84-503: New Lenox is a village in central Will County , Illinois , United States . It is a Southwest suburb of Chicago. The village population was 27,214 as of the 2020 census . New Lenox has schools like Lincoln-Way West High School , Providence Catholic High School , and Lincoln-Way Central High School . What is now the Village of New Lenox was first settled in the late 1820s, in the area of Gougar crossing (Route 30 and Gougar Road) and it
168-727: A Harrah's hotel and casino downtown. Joliet is the only city in Illinois to have two casinos. The Louis Joliet Mall is located near the intersection of I-55 and U.S. Route 30 . The former Joliet Arsenal (now the site of both the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie ) is in nearby Elwood . Joliet is home to three high schools that bear its name: Joliet Central , Joliet West , and Joliet Catholic Academy (JCA), in addition to
252-630: A "west side" and a "far west side" (which includes all city limits in Kendall County). This has given rise to a newly referenced "Central Joliet" portion of the city, which essentially is all land west of the Des Plaines River and east of Interstate 55 . This new reference may soon change the current meaning of "west side" to west of I-55. Joliet has a hot summer humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ) with hot, humid summers, and cold winters with moderate to heavy snowfall. As of
336-409: A 100 acre sports complex coming in 2025 in the original proposed Cedar Crossing. This will include eight full-size baseball fields, five soccer fields, two multi-sport fields, open swimming pools, and a 50,000-square-foot fieldhouse. This will cost 8.25 million for 103 acres with 50-60 million costing for the sport complex all together. There will also be ten acres sold for hotel and restaurant use across
420-524: A 970,000-square-foot retail center to be developed by the Zaremba Group. Sadly, development of Cedar Crossings delayed due to economic reasons. Also proposed was Spring Creek Outlets. Spring Creek Outlets would have been a 65 acer Outlet Mall with additions including senior housing, hotels, restaurants, medical offices, and more. This would have extended Route 6, but was delayed and cut also due to economic reasons. However in 2023, New Lenox announced
504-679: A favorite haunt of Al Capone and filming location for scenes from Kevin Bacon's film Stir of Echoes , is on Chicago Street, downtown. Near the theatre, the Joliet Area Historical Museum commemorates the history of Joliet, especially its heritage as a stopping point on U.S. Route 66 . Among local landmarks are the Chicagoland Speedway ( NASCAR ) and the Route 66 Raceway ( NHRA ). The Auditorium Building
588-459: A four-year staggered basis, with the mayor elected to that specific office by the voters. The village's board of trustees is responsible for setting village policy, enacting ordinances and resolutions for the proper governing of the village, as well as for overseeing the proper planning of the village. The current board is composed of Katie Christopherson, Amy Gugiliuzza, Keith Madsen, Lindsay Scalise, David Smith, and Jim Wilson. The village clerk
672-576: A high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.58 inches (40 mm) in January to 4.34 inches (110 mm) in July. As of the 2010 Census , there were 677,560 people, 225,256 households, and 174,062 families residing in
756-913: A local quarry and was a principal stockholder in Will County National Bank. The mansion won the architecture award at the American Centennial Celebration in Philadelphia in 1876. The structure is a local landmark, part of the East Side National Register District and individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The Joliet Prison is located near Joliet's downtown district on Collins Street. The prison has been featured in both television shows and movies. One such television series filmed there
840-533: A number of paved asphalt and crushed gravel trails. Old Plank Road Trail is a 22-mile pavement hiking and biking nature trail that travels through the heart of New Lenox with many access points to include access at the Village Hall in the Commons. The Hickory Creek State Nature Preserve provides a 2.8-mile asphalt hiking and biking nature trail as well as access to the historic one-room Schmuhl School Museum on
924-795: A series of free concerts and family movie nights. Each year the village hosts the Triple Play Concert Series featuring national recording artists performing on three different dates each summer. In 2024 it was announced that the Triple Play Concert would be rebranded to the Summer Concert Series as the mayor said it would have more notable artists perform and more concerts occurring throughout the summer. The New Lenox French Market made its debut in 2011. The Market ran late spring through October. However due to lack of attendance, it permanently stopped after
