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Phoenix, Illinois

Coordinates: 41°36′44″N 87°37′50″W / 41.61222°N 87.63056°W / 41.61222; -87.63056
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Phoenix, Illinois
Village
Official seal of Phoenix, Illinois
Seal
Location of Phoenix in Cook County, Illinois.
Location of Phoenix in Cook County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Coordinates: 41°36′44″N 87°37′50″W / 41.61222°N 87.63056°W / 41.61222; -87.63056
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyCook
TownshipThornton
Government
 • MayorTerry Wells
Area
[1]
 • Total
0.46 sq mi (1.20 km2)
 • Land0.46 sq mi (1.20 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,708
 • Density3,681.03/sq mi (1,422.38/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)
60426
Area code708
FIPS code17-59572
Wikimedia CommonsPhoenix, Illinois
Websitewww.villageofphoenix.org

Phoenix is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,708 at the 2020 census.[2] It is located approximately 19 miles (31 km) south of the Chicago Loop in the Chicago area.

History

[edit]

The development of Phoenix is closely tied to its larger neighbor, Harvey. Harvey was established as an industrial city with no saloons. Many of its early factories were located between the Illinois Central Railroad and Harvey's eastern boundary at Halsted Street. One local businessman, William McLatchy, owned a large tract of land in an unincorporated area outside of Harvey. Soon, five saloons had opened in the area and a small housing subdivision known as Phenix Park was constructed during the 1890s.[3] City leaders in Harvey, seeing businesses just outside their boundaries selling alcohol to local workers, sought to annex Phenix Park and render it "dry" or free of alcohol-related establishments. The residents of Phenix Park wanted to retain local control of their affairs as an independent village. On August 29, 1900, an election was held to determine the future status of the area. A total of 56 votes were cast with 38 (67.9%) voting in favor of incorporation and 18 (32.1%) against.[4] Despite legal challenges from Harvey, the result was upheld.

After incorporation, the name Phenix Park was changed to Phoenix. By 1910, the village had a population of 500, with most residents being of either Dutch or Polish ancestry. The first African Americans moved to Phoenix in 1915. Most came from Chicago and the South. Industry in Harvey and the railroads provided a strong employment base for Phoenix residents. The African American population steadily increased during the 1920s. By 1930, the village was home to 3,033 people. The demographic makeup of the community was 84.2% White, 15.1% Black, and 0.7% other.[3] Growth continued through the 1940s and 1950s. New housing was constructed to accommodate this growth. The population in 1960 was 4,203. At this time, Phoenix had a diverse ethnic composition but the community was racially segregated. African Americans, comprising 65.3% of the population, lived in the northern portion of the village while Whites, forming 34.7% of the population, lived in the southern portion of Phoenix. In 1960, the municipal administration of Phoenix voted to de-annex the predominantly White portion of the village into Harvey. The exchange occurred in 1962 and with it, Phoenix lost one-third of its population as well as 60% of its tax base.[4]

By 1990, the population was 2,217.[3]

On October 16, 1979, Phoenix Mayor William Hawkins was shot and fatally wounded in an ambush outside of his home. He died two days later.[5] Bobby Joe Anderson, a city policeman, was indicted 13 years later for the crime and was convicted of first degree murder in the killing of Hawkins.[6]

Geography

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Phoenix is located at 41°36′44″N 87°37′50″W / 41.61222°N 87.63056°W / 41.61222; -87.63056 (41.612333, -87.630545)[7] in southern Cook County. The village is nestled between Harvey and South Holland.[4]

According to the 2010 census, Phoenix has a total area of 0.45 square miles (1.17 km2), all land.[8]

Surrounding areas

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910679—
19201,933184.7%
19303,03356.9%
19402,875−5.2%
19503,60625.4%
19604,20316.6%
19703,596−14.4%
19802,850−20.7%
19902,217−22.2%
20002,157−2.7%
20101,964−8.9%
20201,708−13.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
2010[10] 2020[11]

As of the 2020 census[12] there were 1,708 people, 612 households, and 261 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,681.03 inhabitants per square mile (1,421.25/km2). There were 825 housing units at an average density of 1,778.02 per square mile (686.50/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 85.30% African American, 1.23% White, 0.53% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 7.85% from other races, and 4.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.94% of the population.

There were 612 households, out of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 16.01% were married couples living together, 17.81% had a female householder with no husband present, and 57.35% were non-families. 54.58% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.04% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.62 and the average family size was 2.29.

The village's age distribution consisted of 17.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $30,455, and the median income for a family was $44,076. Males had a median income of $25,586 versus $30,313 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,421. About 26.4% of families and 29.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.4% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.

Phoenix 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[13] Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 29 28 14 1.34% 1.43% 0.82%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,009 1,781 1,445 93.14% 90.68% 84.60%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 5 6 7 0.23% 0.31% 0.41%
Asian alone (NH) 1 3 4 0.05% 0.15% 0.23%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0 2 0.00% 0.00% 0.12%
Other race alone (NH) 4 0 13 0.19% 0.00% 0.76%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 22 30 19 1.02% 1.53% 1.11%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 87 116 204 4.03% 5.91% 11.94%
Total 2,157 1,964 1,708 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Government

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Phoenix is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district.

Transportation

[edit]

Pace provides bus service on Route 348 connecting Phoenix to destinations across the Southland.[14]

Notable people

[edit]
  • Quinn Buckner (born 1954), former professional basketball player and coach. He was a childhood resident of Phoenix.[15]
  • Kevin Duckworth (1964–2008), professional basketball player. He was a childhood resident of Phoenix.[16]
  • Sam Mack (born 1970), former professional basketball player. He was a childhood resident of Phoenix.[17]
  • Claude Steele (born 1946), psychologist. He was a childhood resident of Phoenix.[18]
  • Shelby Steele (born 1946), academic and recipient of the National Medal of the Humanities. He was a childhood resident of Phoenix.[19]
  • Melvin Van Peebles (1932–2021), actor, filmmaker, playwright, novelist and composer. He was a childhood resident of Phoenix.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. ^ "Phoenix village, Illinois, Illinois profile". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Phoenix, IL". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c "History of Phoenix". Village of Phoenix. Archived from the original on October 28, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  5. ^ "Ambushed Mayor of Suburb In Chicago Dies of Wounds", "Around the Nation", The New York Times, October 19, 1979, p. A14
  6. ^ People of the State of Illinois v. Bobby Joe Anderson, 653 N.E.2d 395 (Ill.App. Ct. 1995), CaseText.com
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Phoenix village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Phoenix village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  13. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Phoenix village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "RTA System Map" (PDF). Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  15. ^ Damer, Roy (December 12, 1975). "Hoosiers nip Irish". Chicago Tribune – via ProQuest.
  16. ^ McAllister, Cal (May 20, 1995). "Housing follows jobs to Phoenix". Chicago Tribune – via ProQuest.
  17. ^ "2 Iowa St. athletes charged in robbery". Chicago Tribune. April 1, 1989 – via ProQuest.
  18. ^ "The Wrong-Headed Scholar Who Said Obama Could Not Be Elected President". The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (62). New York City: 13–15. 2009 – via ProQuest.
  19. ^ Clayton, Janet (January 13, 1991). "Shelby Steele : Pushing All the Buttons: Equating Quotas With Goals". Los Angeles Times.
  20. ^ Van Peebles, Melvin. "Artistic development, near-death experiences, and the power of persistence". BOMB Magazine (Interview). Interviewed by Lee Ann Norman. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
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