.49 km2) (or 1.79%) is water.[22]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880378—
189051536.2%
190059014.6%
191088349.7%
19201,33150.7%
19306,197365.6%
19407,07514.2%
19509,81738.8%
196022,561129.8%
197034,04350.9%
198036,8798.3%
199039,4086.9%
200042,3227.4%
201043,1652.0%
202044,4763.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[23]
Lombard's Masjid Darussalam, an Islamic center built in 2013

As of the 2020 census[24] there were 44,476 people, 17,030 households, and 10,914 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,274.07 inhabitants per square mile (1,650.23/km2). There were 19,150 housing units at an average density of 1,840.28 per square mile (710.54/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 70.83% White, 4.62% African American, 0.35% Native American, 13.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.82% from other races, and 7.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.17% of the population.

There were 17,030 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 9.82% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.91% were non-families. 29.47% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 2.54.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $86,167, and the median income for a family was $100,420. Males had a median income of $58,398 versus $40,411 for females. The per capita income for the village was $41,154. About 3.5% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

According to Lombard's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[25] the top employers in the city are:

#Employer# of Employees
1J.C. Penney Co. Inc.400
2School District 87300
3Westin Lombard Yorktown275
4Adjustable Forms, Inc.250
5Vitas Healthcare Corporation250

Transportation

The former train station for the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad at Main Street, pictured in 1902

Lombard is served by Metra's Union Pacific West Line, which runs from the Ogilvie Transportation Center out to Elburn, Illinois over the old Chicago and Northwestern Railway trackage. Lombard's also served by I-88 / Illinois 110 and I-355 as well as Illinois Routes 38, 53, 56, and 64.

Formerly, it was also served by trains of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad (with commuter stops at Stewart Ave, Main St, Brewster Ave and Westmore/Meyers Road) and the Chicago Great Western Railway. These former railroads have been preserved as multiple use recreational trails (Illinois Prairie Path and Great Western Trail).

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. ↑ "2000 United States Census Data" (PDF).
  3. 1 2 "Several Towns Named After Founders and Heroes". The Daily Herald. December 28, 1999. p. 220. Retrieved August 17, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ↑ "Lombard, IL". www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org.
  5. ↑ "Network to Freedom Homepage". nps.gov.
  6. ↑ "Sheldon Peck Homestead". Lombard Historical Society. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Commemorating Ellen Martin's Vote during Women's History Month" (PDF). Lombard Historical Society. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  8. ↑ "LHS Timeline". lombardhistory.org.
  9. ↑ "Ellen Martin Day". Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  10. ↑ LeRoyHouse Archived August 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ "Lombard Historical Society".
  12. ↑ "Lombard Lilac Queens and Courts Retro Gallery". Daily Herald. May 14, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Lombard Lilac Parade". lombardlilacparade.com.
  14. ↑ Lombard Historical Society. 2010. Lombard's Lilac Time. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, p. 53.
  15. ↑ "Lombard's Farmer's Market 2022 | Lombard Chamber of Commerce and Industry".
  16. ↑ "How suburban food co-ops are 'bearing fruit' after years of organizing". March 12, 2023.
  17. ↑ * Glenbard High School District #87 *
  18. ↑ "Lombard School District 44". www.sd44.org.
  19. ↑ "District 45 / Homepage". http.
  20. ↑ "Village President & Board of Trustees". civicplus.com.
  21. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  22. ↑ Bureau, US Census. "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Village Of Lombard, Illinois Comprehensive Annual Financial Report". December 31, 2020.
  • Budd, Lillian (1977). Footsteps on the Tall Grass Prairie: A History of Lombard, Illinois. Lombard, Ill.: Lombard Historical Society. OCLC 3742261.
  • Fruehe, Margot (1985). "Lombard". In Thompson, Richard A (ed.). DuPage Roots. Wheaton, Ill.: DuPage County Historical Society. OCLC 11964167.
  • Knoblauch, Marion (1948). DuPage County: A Descriptive and Historical Guide, 1831-1839. American guide series. Federal Writers' Project (Ill.). Edwards Bros. hdl:2027/mdp.39015059490584. OCLC 296635972.
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