Woodstock, Illinois
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Woodstock | |
| City | |
 Looking east from the SW corner of Woodstock's public square
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Illinois |
| County | McHenry |
| Coordinates | 42°19′3″N 88°26′46″W / 42.3175°N 88.44611°W |
| Area | 10.7 sq mi (28 km²) |
| - land | 10.7 sq mi (28 km²) |
| Population | 24,658 (2008) |
| Density | 2,304.5 /sq mi (890 /km²) |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Postal code | 60098 |
| Area code | 815 |
 Location of Woodstock within Illinois
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| Wikimedia Commons: Woodstock, Illinois | |
Woodstock is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,151 at the 2000 census, and is 25,000 as of 2008. It is the county seat of McHenry County[1].
Woodstock is the home of the historic Woodstock Opera House and Old McHenry County Courthouse. The city was named in 2007 as one of the nation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations 2007 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.[2]
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[edit] Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 20,151 people, 7,273 households, and 4,843 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,891.1 people per square mile (729.9/km²). There were 7,599 housing units at an average density of 713.1/sq mi (275.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.48% White, 1.06% African American, 0.23% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 7.69% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.01% of the population.
There were 7,273 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,871, and the median income for a family was $54,408. Males had a median income of $40,137 versus $27,264 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,210. About 5.3% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.
23% of Woodstock residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.
[edit] Culture
[edit] Movies
Woodstock was a primary filming location for the 1993 movie Groundhog Day (although the events of the movie take place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania). Outdoor and streetfront scenes were filmed at Woodstock Square, and signs from other stores and businesses are visible throughout the movie.
Several scenes in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles were also filmed in Woodstock including the scene in which the car is towed in front of a building (the old Courthouse) and Steve Martin enters the truck driven by John Candy.
In addition, Woodstock can claim an important role in the creative development of Orson Welles. Welles attended the Todd School for Boys in Woodstock. At Todd, Welles came under the positive influence and guidance of Roger Hill, a teacher who later became Todd's headmaster. Hill provided Welles with an ad hoc educational environment that proved invaluable to his creative experience, allowing Welles to concentrate on subjects that interested him. Welles performed and staged his first theatrical experiments and productions at Todd School, he also performed at the Opera House.
[edit] Music
Woodstock has become an important destination for live music in McHenry County and the region with venues featuring local, national, and international artists.
A number of organizations support and promote live music in Woodstock:
- Jazz on the Square [2]
- Masthouse
- Off Square Music
- Opera Woodstock
- RIFF Productions
- Woodstock Folk Festival
[edit] News
Woodstock residents have access to several local and/or regional newspapers.
The Woodstock Independent [3] is the town's local paper of record and is delivered weekly to subscribers. Published on Wednesdays, The Independent covers local government meetings, all local schools' activities, local sporting events and other community news. The Independent also publishes The Torch, a feature-oriented tabloid publication that is delivered free to all Woodstock residents 8 or 9 times a year.
The Northwest Herald is a larger, daily newspaper that covers many of the northwest Chicago suburbs, including McHenry County and Woodstock. The Herald also includes national news and sports coverage.
[edit] Annual traditions
- Dick Tracy Days
- Every summer, Woodstock hosts "Dick Tracy Days" to celebrate the work of one of its most famous residents, Chester Gould, the artist who created for the Chicago Tribune and its syndication business, possibly the most famous newspaper cartoon series ever created.
- Diversity Day Festival
- Fair Diddley
- Farmers market
- Festival of Lights
- Groundhog Days
- The town celebrates "Groundhog Days" at the beginning of every February, including tours of famous filming sites from the 1993 movie. The town now even has its own groundhog named "Woodstock Willie", who essentially performs the same tasks as "Punxsutawney Phil" at the site of the original Groundhog Day festival. Every year on the weekend of Groundhog Day, the Classic Cinemas Woodstock Theater shows Groundhog Day for free. Woodstock's Groundhog day festival also includes a traditional groundhog lighting.
- HarvestFest
- McHenry County Fair
- Summer band concerts
- Woodstock Challenge
- Woodstock CABA Days
- Woodstock Folk Festival
- Woodstock Jazz on the Square Festival
[edit] Education
In March 2007 the names for three new Woodstock schools were announced. The schools are as follows; Creekside Middle School, Woodstock North High School and Prariewood Elementary. Because of the growth of the town in population, these schools will help to balance enrollment numbers throughout Woodstock Community Unit School District 200.
Woodstock is currently served by three secondary education institutions, Woodstock High School, Woodstock North High School, and Marian Central Catholic High School, as well as a number of primary schools such as Northwood Middle School, Creekside Middle School, Olson Elementary, Dean Street Elementary, St. Mary Catholic grade school, Westwood Elementary. Residents pursuing an associate's degree normally do so at McHenry County College in neighboring Crystal Lake.
[edit] Parks
| Bates Park Emricson Park (Which includes the "Woodstock Water Works" Aquatic Center) Kishwaukee Park Olson Park Rain Tree Park Ryders Park Silver Creek Park Tourists Park |
[edit] Transportation
Woodstock's railroad station is the second-to-the-last-stop on Metra's Union/Pacific Northwest Line, which originates in Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago.
U.S. Route 14 curves around Woodstock's southwest border, intersecting with Illinois Route 47 at Woodstock's southeast edge. Illinois Route 120 meets Route 47 approximately 1/4 mile northwest of Woodstock's Public Square.
[edit] Notable Residents
- Jessica Biel
- Paul Newman (1925-2008)
- Chester Gould (1900–1985)
- Orson Welles (1915–1985)
- Emma Goldman- Anarchist and political activist.
- Alexander Berkman- Anarchist and political activist.
- Laura Caldwell, popular author of several novels including A Clean Slate and The Rome Affair.
- Michele Weiner-Davis, renowned psychologist and author of the bestselling books Divorce Busting and The Sex-Starved Marriage.
- John Hegner - Musician and composer.
- Lynn Stewart - cofounder of Hooters Restaurant
[edit] References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
Woodstock
- Woodstock official website
- The Woodstock Independent
- Woodstock Chamber of Commerce
- History of Woodstock
- Photographs of Woodstock, Illinois
- Woodstock Baseball Programs
- National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- Woodstock Public Library
Woodstock Schools
- Marian Central Catholic High School
- Woodstock High School
- Clay Elementary School
- Dean Street Elementary School
- Greenwood Elementary School
- Westwood Elementary School
- Northwood Middle School
- Olson Middle School
- Crystal Lake Montessori School
Woodstock Area
- Woodstock, Illinois is at coordinates 42°19′03″N 88°26′46″W / 42.317614°N 88.446192°WCoordinates: 42°19′03″N 88°26′46″W / 42.317614°N 88.446192°W
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