Archer Heights, Chicago

Archer Heights is a community area in Chicago, Illinois, one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago.

Archer Heights
Community area
Community Area 57 - Archer Heights
Curie Metropolitan High School at Archer Avenue and Pulaski Road.
Curie Metropolitan High School at Archer Avenue and Pulaski Road.
Location within the city of Chicago
Location within the city of Chicago
Coordinates: 41°48.6′N 87°43.8′W
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyCook
CityChicago
Neighborhoods
list
  • Archer Heights
Area
 • Total2.01 sq mi (5.21 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total14,196
 • Density7,100/sq mi (2,700/km2)
Demographics 2019[1]
 • White15.4%
 • Black1.0%
 • Hispanic77.4%
 • Asian6.0%
 • Other0.3%
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
parts of 60632
Median income$50,458[1]
Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services

Archer Avenue runs from south of Chicago's downtown area, through the southwest side of Chicago and beyond into the southwest suburbs, along what was once a Native American trail.[2] The neighborhood is bounded by the Stevenson Expressway to the north, the CTA Orange Line to the south, the Corwith railyard to the east, and the railroad tracks/Knox Avenue to the west.[2]

History

Archer Heights was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, but they had little use for its swampy prairies. Starting in the nineteenth-century, land speculators and farmers sparked interest in the swampy lands. The land became a primary focus for real-estate developers and manufacturers. It gained exceptional interest from William B. Archer, an Illinois & Michigan Canal commissioner and land speculator from whom Archer Heights gained its name.

After speculators came in in 1900 and developed the southern sections of Archer Heights for residential use, railroads sustained control of the north side real estate. Due to horse cars in the late 1890s, and electric streetcars gaining popularity in the early 1900s, immigrant laborers started to pour into Archer Heights. Starting in the 1920s and 1930s, Archer Heights had its largest population growth coming from the Polish, Italian, Czech, and Russian Jewish communities. During this time modern urban groundwork and two Catholic parishes, St. Bruno's (1925) and St. Richard's (1938), helped stimulate population growth.

After World War II population began to make a comeback; between 1930 and 1950, the Archer Heights community grew from 8,120 to 8,675. In the following years the population sprouted to 10,584, peaking by 1970 at 11,143. However, by 1980, the population fell off to 9,708, and continued to do so in 1990 falling to 9,227.

For over 90 years, the Archer Heights community has been predominantly white (96 percent in 1990), with a large contingent of foreign-born residents (27 percent in 1990), and a strong Polish cohort. In the 1990s, Hispanics, and primarily Mexicans, rose to 8 percent of the population. "While Archer Heights continues to be home to a large Polish community, since 2000 it became the latest swath of the Southwest Side bungalow belt where Hispanics have become the majority."[3]

At the end of the twentieth century, approximately 60 percent of the area was dedicated to manufacturing and bulk transportation facilities, 30 percent to residences, and 10 percent to commerce.[4]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19308,120—
19408,2161.2%
19508,6755.6%
196010,58422.0%
197011,1585.4%
19809,708−13.0%
19909,227−5.0%
200012,65637.2%
201013,3935.8%
202014,1966.0%
[5][1]

Services

CPS District-Run Schools

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has two district-run schools in Archer Heights:

S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60632

Curie High School

  • Edwards Elementary School

4815 South Karlov Avenue, Chicago, IL 60632 http://edwardsib.org

CPS Charter Schools

The United Neighborhood Organization operates the charter schools in Archer Heights[6]

  • UCSN Major Hector P. Garcia MD High School

4248 W 47th St, Chicago, IL 60632

http://www.ucsnschools.org

  • UCSN PFC Omar E. Torres School

4248 W 47th St, Chicago, IL 60632

http://www.ucsnschools.org

  • Academy for Global Citizenship (Elementary)

4647 W. 47th St. Chicago, IL 60632

http://schoolinfo.cps.edu/schoolprofile/schooldetails.aspx?SchoolId=400009

  • SPC Daniel Zizumbo School

4248 W 47th St Chicago, IL 60632

https://web.archive.org/web/20160625180632/https://www.incschools.org/school/ucsn-spc-daniel-zizumbo/

Catholic schools
  • St. Richard School (Elementary)

5025 S. Kenneth Ave. Chicago, IL 60632

http://www.strichard.net

  • St. Bruno School (Elementary)

4839 S. Harding Ave. Chicago, IL 60632

http://stbruno.com

Library

Archer Heights Public Library

The Archer Heights public library is a 6 million dollar, 14,000 sq/ft building located at 5055 S. Archer Ave. Chicago Illinois. The library is home to over 49,000 materials ranging from books, magazines, book tapes, and newspapers.[7]

Archer Heights Public Library (May 2016)

Link

Houses of Worship
Church NameAddress
New Life Community Church Midway5101 S Keeler Ave, Chicago, IL 60632
St. Bruno Catholic Church4751 S. Harding Ave. Chicago, IL 60632
St. Richard Parish5032 S. Kostner Ave. Chicago, IL 60632
St. Bruno Church Archer Heights (May 2016)

Transportation
Inbound Orange Line Train at Pulaski Station (May 2016)

Historically, transportation between downtown Chicago and the Southwest Side was limited to express buses that traveled down the Stevenson Expressway. The Orange Line was created in 1993 to solve this issue. Pulaski station was built as an Orange Line stop at the corner of Pulaski Road and 51st Street near Archer Avenue.[8]

Politics

The Archer Heights community area has supported the Democratic Party in the past two presidential elections by overwhelming margins. In the 2016 presidential election, the Archer Heights cast 2,803 votes for Hillary Clinton and cast 527 votes for Donald Trump (81.22% to 15.27%).[9] In the 2012 presidential election, Archer Heights cast 2,140 votes for Barack Obama and cast 494 votes for Mitt Romney (80.03% to 18.47%).[10]

