River Forest, Illinois

File:Des Plaines River seen from the Lake Street bridge in River Forest, Illinois.jpg seen from the Lake Street bridge in River Forest, Illinois.|left]]

The Native American history of the area is closely tied to the Des Plaines River and includes Menominee and Chippewa settlements near what is now the Desplaines Avenue and Roosevelt Road forest preserves of Cook County. The Menominees would eventually be driven out by the Potowatomi Nation in 1810. The Potawatomi were in turn pushed west of the Mississippi by the Treaty of Chicago of 1833.

1831 saw the establishment of a steam sawmill on the east bank of the Des Plaines River. In 1842, the first planked road in what is now Lake Street was created.{{Cite web |title=A Brief History of River Forest {{!}} Oak Park River Forest Museum |url=https://oprfmuseum.org/brief-history-river-forest |access-date=January 7, 2024 |website=oprfmuseum.org}} The community was known as Noyesville at the time. In 1848 the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad completed construction of tracks westward from Chicago, and train service commenced in January 1849.

In the 1850s two families acquired land and drove development in the area. David Thatcher settled in what is now western River Forest and named that part of the community Thatcher. Henry Quick arrived from Harlem, New York and named the eastern part of Noyesville as well as Harlem Avenue after his home town.

File:River Forest Thatcher Woods Trail.jpg

River Forest lies along the Des Plaines River to the west and is bordered by Illinois Route 43 to the east and Illinois Route 64 to the north. Along with the Des Plaines River, much of the western boundary of River Forest consists of the Thatcher Woods forest preserve of Cook County and the Des Plaines River Trail. According to the 2010 census, River Forest has a total area of {{convert|2.482|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|2.48|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 99.92%) is land and {{convert|0.002|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 0.08%) is water.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1764304

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

|access-date=December 25, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213051939/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1764304

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

{{Weather box |location = River Forest, Illinois

|single line = Y

|Jan high F = 32

|Feb high F = 37.4

|Mar high F = 48.2

|Apr high F = 60.8

|May high F = 71.6

|Jun high F = 80.6

|Jul high F = 84.2

|Aug high F = 82.4

|Sep high F = 77

|Oct high F = 62.6

|Nov high F = 50

|Dec high F = 37.4

|Jan low F = 19.4

|Feb low F = 23

|Mar low F = 32

|Apr low F = 41

|May low F = 51.8

|Jun low F = 62.6

|Jul low F = 68

|Aug low F = 66.2

|Sep low F = 59

|Oct low F = 46.4

|Nov low F = 35.6

|Dec low F = 24.8

|date=July 2020}}

File:Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.jpg quad along Division Street.]]

Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago are both located in River Forest.

There are two public elementary schools, Lincoln Elementary School and Willard Elementary School, and one public middle school, Roosevelt Middle School. The elementary and middle schools are in River Forest Public Schools District 90. River Forest shares a high school with Oak Park, known as Oak Park and River Forest High School, located in Oak Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.oprfhs.org/|title=Oak Park and River Forest High School|website=www.oprfhs.org}}

River Forest is home to two Catholic grade schools and one Lutheran grade school. St. Luke School and St. Vincent Ferrer School are Catholic schools, and Grace Lutheran School is Lutheran. All three enroll children from 3 years old through eighth grade. River Forest has one all-girls' secondary school, Trinity High School.

River Forest also has the Keystone Montessori School, established in 1994. It serves children 9 months of age to 8th grade as an alternative learning style for children.{{cite web|url=http://www.ksmontessori.org/|title=Keystone Montessori School|website=www.ksmontessori.org}} It educates children using the philosophy of Maria Montessori.

The River Forest Public Library is located at 735 Lathrop Avenue.

{{Expand section|date=December 2022}}

The United States Postal Service operates the River Forest Post Office at 401 William Street."[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/59352?p=1&s=IL&service_name=post_office&z=River+Forest Post Office Location – RIVER FOREST]." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on April 17, 2009.

Metra operates a station in River Forest along the Union Pacific West Line at 8001 W. Central Avenue{{Cite web |title=River Forest {{!}} Metra |url=https://metra.com/train-lines/stations/river-forest |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=metra.com}}

Pace runs routes 309 and 313 along Lake Street through River Forest, stopping a block from the Metra station.{{Cite web |title=309 - Lake Street {{!}} Pace Suburban Bus |url=https://www.pacebus.com/route/309 |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=www.pacebus.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Pace Bus - Route 313 |url=https://www.pacebus.com/route/313 |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=www.pacebus.com |language=en}} Pace also runs routes 307 and 318, with southbound busses driving on North Avenue (318 only) and Harlem Avenue on the edge of River Forest.

