For more information on SkokieNet contact Frances Roehm,
the SkokieNet Librarian: 847.324.3173; froehm@skokielibrary.info
Copyright 2008
Skokie Illinois - A Great Place to Live and Work!
Skokie's reputation as "The Village of Vision" is well-deserved. Skokie's excellent location has aided its development and sustained its prosperity. The Skokie Chamber of Commerce has long contributed to the growth of our local economy by offering a wide range of services and helpful educational and networking opportunities for area businesses. Carefully planned zoning has created quiet and attractive residential areas, bustling retail districts including Westfield Old Orchard and attractive industrial zones filled with highly successful, clean, light industry. It is a community abundant with educational, recreational, cultural, and employment opportunities.
Skokie's village government is widely recognized for the high quality and breadth of its services and the professionalism of its employees, all at one of the lowest tax rates in the Chicagoland region. Skokie schools have won national awards for their excellence. Skokie Park District is a leader in the field of parks and recreation and winner of the 1997 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management. Skokie Public Library is unquestionably one of the finest libraries in the metropolitan area. Skokie's superb local government services, its successful mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas, and its proactive approach to economic development make it a most desirable place to work, live, and raise a family.
Skokie by Subject
Arts
Skokie's quality of life is enhanced by such facilities as Skokie Public Library, unquestionably one of the finest libraries in the metropolitan area. The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie offers a quality calendar of nationally known entertainment, and is home to a number of local arts organizations. And for more than three decades, the local Art Guild has sponsored the Skokie Art Fair on the Village Green, featuring the work of photographers, sculptors, jewelry makers and other high-quality artists.
Since 1991, organizations and individuals representing ethnic groups within
the community have sponsored a Festival of Cultures, bringing visitors from across the state to experience foods and performances of cultures around the world! To celebrate the Millenneum, Skokie's ArtsTour 2000, a coalition of local community organizations, initiated a plan that will bring more than a dozen pieces of sculpture to Downtown Skokie. During the next few years, these will be in place for school visits and walking tours of the area.
For more information about Skokie and the arts, please visit the SkokieNet Arts and Entertainment Center.
Business
More than 400 companies make up Skokie's solid industrial base. All are defined as clean light industry. Their combined production ranks Skokie as one of the top manufacturing centers in Illinois. The roster of major employers is a stellar one, including the headquarters or regional offices of several major corporations. Skokie is also home to the prestigious Evanston Golf Club.
Skokie also offers tremendous resources to assist small business owners in starting and growing their businesses. Skokie Librarian Mike Buhmann maintains a helpful listing of these resources, and we provide additional links to the Chamber of Commerce and other good websites.
From late June to October of each year, the Farmers' Market comes to Skokie and offers fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses and much, much more! Join us each Sunday in the parking lot between the Village Hall and Skokie Public Library.
A comprehensive directory of Skokie businesses can be found at the SkokieNet Business Center.
Community Organizations
Due to its desirable location and demographic diversity, Skokie residents have access to a wide variety of organizations that exist to serve the needs of the community. From health issues to parenting skills, professional networking to adoption services, community organizations in and around the Skokie area provide opportunities for involvement and participation.
The SkokieNet Clubs & Organizations page provides more information about Skokie area organizations.
We've gathered all the demographic information about Skokie in one convenient page. From 63,000+ in the 2000 census to over 70,000 in the most recent estimate, Skokie continues to grow, and gets better every
day!
Education
Education is a way of life in Skokie! Exceptional facilities, well-qualified staff, and highly motivated students contribute to Skokie's reputation for educational excellence.
Niles Township District 219 and Evanston Township District 202 (at the northeast corner of Skokie) offer high school students from Skokie and the surrounding suburbs a broad curriculum that includes nearly two hundred courses. Both Niles North and Niles West High Schools were recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. Skokie's public elementary schools provide quality education from kindergarten through eighth grade, and the community also offers nine outstanding parochial schools including six Hebrew, three Catholic, and one Lutheran school.
The Village of Skokie has opportunities for continuing education at Oakton Community College, and Skokie is located in close proximity to several highly regarded colleges and universities. In addition, there are vocational and career-related training resources, and other ethnic, religious, cultural and educational organizations to match your education needs.
Additional information can be found at the SkokieNet Education Center.
Government and Politics
Skokie, a community dedicated to progress, lives up to its motto: the Village of Vision! No suburban community in the Chicago area offers the exceptional services that Skokie's Village government provides, while still maintaining one of the lowest property tax rates in the northern suburbs.
The Village of Skokie is located within Niles Township, which recently celebrated its 150th year of service to the community. Township government supports orunderwrites dozens of programs that enhance life and promote well-being for all residents, regardless of gender or ethnic, religious or racial background. Cook County departments and agencies also serve the Village of Skokie.
The SkokieNet Government and Politics Center has a directory of elected officials and other links to helpful government and political information.
Health and Medicine
The community of Skokie offers health and medical facilities, and a variety of programs to enhance your physical well being. The Village of Skokie Health Department is one of only eight municipal health departments in Illinois
that is state-certified. Their online Calendar of Health Events details the many programs and services offered to local residents. Niles Township and the Cook County Department of Public Health make some medical services available at a reduced rate for the working poor in our area.