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#17327808054041008-1602: A seven-acre dog park. Louis Joliet Mall located on Route 30 in Joliet hosts a large Cinemark theatre The Rock Run and Joliet Junction Trails are roughly north–south routes that begin at the Theodore Marsh in Crest Hill, Illinois, and have southern termini on the I&;M Canal State Trail . These three paths can be used as a 16-mile loop through western Joliet. The I and M Canal State Trail stretches about 60 miles to Peru . The Wauponsee Glacial Trail also begins close to town. As of 2009, almost all public-school students in Joliet attend schools in Joliet Public Schools District 86 , Joliet Township High School District 204 , Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C, and Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 . School districts serving Joliet include Joliet Township High School District 204 , Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 , Oswego Community Unit School District 308 , and Minooka Community High School District 111 . Joliet area High Schools include Joliet Catholic Academy , Joliet Central High School , Joliet West High School and Joliet East High School (defunct) Elementary and middle school districts serving Joliet include: Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 Since
1092-546: A sprawling, irregular shape that extends into nine different townships, more than any other Illinois city. They are: Joliet, Plainfield, Troy, New Lenox, Jackson, Channahon, and Lockport in Will County, and Na-Au-Say and Seward in Kendall County. Joliet developed along the Des Plaines River, and its downtown is located in the river valley. Joliet has a "west side" and " east side ", referring to areas in relation to
1176-452: A substantial slow down in area growth, a 2015 forecast estimates the population of New Lenox will grow to about 68,000 residents by 2040. The crossroads of I-355, Route 6, and Cedar Road was intended as the future site of two major development projects; Cedar Crossings and Spring Creek Outlets. Cedar Crossings would have been constructed at southwest corner of Cedar Road and Route 6, adjacent to Silver Cross Hospital. Cedar Crossings proposed
1260-543: A total area of 15.683 square miles (40.62 km), of which 15.66 square miles (40.56 km) (or 99.85%) is land and 0.023 square miles (0.06 km) (or 0.15%) is water. It is bordered by Joliet to the northwest, Ingalls Park to the west, Mokena to the east, Frankfort to the southeast and Manhattan to the south. The average temperatures in New Lenox range from 21 °F (-6 °C) in January to 73 °F (23 °C) in July. There are, on average, 137 days of
1344-575: Is a county in the northeastern part of the state of Illinois . According to the 2020 census , it had a population of 696,355, an increase of 2.8% from 677,560 in 2010, making it Illinois's fourth-most populous county. The county seat is Joliet . Will County is one of the five collar counties of the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. The portion of Will County around Joliet uses area codes 815 and 779, while 630 and 331 are for far northern Will County and 708
1428-504: Is an abandoned airfield located on Laraway Road. Elementary and middle schools are operated by New Lenox School District 122 while Lincoln-Way Community High School District serves the communities of New Lenox, Frankfort , Mokena , Manhattan , and small portions of Tinley Park There are three comprehensive high schools within the district: Lincoln-Way Central , Lincoln-Way East , and Lincoln-Way West . Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West are located in New Lenox; Lincoln-Way East
1512-458: Is an appointed position and is responsible for the proper keeping of all official documents of the village. As well, the position is the local election official, and is responsible for in-person absentee voting, as well as the duties of setting the ballot for all local elections. As chief administrative officer, the village administrator is responsible for the enforcement of all village codes and ordinances, as well as recommending employee hiring to
1596-427: Is for central and eastern Will County. Will County was formed on January 12, 1836, out of Cook and Iroquois Counties . It was named after Conrad Will , a politician and businessman involved in salt production in southern Illinois. Will was a member of the first Illinois Constitutional Convention and a member of the Illinois legislature until his death in 1835. Besides its present area, the county originally included
1680-410: Is governed by a 22-member county board elected from 11 districts. Each district elects two members. The county executive, county clerk, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder of deeds, state's attorney, and sheriff are all elected in a countywide vote. The current county executive is Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, who took office in 2020. Will County government has been housed in a succession of courthouses,
1764-448: Is home to over 640 acres (260 ha) of land that provide a habitat for abundant wildlife and outdoor recreation. Pilcher Park also contains Native American Indian remains and was the site of a Potowatami Indian village. A burial mound is just south of the entrance on Gougar Road, on the south side of the bridge, and a marked burial plot is inside the park grounds. Hammel Woods is also located in Joliet with miles of hiking trails and even
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#17327808054041848-482: Is located at the northeast corner of Chicago and Clinton Streets. Designed by G. Julian Barnes and built of limestone in 1891, it was controversial as one of the first buildings to combine religious, civic, and commercial uses. Nonetheless, people such Theodore Roosevelt visited and spoke at the building. The building was originally built for the Universalist Unitarian Church of Joliet , but
