Barrington, Illinois
Barrington is a village in Cook County, Illinois and Lake County, Illinois. The population was 10,168 at the 2000 census. Barrington is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The village's motto is 'a great place to live, work, and play!'Located approximately 32 miles (51 km) northwest of Chicago, the area features wetlands, forest preserves, parks and horse trails in a country-suburban setting. The Barrington area ZIP code, 60010, is the seventh wealthiest ZIP code in the country among areas with a population of 20,000 or more. The area includes the villages or towns of Barrington, Barrington Hills, Lake Barrington, Port Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington, and Tower Lakes, as well as small portions of Carpentersville, Deer Park, Hoffman Estates, and Inverness.
Early history
The original settlers of the Barrington area were the indigenous peoples of the native American Prairie Potawatomi or Mascoutin tribes, which later divided into the Potawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa tribes. Many local roads still in use today, including Algonquin Road, Rand Road, Higgins Road, and St. Charles Road, were all originally Native American trails. For many years, Barrington was considered part of the Northwest Territory, then the Illinois Territory.
19th Century
By treaty dated September 26, 1833 ending the Black Hawk War, the Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes ceded to the United States all lands from the west shore of Lake Michigan west to the area that the Winnebago tribe ceded in 1832, north to the area that the Menominees had previously ceded to the United States, and south to the area previously ceded by an 1829 treaty at Prairie du Chien, a total of approximately 5,000,000 acres (20,000 km2). Through this treaty, the Sacs, Fox, Winnebago, Chippewa, Ottawa and Pottawatomi tribes ceded all title to the area east of the Mississippi River. Between 1833 and 1835, the U.S. Government paid approximately $100,000 in annuities and grants to the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa tribes, presumably as payment for the land.Following this treaty, pioneers traveling from Troy, New York via Fort Dearborn (newly renamed the city of Chicago) settled in what would later become Cuba Township in Lake County. The first white pioneers known to have settled in Barrington township were Jesse F. Miller and William Van Orsdal of Steuben County, New York, who arrived in 1834, before the three year period which had been given the Native Americans to vacate the region, and before local land surveys. Other settlers, primarily from Vermont, upper New York State and Berkshire County, Massachusetts, settled in what is now the northwest corner of Cook County.The combined settlement of these pioneers, located at the intersection of Illinois Route 68 and Sutton Road, was originally called Miller Grove due to the number of families with that surname but later renamed Barrington Center because it 'centered' both ways from the present Sutton Road and from Algonquin and Higgins roads. Although residents and historians agree that the name Barrington was taken from Great Barrington in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and that many settlers immigrated to the area from Berkshire County, there is currently no evidence that settlers emigrated from Great Barrington itself. In addition, several original settlers, including Miller, Van Orsdal, and John W. Seymour, emigrated from Steuben County, New York, which also features a town named Barrington founded in 1820. However, it is currently unknown whether any settlers emigrated from Barrington, New York itself or whether the New York settlement influenced the naming of Barrington, Illinois.Much of the history of Barrington since its settlement parallels the development of railroad lines from Chicago's growing port facilities. In 1854, the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad, led by William Butler Ogden, extended the train line to the northwest corner of Cook County and built a station named Deer Grove.Fearing that the railroad would bring too many saloons and Irish Catholics to the area, Robert Campbell, a civil engineer working for the railroad, purchased a farm 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of the Deer Grove station and platted a community there. However, at Campbell's request, the railroad later moved the Deer Grove station to the new location, which Campbell named Barrington after Barrington Center.By 1863, population growth during the Civil War era increased the number of Barrington residents to 300. In order to provide a tax mechanism to finance improvements, Barrington incorporated on February 16, 1865; Homer Willmarth became the first village president. The village prospered as many Chicago grain merchants whose homes were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 constructed opulent Queen Anne-style residences along Barrington's tree-shaded streets. In 1889, the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (the 'EJ&E') was built through Barrington, crossing the Chicago & North Western Railway northwest of town.
20th century
The village continued to serve agriculturally-based trading interests into the twentieth century, including dairy farming on the meadows and woodlots surrounding the community. However, a number of Chicago business leaders, fueled by post-World War I prosperity, built their residences on large woodland tracts around the village, bringing an end to dairying. In 1929, the Jewel Tea Company built a new office, warehouse, and coffee roasting facility northeast of the village center, creating hundreds of local jobs despite the Great Depression.Barrington's large estate acreage, which tended to remain in family hands decade after decade, protected Barrington from the densely packed residential developments that came to neighboring communities in the 1950s and 1960s. As a result, Barrington's population grew very little—from 3,213 in 1930 to only 5,435 in 1960.
