Alsip, Illinois

Alsip, Illinois
Village
Alsip Village Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Alsip in Cook County, Illinois.
Alsip Show map of Greater Chicago Alsip Show map of Illinois Alsip Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 41°40′14″N87°43′56″W / 41.67056°N 87.73222°W / 41.67056; -87.73222
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Township	Worth
Incorporated	1840
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
•  Mayor	John D. Ryan
Area [1]
• Total	6.63 sq mi (17.16 km2)
• Land	6.53 sq mi (16.90 km2)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)  1.54%
Population  (2020)
• Total	19,063
• Density	2,921.53/sq mi (1,127.97/km2)
Standard of living (2007-11)
•  Per capita income	$25,286
•  Median home value	$202,100
ZIP code(s)	60803
Area code(s)	708/464
Geocode	01010
FIPS code	17-01010
Website	villageofalsip.org

Alsip is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,063 at the 2020 census. ^[2] It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Alsip was settled in the 1830s by German and Dutch farmers. The village is named after Frank Alsip, the owner of a brickyard that opened there in 1885. ^[3] The village began to grow after the Tri-State Tollway was built there in 1959.

Geography

This is one of the two water towers which are notable landmarks with their dark red color and fluted shaft. Both are visible to travelers on I-294.

Alsip is located at 41°40′14″N87°43′56″W / 41.67056°N 87.73222°W / 41.67056; -87.73222 (41.670433, -87.732199). ^[4]

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Alsip has a total area of 6.63 square miles (17.17 km²), of which 6.53 square miles (16.91 km²) (or 98.49%) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km²) (or 1.51%) is water. ^[5]

Alsip is bordered to the west by the villages of Worth and Palos Heights. To the south is Crestwood. Oak Lawn lies to the north. Merrionette Park, Blue Island, and Robbins lie to the east (north-south, respectively). The Mount Greenwood neighborhood of Chicago lies to the north and east. ^[6]

Most of the town lies to the north of the Cal-Sag Channel. However, Chippewa Ridge subdivision, which was built upon the former Alsip Nursery, lies southwest of the Cal-Sag. In conjunction with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Water Reclamation District of Chicago, the village operates a boat launch on the canal, permitting inland access to Lake Michigan. ^[7]

The Alsip area is home to two predominantly African-American cemeteries, Burr Oak and Restvale cemeteries, which are the resting places of many Chicago blues musicians (including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Dinah Washington), athletes (Jimmie Crutchfield), and other celebrities. Emmett Till, whose murder in Mississippi at age 14 in 1955 was an important moment in the Civil Rights Movement, is buried at Burr Oak. In 2004, that cemetery was covered in the national media when the murder investigation was re-opened, and Till's body was exhumed. ^[8]

Six years later, on July 9, 2010, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart alleged that four workers at Burr Oak cemetery dug up more than 200 graves, dumped the bodies into unmarked mass graves, and resold the plots to unsuspecting members of the public. The three men and one woman were charged and convicted with one count each of dismembering a human body. ^[9]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	327		—
1940	541		65.4%
1950	1,228		127.0%
1960	3,770		207.0%
1970	11,608		207.9%
1980	17,134		47.6%
1990	18,227		6.4%
2000	19,725		8.2%
2010	19,277		−2.3%
2020	19,063		−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 2010 [11] 2020 [12]

As of the 2020 census ^[13] there were 19,063 people, 7,796 households, and 4,455 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,877.43 inhabitants per square mile (1,110.98/km²). There were 8,016 housing units at an average density of 1,209.96 per square mile (467.17/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 51.58% White, 22.48% African American, 1.95% Asian, 0.70% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 12.20% from other races, and 11.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 26.52% of the population.

The top five non-African American, non-Hispanic ancestries reported in Alsip as of the 2000 census were Irish (17.1%), German (14.0%), Polish (9.7%), Italian (4.8%) and English (3.5%).

There were 7,796 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.60% were married couples living together, 13.94% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.86% were non-families. 38.13% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.23% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.27 and the average family size was 2.41.

The village's age distribution consisted of 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $58,768, and the median income for a family was $72,444. Males had a median income of $48,254 versus $36,313 for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,308. About 7.7% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

The municipal logo for the Village of Alsip; it denotes the importance of industry and education, as well as transportation and community unity.

Alsip village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000 [14]	Pop 2010 [11]	Pop 2020 [12]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	15,122	11,272	8,895	76.66%	58.47%	46.66%
Black or African American alone (NH)	1,982	3,451	4,235	10.05%	17.90%	22.22%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	25	18	8	0.13%	0.09%	0.04%
Asian alone (NH)	411	434	359	2.08%	2.25%	1.88%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	5	5	8	0.03%	0.03%	0.04%
Other race alone (NH)	33	26	50	0.17%	0.13%	0.26%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	420	229	452	2.13%	1.19%	2.37%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,727	3,842	5,056	8.76%	19.93%	26.52%
Total	19,725	19,277	19,063	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Government

Most of Alsip is in Illinois's 1st congressional district; the portion north of 115th Street, and the city block northeast of 119th Street and Lawndale Avenue, are in the 3rd district.