{{US Census population

|1900= 1539

|1910= 2456

|1920= 4358

|1930= 8829

|1940= 9487

|1950= 10823

|1960= 12695

|1970= 13402

|1980= 12392

|1990= 11669

|2000= 11635

|2010= 11172

|2020= 11717

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|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|access-date=}}
2010 2020

}}As of the 2020 census{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1764304 |access-date=June 28, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}} there were 11,717 people, 4,040 households, and 2,754 families residing in the village. The population density was {{Convert|4,720.79|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 4,266 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|1,718.78|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the village was 72.91% White, 7.51% African American, 0.12% Native American, 8.01% Asian, 2.70% from other races, and 8.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.46% of the population.

There were 4,040 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.69% were married couples living together, 4.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.83% were non-families. 31.83% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.32% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 2.47.

The village's age distribution consisted of 25.4% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 18.4% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $125,288, and the median income for a family was $193,171. Males had a median income of $116,643 versus $57,703 for females. The per capita income for the village was $79,929. About 1.3% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2022}}

File:River Forest Tennis Club in River Forest, Illinois.jpg in River Forest, Illinois]]

River Forest is perhaps best known for the diversity of early 20th century American residential architectural styles including several Frank Lloyd Wright designs and others within the Prairie School. The Winslow House and the River Forest Tennis Club are most notable for Frank Lloyd Wright's early styles.

File:Winslow House in River Forest, Illinois.jpg in River Forest, Illinois]]

{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}

• Tony Accardo, crime boss
• Anita Alvarez, attorney
• Gordon Sutherland Anderson, mayor and state legislator in Oregon
• Joseph Andriacchi, mobster
• Charles F. Baumrucker, jeweler, businessman, politician
• Chris Columbus, filmmaker
• James Dewar, inventor
• Paul Harvey, radio commentator
• Sidney Hatch, athlete, US Army Messenger, Recipient of Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Medal, Also Recipient of the Croix De Guerre
• Gail Mancuso, television and film director
• Franklin Clarence Mars, inventor
• Kathryn McGee, activist
• Kevin Murphy, actor
• Edwin Perkins, inventor
• Jerry Saltz, art critic
• Anne Smedinghoff, diplomat
• Carlos Zambrano, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs

River Forest hosted the 2016 Little League Baseball Illinois State Tournament at Keystone Park.

2019 Little League Illinois State Baseball Champions{{Cite web|url=https://www.unpage.org/illinois/il-dir2019.htm|title = Illinois State Little League® Tournament Historical Results}}

For 18 years, the neighborhood has hosted a yearly 9/11 Lemon-Aid stand on the 700 block of Bonnie Brae which donates all proceeds to local charities. The first year, the event raised $400 for Hepzibah Children's Association. Last year, $36,000 was raised for Kidz Express. To date, $323,000 has been donated by the event.{{Cite web|url=http://9-11lemonaid.com/|title=LemonAid|website=LemonAid|language=en-US|access-date=February 7, 2020}}

Every year, the Rotary Club of Oak Park River Forest hosts the Food Truck Rally in Keystone Park that donates all net proceeds to local charities. The event includes 10 trucks with sweet, savory, and beer trucks; a live music stage; and a family activities area.{{Cite web|url=http://rfparks.com/events/food-truck-rally/|title=River Forest Park District » Food Truck Rally|language=en-US|access-date=February 7, 2020}}

• River Forest Thomism

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.vrf.us/ Village of River Forest official website]
• [http://www.oprfchamber.org/ Oak Park – River Forest Chamber of Commerce]

{{River Forest, Illinois}}

{{Cook County, Illinois}}

{{Chicagoland}}

{{Illinois}}

{{Geographic Location

| Center = River Forest

| North = Elmwood Park

| Northeast = Austin, Chicago

| East = Oak Park

| Southeast = Berwyn

| South = Forest Park

| Southwest = Maywood

| West = Melrose Park

| Northwest = River Grove

}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Villages in Cook County, Illinois

Category:Chicago metropolitan area

Category:Villages in Illinois