<i>The Battle of Barrington<i>The Battle of Barrington</i>
On November 27, 1934, a running gun battle between FBI agents and Baby Face Nelson took place in Barrington resulting in the deaths of Agent Herman Hollis and Inspector Samuel P. Cowley. Nelson, though shot 9 times, escaped the gunfight in Hollis's car with his wife, Helen Gillis. Nelson succumbed from his wounds at approximately 8pm that evening and was unceremoniously dumped near a cemetery in Niles Center (now Skokie), Illinois. Infamous for allegedly killing more federal agents than any other individual, Nelson was later buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois. A plaque near the entrance to Langendorf Park, part of the Barrington Park District, commemorates the agents killed in the gunfight.
21st Century
In April 2009, in a non-binding referendum, residents voted in favor of permitting Barrington township officials to begin looking into seceding from Cook County in part to Cook County's increased sales tax, now the highest in the country. (See Government section below.) Today, Barrington and its nearby villages are considered to be some of the wealthiest in the country.
Opposition to Canadian National Railway Purchase of EJ&E Railway
Since 2008, Barrington has made national news for its opposition to the purchase of the EJ&E by Canadian National Railway, known as 'CN,' a purchase that may drastically increase the number of freight trains passing through the village daily. The EJ&E intersects at grade with eight major roads in the Barrington area, including Northwest Highway, Illinois State Route 59 and Lake Cook Road in downtown Barrington, as well as the Metra Union Pacific line. By 2012, CN is expected to run at least 20 trains on the line per day. In summer 2008, President Barack Obama, then a U.S. Senator for Illinois, voiced opposition to the purchase, vowing to work with affected communities to make sure their views were considered.
On October 15, 2010, the CN railroad crossing at U.S. Route 14, as well as rail crossings at Lake Zurich Road and Cuba Road, were blocked for over one and half hours during the early afternoon rush hour due to a stopped 133-car CN southeast bound freight train. At times during the incident, the Hough Street crossing was also blocked. The stopped train also caused back-ups on the commuter rail service of the Union Pacific-Metra Northwest Line. That same day, U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-8th) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) released a statement that Barrington will receive a $2.8 million grant to fund the planning, design and engineering of a grade separation at the U.S. Route 14 and CN railroad crossing. Construction of any grade separation at that intersection is estimated to cost approximately $69 million; the source(s) of any such funding are currently unknown, and there are currently no plans to design or construct grade separations at any of the other seven Barrington area CN railroad crossings.
Architecture
The village of Barrington is noted for its Victorian, Victorian Gothic, Queen Anne, and other popular late-nineteenth century forms of architecture (see http://www.bahsil.org/VillageofBarringtonTour1.pdf for self-guided tour). Among Barrington's notable buildings is the Octagon House, located in downtown Barrington, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The downtown area is also home to the historic Catlow Theater, which features interiors by noted Prairie School sculptor and designer Alfonso Iannelli. Built in 1927, the Catlow is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to operate as one of the few remaining single-screen theaters in the area.Another historic building in the village, The Ice House Mall, is located just northwest of the town's center. Originally built in 1904 for the Bowman Dairy, the brick structure, with its turn-of-the-century styling, served as an actual ice house for 68 years. Renovations and additions beginning in the 1970s have transformed the original building into a collection of local specialty shops.The Michael Bay 2010 re-make of A Nightmare on Elm Street was partially filmed in Barrington, using the village's residential architecture as a backdrop.
