Calumet City, Illinois

History

Calumet City (commonly referred to locally as "Cal City") was founded in 1893 when the villages of Schrumville and Sobieski Park merged under the name of West Hammond, since it lies on the west side of the Illinois-Indiana line from Hammond, Indiana.

In 1916, when alcohol was prohibited in Indiana, West Hammond became a preferred location for drinkers coming from northwest Indiana. Bootleggers including Al Capone built on this basis once the Prohibition era arrived, and West Hammond gained the nickname of "Sin City".

West Hammond became known for illegal alcohol consumption, gambling, and prostitution. In 1923, residents wishing to rid the city of its reputation voted to change the name from West Hammond to Calumet City.

Frank LaPorte is believed to have been the member of the Chicago Outfit who was most responsible for developing and maintaining the "Sin Strip" area of Calumet City. Police avoided Sin Strip and risked violence if they tried to make an arrest.

In 1959, the state of Illinois conducted a police raid that resulted in 98 arrests and the seizure of business records. An article published in Chicago Daily News on June 2, 1959, exposed LaPorte as being instrumental in the illegal activities in Calumet City.

In 1995, the city began demolishing bars and taverns in the "Sin Strip" area.

Geography

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Calumet City has a total area of 7.32 sqmi, of which 7.20 sqmi (or 98.31%) is land and 0.12 sqmi (or 1.69%) is water.

Surrounding areas

In addition to being bordered to the east by Hammond, it is also bordered by Burnham and Chicago to the north, Lansing to the south, and South Holland and Dolton to the west.

: Chicago / Burnham : Dolton [[Image:Up arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Up-1.svg|30px]] [[Image:Up arrow right.svg|20px]] Hammond : Dolton / South Holland [[Image:Left.svg|30px]] [[Image:Right.svg|30px]] Hammond : South Holland [[Image:Down arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Down arrow.svg|30px]] [[Image:Down arrow right.svg|20px]] Munster : Lansing

Demographics

|align-fn=center 2010 2020

As of the 2020 census there were 36,033 people, 14,166 households, and 8,607 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,921.20 PD/sqmi. There were 16,196 housing units at an average density of 2,211.96 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 72.64% African American, 9.74% White, 0.65% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 10.44% from other races, and 6.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.97% of the population.

There were 14,166 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.65% were married couples living together, 26.42% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.24% were non-families. 36.79% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38 and the average family size was 2.56.

The city's age distribution consisted of 23.5% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,640, and the median income for a family was $55,612. Males had a median income of $34,474 versus $32,079 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,688. About 15.9% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.6% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

A landmark and point of pride among Cal City residents is the pair of large water towers painted like the popular "Have a Nice Day" smiley faces which are located on Ring Road near River Oaks Mall, the other State Street near Interstate 94.

Government

Calumet City has a Mayor-Council type government.

The city has 7 Wards.

Calumet City is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district.

The mayor of Calumet City is currently Thaddeus Jones. He has served as Mayor since being elected to the office in 2021.

Mayors of Calumet City

|}

Education

Calumet City is served by several elementary school districts:

• Calumet City School District 155
  • Woodrow Wilson Memorial School
  • Wentworth Intermediate School
  • Wentworth Jr. High School
• Dolton School District 149
  • Berger Vandenberg School
  • Carol Moseley Braun School
  • Caroline Sibley School
  • Dirksen Middle School
• Lincoln Elementary School District 156
  • Lincoln Elementary School
• Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District No. 157
  • Hoover Elementary School
  • Schrum Memorial Middle School

The city is served by two high school districts:

• Thornton Township High School District 205 (west of Torrence Avenue)
  • Thornwood High School
• Thornton Fractional High School District 215 (east of Torrence Avenue)
  • Thornton Fractional North High School

Transportation

Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Calumet City to destinations across the Southland.

Notable people

· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability. · The article must mention how they are associated with , whether born, raised, or residing. · The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited. · Alphabetical by last name please · All others will be deleted without further explanation

