:Kankakee, Illinois

File:Illinois - Kankakee through Lebanon - NARA - 23939861 (cropped).jpg

The city's name is probably derived from a corrupted version of the Miami-Illinois word {{lang|mia|teeyaahkiki}}, meaning "open country/exposed land/land in open/land exposed to view",{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n8uvs6Qw3pEC&q=%22Miami-Illinois+teeyaahkiki%22&pg=PA57 |title=Native American Place Names of Indiana |first=Michael |last=McCafferty|date=April 29, 2018 |publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-03268-4 |access-date=April 29, 2018 |via=Google Books}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n8uvs6Qw3pEC&q=%22it+is+wolf+country%22+mahweehkiki&pg=PA60|title=Native American Place Names of Indiana|first=Michael|last=McCafferty|date=April 29, 2018|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-03268-4|access-date=April 29, 2018|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EDvWAAAAMAAJ&q=%22The+Indian+name%22+%22of+the+Kankakee%2C+from+the+two+words%22&pg=PA15|title=Pioneer Hunters of the Kankakee|first=Jacob Lorenzo|last=Werich|date=April 29, 2018|publisher=Chronicle Printing Company|access-date=April 29, 2018|via=Google Books}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-SUVAAAAYAAJ&q=theakeke&pg=PA70 |title=Notes on the Northwest: Or, Valley of the Upper Mississippi|first=William John Alden|last=Bradford|date=April 29, 2018|publisher=Wiley and Putnam|isbn=978-0-608-43884-9|access-date=April 29, 2018|via=Google Books}}Johnson, Vic. 1994. "L'Riviere Theakiki--'The Fabulous River of 2,000 Bends{{'"}}, The Daily Journal (July 31, 1994), p. 24.Temple, Wayne C. 1958. [http://www.museum.state.il.us/publications/epub/indian_villages_il_country_wayne_temple.pdf Indian Villages of the Illinois Country] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704042459/http://www.museum.state.il.us/publications/epub/indian_villages_il_country_wayne_temple.pdf |date=July 4, 2015 }}. Illinois State Museum Scientific Papers, vol. 2, Part 2, p. 145, fn 104[https://books.google.com/books?id=FG25wiLGanoC&dq=%22quin-que-que%22&pg=PA623 Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kankakee County ], Volume 2, Issue 1, edited by Newton Bateman, Paul Selby; edited by William F. Kenaga, George R. Letourneau, p. 623. in reference to the area's prior status as a marsh. Kankakee was founded in 1854.{{cite web|url=http://graveyards.com/IL/Kankakee/moundgrove/|title=Mound Grove Cemetery|website=graveyards.com|access-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429232517/http://graveyards.com/IL/Kankakee/moundgrove/|archive-date=April 29, 2018}}

According to the 2010 census, Kankakee has a total area of {{convert|14.62|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|14.14|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 96.72%) is land and {{convert|0.48|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 3.28%) is water.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1738934

|title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1

|access-date=2015-12-27

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213043524/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1738934

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

}}

The Kankakee River runs through Kankakee. It is approximately 133 miles long and serves as a major attraction and defining landmark of Kankakee. The river water is refined at the Kankakee Water Company, and electricity is generated at the Kankakee River Dam, providing vital resources to the community. Its winding path, including inlets and eddies, creates desirable fishing conditions for outdoor enthusiasts.

{{Weather box

|location = Kankakee, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1887–present)