1932-633: Is located in Frankfort. Providence Catholic High School is a private Roman Catholic secondary school located in New Lenox. New Lenox's weekly community newspaper was The New Lenox Patriot . Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company running the paper closed in April 2020. Most residents rely on the New Lenox Patch website for their news source. Will County, Illinois Will County
2016-574: Is served by four U.S. interstate highways, four U.S. highways, and 12 Illinois highways. Pace provides bus transit services within the county. Four different Metra commuter rail lines ( Metra Electric Main Line , Southwest Service , Rock Island District and Heritage Corridor ) connect Will County with the Chicago Loop . Amtrak serves the county at Joliet Transportation Center . The Lincoln Service operates between Chicago and St. Louis, while
2100-656: The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) and Mid-States Football Association (MSFA). Joliet also is home to a minor-league baseball team, the Joliet Slammers of the independent Frontier League . Since the beginning of the 2011 season, they have played their home games at Duly Health and Care Field . The Slammers replace the former Joliet JackHammers of the Northern League . The Joliet Slammers won
2184-529: The Des Plaines River just east of I-55 . According to ExxonMobil, the refinery employs about 600 people and was constructed in 1972. 41°26′N 87°59′W / 41.44°N 87.98°W / 41.44; -87.98 Joliet, Illinois Joliet ( / ˈ dʒ oʊ l i ɛ t , ˌ dʒ oʊ l i ˈ ɛ t / JOH -lee-et, - ET ) is a city in Will and Kendall counties in
2268-652: The Forest Preserve District of Will County . The 17,000 acres (69 km ) Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is a U.S. Forest Service park in the county on the grounds of the former Joliet Arsenal . Other parks include Channahon State Park and the Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area . In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Joliet have ranged from a low of 13 °F (−11 °C) in January to
2352-597: The Harrah's Casino , Joliet Slammers baseball ( Duly Health and Care Field ), Hollywood Casino, and the Rialto Square Theatre , also known as the 'Jewel of Joliet', and has been called one of the world's 10 most beautiful theaters. The 1999 film Stir of Echoes starring Kevin Bacon had scenes shot on at the Rialto Square Theatre (the hypnotism scenes in which James saw the word "Dig" on
2436-843: The Heritage Corridor route from Chicago Union Station and the Rock Island District route from LaSalle Street Station . A third line, the STAR Line , would have also terminated at the station, but the project was shelved as of 2012. Pace provides local bus service six days a week (no service on Sundays) with buses leaving from a terminal in downtown Joliet once an hour. Amtrak serves Joliet Union Station daily via its Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle routes. Service consists of four Lincoln Service round-trips between Chicago and St. Louis , and one Texas Eagle round-trip between San Antonio and Chicago. Three days
2520-823: The Illinois and Michigan Canal . The Chicago & Rock Island Railroad and Michigan Central came through in the 1850s, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Chicago & Alton Railroad soon followed, with the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway and Milwaukee Road lines built around the turn of the century. U.S. Highways 6 (the Grand Army of the Republic Highway), 30 (the Lincoln Highway), 45 , 52 , and 66 (Route 66) all ran through
2604-577: The New Lenox Police Department . The main level of the building which formerly housed the village operations was remodeled for police use. In 2014, a new building would open as the official Police Station in the Commons moving the police use away from the Village Hall. In 2005, the village opened the Commons anchored by the Performing Arts Pavilion. The village organizes a Summer Performing Arts Program including
New Lenox, Illinois - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-649: The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) – the #1 Rehabilitation Hospital in the Nation, and the University of Chicago Medical Center . New Lenox has two Metra commuter rail lines. The New Lenox Metra Station is located on the corner of U.S. Route 30 and Cedar Road, servicing towns on Metra's Rock Island District Line between Joliet Union Station and Chicago's LaSalle Street Station . New Lenox also has Metra Laraway Road Station at
2772-567: The SCCA World Challenge , Atlantic Championship , and Star Mazda Championship races since 2009. Three golf courses are located in the city of Joliet: Inwood Golf Course, Woodruff Golf Course, and Wedgewood Golf Course. Disc golf courses are available at Highland Park and West Park. The Pilcher Park Nature Center, located in Pilcher Park, hosts many youth and educational programs. Pilcher Park, one of Joliet's oldest parks,
2856-639: The Texas Eagle provides service from Chicago south to San Antonio and west to Los Angeles . Will County is a major hub in the national natural gas pipeline grid where pipelines from Canada and the Gulf of Mexico meet and then fan out to serve the Midwest. The following major energy companies own pipeline that runs through Will County: ExxonMobil owns and operates the Joliet Refinery along
