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62-608: IL 56 begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with US 30/IL 47 in Sugar Grove , located east of the Aurora Municipal Airport . While US 30 exits the road to travel south toward Montgomery , the road continues as IL 56. The road becomes a free limited-access road for the next 4 miles (6.4 km). IL 56 then meets Galena Boulevard at another partial cloverleaf interchange, which directly connects to Aurora and its downtown area. With

124-565: A Pre-K-8 grade school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod . Aurora is also home to Fox Valley Montessori School, one of the first Montessori schools established in Illinois in 1969, which offers a preschool and elementary program. The Aurora Public Library includes the main library, two branches, an express center, a support facility and a bookmobile. The library operations budget is $ 10 million and

186-542: A branch of Rasmussen College . According to the 2022 Estimates for the American Community Survey, 79.1% of Aurora residents over the age of 24 pursued higher education. Starting in the 1860s, Aurora was served by two main school systems, one on either side of the Fox River , which physically divides the city. In the mid-20th century, the district on the western side of the river expanded to include

248-496: A former hotel that was the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The largest collection of commercial buildings by Prairie School architect George Grant Elmslie is here. The main building of Aurora Public Library and a branch campus of Waubonsee Community College are also located downtown. The Riverfront Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater that has held

310-634: A long tradition of manufacturing as does much of Chicago metropolitan area . Prominent manufacturers, past and present include Lyon Workspace Products, The Aurora Silverplate Manufacturing Company, Barber-Greene Company, the Chicago Corset Company, the Aurora Brewing Company, Stephens-Adamson Company, Caterpillar Inc. , Western Electric, Allsteel Metals, National Metalwares, and Western Wheeled Scraper Works (later Austin-Western Inc.). The most prominent employer and industry

372-534: A manufacturing powerhouse which lasted until the early 1970s, when the railroad shops closed. Many other factories and industrial areas relocated or went out of business. By 1980, there were few industrial areas operating in the city, and unemployment soared to 16%. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, development began in the Far East side along the Eola Road and Route 59 areas. This was financially beneficial to

434-426: A regional transportation hub. Aurora's transportation system connects its residents and visitors to neighboring towns and cities. The city is served by several major roadways, including Interstate 88 and Illinois Route 59, making it easily accessible by car. Additionally, Aurora offers various public transportation options, including two Metra commuter stops, Pace Bus services, and an expanding bicycle network. The city

496-846: A series of interchanges north of the Oakbrook Center . The surrounding commercial development wanes as IL 56 goes through residential areas in Elmhurst , Hillside , and Bellwood . In Bellwood, IL 56 leaves Butterfield Road and briefly travels east along Washington Boulevard before ending at US 12/US 20/US 45 (Mannheim Road). SBI Route 56 was the current IL 56 from Oak Brook to Bellwood on Butterfield Road. IL 56 originally traveled from US 330/IL 6 (now IL 38) in Oak Brook to US 45/IL 46 (now US 12/US 20/US 45) in Bellwood. It

558-609: A storefront location in downtown Aurora since 1978. A fixture of Downtown Aurora, the Waubonsee Community College Campus, which was formerly located on Stolp Island near the Paramount Theatre, closed in May 2011. A new and greatly expanded campus was built on the western banks of the river, between the river and IL Route 31. The construction of the campus was part of a larger plan to redevelop

620-472: A two-year public community college , is located on Route 47 in the northern part of Sugar Grove. In 2004, the library district passed an $ 8 million building bond for a new library. The bond was issued in February 2005. The doors opened on August 8, 2009. The facility is approximately 25,500 sq ft (2,370 m ). The library district service area encompasses nearly all of Sugar Grove Township and

682-749: Is Aurora's oldest business, first published in 1846, and is part of the Tribune Publishing . The newspaper has two editions: the Aurora edition and the Kendall County edition. The Beacon-News has been recognized repeatedly by the Associated Press , Illinois Press Association, Northern Illinois Newspaper Association and the Chicago Headline Club as one of the best daily newspapers in Illinois. Aurora has long been

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744-413: Is also home to over 50 Sears Catalog Homes and seven Lustron all-steel homes. The Hollywood Casino Aurora, a dockside gaming facility with 53,000 square feet (4,900 m ) and 1,200 gaming positions, is located along the river in downtown Aurora. Before European settlers arrived, there was a Native American village in what is today downtown Aurora, on the banks of the Fox River . In 1834, following

