Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located 14 miles (23 km) north of Chicago's downtown district (or 3 mi/5 km from Chicago's northern border) and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the affluent North Shore district. In 2007, Wilmette was ranked as the seventh best place to raise children in the U.S., according to Business Week.
History
Before European settlement, a Potawatomi village was located on "Indian Hill", currently the site of a golf course in nearby Winnetka. The village is named in honor of Antoine Ouilmette, a French-Canadian fur trader married to Archange, the daughter of Potawatomi chief Sauganash. For his part in persuading local Native Americans to sign the Treaty of Prairie du Chien in 1829, the U.S. government awarded Ouilmette 1,280 acres (5.2 kmē) of land in present-day Wilmette and Evanston. In 1848, he sold the land to farmers and developers and it eventually evolved into modern-day Wilmette.
John G. Westerfield built pickle and vinegar factories in the area in 1857. Other early commercial development included a cooperage, a brick kiln, and an icehouse. The Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad tracks arrived in 1854, but the first local station wasn't built until 1869.
German Catholic farmers from the area of Trier began settling the area in the 1840s. They named their village Gross Point, which was located west of Ridge Road. The Village of Wilmette was incorporated on September 19, 1872 and the Village of Gross Point was incorporated on September 19, 1874.[5] September 19 is celebrated locally as Charter Day. Wilmette was nearly annexed by its neighbour to the south, Evanston, in 1894 and 1897. Proponents wanted to take advantage of Evanston's then-superior fire, police, and waterworks. One annexation referendum lost by a vote of 168 to 165; three others also failed.
Gross Point's municipal revenues were dependent on the 15 taverns in town. With prohibition these revenues disappeared and the village went bankrupt. It was annexed in two parts by the Village of Wilmette in 1924 and 1926.
The oldest surviving Bahá'í House of Worship was constructed here between 1920 and 1953.
Village government
Wilmette is governed by a village board composed of six trustees and a president. Trustees serve staggered, four-year terms and are elected at-large. The current village trustees are Mike Basil, John Levin, Karen Spillers, Alan Swanson, Mari Terman, and Lali Watt. The current village president is Chris Canning.
In 2004, Wilmette was one of the first localities in Illinois to enact a ban on smoking in all public spaces, including bars and restaurants. Also that year, the village government prosecuted local resident Hale DeMar, age 59, for violating the town's handgun ban (enacted in 1989). DeMar shot a burglar inside his house.
The handgun ban was enacted in direct response to an incident in 1988 when Laurie Dann opened fire on a classroom full of children in neighboring Winnetka.
Education
Below secondary education, Wilmette is served by Wilmette Public Schools District 39 which includes elementary schools (grades K–4) Central, Harper, McKenzie, and Romona, Highcrest Middle School (grades 5 & 6), and Wilmette Junior High School (grades 7 & 8). Marie Murphy School, also located in Wilmette, is part of Avoca School District 37. There are also several parochial elementary schools in the area, including St. Francis Xavier and St. Joseph. Other private schools in Wilmette include the Ronald Knox Montessori School and the Baker Demonstration School.
For public secondary education, Wilmette students attend New Trier High School. High school freshmen attend classes at the Northfield campus while other grades attend the Winnetka campus. Wilmette is also home to Catholic high schools Loyola Academy and Regina Dominican High School.
Arlyn School in Wilmette is an alternative school supported by member school districts in the area. It serves junior high and high school students who have been referred by school districts, community agencies, private practitioners, and parents.
The Wilmette Public Library provides educational support to students at all grade levels, including those residing in neighboring Kenilworth.
Attractions
Attractions include Gillson Park with beach access, marina, and an off-leash area for dogs, and Centennial Park, with a public swimming pool, tennis and ice-skating facilities. The Wilmette Golf Club, hosting a 6,378-yard course, is located on the far west side of town. Wilmette is home to a Bahá'í House of Worship and the administrative offices for the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly. The house of worship was named in 2007 as one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois by the Illinois Bureau of Tourism.
- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