2940-568: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 849 square miles (2,200 km ), of which 837 square miles (2,170 km ) is land and 12 square miles (31 km ) (1.5%) is water. The Kankakee River , Du Page River and the Des Plaines River run through the county and join on its western border. The Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal run through Will County. A number of areas are preserved as parks (over 20,000 acres (81 km ) total) under
3024-441: The U.S. state of Illinois , 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Chicago . It is the county seat of Will County. It had a population of 150,362 at the 2020 census , making it the third-most populous city in Illinois . In 1673, Louis Jolliet , along with Father Jacques Marquette , paddled up the Des Plaines River and camped on a huge earthwork mound, a few miles south of present-day Joliet. Maps from Jolliet's exploration of
3108-464: The census of 2010, 147,433 people, 48,019 households, and 34,900 families were residing in the city. The population density was 2,288.3 inhabitants per square mile (883.5/km ). The 51,285 housing units averaged 796 per square mile (307.3/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 67.48% White, 15.98% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 11.34% from other races, and 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 27.84% of
3192-497: The 18th-fastest growing city in the United States among incorporated places with more than 100,000 people. According to the official website for the city of Joliet: Joliet's diverse faith community represents over 60 denominations and offers residents services at more than 150 churches, synagogues, and houses of worship. Along with their spiritual offerings, these houses of worship enrich the Joliet area by providing some of
3276-489: The 1969 courthouse, with Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois including the building on its “2022 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois”. After a number of votes and appeals, demolition was approved and the destruction of the building began on December 4, 2023. Like most of the collar counties , Will County was once a Republican stronghold. It went Republican in all but three elections from 1892 to 1988. Since
3360-462: The 1990s, it has become a swing county. It voted for the national winner in every presidential election from 1980 to 2012, but Chicago-born Hillary Clinton won it along with the rest of the "collar counties" aside from McHenry in 2016. K-12 school districts, including any with any territory in Will County, no matter how slight, even if the schools and/or administrative headquarters are in other counties: K-12: Secondary: Elementary: Will County
3444-633: The 2011 Frontier League Championship in their first season as a team. Chicagoland Speedway held events from NASCAR . During major races, the large influx of fans means that the number of people in the city is double that of the official figure. Next door to the Speedway, the Route 66 Raceway features National Hot Rod Association events on its drag strip. Joliet Central has become actively involved in Route 66 by building an alternative fuel vehicle . Autobahn Country Club , also located in Joliet, has held
New Lenox, Illinois - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-685: The 2015 season. New Lenox hosts multiple festivals, including Cruise the Commons, Christmas in the Commons, Fridays After Five,and the Loyalty Day Parade. The now disbanded Lincoln-Way Patriots were part of the Mid States Football League and played throughout the Lincoln-Way area. The New Lenox Community Park District maintains 40 parks and athletic fields comprising nearly 600 acres; while also utilizing 14 facilities throughout New Lenox. New Lenox also offers
3612-654: The Kankakee and Des Plaines Rivers , branches of the Illinois . The surface is generally level, and destitute of timber, excepting small groves. The soil is very fertile, and much of it is under cultivation. The soil of the prairies is a deep, sandy loam, adapted to Indian corn and grass. In 1850 the county produced 527,903 bushels of Indian corn; 230,885 of wheat; 334,360 of oats; 32,043 tons of hay, and 319,054 pounds of butter. It contained 14 churches, 3 newspaper offices; 3472 pupils attending public schools, and 200 attending other schools. Quarries of building stone are worked near
3696-483: The Township New Lenox from the town Lenox, New York , which was Van Duser's hometown. In 1863, the name for the new settlement officially became New Lenox Township. The Village of New Lenox was officially created on October 4, 1946. In 1945, 46 community leaders, F. Carlton Cole, Walter Baers and others reasoned that the community should be incorporated. Recognizing the benefits and the potential growth of
3780-464: The area showed a large hill or mound down river from Chicago, labeled Mont Joliet. The mound has since been flattened due to mining . In 1833, following the Black Hawk War , Charles Reed built a cabin along the west side of the Des Plaines River . Across the river in 1834, James B. Campbell, treasurer of the canal commissioners, laid out the village of "Juliet", a corruption of "Joliet" that
3864-516: The area's finest examples of Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine, and Renaissance architecture. The spiritual community in Joliet welcomes newcomers with open arms, offering regular worship services and religious education. Joliet holds a very large Catholic population, and many Catholic institutions, including Joliet Catholic Academy and the University of St Francis . Like many Midwestern and East Coast cities dependent on manufacturing industries, Joliet has experienced past economic troubles. As of 2013 ,