806-585: Is bordered to the east by the city of Aurora and to the west by the village of Big Rock . Sugar Grove nearly encircles the unincorporated community of Prestbury , and the city of Yorkville is to the south. Downtown Chicago is 46 miles (74 km) to the east and Rockford is approximately 67 miles (108 km) to the northwest. According to the 2010 census, Sugar Grove has a total area of 10.485 square miles (27.16 km ), of which 10.47 square miles (27.12 km ) (or 99.86%) are land and 0.015 square miles (0.04 km ) (or 0.14%) are water. Sugar Grove

868-707: Is located within a band of heavy growth on the western edge of the Chicago metropolitan area , stretching from approximately the Huntley area in McHenry County to the Joliet area in Will County . Sugar Grove adopted its first comprehensive land use plan on January 12, 1981. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,909 people, 1,272 households, and 1,074 families residing in the village. The population density

930-495: Is the second-most populous city in Illinois, after Chicago , and the 144th-most populous city in the U.S. The population was 180,542 at the 2020 census . Aurora is the largest city in Illinois that is not the county seat of any county that it resides in. Founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded into DuPage, Kendall , and Will counties. Once a mid-sized manufacturing city, Aurora has grown since

992-674: Is to enhance the economic and environmental well-being of a region comprising ten communities: Aurora, Batavia , Big Rock , Hinckley, Montgomery , North Aurora , Oswego , Plano , Sugar Grove , and Yorkville . Downtown Aurora is home to the Paramount Theatre , a large live performance theater on the National Register of Historic Places , and the Hollywood Casino . There is also the Leland Tower ,

1054-514: Is −31 °F (−35 °C), on January 16, 2009. The average high temperature for Aurora in July is 83.5 °F (28.6 °C), the average January low is 12.6 °F (−10.8 °C). On July 17–18, 1996, a major flood struck Aurora, with 16.94 inches (430 mm) of rain in a 24-hour period, which is an Illinois state record. Flooding occurred in almost every low-lying area citywide, as well as localized river inundation with neighborhoods bordering

1116-538: The 2020 census there were 180,542 people, 65,128 households, and 47,579 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,932.26 inhabitants per square mile (1,518.25/km ). There were 62,763 housing units at an average density of 1,367.00 per square mile (527.80/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 40.63% White , 10.87% African American , 1.65% Native American , 10.97% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 20.73% from other races , and 15.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 41.53% of

1178-704: The Ameritech Senior Open from 1991 to 1995 on the Senior PGA Tour . The Aurora Islanders / Blues / Foxes , a minor league baseball franchise, played from 1910 to 1915 in the Wisconsin-Illinois League . Their most famous player was Casey Stengel , who played one season with the team before being bought by the Brooklyn Dodgers . Stengel batted .352 and was the batting champion of the league for 1911; he also led

1240-544: The Aurora Branch Railroad was chartered to build a connection from Aurora to the G&;CU at a place called Turner Junction, now West Chicago . Additional lines were built, including a direct line to Chicago, and in 1855 the company was reorganized into the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad . The CB&Q located its roundhouse and locomotive shop in Aurora, becoming the town's largest employer until

1302-603: The Black Hawk War , the McCarty brothers settled on both sides of the river, but subsequently sold their land on the west side to the Lake brothers, who opened a mill. The McCartys lived on and operated a mill on the east side. Aurora was established with the building of a post office in 1837. Aurora began as two villages: East Aurora, incorporated in 1845 on the east side of the river, and West Aurora, formally organized on

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1364-659: The Fox River before traveling along a sharp S-curve. IL 56 travels along Butterfield Road in an east-northeast direction beyond IL 25 , paralleling I-88. Butterfield Road serves as a major arterial road within the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor . Between the Batavia Spur of the Illinois Prairie Path and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway overpass, IL 56 serves as

1426-480: The "Chicago Center") caused nearly 2000 airline flights to be grounded. Brian Howard, an employee of Harris Corporation , was charged in the incident. At approximately 1:30 p.m. on February 15, 2019, police responded to an active shooter situation in west Aurora to find that 45-year-old Gary Martin had opened fire on fellow employees at the Henry Pratt Company after being terminated from

1488-694: The 1960s into a large city within the Chicago metropolitan area . In 1908, Aurora adopted the nickname "City of Lights", because in 1881 it was one of the first cities in the United States to implement an all-electric street lighting system. Aurora's historic downtown is centered on Stolp Island . The city is divided into three regions, the West Side, East Side, and Far East Side/Fox Valley. The Aurora area has some significant architecture, including structures by Frank Lloyd Wright , Ludwig Mies van der Rohe , Bruce Goff and George Grant Elmslie . Aurora