Parks and recreation
The Barrington area features numerous parks and nature preserves. The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Barrington as a Tree City USA every year since 1986, in part due to the village's Tree Preservation and Management Ordinance governing the proper care for trees within the area.The Barrington Park District administers several Barrington area parks including Citizens Park, Langendorf Park, Miller Park, and Ron Beese Park. Langendorf Park features tennis courts, playgrounds, outdoor and indoor basketball courts, baseball fields, meeting/activity rooms, and 'Aqualusion,' a water park that includes a zero-depth pool, lap pool, and diving area. Northeast of town is Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve, a 782-acre (3.16 km2) wetlands preserve featuring 3 miles (4.8 km) of crushed-gravel trail offering views of the adjacent marsh. The preserve is named for Cuba Road, which provides the park's northern boundary. It is administered by Lake County Forest Preserves.Annual celebrations and events in Barrington include the Memorial Day parade, a Fourth of July parade and evening fireworks display, Concours d'Elegance (an auto show), and a Homecoming parade associated with Barrington High School. In addition, the village hosts a 'Barrington Brew Fest,' a mid-summer event showcasing Midwest microbrewers and local entertainment, as well as the 'Great Taste Fest of Barrington,' a food festival exhibiting fare from local restaurants. During the fourth weekend of every September, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital hosts 'Art in the Barn,' a juried fine arts show that featuring the exhibition and sale of fine art. Started in 1974 with only 30 artists, the event now attracts over 6,500 visitors and features live entertainment and pony rides for children in addition to the art exhibits. A fundraising event, Art in the Barn has generated more than $2.5 million dollars for Good Shepherd Hospital.Barrington also hosts a variety of charity functions, including Barrington CROP Hunger Walk, now in its 28th year; Relay for Life by the American Cancer Society held at Barrington High School; and the 'Hospice Duck Race,' a rubber duck race, now celebrating its 17th year, held to benefit Hospice of Northeastern Illinois.The only golf course within village limits is Makray Memorial Golf Club. Located southeast of the village center on Northwest Highway, the 18-hole course totals 7,000 yards and includes four sets of tees per hole. In addition to its downtown area, the village is also home to several shopping centers, including the Ice House Mall as well as The Foundry located northwest of town.
Banking and industry
Although relatively small in population, Barrington features seven separate banking institutions, some with multiple branches. Bank of America, the Barrington Bank & Trust Company, Chase, Fifth Third Bank, Harris Bank, the Northern Trust Company and TCF Bank all have locations within the village.The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1969 to support local businesses. Currently, the organization lists over 750 members; its stated function is 'serving as an agent of change, taking the lead in providing leadership for the benefit of the business community by promoting economic opportunities, advocating the interests of business, providing Members with education and resources, and encouraging mutual support.'Barrington receives much of its sales tax revenue from its half-dozen car dealerships. State sales tax figures indicate that Barrington's auto sales, gasoline sales and state-taxable auto repairs accounted for $2.1 million in sales taxes for the village in 2008, or approximately 56 percent of its sales-tax income. Local dealerships include Barrington Volvo, Marquardt of Barrington Buick Pontiac GMC, Motor Werks of Barrington (offering BMW, Cadillac, Honda, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Saab models), and Wickstrom Auto Group (featuring Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Jeep, Lincoln, and Mercury models). In May 2009, Chrysler informed the Wickstrom location that it would not be among the 40 dealerships closed in Illinois.The Gatorade Sports Science Institute, often featured in the company's commercials, is located in Barrington just west of downtown, across the street from Barrington High School. Barrington also serves as the headquarters for GE Healthcare IT, which provides clinical & financial information technology solutions. Other notable businesses include defense contractor ISR Systems, part of the Goodrich Corporation (formerly known as Recon Optical), and commercial real estate developer GK Development, Inc. For many years, the village was home to the Jewel Tea Company; its former headquarters was razed in the early 21st century for redevelopment as Citizens Park.
Library and Historical Society
The Barrington Area Library, located northeast of the village's center on Northwest Highway, contains over 226,000 book volumes and 27,000 audiovisual items. Originally established in 1915, the library moved to its current site in the mid-1970s. Through various additions, most recently in 1993, the building was expanded to its current size of approximately 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2). The library also currently features exhibits by local artists, including an outdoor sculpture garden.The Barrington Area Historical Society, located on Main Street in downtown Barrington, is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the Barrington area. Founded in 1968, the Society operates from two restored Victorian houses. In 1999, village officials relocated a blacksmith shop to the area behind the Society; a barn, forge, and lobby area were added to create a historical setting. Combined with a one-room schoolhouse, these buildings complete the museum complex known as 'Old Barrington Center.'
Medical and emergency
Located 3 miles (4.8 km) north of town, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, known as 'Good Shepherd,' has served the village and surrounding communities since 1979. Prior to the opening of Good Shepherd, the area's closest major hospitals were located in Elgin, Lincolnshire and/or Arlington Heights. In 1927, residents established a 'Barrington General Hospital' in a house located near the intersection of Hough Street and Lincoln Avenue; however, this hospital closed in 1935. Various resident petitions and fundraising during the 1960s and 1970s renewed interest in a local hospital, and Good Shepherd officially opened on October 17, 1979.