• Calboy, American rapper who rose to fame in 2018.
• Joseph F. Fanta (1914–1988), member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1957 to 1963 and 1965–1967. He was a childhood resident of Calumet City.
• Arline M. Fantin (b. 1937), Illinois state representative. She resided in Calumet City while a representative.
• Frank Giglio (b. 1933), Illinois state representative. He resided in Calumet City while a representative.
• John Jurkovic (b. 1967), defensive lineman for several NFL teams; radio host at ESPN Radio 1000
• Mirko Jurkovic (1970–2013), former offensive guard for the Chicago Bears and All-American at the University of Notre Dame
• Alan Keyes (b. 1950), conservative political activist and perennial candidate. Keyes moved from Maryland to Calumet City to establish residency after being drafted by the Illinois Republican Party to run against Barack Obama in the 2004 United States Senate election.
• Gene Krupa (1909–1973), jazz drummer, buried in Holy Cross Cemetery
• José Olivarez, poet, author of Citizen Illegal and Promises of Gold. Editor of The Breakbeat Poets Volume 4: LatiNext.
• DJ Rashad (1979–2014), Chicago house music producer
• Mike Tomczak (b. 1962), quarterback for several NFL teams, including the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl champions
• Steve Wojciechowski (b. 1970), former pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
• Tink (b. 1995), singer-songwriter
• Tim Walberg (b. 1951), member of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan. His family moved from Chicago to Calumet City and he attended Thornton Fractional Township North High School.

In popular culture

Calumet City is featured or mentioned in a number of major movies. John Belushi's "Joliet Jake" and Dan Aykroyd's "Elwood" characters from The Blues Brothers were born in Calumet City, and so is the orphanage they grew up in, which they save "on a mission from God" by paying $5,000 in property taxes from a $10,000 record deal at their concert, as well as "Ray's Music Exchange" that holds the famed Ray Charles "Shake Your Tail-Feather" scene of the movie. In the book and film The Silence of the Lambs, Buffalo Bill is thought to be hiding in Calumet City, when he is actually in Belvedere, Ohio. The Calumet City scenes in the film were filmed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, however. Lily Tomlin's prim but assertive housewife/spokesperson "Mrs. Judith Beasley" is said to be a resident of Calumet City. She said, "Hi. I am not an actress, but a real person like yourself."

Calumet City is also referenced by a number of popular music acts. The Black Crowes included a video of the Smiley Towers in their 1990 video for "Hard to Handle". A photograph of the "Dolton" smiley water tower is featured on the back of the Dead Kennedys album Plastic Surgery Disasters. Rapper Twista has referenced Calumet City. Kanye West's reference to Calumet in his 2005 song "Drive Slow" does not refer to Calumet City, but rather to Calumet High School, which was located in the South Side of Chicago and not in Calumet City.

The Smiley Tower is also featured in the movie Natural Born Killers; it is seen out the window of Mallory's family home (part of that movie was filmed in Hammond, Indiana). In the Nine Inch Nails music video on the director's cut of the same film, the Smiley Tower and Dolton Avenue/State Street is featured.

The founders of the Calumet Baking Powder Company adopted its brand name from the original Native American word for the land that became Calumet City. They later named one of thoroughbred horse racing's most famed and successful enterprises, Calumet Farm, after the company.

In 2004, Alan Keyes purchased a raised ranch house in Calumet City to establish residency in Illinois so he could run for the U.S. Senate in place of Jack Ryan against Barack Obama, although instead of residing in the house, he officially moved into an apartment elsewhere in town, on Garfield Avenue.

In 2010, pop music group Hanson remade the "Shake Your Tailfeather" scene from The Blues Brothers for the music video for their hit "Thinkin' 'Bout Somethin'" in Tulsa, Oklahoma, paying homage to Calumet City's Ray's Music Exchange, John Belushi, and Ray Charles.

Jean Shepherd (writer and narrator of the classic movie A Christmas Story) in radio broadcasts from WOR radio, New York in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and in his PBS specials of the 1970s and 1980s, and his many books, often refers to it as Cal City or just Calumet. He grew up in nearby Hammond, Indiana.