Archer Heights Civic Association

Founded in 1938, Archer Heights Civic Association (AHCA) is the oldest active neighborhood organization in Southwest Chicago, serving the Archer Heights community.[2] In 1968, AHCA had meetings with local aldermen and the Chicago Park District Superintendent to present a list of improvements needed at Archer Park, including a field house. The Archer Park field house eventually opened in 1970.[11] Originally formed as a homeowner's association, AHCA also functions as a community watchdog, for example, pressuring for enforcement of zoning laws.[12]

Others

Local parks
Park NameAddress
Curie Park4949 S. Archer Ave. Chicago, IL 60632
Archer Park4901 S. Kilbourn Ave. Chicago, IL 60632
Irma C. Ruiz Park (formerly Walnut Park)3801 W.45th St. Chicago, IL 60632
Kujawa Park (formerly Catalpa Park)4324 S. Kedvale Ave. Chicago, IL 60632

Honored residents
Image of Omar E. Torres Way, Honorary Street Sign (May 2016)
  • 48th Street and Harding Avenue dedicated an honorary street sign to recognize Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski Sr. "Rutkowski is a decorated World War II veteran and former prisoner of war", he received the Good Conduct Medal, the Air Medal, the European Theatre of War Medal, and the Prisoner of War Medal. Following the war he worked for 40 years for Schulze & Birch, he retired in 1993.[14]
  • 47th Street and Keeler Avenue dedicated a street sign for Omar Torres. "Private First Class Omar E. Torres died in combat in Iraq, 2007." Torres was one of three children, his sister Oralia and brother, Oscar Jr. Where raised by Doris and Oscar Torres Sr.[15]

Events

Government

Archer Heights is split by two United States congressional districts, these districts are the 3rd and 4th. Marie Newman (3rd district) serves the South West, and Jesús "Chuy" García serves the North East Side of Archer Heights.[16]

Alderman Edward M. Burke has been serving the 14th ward for over 50 years.[17] Alderman Ricardo Muñoz serves the 22nd ward of Chicago.[18] Michael R. Zalewski is the Alderman for the 23rd ward.

Archer Heights is also represented in the 1st district of the Illinois Senate and House, their Senator is Assistant Majority Leader, Democrat Antonio Munoz[19] and their House Rep. is Assistant Majority Leader, Democrat Daniel J. Burke.[20]

Jeffery R. Tobolski was elected as the Cook County Commissioner from the 16th District on November 2, 2010. Tobolski is the Vice-Chairman of the Labor Committee; also at the Cook County Board he chairs the Homeland Security committee, Veterans Committee, as well as the Preserve's Zoo Committee.[21]

John P. Daley is the Cook County Commissioner of the 11th District. He serves on the Cook County Board Committee as the Audit and Finance Chairman.

Politics

The Archer Heights community area has supported the Democratic Party in the past two presidential elections by large margins. In the 2016 presidential election, Archer Heights cast 2,803 votes for Hillary Clinton and cast 527 votes for Donald Trump (81.22% to 15.27%).[22] In the 2012 presidential election, Archer Heights cast 2,140 votes for Barack Obama and cast 494 votes for Mitt Romney (80.03% to 18.47%).[23]

Newspapers

South Chicago Post

http://www.swchicagopost.com

Southwest news Herald

http://swnewsherald.com

References
  1. "Community Data Snapshot" (PDF). cmap.illinois.gov. State of Illinois. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  2. Zangs, Mary (2014). The Chicago 77: a community area handbook. Charleston, SC: The History Press. pp. 236–239. ISBN 978-1-62619-612-4.
  3. Mihalopoulos, Dan; Little, Darnell (January 1, 2011). "Face of City Has Changed Dramatically, Census Estimates Show". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  4. "Archer Heights". www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  5. Paral, Rob. "Chicago Community Areas Historical Data". Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  6. "UNO Charter Schools Archived 2012-04-30 at the Wayback Machine." United Neighborhood Organization. Retrieved on June 16, 2012.
  7. Challos, Courtney (September 6, 2000). "ARCHER HEIGHTS FINDS MORE TO CHECK OUT AT NEW LIBRARY".
  8. Local Community Fact Book Chicago Metropolitan Area. University of Illinois at Chicago. 1995. p. 169.
  9. Ali, Tanveer (November 9, 2016). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2016 Presidential Election". DNAInfo. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  10. Ali, Tanveer (November 9, 2012). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2012 Presidential Election". DNAInfo. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  11. "Action Promised on Archer Park". September 1, 1968. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  12. "Communities can be unheralded--but good places to live (December 21, 1985)". Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  13. The Almanac of American Politics, 2004, quote: "Even today, in Archer Heights you can scarcely go a block without hearing someone speaking Polish."
  14. "World War II POW from Archer Heights is recognized with honorary street sign". swnewsherald.com. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  15. Connolly, Dermot (May 4, 2013). "Honor Late Soldier's Memory". South West News Herald. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  16. "Find Your Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives". ziplook.house.gov. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  17. "City of Chicago :: Alderman Edward M. Burke". www.cityofchicago.org. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  18. "City of Chicago :: Alderman Ricardo Munoz". Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  19. "Illinois General Assembly - Senator Biography". www.ilga.gov. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  20. "Illinois General Assembly - Representative Biography". www.ilga.gov. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  21. "Cook County Government, Illinois | CookCountyil.gov » Jeffrey R. Tobolski (16th)". www.cookcountyil.gov. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  22. Ali, Tanveer (November 9, 2016). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2016 Presidential Election". DNAInfo. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  23. Ali, Tanveer (November 9, 2012). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2012 Presidential Election". DNAInfo. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
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