The American College of Surgeons has designated Good Shepherd's Emergency Department as a Level II trauma center. The hospital's medical specialties are Cardiology, Cancer/Oncology, Emergency Services, 'Fitness and Wellness,' Imaging, Obstetrics, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, and Women's Health, and the renovated Emergency Department includes a 'Fast Track' center for less serious treatment needs, such as stitches.As of November 2009, the Barrington Police Department had 23 full-time police officers; as of March 2007, the Barrington Fire Department had 38 full-time firefighters. The Village has adopted an Emergency Operations Plan as well as a community notification system called Connect-CTY. Connect-CTY allows authorized Village officials to record and deliver voice messages quickly to individual phones in the notification database in urgent situations. Examples of messages that may be sent over the Connect-CTY service include severe weather warnings and updates, hazardous traffic or road conditions inside the Village or affecting local routes, and any other urgent situations impacting the Village's safety, property, or welfare. Barrington is also National Incident Management System compliant.
Houses of worship
Numerous Christian houses of worship are located in Barrington, including Baptist, Christian Science, Episcopal, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and United Church of Christ denominations. The area is also home to Willow Creek Community Church, a non-demoninational Evangelical Christian megachurch, and two synagogues, the Beth Tikvah Congregation (Reform), and the Congregation Kneseth Israel (Conservative). One survey conducted by the Glenmary Research Center estimates that, as of 2000, approximately 69% of area residents identify themselves as Catholic. However, this figure is likely inaccurate, in part because the analysis utilized county-level data, while Barrington is located in both Lake and Cook Counties.
Media
Barrington's community newspaper, the Barrington Courier-Review (Courier), is published once weekly on Thursdays and features local news and announcements, a police blotter, entertainment listings, and high school sports results. The Courier's publisher, Pioneer Press, is owned by the Sun Times News Group, and its current managing editor is Mike Martinez. The area has one magazine, Quintessential Barrington, which features articles on travel, the arts, style, health, home, and local events. Quintessential Barrington was launched in September 2005 and is published bimonthly.Barrington is included in the Chicago market and receives its media from Chicago network affiliates. The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times also cover area news. In addition, the village's Community Relations board broadcasts all Village Board meetings, as well as community announcements, on a local government-access television station.
Geography
Barrington is located at 42°9′13″N 88°7′55″W / 42.15361°N 88.13194°W / 42.15361; -88.13194 (42.153489, −88.131943). According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²), of which 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) (3.56%) is water. The village is located approximately 830 feet (250 m) above sea level. Barrington's neighboring communities are:
Government
The village of Barrington is a non-home rule municipality which functions under the council-manager form of government with a village President and a six-member Board of Trustees, all of whom are elected at large to staggered four-year terms. The current Village President is Karen Darch. There are six current members of the Board of Trustees in addition to a village Treasurer. The Village Clerk, also an elected position, is responsible for taking and transcribing minutes of all Village Board and Committee of the Whole meetings along with other municipal clerk duties. The current Village Clerk is Adam Frazier, and the Deputy Village Clerk is Melanie Marcordes. A Village Manager and Deputy Village Manager, currently Jeff Lawler and Jim Wallace, respectively, assist the President with local operations and projects.Numerous departments and teams report to the Village Manager and Deputy Village Manager, including the Departments of Human Resources and Risk Management, Community and Financial Services, Economic and Community Development, and Engineering & Building. Barrington's Emergency Management Team, composed of the Public Works Department, Police Department, and Fire Department, also reports to the Village Manager and Deputy Village Manager. The President is also responsible for the administration of many appointed boards and commissions, including the village's Ethics Board, Plan Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Architectural Review Commission, Electrical Commission, Fire & Police Commission, Police Pension Board, Fire Pension Board, and the Emergency Telephone System Board. The current Police Chief is Jerry Libit, and the current Fire Chief is Jim Arie.The village estimates its revenues for fiscal years 2009 and 2010 to be approximately $30.22 million and $29.04 million, respectively. Meanwhile, the Village estimates total budget expenditures of approximately $33.68 million for fiscal year 2009 and $34.88 million for fiscal year 2010. The vision of the village is 'to preserve and promote its unique small town heritage, preserve its distinct ecological and historical character, provide a moral and safe environment, maintain a high quality of life through the efficient use of community resources, and respond to future challenges through citizen participation in all civic, social, and cultural endeavors.'