|single line = Y

|width = auto

| Jan record high F = 66

| Feb record high F = 74

| Mar record high F = 85

| Apr record high F = 91

| May record high F = 99

| Jun record high F = 103

| Jul record high F = 103

| Aug record high F = 107

| Sep record high F = 99

| Oct record high F = 90

| Nov record high F = 79

| Dec record high F = 71

| year record high F = 107

| Jan high F = 32.5

| Feb high F = 36.8

| Mar high F = 48.6

| Apr high F = 61.2

| May high F = 72.5

| Jun high F = 81.9

| Jul high F = 84.8

| Aug high F = 83.2

| Sep high F = 77.9

| Oct high F = 65.1

| Nov high F = 49.9

| Dec high F = 37.8

| year high F = 61.0

| Jan mean F = 24.4

| Feb mean F = 28.2

| Mar mean F = 39.0

| Apr mean F = 50.3

| May mean F = 61.8

| Jun mean F = 71.5

| Jul mean F = 74.8

| Aug mean F = 73.1

| Sep mean F = 66.5

| Oct mean F = 54.1

| Nov mean F = 41.0

| Dec mean F = 30.0

| year mean F = 51.2

| Jan low F = 16.3

| Feb low F = 19.7

| Mar low F = 29.4

| Apr low F = 39.4

| May low F = 51.0

| Jun low F = 61.0

| Jul low F = 64.8

| Aug low F = 63.0

| Sep low F = 55.1

| Oct low F = 43.1

| Nov low F = 32.1

| Dec low F = 22.1

| year low F = 41.4

| Jan record low F = −29

| Feb record low F = −21

| Mar record low F = −7

| Apr record low F = 8

| May record low F = 27

| Jun record low F = 38

| Jul record low F = 46

| Aug record low F = 39

| Sep record low F = 30

| Oct record low F = 18

| Nov record low F = 1

| Dec record low F = −26

| year record low F = -29

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 2.37

| Feb precipitation inch = 1.94

| Mar precipitation inch = 2.49

| Apr precipitation inch = 3.87

| May precipitation inch = 5.15

| Jun precipitation inch = 5.21

| Jul precipitation inch = 4.65

| Aug precipitation inch = 3.85

| Sep precipitation inch = 3.56

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.40

| Nov precipitation inch = 2.82

| Dec precipitation inch = 2.35

| year precipitation inch = 41.66

| Jan snow inch = 8.1

| Feb snow inch = 3.4

| Mar snow inch = 3.0

| Apr snow inch = 0.3

| May snow inch = 0.0

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.0

| Oct snow inch = 0.0

| Nov snow inch = 0.6

| Dec snow inch = 5.3

| year snow inch = 20.7

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 10.7

| Feb precipitation days = 8.6

| Mar precipitation days = 9.1

| Apr precipitation days = 10.9

| May precipitation days = 11.7

| Jun precipitation days = 10.1

| Jul precipitation days = 8.6

| Aug precipitation days = 8.6

| Sep precipitation days = 7.6

| Oct precipitation days = 9.2

| Nov precipitation days = 9.0

| Dec precipitation days = 9.0

| year precipitation days = 113.1

| unit snow days = 0.1 in

| Jan snow days = 5.6

| Feb snow days = 4.2

| Mar snow days = 1.9

| Apr snow days = 0.4

| May snow days = 0.0

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.0

| Oct snow days = 0.0

| Nov snow days = 0.7

| Dec snow days = 3.5

| year snow days = 16.3

| source 1 = NOAA{{cite web

| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lot

| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = July 13, 2021

| archive-date = November 10, 2018

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181110040544/http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lot

| url-status = dead

}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00114603&format=pdf

| title = Station: Kankakee Metro Wastewater, IL

| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = July 13, 2021}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1880= 5651

|1890= 9025

|1900= 13595

|1910= 13986

|1920= 16753

|1930= 20620

|1940= 22241

|1950= 25856

|1960= 27666

|1970= 27575

|1980= 29633

|1990= 30944

|2000= 27491

|2010= 27537

|2020= 24052

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=US Census Bureau}}
2010 2020

}}

As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date= 2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 27,561 people, 10,020 households and 6,272 families residing within the city. The population density was {{convert|2,239.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 10,965 housing units at an average density of {{convert|893.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 50.92% White, 41.07% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.50% from other races, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 9.25% of the population.

There were 10,020 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60, and the average family size was 3.28.

In the city, 29.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.7% was from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,469, and the median income for a family was $36,428. Males had a median income of $30,894 versus $22,928 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,479. About 18.1% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 11.7% aged 65 or over.

File:Warren Hickox House.JPG]]

Library service is provided by the Kankakee Public Library.

• Frank Lloyd Wright designed two houses in the Riverview section of the city, located on South Harrison Avenue. The B. Harley Bradley House and the Warren Hickox House both still stand today.{{cite web|url=http://www.kankakeewright.org|title=The B. Harley Bradley House|website=www.kankakeewright.org|access-date=April 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115061648/http://www.kankakeewright.org/|archive-date=January 15, 2012}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8tNPAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Frank+Lloyd+Wright+field+guide%22|title=Frank Lloyd Wright Field Guide: Includes All United States and International Sites|first1=Thomas A.|last1=Heinz|first2=Frank Lloyd|last2=Wright|date=April 29, 2018|publisher=Northwestern University Press|isbn=978-0-8101-2244-4|access-date=April 29, 2018|via=Google Books}}
• The current Kankakee courthouse was built from 1909 to 1912 in the Neo-classical Revivalist style in the wake of the 1893 Columbian Exposition (the Chicago World's Fair) as part of the City Beautiful movement. The architect was Zachary Taylor Davis, who had previously worked with Frank Lloyd Wright when both were draftsmen for Louis Sullivan.

Kankakee Valley Park District has 37 parks, comprising a total of {{convert|600|acre|km2}}. Facilities include an indoor ice skating rink, a recreation center, dog park, campground and a 72 boat slip marina on the Kankakee River. Fishing is plentiful as the district has 13 riverfront parks as well as a {{convert|5|acre|ha|abbr=on|adj=on}} stocked quarry.

