La Grange (Illinois)
Cook County
17-40767
La Grange is a suburb of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois with about 15,608 inhabitants ( census in 2000). The area was first settled around 1830.
History
The town was founded on June 11, 1879 by Franklin Dwight Cossitt. His dream was to build a model suburb. He put on roads, planted trees, donated land for schools and churches, and built quality homes for sale. He also placed alcohol restrictions firmly in the land contracts in order to protect the village from becoming an eyesore.
As Cossitt with the development of the area began was known as Kensington. But after another church in Illinois already had the same name, named Cossitt his congregation to La Grange, Tennessee, where he had worked as a youngster on the cotton farm of his uncle.
Had after the Chicago Fire on October 8, 1871 destroyed many houses searched thousands of people for accommodation. La Grange was the ideal location to accommodate this.
Geography
La Grange is located at 41 ° 48 'N, 87 ° 52 ' W and is located about 21 kilometers west of Chicago.
The village covers an area of 6.5 km ². Two main railway lines through the town, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and CSX Transportation.
About 14,000 years ago the area was on the west bank of the prehistoric Lake Chicago, the predecessor of Lake Michigan. The Bluff Avenue, extending in a north-south direction road in the eastern district follows the prehistoric coastline.
Economy and infrastructure
La Grange is the shipping address by General Motors Electro-Motive Division Inc., a locomotive manufacturer. The headquarters and the production part, however, are located in the adjacent town McCook. Originally, the production was located there, but this was a few years ago to London ( Ontario), transferred to another GM -EMD plant.
Personalities
- Jeff Hornacek, NBA shooting guard
- Sarah Wayne Callies, actress