|
Arlington
Heights Community Info
Arlington Heights, IL, Website
Arlington Heights is a great place to live and work. Located
only 25 miles from downtown Chicago, Arlington Heights is a community in Chicago's
desirable Northwest suburban corridor. A growing downtown skyline, expanding
shopping areas, and new office parks attest to the Village's vibrancy.
The history of Arlington Heights goes back about a century and a half ago.
Originally known as Dunton, the fledgling town was named after William Dunton,
who in 1850 deeded 16 acres for a right-of-way and depot for the Illinois and
Wisconsin Railroad Co. The railroad, which would later become the Chicago and
North Western Transportation Co., steamed through in 1854. By 1857, six daily
trains were operating between Dunton and Chicago.
By the 1880s, Dunton was home to more than 1,000 people, and the area near
the train station was a thriving commercial mecca. The name Dunton was changed
first to West Wheeling and then, in 1887--when the village was incorporated--to
Arlington Heights.
Today, Arlington Heights covers about 17 square miles and has a population
of over 76,000, according to the 2000 census. Even though Arlington Heights
has a large population, local residents and business people will say that the
village retains many small-town charms. People remain in their homes for decades,
stay loyal to local merchants and display a strong spirit of community participation.
In addition to its tradition of community participation, Arlington Heights
has long enjoyed a strong business community. The town continues to offer a
vibrant economic climate. Downtown merchants work together to make the area
appealing to shoppers. New business associations on the North and South end
of town are forming to provide support in these geographic areas.
Arlington Heights also provides about 50,000 jobs. Arlington Heights is proud
of its residential, commercial, office and light industrial base. The office
and industrial areas are centered on the far south end of the community, at
Arlington Heights Road and Interstate Highway 90, and at the far north end
of town, east of Illinois Highway 53 between Dundee and Lake-Cook Roads.
The village is home to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, a mixed-use central
business district project. It includes a 300-seat performing arts theater,
a 7,000-square-foot restaurant, 22,000 square feet of retail space, and 35,000
square feet of office space. The Performing Arts Centre is home to Second City
Northwest - the suburban branch of the famous comedy troupe.
The last few years have witnessed an upgrading of infrastructure and development
of new recreation areas in Arlington Heights. For instance, the community just
finished a 10-year project to upgrade its storm sewer system. In conjunction
with that project was the development of Lake Arlington at Palatine Road and
Windsor Drive. A 5-acre man-made lake with a boathouse, boat rentals and a
walking path around the entire perimeter, Lake Arlington was completed in 1992.
In addition, a former landfill site at the extreme northwest corner (of town),
north of Dundee and east of (Illinois Highway) 53, has been redeveloped into
Nickol Knoll Park which was completed in 1995. It offers a 9-hole golf course,
ballparks and a walking path around it. Both Lake Arlington and Nickol Knoll
Park are joint projects of the village of Arlington Heights and the Arlington
Heights Park District. One of Arlington Heights' best-known attractions is
the 325-acre Arlington Park Racecourse at Euclid Avenue and Wilke Road. Arlington
Park is already home to the international race - the Arlington Million and
this year will also host the Breeders' Cup on October 26.
For all of Arlington Heights' many strengths, it may be its residents and business
community participation that means the most to the village. The volunteer spirit
and the willingness of the residents and businesses to get involved has been
the prime factors that have produced the strong sense of community that exists
in Arlington Heights. Through resident and business community participation,
everyone is part of something. People are motivated to not only be a part of
the community, but to work for the betterment of the community.
|
