Remember when Evergreen Park boldly declared its independence? Over one hundred years ago other towns sought annexation to survive. Evergreen Park chose a different path. The population was approximately 500 people at that time.
Evergreen Park was incorporated on December 20, 1893. Fifty-one residents turned out to vote. Forty voted for incorporation. The Village of Evergreen Park became four square miles. Many early settlers were hard-working farm families.
Evergreen Park got its name from a park. The park was located at 97th Street and Homan Avenue. It was originally intended to be the center of town. The village was laid out to resemble Paris. It had a wagon wheel appearance. Development shifted the center to 95th Street and Kedzie Avenue.
From early settlers to the population boom of the 1950s Evergreen Park has progressed. It has flourished into a leading southwest suburb of Cook County.
Evergreen Park celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 1968. The 100th Anniversary was celebrated in 1993. Time capsules were buried at each ceremony. They were scheduled to be opened in 2018.
Evergreen Park is a residential suburb. It is located on 95th Street U.S. Route 12 and U.S. Route 20. It is near the Beverly Hills section of Chicago. It is seventeen miles southwest of the Loop.
The Village encompasses four square miles. Chicago borders it on the north south and east. The Village of Oak Lawn borders it on the west. Evergreen Park is known as the Village of Churches. Thirteen established religious congregations serve the community.
The first railroad came through the area in 1873. It is now the Grand Trunk Railroad. In 1875 the community built its first school. It was just west of 95th and Kedzie. The school and stores clustered around this intersection. This defined the community’s main business area.
An optimistic real-estate developer envisioned the Arc de Triomphe area of Paris. He laid out a star-shaped park with eight streets radiating from it. The evergreen trees planted in the park inspired the village’s name.
St. Mary’s Cemetery opened in 1888. Mourners traveled by train from Chicago. Restaurants and taverns provided meals for cemetery visitors. Within five years the village became a recreation center. It attracted Chicagoans to picnic groves beer gardens and dance halls.
Evergreen Park incorporated in 1893. This eliminated the threat of annexation to Chicago. The first of the village’s 13 churches was established in 1893.
In the early 20th century Dutch truck farmers moved to Evergreen Park. Chicago’s South Side became more settled. A second large cemetery was established in 1910.
The Little Company of Mary Hospital opened in 1930. In 1952 Evergreen Plaza opened. It was a pioneer shopping mall.
Evergreen Park is predominantly residential. There is some commercial area along 95th Street and Kedzie Avenue. The Little Company of Mary Hospital is the village’s largest employer. Sales taxes from the mall form the bulk of the village’s income.
Evergreen Park’s population peaked in the 1970s at almost 26000. In 2000 the population dropped to 20821. Most residents commute to Chicago or elsewhere for work. Evergreen Park a village with a unique story. A story of independence and community.