| Westchester is
a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It
is a western suburb of Chicago. The population was 16,824
at the 2000 census. The current Village President is
Paul T Gattuso.
Westchester is divided between
three congressional districts. The areas south of Cermak
Road or west of Haase and Burns Avenues are in Illinois'
3rd congressional district; nearly all of the areas
east of Mannheim Road, and also east of Mayfair Avenue
between Canterbury Street and Dorchester Avenue, are
in the 7th district; the area in between (primarily
Oak Ridge and Glen Oak cemeteries) is in the 4th district.
The area now known as Westchester
was occupied by German farmers dating back to the mid
19th century. Samuel Insull purchased the land in 1924
with plans to recreate an English style town. As a result,
the town's name and the majority of its street names
are of English origin. The Great Depression slowed construction
in the ensuing decade, although the population continued
to grow, largely aided by the presence of the western
terminal of Chicago's rapid transit line.
|