1550-432: The 1960s. Restructuring in the railroad industry resulted in a loss of jobs as passenger traffic dropped and the number of railroads decreased. The Burlington Railroad ran regularly scheduled passenger trains to Chicago. Other railroads built lines to Aurora, including the Chicago & Northwestern Railway to Geneva , the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway to Joliet , Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary to Rockford , and

1612-500: The 2021 census gazetteer files, Aurora has a total area of 45.91 square miles (118.91 km ), of which 44.97 square miles (116.47 km ) (or 97.94%) is land and 0.94 square miles (2.43 km ) (or 2.06%) is water. While the city has traditionally been regarded as being in Kane County , Aurora also includes parts of DuPage , Kendall and Will counties. Aurora is one of only three cities in Illinois that span four counties

1674-598: The Aurora city limits. As of 2005, there were at least forty public schools within Aurora city limits, serving residents of Aurora and neighboring communities. Due to the city's size, these are not the only three school systems serving residents – some students in the far north end of the city (north of I88 in Kane County) attend Batavia public schools, some on the far southwest side attend Kaneland CUSD 302 schools (headquartered in Maple Park ), and some students in

1736-581: The Downtown area, putting in parks and new walking paths, and making the area more inviting. The plan also included a pedestrian bridge to connect the banks of the river. Also in the works is a plan to modify or reconstruct the bridges to Stolp Island, which have not been maintained for nearly 60 years. The Stonebridge Country Club, on Aurora's far northeast side, was home to the LPGA Tour 's Kellogg-Keebler Classic from 2002 to 2004. Stonebridge also hosted

1798-478: The Fox River. In 1990, the supercell thunderstorm that produced the deadly Plainfield Tornado passed over the city, dropping golf ball-sized hail and causing wind damage. Less than ten minutes after passing through Aurora, the storm produced an F5 tornado, which touched down in nearby Oswego, less than 5 miles from downtown. The tornado then traveled through Plainfield and Joliet, killing 29 people. As of

1860-583: The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy). Aurora is also home to other private schools. Within Aurora, there are three Roman Catholic High Schools, Aurora Central Catholic (Diocese of Rockford), Rosary , and Marmion Academy (Order of St. Benedict), and seven Catholic elementary schools operated by the Diocese of Rockford. Along with these three schools is Aurora Christian High School and Elementary School and Resurrection Lutheran School,

1922-423: The age of 18 living with them, 76.7% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.5% were non-families. 12.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.37. In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.4% under

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1984-465: The age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males. The median income for a household in the village was $ 75,856, and the median income for a family was $ 83,332. Males had a median income of $ 52,425 versus $ 35,028 for females. The per capita income for

2046-482: The city's outskirts. In 1993, the Hollywood Casino was built downtown, which helped bring the first redevelopment to the downtown area in nearly twenty years. In the late 1990s, more development began in the rural areas and towns outside Aurora. Subdivisions sprouted up around the city, and Aurora's population soared. On September 26, 2014, a fire at an air traffic control edifice in Aurora (also known as

2108-409: The city, but it sapped retail businesses downtown and manufacturing in the industrial sectors of the near East and West Sides, weakening them. In the mid-1980s crime rates soared and street gangs formed. During this time Aurora became much more ethnically diverse. The Latino population grew rapidly in the city during the 1980s. In the late 1980s, several business and industrial parks were established on

2170-422: The city. Efforts are ongoing to rehabilitate these areas. Environmentally, Aurora has long dealt with pollution of the Fox River . The river was heavily polluted up until the 1970s by factories that had lined the river for over a century. Cleanup efforts have been successful with the help of state grants and volunteer efforts. Aurora is on the edge of the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor . The city has

2232-462: The company. Five officers and several civilians were injured in the ensuing standoff, after which police entered the building and killed Martin. In total, the incident left six dead (including the gunman) and numerous others wounded. It was the first major shooting in the town's history. Aurora is at 41°45′50″N 88°17′24″W  /  41.76389°N 88.29000°W  / 41.76389; -88.29000 (41.7637855, −88.2901352). According to

2294-527: The drop to a number of factors but especially credited the hard work of the city's police officers and the increase in anti-gang priorities. Gang violence had reached a high in the 1990s, with the city averaging nearly 30 murders per year. In 2008, Aurora only had 2 murders. In July 2007, the Aurora Police Department and the FBI conducted "Operation First Degree Burn," a sweep that resulted in

