Maywood, Illinois

William T. Nichols, founder of the village of Maywood

There was limited European-American settlement in the Maywood area before a railroad was built after the American Civil War, with the rise of Chicago. But at least one house in what became Maywood was used as a station on the Underground Railroad, to aid refugee African-American slaves in escaping to freedom in the North. Some settled in the free state of Illinois; others went on to Canada, seeking further distance from American slavery. The site of the former house has been nationally commemorated. The plaque is located at today's Lake Street and the Des Plaines River bridge.[6]

This early West Side suburb of Chicago was developed along the oldest railway line exiting the city. It attracted real estate developers because of its open grass prairie and scattered groves of ancient trees.

In 1868, Vermont businessmen established the Maywood Company. In 1870 it organized the platting of streets, and began construction on the north side of the railroad tracks. The company planted 20,000 eight-year-old, nursery-grown trees to enhance the future town. In 2010, the last of these 148-year-old trees had succumbed to the emerald ash borer.

The oldest documented ash tree in northeast Illinois is in Maywood and is dated at 250 years old. It is being protected from the borers with horticultural treatment. The danger is expected to pass locally by year 2020, as it already has in Canton, Michigan where borers first arrived. The ash is nicknamed "The Great Dane", after Jens Jensen, founder of the Midwest's prairie ecology movement a century ago. The tree is located within the old growth woods just behind Proviso East high school.

With settlement underway, the village was founded on October 22, 1881, by Colonel William T. Nichols. He named it after his late daughter, May, and the groves.[7]

Many century-old homes survive here in relatively unaltered condition. Maywood boasts 17 homes and properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[8][9]

At one time two airports operated in Maywood. Loyola University Medical Center was developed on the site of one former airport, at the southwest corner of First Avenue and Roosevelt Road. It was the airfield used by Charles Lindbergh during his days as an airmail pilot.[10]

Checkerboard Field was located at the southeastern corner of that intersection and was a private field. The land has been converted to a forest preserve meadow. There was some apparent consolidation of the fields in later years. Later an automobile board racetrack was located here, along with a viewing grandstand. Barney Oldfield raced on the track.[11] The Hines Veterans Hospital constructed one of its buildings on the foundation of the former grandstand.

According to the 2010 census, Maywood has a total area of 2.72 square miles (7.04 km²), all land.[15]

Neighboring villages are Broadview to the south, Forest Park and River Forest to the east, Melrose Park to the north, and Bellwood to the west.

As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 26,987 people, 7,937 households, and 6,151 families residing in the village. The population density was 9,965.7 people per square mile (3,844.9/km²). There were 8,475 housing units at an average density of 3,129.6 per square mile (1,207.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 82.7% African American, 9.7% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 5.6% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.5% of the population.

There were 7,937 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 30.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38 and the average family size was 3.84.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.7% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $41,942, and the median income for a family was $46,776. Males had a median income of $41,638 versus $37,316 for females. The per capita income for the village was $14,915. About 11.1% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.

As of the census 2010, Maywood population was 24,106. The racial makeup of the village was 74.4% African American, 12.6% White, 0.5% Asian, and 0.3% Native American.

Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 operates elementary and middle schools. Proviso Township High Schools District 209 operates high schools.

Emerson Elementary School is an elementary school in Maywood. Enrollment as of 2006 was 476 students.[18] The school teaches grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Other elementary schools in Maywood include Garfield, Lincoln, Washington Dual Language Academy and Irving Middle School. Proviso East High School is in Maywood.

• Village of Maywood official website