3948-475: The area, a community vote in the spring of 1946 resulted in the authorization for the creation of the Village of New Lenox. On October 4, 1946, the State of Illinois officially certified that New Lenox was legally organized and incorporated as a Village in the State of Ill In 1829, fur traders Aaron Friend and Joseph Brown established an outpost along the north side of Hickory Creek (near today’s Gougar Road), which
4032-655: The center of activity in the area. Joseph Norman, who opened the second area sawmill in 1833, was also the father of Elizabeth Norman, born in 1832, and was the first child born in New Lenox Township. In 1852, the coming of the Rock Island Railroad changed the settlement of the Township. Before the railroad, farmers hauled their goods to the I & M Canal or by wagon all the way to larger cities like Chicago. The railroad brought distant markets to
4116-425: The church sold the building in 1993, and it is no longer home to the congregation. The Jacob A. Henry Mansion, 20 South Eastern Avenue, is a three-story, red-brick, Second Empire/Italian Renaissance-style structure built on a Joliet limestone foundation in 1873 (completed in 1876). The structure is set on bedrock and the entire basement floor is made of Joliet limestone from the building owner's quarry. The walls of
4200-477: The city its first charter , and because of this, he was elected Joliet's first mayor . When the city later built a new bridge, it was named the Van Horne Bridge. According to the 2010 census, Joliet has a total area of 62.768 square miles (162.57 km ), of which 62.11 square miles (160.86 km ) (or 98.95%) are land and 0.658 square miles (1.70 km ) (or 1.05%) is covered by water. It has
4284-552: The city. In the 1960s, Interstate 55 and Interstate 80 made their way through Joliet, linking up near Channahon just west of the city limits. The phrase "Crossroads of Mid-America", found on the Joliet seal, is an allusion to the intersection of I-80 and I-55 (and, historically, the intersection between the Lincoln Highway and Route 66). Joliet Transportation Center is the final stop on the Metra rail lines from Chicago for
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#17327808054044368-592: The closed Joliet East, each of which has sports programs. JCA has been a major football powerhouse for many years and has won more state football titles than any other team in the state, with 15 as of 2023. Joliet is the home of the University of St Francis athletics, nicknamed the Fighting Saints. The Fighting Saints participate in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in
4452-581: The county seat. The Des Plaines river furnishes water-power. The county is intersected by the Illinois and Michigan canal , by the Chicago branch of the Central railroad , the Chicago and Mississippi , and by the Chicago and Rock Island railroad . Named in honor of Conrad Will, for many years a member of the Illinois legislature. Capital, Joliet. Population 16,703." — 1854 U.S. Gazetteer According to
4536-404: The county. The population density was 809.6 inhabitants per square mile (312.6/km ). There were 237,501 housing units at an average density of 283.8 per square mile (109.6/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 76.0% white, 11.2% black or African American, 4.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 5.8% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 15.6% of
4620-425: The daily low temperature being below or at freezing, and 86 days when the daily high is above 80 °F (27 °C). As of the census of 2010, there were 24,394 people, 8,000 households, and 6,547 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,424.9 inhabitants per square mile (936.3/km). There were 8,244 housing units at an average density of 819.5 per square mile (316.4/km). The racial makeup of
4704-613: The early 1980s, the Job Corps of the U.S. Department of Labor has operated the Joliet Job Corps Center on the campus of the former Joliet East High School . Situated about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of central Chicago, Joliet has long been a significant transportation hub. It lies on both sides of the Des Plaines River, a major waterway in Northern Illinois , and was one of the principal ports on
4788-593: The farmer, along with more visitors and the mail. Later three additional railroads: the Wabash, the Michigan Central, and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern all crossed New Lenox Township. Gradually the area east of Gougar Crossing along the railroad tracks became the new center of town and so the Village of New Lenox began. The village was platted in 1858. The name Tracy was the name shown on the original plat to honor
4872-408: The farms that later became Pilcher Park. He owned and operated one of the largest carnation and rose greenhouse businesses in this area. In 1898, the first rural Bell telephone company in Illinois came to New Lenox. By 1905, there were 132 subscribers. The switchboard operators worked in homes so that 24 hour service could be given to customers to handle emergencies. The Deadmore home at 221 Haven Avenue