2356-684: The economic center of the Fox Valley region . The combination of these three factors—a highly industrialized town, a sizable river that divided it, and the Burlington railroad's shops—accounted for much of the dynamics of Aurora's political, economic, and social history. The city openly supported abolitionism before the American Civil War . Mexican migrants began arriving after the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Socially,

2418-553: The exception of the Golf View Road junction for westbound traffic, this interchange is the only intermediate exit between US 30/IL 47 and I-88 . Travelling eastbound, IL 56 merges with I-88 just west of Orchard Road and continues along the tollway until intersecting with IL 31 . The route travels north along IL 31 until turning east along State Street in North Aurora. The route then crosses over

2480-574: The far south end of the city (a small corner of the Kane, Kendall and Will County portions) attend Oswego public schools. Four of the schools in Oswego CUSD 308, Wheatlands Elementary, Homestead Elementary, Wolf's Crossing Elementary, and Bednarcik Junior High are within Aurora's limits. The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) is a state-funded residential magnet school for grades 10 to 12. While IMSA operates under public funds (and uses

2542-719: The interurbans Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad , Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company , Chicago, Aurora and DeKalb Railroad , and Aurora, Plainfield and Joliet Railroad . With the exception of the EJ&;E main line on the east side of the city, all lines other than the former Burlington lines have been abandoned. The heavy industries on the East side provided employment for generations of European immigrants, who came from Ireland , Great Britain , Scandinavia , Luxembourg , Germany , France , Romania and Italy . Aurora became

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2604-572: The league with 50 stolen bases and had 27 outfield assists. The team played in a stadium on the west side in the former Riverview Park. He became known as a manager of baseball teams. Aurora University fields numerous teams that compete in NCAA Division III . Aurora also has its own zoo, Phillips Park Zoo , located within Phillips Park . The city is home to Aurora University , two branches of Waubonsee Community College , and

2666-417: The others being Barrington Hills and Centralia .) Politically, the city is divided into 10 wards. Large portions of Aurora can be described as being within three regions: These three regions are partly depicted in police boundaries and school districts. The annual precipitation for Aurora is about 40 inches. The record high for Aurora is 111 °F (44 °C), on July 14, 1936. The record low

2728-399: The population. There were 65,128 households, out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.31% were married couples living together, 14.65% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.95% were non-families. 21.39% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.71% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

2790-453: The portion of Blackberry Township south of Seavey Road. Excluded from this geography are the areas in the city of Aurora and the village of North Aurora. In 2008, the district population was 15,476, of which 40% had a library card. Aurora, Illinois Aurora is a city in northeastern Illinois , United States. Located primarily in Kane and DuPage counties along the Fox River , it

2852-498: The same pavement as Illinois Route 47 from the village's southern border to the interchange with Illinois Route 56. US 30 then turns west. Illinois Route 47 is a heavily travelled route at the far western edge of the Chicago area and runs north–south through the village. Aurora Municipal Airport is situated on the northwest side of town, capable of handling small jets. The BNSF Railway 's mainline from Chicago to Seattle runs through

2914-432: The site originally designated West Aurora High School North Campus), it is managed independently of Aurora's other public schools. Any Illinois student who meets admission requirements may apply to attend IMSA, tuition free. The above-named districts have forty-six public schools within the city limits of Aurora (seventeen for District #131, thirteen for District #129, eleven for District #204, four for Oswego District #308 and

2976-744: The southern border for Fermilab . Beyond the EJ&E Railway overpass, the road becomes a divided highway . IL 56 then parallels the Aurora branch of the Illinois Prairie Path between IL 59 and St. James Farm. IL 56 goes through commercial and industrial developments beyond I-355 in Downers Grove , such as Yorktown Center in Lombard . In Oak Brook , IL 56 exits off the mainline to continue along Butterfield Road; traffic continuing straight would end up on 22nd Street . IL 56 then meets IL 83 and IL 38 at

3038-521: The staff numbers 85 full-time and 89 part-time employees. The library was funded in 1901 through a Carnegie grant. The Santori Public Library, the main library, was opened in June 2015, and offers a 3D printer and a digital media lab in addition to standard book and media services. In addition to stations from Chicago service the city, the following stations are licensed to Aurora (though they transmit and are based in Chicago unless noted). The Beacon-News

3100-696: The students in the village of North Aurora, including the North Aurorans on the east side of the Fox. Additionally, in 1972, the Indian Prairie School District (IPSD) 204 was formed to serve the far eastern portion of Aurora within DuPage County . All three districts (Aurora Public Schools: West Side (District 129), Aurora Public Schools: East Side (District 131) and IPSD) have their headquarters and administrative offices within