References

References

1. . (1968). "United States of America Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 90th Congress Second Session". *United States Government Printing Office*.
2. (1993). "Calumet City Centennial Celebration". Illinois: Centennial History Committee.
3. Enke, Anne. (2007). "Finding the Movement: Sexuality, Contested Space, and Feminist Activism". Duke University Press.
4. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. "Calumet City city, Illinois".
6. (2008). "Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs: A Historical Guide". University of Chicago Press.
7. (2013). "Organized Crime in Chicago: Beyond the Mafia". University of Illinois Press.
8. . (1962-06-17). ["Glitter Fades: Calumet City's Sin Strip Loses to Suburban Respectability"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/46584091/calumet_city_1962/). *The Cincinnati Enquirer*.
9. (2012). "The Boys in Chicago Heights: The Forgotten Crew of the Chicago Outfit". The History Press.
10. . (1995-07-18). ["Redemption is Near for Calumet City's 'Sin Strip'"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-07-18-9507180124-story.html). *Chicago Tribune*.
11. (1995-09-12). "City Levels Tavern in 'Sin Strip' Area". Chicago Tribune.
12. "Gazetteer Files".
13. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". [[US Census Bureau]].
14. "Explore Census Data".
15. "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois- Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 16 (p. 18-28) - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 29-39)".
16. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin".
17. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Calumet City, Illinois".
18. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Calumet City, Illinois".
19. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Calumet City, Illinois".
20. Compiliation of American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut categories
21. Compiliation of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Asian Indian, and Vietnamese categories. Other Asian groups would be included in the Some Other Race category
22. Compiliation of Hawaiian, Guamanian, and Samoan categories. Other Pacific Islander groups would be included in the Some Other Race category
23. Derived from extracting Pacific Islander population from Asian population
24. Calculated as the difference between the total population and all other categories
25. Not an option in the 1980 Census
26. Not an option in the 1990 Census
27. Listed as Spanish origin in the 1980 Census. Racial identification for Hispanics only consisted of White, Black, and Some Other Race; hence, a small number of Latinos may be also be included in the counts for Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander
28. "The Smiley Towers".
29. "Office of the Mayor".
30. Bigott, p. 166-167
31. Bigott, Joseph C.. (2001). "From Cottage to Bugalow - Houses and the Working Class in Metropolitan Chicago 1869-1929". [[The University of Chicago Press]].
32. (March 10, 1915). "Hammond's Mayor Loses". [[Freeport Daily Bulletin]].
33. (April 21, 1915). "West Hammond takze mialo wczoraj wybory". [[Dziennik Chicagoski]].
34. (March 11, 1925). "Jaranowski Wins Election". [[The Chicago Tribune ]].
35. (April 16, 1941). "Spirited Races Bring Out Heavy Vote In Villages". [[The Chicago Tribune ]].
36. (April 17, 1935). "Mayors of Four towns in Cook County Beaten". [[The Chicago Tribune]].
37. (April 18, 1945). "Illinois Cities Name Officials, Vote On Issues". [[The Decatur Daily Review ]].
38. (April 22, 1953). "Calumet City Voters Elect Reform mayor". [[The Chicago Tribune]].
39. West, Paul. (April 9, 1961). "Vote April 18 in Calumet and Lansing". [[The Chicago Tribune]].
40. (September 1, 1961). "Calumet City Mayor To Pick Zone Board". [[The Chicago Tribune]].
41. (February 2, 1972). "Breclaw Sets Sights On Permanent Mayoral Seat". [[The Daily Calumet]].
42. Inkley, Thomas. "Cal City Council Livens Election". [[The Hammond Times]].
43. Gaines, William. (June 7, 1992). "Stefaniak New Mayor in Cal City". [[The Chicago Tribune]].
44. Gaines, William. (June 15, 1972). "Stefaniak Sensitive to Flux, Stability". [[The Chicago Tribune]].
45. (April 19, 1973). "Incumbent mayor Stefanial Defeats 2 in Cal City race". [[The Daily Calumet]].
46. (April 21, 1993). "Oak Lawn Bucks Anti-Incumbert Drive". [[The Chicago Tribune]].
47. (July 20, 2006). "Garrison v. Calumet City, Illinois".
48. (September 3, 2003). "Calumet City gets new mayor". [[The Chicago Tribune ]].
49. "Cook County Consolidation Election - Tuesday, April 07, 2009".
50. "Calumet City :: Illinois".
51. "Welcome to Calumet City School District 155 in Calumet City, IL".
52. "School District 149".
53. "Lincoln Elementary School District 156".
54. "Home - Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District 157".
55. "Thornton Township High Schools District 205 / Overview".
56. "Thornton Fractional High School District #215".
57. "RTA System Map".
58. Heise, Kenan. (May 6, 1988). "Joseph F. Fanta, 74, Former State Legislator". [[Chicago Tribune]].
59. 'Illinois Blue Book 1997-1998,' Biographical Sketch of Arline M. Fantin, pg. 85
60. 'Illinois Blue Book 1993-1994,' Biographical Sketch of Frank Giglio, pg. 80
61. (2011). "John Jurkovic". Football Database.com.
62. Foltman, Bob. (3 May 2001). "WMVP shuffles afternoon lineup: Low ratings cost Simonson-Canellis". Chicago Tribune.
63. anonymous. (n.d.). "Mirko Jurkovic". [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football.
64. (August 13, 2004). "Keyes sets up house in Cal City". [[Chicago Tribune]].
65. Hamnik, Al. (11 September 2010). "Cal City's Tomczak won't ever forget 'miracle' ride". Northwest Indiana Times.
66. (17 September 1986). "Planning ahead: Mike Tomczak reached inside the breast...". Chicago Tribune.
67. "Bioguide Search".