Blue Island, IL, Website

Blue Island, Illinois. The quaint town was established in 1835 as a way station for Chicago travelers on the historic Vincennes Trail. Many of the first settlers were tavern and general store keepers, blacksmiths and wagoners. Blue Island's early industry was lodging and livestock trading. By 1858, German settlers had established four breweries in the growing city, and in the 1870s, the Rock Island Railroad marked the beginning of Blue Island's transformation into a trade hub.

Blue Island's early 20th century history was dominated by heavy industry-food processing, oil refining, brick making and railroads. In the latter half of the century, much of the city's heavy industry was replaced with service and retail businesses.

Blue Island is a rich, historic city where friendly people do business, raise families and display pride in their community. Blue Island, 18 miles south of the Loop, is an established city built on location.
In the early 1800s, Blue Island served as the final rest- stop for many Chicago-bound travelers on the Vincennes Trail. Soon, this little oasis emerged as a trading and export center for farmers. When manufacturers found Blue Island, a city was born.

Blue Island offers a variety of housing styles. Residents renovate older, often historically significant homes, while developers build new ones. The Blue Island Park District offers clubs and activities for all, and supervises seven parks, an outdoor swimming pool and batting cages.

Housing. Recent renovation of a 12-square block area has returned vintage homes to their full splendor. The housing prices range from $50,000 to $200,000. The 2000 average home sale price was $96,000 and the average time on market was 73 days.

A few condominiums are converted apartment buildings. Units generally sell for about $40,000. The average sale price for attached housing was $62,500 in 2000. Apartments make up about 50 percent of the housing stock and the average rent is about $530 per month.

Schools. Most children attend elementary schools in district 130. Eisenhower High School in district 218 serves Blue Island teenagers. Administrators are proud of its highly successful bilingual education program. The school's average ACT composite score in 1998 was 19.3.

Transportation. Residents enjoy easy access to the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-94) or the Tri-State Tollway (I-294). The Loop is a 30-minute drive. O'Hare Airport is a 40-minute drive, while Midway Airport is 20 minutes away. Metra has four stations in Blue Island and commuter parking lots are available. The Loop is a 38-minute ride on the express trains. Bus service is available.