3162-505: The successful arrest of 31 alleged Latin Kings gang members suspected of 22 murders dating back to the mid-1990s. Aurora has also adopted programs such as CeaseFire to reduce gang violence and prevent youths from joining gangs. Aurora had 7 murders in 2016. Like other large Midwestern cities that once relied on manufacturing as an economic basis, Aurora has a large number of abandoned buildings and vacant lots, especially in older sections of

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3224-413: The town was progressive in its attitude toward education, religion, welfare, and women. The first free public school district in Illinois was established in 1851 here and the city established a high school for girls in 1855. During this period in the city's history, Aurora was also hit with one of the strongest earthquakes ever to strike Illinois , a M 5.1, on May 26, 1909 Later, the city developed as

3286-435: The village was $ 30,299. About 1.1% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over. Sugar Grove is accessible by one interstate highway ( Interstate 88 ), one US highway ( US Route 30 ), and two state highways ( Illinois Route 47 and Illinois Route 56 ). Route 56 connects the central part of Sugar Grove to Interstate 88. US 30 utilizes

3348-1061: The village. The Virgil Gilman Trail is a paved bicycle trail connecting the city of Aurora to the east with Waubonsee Community College to the north. Major highways in Sugar Grove include: Interstate Highways [REDACTED] Interstate 88 US Highways [REDACTED] US 30 Illinois Highways [REDACTED] Route 47 [REDACTED] Route 56 [REDACTED] Route 110 Students who live in Sugar Grove attend either Kaneland Community Unit School District #302 or West Aurora School District #129. In Kaneland, children who are in grades K-5 attend Kaneland John Shields Elementary School in Sugar Grove or Kaneland McDole Elementary School in Montgomery. For grades 6–8, they attend Kaneland Harter Middle School in Sugar Grove, while grades 9-12 are served by Kaneland High School in Maple Park. Waubonsee Community College ,

3410-496: The west side of the river in 1854. In 1857, the two towns joined, incorporating as the city of Aurora. Representatives could not agree which side of the river should house the public buildings, so most of them were built on or around Stolp Island in the middle of the river. As the city grew, it attracted numerous factories and jobs. In 1849, after failing to attract the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad building west from Chicago,

3472-457: Was $ 74,659, and the median income for a family was $ 83,464. Males had a median income of $ 43,680 versus $ 30,572 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 32,537. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over. In 2008, reported major crimes in Aurora were at their lowest level in nearly three decades. The Chief of Police attributed

3534-407: Was 3.56 and the average family size was 3.03. The city's age distribution consisted of 28.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males. The median income for a household in the city

3596-455: Was 606.1 inhabitants per square mile (234.0/km ). There were 1,297 housing units at an average density of 201.1 per square mile (77.6/km ). The racial makeup of the village was 95.86% White , 1.38% African American , 0.03% Native American , 0.51% Asian , 1.28% from other races , and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.43% of the population. There were 1,272 households, out of which 47.2% had children under

3658-503: Was duplicated by the designation of Interstate 55 . The rest of IL 55 along Cermak Road was removed. Sugar Grove, Illinois Sugar Grove is a village in Kane County , Illinois , United States . The population at the 2010 census was 8,997, and in 2018 the estimated population was 9,803. Sugar Grove is located in southern Kane County at 41°46′N 88°27′W  /  41.767°N 88.450°W  / 41.767; -88.450 (41.772529, -88.442374). It

3720-598: Was extended west along 22nd Street and Butterfield Road to IL 53. By 1953, IL 55 was extended further west to IL 25 in North Aurora. With the opening of the East-West Tollway in 1958, IL 55 was extended west along IL 31 and the newly-built tollway to US 30/IL 47 in Sugar Grove. On April 2, 1965, the Illinois State Division of Highways announced that IL 56 would replace IL 55 west of 22nd Street , which

3782-582: Was the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad (later Burlington Northern ) which was headquartered in Aurora. According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's largest employers are: Formed in 1987, the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (AACVB) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to aggressively promoting and marketing the area as a premier overnight destination. The AACVB'S goal

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3844-486: Was then extended to US 20/IL 43 in 1934 in Oak Park. In 1942, IL 56 was extended southwest to IL 55 (22nd Street). In 1972, the eastern end was truncated to its current location. SBI Route 55 originally ran from IL 54 (now IL 83) in Oak Brook to Michigan Avenue in Chicago via Cermak Road, Ogden Avenue, and 12th Street . IL 55 was removed east of Ogden Avenue in 1934. In 1940, IL 55

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