A range of Health Promotion Programs are offered by Skokie's Rush North Shore Medical Center, and nearby St. Francis Hospital of Evanston offers a wide variety of health services for the near north suburban area.
For further information, please visit the SkokieNet Libraries
Skokie is fortunate in having access to some of the best in educational
institutions and libraries in the state of Illinois. Skokie Public Library, with a circulation of over one million items per year, is a recognized leader among the state's public libraries. With over 350,000 books, 45,000 audio-visual resources and 2,000 magazines and newspapers, children's programming, and state-of-the-art access to online resources, there's something for everyone at the Library. Other local libraries serve area ethnic, interest, and educational groups, and enhance the quality of life for the residents of Skokie as well.
The SkokieNet Library Center has links to area libraries.
Skokie History
The first visitors to the area now called Skokie (an Indian word for swamp) were reported to be French explorers who came here in 1673 and found a tribe of Pottawattami Indians in the vicinity of the large swamp. The explorers moved on quickly, and the first settlement wasn't established here until 1834, when emigrants from Germany and Luxembourg purchased the area for $1.25 an acre and began to turn the swampland into a village.
In 1850, the area known as Niles Township was organized, and in the year 2000, celebrated its 150th birthday. The Village of Skokie, known for decades as Niles Center, was incorporated in 1888 as a thriving community with many homes, churches, schools and shops. It continues to thrive today as one of Illinois' premier communities.
Skokie Public Library offers a wide array of materials that document our local history. Dozens of books, an index to local newspapers from 1963 to 1989 inclusive, and newspapers on microfilm are all available in the Library. Through the Internet, local history and genealogy buffs can also access the Library's index to newspapers from 1990 to present, and an obituary index covering 1963 to present.
Beyond the Library, there are other materials and organizations available to assist you in learning more about our wonderful community. The Skokie Historical Society has made the Chronology of Skokie History and Master Index available via the Internet, and partnered with Skokie Library to make photographs easily accessible as well. And in 2002, the Village, in partnership with the Library, made the Centennial History of Skokie, complete with photographs, available on SkokieNet.
You can learn more about the history of Skokie by visiting the SkokieNet Local History Center.
Local Media
Skokie is served by a variety of media including radio stations such as WTMX (the Mix), licensed in Skokie and cable service provider Comcast and its competitor RCN, which will be available to Skokie subscribers sometime in early 2000. Several foreign language and special interest publications for specific community groups are headquartered in Skokie.
An online index to local newspapers Skokie Review and the now defunct Life: Skokie edition has been compiled by Skokie Public Library for issues from 1995 to the present.
Additional information about the community is available in the Village's informational newsletter NEWSKOKIE mailed to residents at least ten times each year.
The SkokieNet Local Media Center provides more information about the media serving Skokie.
Religion
Skokie is a community where people count. It is culturally and religiously diverse. Residents and visitors are welcome to choose from numerous churches and synagogues and a variety of forms of worship. Aside from services, many of the places of worship also provide religious and day school educational opportunities and children, youth and adult activities.
A list of churches, synagogues, and other religious organizations in Skokie
can be found at the SkokieNet Religion Center.
Restaurants and Shopping
Approximately 1,100 stores, shops and services are prospering in Skokie, making Skokie twelfth in retail sales among Illinois communities. Westfield Old Orchard, with its fine shops and lovely surroundings, attracts shoppers from throughout the metropolitan area. The Downtown Business District, now being redeveloped, and Village Crossing are other major retail centers. Beyond the wonderful shopping centers, the community of Skokie hosts other friendly, service-oriented stores and shops that offer the utmost in convenience and a superb diversity of choice.
And from late June to October of each year, the Farmer's Market comes to Skokie and offers fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses and much, much more! Join us each Sunday in the parking lot between the Village Hall and Skokie Public Library.
For further information, please visit the SkokieNet Business and the Restaurants pages.
Social Services
Skokie residents are fortunate in having social service organizations and support groups that meet health and education needs, and promote the well-being of the entire community. The Village Department of Human Services offers activities, information and referral, programs, and services to meet the needs of Skokie residents, and Niles Township supports dozens of organizations that contribute to the quality of life in the area. Many of these organizations offer opportunities for volunteers.
For more information about agencies and groups serving the Skokie community, please visit the SkokieNet Social Services Center.
Sports and Recreation
There are many organizations throughout Skokie that provide recreational
opportunities for community residents. The Skokie Park District, winner of the prestigious 1997 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and
Recreation Management, provides recreation and athletic programs, special services, and maintains and operates local parks. The park district offers programs for all age groups and interests. Special services of the District include: before- and after-school care (kindergarten through 5th grade), daycare for working parents (ages 2 through 5), preschool (ages 3 and 4), summer day camps (ages 3 and 4), childcare during school holidays, free concerts and festivals, rental and meeting rooms, adult and senior programs.
The SkokieNet Sports and Recreational Center has further information on recreational opportunities.
Skokie's Future -- Skokie Community Development Comprehensive
Plan
The Village of Skokie Comprehensive Plan is a guide for directing future land use and services over a 20-30 year period. Click here to read more about it on the Village website.
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