| The village of
Steger (35 miles south of Chicago) lies along the dividing
line on the south end of Cook County and north end of
Will County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population
was 9,682 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 10,409
as of 2005.
In 1893, John Valentine Steger
opened a piano factory on 20 acres of land alongside
the railroad south of Chicago Heights. With 324 residents,
the village incorporated in 1896. John Steger agreed
to pay $400 toward election costs to ensure that the
name of the town be dubbed "Steger" rather
than "Columbia Heights."
Steger Pianos were made in the
village until 1926. By 1920, Steger was considered by
some as the piano capital of the world, producing more
than a hundred pianos a day.
As of the census[3] of 2000,
there were 9,682 people, 3,862 households, and 2,506
families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,747.3 people per square mile (1,062.0/km²).
There were 4,051 housing units at an average density
of 1,149.5/sq mi (444.3/km²). The racial makeup
of the village was 87.61% White, 6.30% African American,
0.34% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander,
3.08% from other races, and 2.10% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.07% of the population.
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