The city has two softball complexes that have both been inducted into the Softball Hall of Fame. They host annual state and international tournaments drawing nearly 50,000 spectators throughout the year. Some Kankakee youth baseball leagues have won state championships.{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=2007-10-25|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204035720/http://geonames.usgs.gov/|archive-date=February 4, 2012}}

File:Kankakee County Courthouse Civil War Memorial.JPG

Kankakee is governed by the mayor council system. The city council consists of fourteen members who are elected from seven wards (two per ward). The mayor and city clerk are elected in a citywide vote.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

Organized in 1966 by a group of citizens, Kankakee Community College was established to provide a post-secondary educational resource for the people of the Kankakee area.{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic|title=Geographic Names Information System|access-date=2008-01-31|publisher=United States Geological Survey|url-status=live|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/698t1HjXe?url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=132:1:3161899225272452|archive-date=July 14, 2012}}

Public schools are part of the Kankakee School District 111, which includes five elementary schools (Edison, Mark Twain, Lincoln Cultural Center Montessori, Steuben, and Taft), two middle schools (Kennedy and King), one junior high school (Kankakee Junior High), and one high school (Kankakee High), which from 1966 to 1983 was two separate high schools, Eastridge and Westview.{{cite web | url= http://www.k111.k12.il.us/schools/default2.aspx |title= Kankakee School District Schools |publisher= Kankakee School District 111 |access-date= June 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610010335/http://www.k111.k12.il.us/schools/default2.aspx |archive-date=June 10, 2012 }}

There are three private high schools: Bishop McNamara Catholic School (Catholic), Grace Christian Academy (non-denominational),{{Cite web|url=https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/kankakee-name-change-introduces-grace-christian-academy/article_1dfe7f5d-b8ef-5304-b829-58757017b631.html|title = Kankakee: Name change introduces Grace Christian Academy| work=The Daily Journal }}{{cite web |url= http://gracecrusaders.org/home0.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120309010101/http://gracecrusaders.org/home0.aspx |title= Grace Baptist Academy |publisher= Grace Baptist Academy |access-date=June 8, 2012 |website= gracecrusaders.org |archive-date= March 9, 2012 }} and Kankakee Trinity Academy (inter-denominational).{{cite web|title=Our Purpose|url=http://www.k3trinityacademy.org/aboutus.html|publisher=Kankakee Trinity Academy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516161944/http://www.k3trinityacademy.org/aboutus.html|archive-date=May 16, 2012|access-date=June 8, 2012}}

File:Kankakee aerial.jpg

Kankakee is served by the Greater Kankakee Airport, a general aviation facility located in the southern portion of Kankakee.{{cite web | url=http://www.kvaa.com/ | title=Kankakee Valley Airport Authority | publisher=Kankakee Valley Airport Authority | access-date=2012-06-08 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816021430/http://www.kvaa.com/ | archive-date=August 16, 2012 }}

Amtrak provides service to Kankakee from the Kankakee Amtrak Station.{{cite web | url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=am/am2Station/Station_Page&code=KKI | title=Kankakee, IL (KKI) | publisher=Amtrak | access-date=2012-06-08 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825090326/http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=am%2Fam2Station%2FStation_Page&code=KKI | archive-date=August 25, 2012 }} Amtrak operates the City of New Orleans, the Illini, and the Saluki, which each run once daily in both directions.{{cite web |title=City of New Orleans, Illini and Saluki |publisher=Amtrak |url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249240921216&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_City-of-New-Orleans-Schedule-050712.pdf |date=May 7, 2012 |access-date=2012-06-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511172730/http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249240921216&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_City-of-New-Orleans-Schedule-050712.pdf |archive-date=May 11, 2012 }}

Interstate 57 runs east–west in the southern part of the city and turns north–south in the eastern part of Kankakee. United States Highways US 45 and US 52 run concurrently forming, along with Illinois Route IL 50, the major north–south thoroughfares through Kankakee. Illinois Route IL 17 is the major east–west road that bisects the city.

The River Valley Metro Mass Transit District (RVMMTD; River Valley Metro or METRO, for short) operates the region's transit bus system. Service runs seven days a week to locations in Kankakee as well as the nearby cities of Aroma Park, Bradley, Bourbonnais, and Manteno. All of the Kankakee routes are stationed out of the Chestnut & North Schuyler Transfer Station.{{cite web |title=Transfer Stations |publisher=River Valley Metro |url=http://www.rivervalleymetro.com/?page_id=48 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006221332/http://www.rivervalleymetro.com/?page_id=48 |archive-date=2011-10-06 |access-date=2012-06-08 }} River Valley Metro operates 12 fixed-regular bus routes and two commuter routes. The Midway and University Park commuter routes were added January 5, 2014, and in August 2015 River Valley Metro added a second Midway route to its schedule. In January 2016, a second University Park route was added.