4956-409: The first being erected in 1837. The fourth courthouse was designed of reinforced concrete in the Brutalist style by Otto Stark of C.F. Murphy Associates and completed in 1969. Citing lack of space, inefficiency and high operating costs, the County Board chose to erect a new courthouse, which was designed by Wight & Co. and completed in 2020. Considerable controversy surrounded the disposition of
5040-412: The front entry gate. The stone is 9×22×20 ft. In 1885, an immense Byzantine dome was added to the south façade. The interior of the Jacob A. Henry Mansion has elaborate polished-walnut woodwork, massive, carved pocket doors, original wood mantles, and a solid-walnut staircase. The original owner, Mr. Henry, was a railroad magnate, building railroads in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. He had ownership in
5124-400: The general superintendent of the Rock Island Railroad. Tracy requested that another name be found. The first supervisor for New Lenox Township J. Van Duser had named the Township New Lenox from the town of Lenox, New York, which was Van Duser's home town. In 1863, the name for the new settlement officially became New Lenox after the Township. The coming of the Rock Island Railroad in 1852 changed
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#17327808054045208-412: The hospital and the sport complex. The village operates under the village form of local government. The Council-Trustees/Mayor form of government is followed and utilizes a village administrator to perform chief administrative duties. The current mayor is Tim Baldermann and the current village administrator is Kurt Carroll. The six member board of trustees and mayor are elected in an election at large on
5292-604: The intersection of Cedar Road. This rail line services towns on Metra 's SouthWest Service Line between Manhattan and Chicago's Union Station . New Lenox is located at the junctions of many major roads. U.S. Route 30 is the main East to West road through town. The major north–south streets are Cedar Road, Gougar Road, and Nelson Road. I-80 and I-355 , also known as the Veterans Memorial Tollway , pass through New Lenox. These expressways provide transportation to many other major highways and to Chicago , Joliet , Naperville , Wheaton , Bolingbrook . New Lenox-Howell Airport
5376-411: The mayor and board of trustees. The village administrator also supervises all village departmental operations. In 2007, the village governmental operations were moved to the new New Lenox Village Hall at 1 Veterans Parkway. Upon occupying this new building of approximately 65,000 square feet (6,000 m), the old Village Hall which was approximately 14,000 square feet (1,300 m) was taken over by
5460-435: The movie screen), at the corner of Scott Street and Washington, and at the old Menards that took over the Wieboldt's building at Jefferson Square Mall. The Illinois Youth Center Joliet, a juvenile correctional facility of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice , opened in April 1959. According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: The Rialto Square Theatre,
5544-407: The part of Kankakee County, Illinois , north of the Kankakee River . It lost that area when Kankakee County was organized in 1852. Since then its boundaries have not changed. 36 locations in Will County are on the National Register of Historic Places . "WILL, a county in the E. N. E. part of Illinois, bordering on Indiana, has an area of 1,236 square miles (3,200 km ). It is intersected by
5628-419: The population. Of the 48,019 households, 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 14% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were not families. About 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01, and the average family size
5712-454: The population. In terms of ancestry, 21.6% were German , 18.6% were Irish , 13.3% were Polish , 11.1% were Italian , 5.9% were English , and 2.1% were American . Of the 225,256 households, 44.0% had children under 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 22.7% were non-families, and 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
5796-436: The rate of unemployment in Joliet was around 8.6%. The city is evolving from a steel and manufacturing suburb to a commuter suburb in the Chicago metropolitan area . Some new migrants to the Chicago area are working in bordering Cook County (the nation's second-most populous county) and living in Joliet. The downtown area of Joliet has slowly attracted new businesses to the area. The main attractions in Joliet's city center are
5880-405: The river. With the construction of highways and suburban development to the west, many businesses moved from the downtown area to the expanding areas west of the river. Many stores relocated to the west side in new strip malls and shopping centers with more parking and easier access. These changes resulted in the decline of the downtown shopping district, which is still felt today. Today, Joliet has
5964-448: The settlement of the Township considerably. Previously farmers could do "cash crop" farming by hauling the products to the I & M Canal or by wagon all the way to larger cities like Chicago. The presence of the railroad brought distant markets to the farmer. Eventually New Lenox Township was served by three additional railroads: the Wabash, the Michigan Central, and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern. The most prominent citizen of New Lenox at