Policy-making and legislative authority are vested in the governing Village Board consisting of the Village President, often referred to as the Mayor, and six Trustees, and a Village Clerk. The Village Clerk is an ex officio member of the Board and does not vote. All Board members are elected at large. All Board members serve four-year terms, with the Village President, the Village Clerk, and three Trustees elected usually on the first Tuesday in April following Presidential election year, while the other three Trustees are usually elected on the first Tuesday in April two years later. Beginning with those elected in the April 4, 2017 election, no person may hold the office of Village President, Village Clerk, or Village Trustee for more than three consecutive four-year terms.

The current Village government, as of May 2019 (with the year their term ends):

• Mayor: John D. Ryan (2021)
• Clerk: Susan M. Petzel (2021)
• Trustee: Richard S. Dalzell (2023)
• Trustee: Christine L. McLawhorn (2023)
• Trustee: Christopher W. Murphy (2023)
• Trustee: Michael J. Zielinski (2021)
• Trustee: Monica M. Juarez (2021)
• Trustee: Catalina Nava-Esparza (2021) (Elected to a two-year term to fill the remaining term of Trustee who resigned)

Each trustee and the mayor serve on one or more committees or commissions which oversee government functions. The individual assignments are available at the village website.

There are also a finance director who helps guide the government on fiduciary matters and a law firm that serves as the village attorneys to guide the government on legal matters. ^[15]

Mayors

• Gustave Termunde (1927–33)
• Leonard Holmberg (1933–36)
• John Benck (1936–56)
• John J. Alsterda (1956–61)
• Raymond L. Termunde (1961–73)
• Arnold A. Andrews (1973–2005)
• Patrick E. Kitching (2005–2016)
• John D. Ryan (2017–Present)
• Emma Cohen (Future)

Education

The public library district combines the municipalities of Alsip and neighboring Merrionette Park, though the library is located in Alsip on Pulaski Road.

Elementary school districts

• Alsip-Hazelgreen-Oaklawn School District 126 ^[16]
  • Prairie Junior High School in Alsip
• Atwood Heights School District 125 ^[17]
  • Lawn Manor Elementary School in Oak Lawn
  • Meadow Lane Intermediate School in Alsip
  • Hamlin Junior High School in Alsip
• Cook County School District 130 ^[18]

Secondary School District

• Community High School District 218 ^[19]

Community college

• Moraine Valley Community College ^[20]

Private schools

• Marist High School, a coed Catholic school in Chicago affiliated with the Marist Brothers
• Brother Rice High School, an all-male Catholic school in Chicago affiliated with the Congregation of Christian Brothers
• Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School, an all-female Catholic school in Chicago affiliated with the Sisters of Mercy
• Chicago Christian High School

Business and industry

Alsip is home to the international headquarters of Griffith Laboratories. ^[21]

One of the two Chicago area Coca-Cola bottling plants is located in Alsip.

Alsip is home to Alsip MiniMill, a producer of corrugating medium using Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) as the primary raw material.

Transportation

Pace provides bus service on routes 383 and 385 connecting Alsip to destinations across the Southland. ^[22]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
2. "Alsip village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved February 23, 2021.
3. Callary, Edward (29 September 2008). Place Names of Illinois. University of Illinois Press. p. 7. ISBN   978-0-252-09070-7.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
5. Bureau, US Census. "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-29.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
6. "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
7. "Boat Launch". www.alsip.org.il. Archived from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
8. "Body of '55 civil rights victim returned to grave". Associated Press. 2005-06-04. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
9. "Remains from Burr Oak Cemetery scandal reburied - Gary/Chicago Crusader". Chicagocrusader.com. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
10. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
11. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Alsip village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
12. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Alsip village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
13. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
14. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Alsip village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
15. "Village Of Alsip". Village Of Alsip. Archived from the original on 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
16. "District 126 Alsip, Hazelgreen, Oak Lawn ::". Dist126.k12.il.us. Archived from the original on 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
17. "Hamlin Upper Grade Center - HAMLIN UPPER GRADE CENTER". Ahsd125.org. 2014-05-13. Archived from the original on 2014-08-28. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
18. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-10-05. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
19. "Community High School District 218 - Index". Chsd218.org. 2014-06-03. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
20. "Moraine Valley Community College". Morainevalley.edu. 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
21. "Griffith Foods". Griffithfoods.com. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
22. "RTA System Map" (PDF). Retrieved January 30, 2024.

External links

• Official Village of Alsip official website