Cook County,
Illinois formed on
January 15, 1831 along the stunning shores of
Lake Michigan. IL’s 54th county took
its name in honor of
Daniel Pope Cook, who served as the original U.S.
Representative for IL and the first
Attorney
General of the State of Illinois. Cook County lies
within the massive
Chicago Metro area, also known as Chicagoland, the third
largest metropolitan area in the
United States.
Census 2000 data reported Cook County population as
5,376,741, making it the nation’s second largest county in
population. Cook County accounts for more than 43% of
IL’s total
population. Cities, towns, townships, and villages are
displayed in the 1,635 square miles that make up Cook
County. The largest urban areas within this sprawling
county include Arlington
Heights, Chicago,
Evanston,
Skokie,
Thornton Township
and
Wheeling Township.
Chicago, “The
Windy City”, remains the principal city of Cook County,
while its many suburbs inhabit the remainder of the region.
With a population nearing 2.9 million, Chicago accounts for
approximately 54% of Cook County and remains Illinois’
largest urban area. Chicago serves as the county seat
and provides the area’s primary center of culture,
education, commerce and industry. This stunning
waterfront city features a spectacular skyline with
architectural gems such as the
Aon Center, the
John
Hancock Center, and the
Sears Tower.
Renowned as a powerhouse business center,
Chicago boasts a
healthy and diverse economy with the nation’s third largest
gross metropolitan product (nearly $442 billion).
Chicago and its suburbs contain numerous
Fortune 500 companies such as
Abbott Laboratories,
Boeing Company and
United Airlines.
In addition, Chicago remains a vital convention destination
for businesses and corporations all over the United States.
As the fourth most important business hub in the world,
Chicago is home to the largest number of new or expanded
corporate facilities in recent years. The financial
industry has a strong presence here via corporations such as
the Chicago Stock Exchange
and the Federal Reserve
Bank of Chicago. The manufacturing sector also
provides myriad jobs to the local labor pool.
Cook County,
Illinois
provides an integral link to some of the nation’s top
research and higher education facilities. These fine
institutions include Chicago
State University,
DePaul University, Loyola
University Chicago,
Northwestern
University,
Roosevelt University, the
University of Chicago
in Hyde Park and the
University of
Illinois at Chicago. Chicago is home to several
renowned art colleges and twelve accredited theological
schools.
The sophisticated city of Chicago teems with exciting
things to see and do. Outdoor enthusiasts have access
to several
bird sanctuaries, numerous
parks and
thirty-one
beaches along
Lake Michigan. Those seeking to soak up the local
culture have various ethnic dining opportunities,
art galleries,
museums, live music and theatrical events at their
disposal. Chicago is home to 17
sports
teams and some of the most passionate fans in the
nation. Teams
include the Bears,
the Bulls, the
Cubs and the
White Sox. Other popular destinations include
Chicagoland
Speedway, Lincoln Park
Zoo, the
Museum Campus, the
Navy
Pier and Soldier
Field.