6048-674: The southeast corner of Route 30 and Schoolhouse Road, which is owned and operated by the New Lenox Historical Society. Additionally, the Hadley Valley Preserve offers a unique 4.85-mile crushed Spring Creek Greenway Trail that welcomes pedestrians and equestrians. Silver Cross has built a $ 400 million hospital just off of U.S. Route 6 nearby the new I-355 extension in New Lenox; replacing their Joliet location on February 26, 2012. The replacement hospital brings services from Children’s Memorial Hospital ,
6132-458: The structure are constructed of red Illinois sandstone and deep red brick specially fired in Ohio (wrapped individually and shipped by barge to Joliet). A commanding three-story tower is the focal point of the structure. The structure has steel trim with slate shingles on a mansard roof. The front and side porches are single slabs of limestone. The largest stone ever quarried lies in the sidewalk under
6216-594: The turn of the century was H. N. Higinbotham. Although Mr. Higinbotham's home was located in New Lenox, he became famous in Chicago where he was a partner in Marshall Field's, a banker, and the organizing and supervising force behind the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. He was a colleague and friend of most of Chicago's leaders, including George Pullman, Marshall Field, and the Palmers. Mr. Higinbotham once owned
6300-505: The village was 96.2% White , 0.8% Asian , 0.7% African American , 0.2% Native American , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 1.0% from other races , and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.7% of the population. There were 8,000 households, out of which 45.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.8% were married couples living together, and 8.2 were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who
6384-524: Was Prison Break . The prison was also used for the opening scenes in the 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers , which starred John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood Blues. The first Dairy Queen store opened in Joliet. The location is now occupied by Universal Church. Two casinos originated as riverboat casino in Joliet: the Hollywood Casino near Channahon and
6468-502: Was $ 69,386. Full-time, year-round working males had a median income of $ 51,082 versus $ 39,235 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,374. About 10.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over. From April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2011, Joliet was the fastest-growing city in the Midwestern United States and
6552-442: Was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.41. The median age was 35.4. The median income for a household in the county was $ 75,906 and the median income for a family was $ 85,488. Males had a median income of $ 60,867 versus $ 40,643 for females. The per capita income was $ 29,811. About 5.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.0% of those under 18 and 5.6% of those 65 or older. Will County
6636-406: Was 3.56. In the city, the population is 30.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males. For 2015, the median income for a household in the city was $ 60,976, and for a family
6720-521: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.41. The median income for a household in the village was $ 88,778 and the median income for a family was $ 97,752 The median home value in the village as August 31, 2023, is $ 401,997. According to a 2011 forecast the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning estimated New Lenox will have a population of 90,652 in 2030. However, due to
6804-417: Was also in use at the time. Just before the economic depression of 1837, Juliet incorporated as a village, but to cut tax expenses, Juliet residents soon petitioned the state to rescind that incorporation. In 1845, local residents changed the community's name from "Juliet" to "Joliet", reflecting the original name. Joliet was reincorporated as a city in 1852. Cornelius Covenhoven Van Horne was active in getting
6888-502: Was called VanHorne Point. New Lenox Township was established when Will County was created in 1852 with the building of the Rock Island Railroad between Chicago and Rock Island, Illinois. Originally named Tracey in honor of the general superintendent of the Rock Island Railroad. Mr. Tracy later requested that the community be renamed. The first supervisor of the Rock Island Railway for New Lenox Township, John Van Duser, named
6972-593: Was one of the earliest settlements in Will County. Friend moved west with the Native Americans after the Blackhawk War of 1832. In 1830, William Rice, Sr. and William Rice, Jr. arrived and began farming and building a log cabin, which they sold along with their land to John Gougar on behalf of his father William Gougar. In 1832, “Uncle Billy” Gougar established a post office at his farm where area residents would pick up their mail. The Gougar farm became
7056-416: Was the first location for the switchboard. New Lenox is known as "The Home of Proud Americans", which exemplifies the quality of life in the community. New Lenox is located approximately 36 miles southwest of downtown Chicago at 41°30′30″N 87°58′14″W / 41.50833°N 87.97056°W / 41.50833; -87.97056 (41.508251, -87.970597). According to the 2010 census, New Lenox has
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