Relationship with Cook County
In April 2009, in a non-binding referendum, village residents voted in favor of permitting Barrington township officials to begin looking into seceding from Cook County.[dead link] The referendum, entitled 'Barrington Twp – Disconnect from Cook County,' asked, 'Should Barrington Township consider disconnection from Cook County, Illinois, and forming a new county if a viable option exists for doing so?' The referendum came in response to Cook County's increased sales tax, now the highest in the country, and increased tensions between the county and towns neighboring Lake County. Hanover and Palatine townships also passed similar measures.
Growth
Since 1970, growth in the area has been monitored by The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG), which includes representatives of the Villages of Barrington, Barrington Hills, Deer Park, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington, and Tower Lakes, and local townships who strive to balance the needs of residents for expansion against environmental and aesthetic concerns.
Education
The village of Barrington serves as the geographic center of the 72-square-mile (190 km2) Barrington Community Unit School District 220. The district features one high school, Barrington High School, for grades 9–12 and two middle school campuses for grades 6–8, Station Campus and Prairie Campus. The district administers eight elementary schools:Barbara Rose
Countryside
Grove Avenue
Hough Street
Arnett Lines
North Barrington
Roslyn Road
Sunny Hill
With the exception of Sunny Hill, all Barrington-area public elementary schools received the 2008 Academic Excellence Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. Barrington also features a Catholic school for kindergarten through eighth grade, St. Anne School, which in 2006 the U.S. Department of Education had recognized as a Blue Ribbon School.The district administers an early childhood center, Woodland Early Learning Center, located in Carpentersville, Illinois. A second early learning center adjacent to Barrington Middle School's Prairie Campus opened for classes in October 2010.Barrington High School has many notable alumni, including former Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson, fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, and Seattle Mariners catcher Dan Wilson. The school itself is featured in the title of the music album Fast Times at Barrington High from The Academy Is....
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,168 people, 3,767 households, and 2,798 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,211.7 people per square mile (853.5/km²). Of 860 Midwestern cities with populations of 10,000 inhabitants or more, Barrington ranked 849th. There were 3,903 housing units at an average density of 849.0/sq mi (327.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.16% White, 0.62% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.33% of the population.There were 3,768 households out of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.20.In the village the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.The median income for a household in the village was $83,085, and the median income for a family was $102,120. Males had a median income of $80,232 versus $38,795 for females. The per capita income for the village was $43,942. About 2.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
The highest recorded temperature was 103 °F (39 °C) in July 1974 and July 1988; the lowest recorded temperature was −27 °F (−33 °C) in January 1982. Historical tornado activity for the Barrington area is slightly below Illinois state average. On April 11, 1965, a category 4 tornado approximately 9.4 miles (15.1 km) away from downtown Barrington killed 6 people and injured 75; on April 21, 1967, a category 4 tornado approximately 5.1 miles (8.2 km) away from the village center killed one person, injured approximately 100 people and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
Notable current and past residents
Craig Anderson,NHLplayer,Colorado Avalanche
Barbara Bash, author andillustrator
Melissa Bean, member ofUnited States House of RepresentativesrepresentingIllinois's 8th congressional district
William Beckett, lead singer ofThe Academy Is...
Charles Boyce,cartoonistand creator ofCompu-toon
Sam Campbell, author and nature writer
Kristin Cavallari, actress on MTV'sLaguna Beach: The Real Orange County
Bailey Chase, actor
Ira Joy Chase, formergovernorofIndiana, co-founder of theGrand Army of the Republic, and first Barrington citizen to enlist in theUnion Army
Kallen Esperian, a lyricsoprano
Gary Fencik, football player,Chicago Bears
William Fuller, poet
Kevin Furey, former member of theMontana House of Representatives
Gregory Garre, formerSolicitor General
Gary Hallberg, former professionalgolfer
Jeff Likens,ice hockeyplayer
Marvin Lipofsky,glass artist
Valerie Allen Marland, formerfirst ladyofWest Virginia
William C. Marland, formergovernorofWest Virginia
Charles L. Mee, playwright
Ryan Miller, professionalsoccerplayer,D.C. United
Terry Moran, co-anchor,NightlineforABC News
Bill Moseley, actor
Henry Paulson, formerSecretary of the Treasury
Colleen Zenk Pinter,Emmy-nominated actress,As The World Turns
Cynthia Rowley, fashion designer
Yury Shulman,chess grandmasterand winner of the 2008U.S. Chess Championship
Carrie Snodgress, actress
Richard Threlkeld, formerCBSnews correspondent
Waid Vanderpoel, author and former Chief Investment Officer forFirst National Bank of Chicago
Dan Wilson, catcher for theSeattle Mariners
Gene Wolfe, author