Westchester, Illinois
Westchester is a village of 16,436 people in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1926.
Why visit Westchester
Townapedia lists 33 museums and landmarks, 59 parks and trails, 58 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include DeVry University, Baptist Retirement Home, Butler School and Brookfield Zoo.
Weather in Westchester
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Westchester
Westchester is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a western suburb of Chicago. The population was 16,892 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Westchester, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
DeVry University
School · 3.3 mi
For-profit college based in the United States
Museums and landmarks33
Baptist Retirement Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Retirement home in Maywood, Illinois
Butler School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic school building in Oak Brook, Illinois
Coonley House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
United States national historic place
Downtown Hinsdale Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Edward Hines, Jr., Veterans Administration Hospital
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Hospital in Illinois, United States
F.B. Henderson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic house in Elmhurst, Illinois, United States
George E. Purple House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
Graue Mill
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Water-wheel grist mill in Oak Brook, Illinois
Grossdale Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic railway station in Brookfield, Illinois, United States
Harry H. Nichols House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic house in Maywood, Illinois
Haymarket Martyrs' Monument
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Tomb in Forest Park, United States of America
Jennie S. Thompkins House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
House in Maywood, Illinois
21 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds59
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47 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes58
Emilio's Tapas Bar
Restaurant · Spanish · 1.0 mi
4100 Roosevelt Road, Hillside
We-Th 16:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00; Su 16:30-21:00
Giordano's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi
10410 Cermak Road, Westchester
Mo-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-20:00
Paul's Pizza & HotDogs
Restaurant · Pizza, Burger · 1.0 mi
3044 Wolf Road, Westchester
Tu-Sa 11:00-21:00
Happier Now Cafe
Cafe · 1.8 mi
1016 East 26th Street, La Grange Park
We-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 10:00-18:00
Paleteria Las Delicias De Michoacan
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
1901 South Mannheim Road, Westchester
46 more on the map.
History
The area now known as Westchester was occupied by German farmers beginning in the mid-19th century. Samuel Insull purchased the land in 1924 with plans to develop it for residential use and create 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 development during the 1930s, although the population continued to grow. The town's suburban development was stimulated by its being the western terminal of Chicago's Garfield Park rapid transit line. The extension of the line was removed in 1951. In 1956, the federal government began postwar construction of the Interstate Highway System, resulting in the construction of nearby expressways I-290 and I-294. These have provided residents with car-based travel in the region, however they also serve as barriers against access to neighboring communities.
Residential and retail development has consumed nearly all open land within the village, save for the protected 85-acre (340,000 m2) of Wolf Road Prairie. It is the largest black-soil prairie remnant east of the Mississippi River.
From the History section of Westchester, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Four Points by Sheraton Chicago Westchester/Oak Brook
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
2222 Enterprise Drive, Westchester
Extended Stay America
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
4575 North Frontage Road, Hillside
The Drake Oak Brook, Autograph Collection
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
2301 York Road, Oak Brook
Churches and places of worship21
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
First Congregational Church of Western Springs
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries56
Nazareth Academy
School · 1.9 mi
1209 West Ogden Avenue, La Grange Park
Healthcare3
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
11301 West Cermak Road, Westchester
Map of Westchester
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cook County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2023-11-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Hillside 1 mi northwest, about 2 min by car
- La Grange Park 2 mi southeast, about 3 min by car
- Broadview 2 mi east, about 3 min by car
- Bellwood 2 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Brookfield 3 mi southeast, about 4 min by car
- La Grange 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Maywood 3 mi northeast, about 5 min by car
- Berkeley 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Western Springs 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Oak Brook 3 mi west, about 5 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Harry H Nichols House 2012-09-05 1, JPSousa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ButlerSchoolOakBrook, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mayslake Peabody Estate - Mayslake Hall, Dima Sergiyenko; Please attribute this image as the work of " DiscoverWithDima .", CC BY-SA 4.0
- Haymarket Martyr's Memorial, Zol87 from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OldBrookfieldStation, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LaGrange Village Hall exterior 02, MrHarman, CC BY 3.0
- Graue Water Mill, York Road, Fullersburg vicinity (Du Page County, Illinois), Chester Hart, Photographer, Public domain
- The Akin House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Congregational Church Western Springs IL 1, MrHarman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Thompkins, Jennie S House 2, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- William and Jeanette Sloan House, JimRoberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- William Whitney House, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mads C Larson House 2012-09-05 1, JPSousa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Robbins Park Historic District, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- WesternSpringsWaterTower, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Coonley House, Riverside, Illinois 2013 04, davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0
- Emmanuel Episcopal Church (LaGrange, Illinois), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Orland P. Bassett House, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Frank B. Henderson House (Elmhurst, Illinois) 01, G LeTourneau, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Baptist Retirement Home, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- LaGrangeHD, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Maywood Fire Department Bldg 2012-09-05 1, JPSousa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hinsdale Memorial Building, Teemu08 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ImageSullivan House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Purple House, LaGrange 1, MrHarman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ImageMasonic Temple, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
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