==In popular culture==

• The movie The Accountant (2016) showcases Kankakee by directly mentioning the town as well as displaying Kankakee High School hats on some of the actors.{{cite web|url=https://www.daily-journal.com/life/too-many-bullet-holes-in-accountant/article_ddd8bf5c-dddd-5ffc-b573-11a146bc4390.html |title=Too many bullet holes in Accountant|date=October 14, 2016 |access-date=December 2, 2022}}
• The movie The Unborn (2009) was partially filmed in Samuel H. Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee. Other movies to have been filmed in Kankakee County are The Hunter (1980) and Child's Play (1988).{{cite web |url=http://www.kirkbridebuildings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=1263 |title=Kirkbride Buildings Forum • View topic – Movies Filmed at Kankakee |publisher=Kirkbridebuildings.com |date=April 28, 2008 |access-date=October 17, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928014605/http://www.kirkbridebuildings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=1263 |archive-date=September 28, 2011}}
• Kankakee is mentioned in several songs:
• "Innocent Bessie Brown", words and music by Irving Berlin, written in 1910, sung by the Broadway performer Ethel GreenSheet Music Art Of Irving Berlin / Thomas Inglis. – Atglen, PA : Schiffer Pub., c2003 (p. 21 & 23)
• "City of New Orleans", words and music by Steve Goodman{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/search/songs/city+of+new+orleans|title=Song Search for "city of new orleans"|website=AllMusic|access-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023012316/https://www.allmusic.com/search/songs/city+of+new+orleans|archive-date=October 23, 2017}}
• "Lydia the Tattooed Lady", words and music by Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ENtazHbVc4C&pg=PA160 |page=160 |title=America's songs|author=Philip Furia |author2=Michael L. Lasser |isbn=978-0-415-97246-8 |date=May 12, 2006|publisher=Taylor & Francis }} This song first appeared in the Marx Brothers movie At the Circus (1939) and became one of Groucho Marx's signature tunes.
• "Took Her to the O" by Chicago rapper King Von{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/King-von-took-her-to-the-o-lyrics|title=King Von – Took Her to the O Lyrics - Genius|website=Genius}}
• In 1999, the city was mocked on the Late Show with David Letterman after being named America's worst place to live. As a gag, Letterman donated two gazebos to the city in the hopes it would proclaim itself as "The home of the world famous twin gazebos." In 2015, the gazebos were torn down. A rocking chair was built from the wood, and was sent to Letterman for his retirement. This was organized by Kankakee students who felt the gazebos were symbols of a past they wanted to forget.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-27 |title=David Letterman thanks Kankakee for gazebo-turned-rocking chair |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/3/26/18422797/david-letterman-thanks-kankakee-for-gazebo-turned-rocking-chair |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}
• This American Life on April 10, 2015, analyzed Kankakee and its title of the worst city in America.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/554/not-it|title=554: Not It! |website=thisamericanlife.org|date=April 10, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408024539/http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/554/not-it|archive-date=April 8, 2015}}

• Kankakee Outwash Plain
• List of people from Kankakee

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.kan-i-help.org/agency_profile.asp?agency_id=326&letter=K List of Kankakee Valley Park District Activities and Offerings]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713010739/http://www.illinois.com/details/city.php?cityFips=1738934 Description of Kankakee from Illinois.com ]

{{Wikivoyage|Kankakee}}

{{NIE Poster|Kankakee (city)|Kankakee, Illinois}}

• [https://books.google.com/books?id=HEs0AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22The+city+of+Kankakee+was+originally+platted%22&pg=PA763 City of Kankakee], Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2 by Newton Bateman
• {{Cite EB9|wstitle=Kankakee|volume=13|short=x}}
• [http://www.citykankakee-il.gov/ Official City page]
• [https://archive.org/details/stjosephkankakee00inbake/page/11 St. Joseph-Kankakee Portage—Its Location and Use by Marquette, La Salle and the French Voyageurs by George A. Baker, 1899, page 11]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=FkwEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22kankakee+knows%22+%22what%27s+coming%22&pg=PA10 "Kankakee Knows What's Coming," Life magazine, vol. 30, no. 1, January 1, 1951]

{{Kankakee County, Illinois}}

{{Chicagoland}}

{{Illinois county seats}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Illinois

Category:Cities in Kankakee County, Illinois

Category:County seats in Illinois

Category:Metropolitan areas of Illinois

Category:1865 establishments in Illinois

Category:Majority-minority cities and towns in Kankakee County, Illinois