Editing Plainfield, Illinois

{{Distinguish|Plainville, Illinois}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Plainfield, Illinois
| official_name = 
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| other_name = 
| settlement_type = [[List of towns and villages in Illinois|Village]]
| image_skyline = Plainfield-Illinois-Village-Hall.jpg
| imagesize = 
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = Village Hall in Plainfield, Illinois
| image_flag = 
| image_seal = 
| etymology = 
| nickname = 
| motto = 
| anthem = 
| image_map = Will County Illinois incorporated and unincorporated areas Plainfield highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = Location of Plainfield in Will County, Illinois
| pushpin_map = United States Chicago metropolitan area#Illinois#USA
| pushpin_label = Plainfield
| pushpin_relief = yes
| coordinates = {{coord|41|37|02|N|88|14|00|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint = 
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| grid_name = 
| grid_position = 
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Illinois
| subdivision_type2 = Counties
| subdivision_name2 = [[Will County, Illinois|Will]], [[Kendall County, Illinois|Kendall]]
| subdivision_type3 = Townships
| subdivision_name3 = [[Plainfield Township, Will County, Illinois|Plainfield (Will Co.)]]<br />[[Wheatland Township, Will County, Illinois|Wheatland (Will Co.)]]<br />[[Na-Au-Say Township, Kendall County, Illinois|Na-Au-Say (Kendall Co.)]]<br />[[Oswego Township, Kendall County, Illinois|Oswego (Kendall Co.)]]
| subdivision_type4 = 
| subdivision_name4 = 
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = 
| founder = 
| named_for = 
| seat_type = 
| seat = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type = 
| governing_body = 
| leader_party = 
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name =  John F. Argoudelis
| leader_title1 = Village president
| leader_name1 = 
| total_type = 
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 66.68
| area_total_sq_mi = 25.75
| area_land_km2 = 64.00
| area_land_sq_mi = 24.71
| area_water_km2 = 2.68
| area_water_sq_mi = 1.03
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft = 610
| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total = 44762
| population_density_km2 = 699.38
<!-- 2017 est. -->
| population_density_sq_mi = 1811.35
| timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
|utc_offset1 = &minus;6
| timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
|utc_offset1_DST = &minus;5
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code = 60544, 60585, 60586
| area_codes = [[Area codes 630 and 331|331/630]] and [[Area codes 815 and 779#United States|779/815]]
| geocode = 
| iso_code = 
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 17-60287
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info = 2399684<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2399684}}</ref>
| blank2_name = 
| blank2_info = 
| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2 = Plainfield, Illinois
| website = {{URL|www.plainfield-il.org}}
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Plainfield''' is a [[village (Illinois)|village]] in [[Will County, Illinois|Will]] and [[Kendall County, Illinois|Kendall]] counties in the U.S. state of [[Illinois]]. The population was 44,762 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. It is part of the [[Chicago metropolitan area]].

The village includes land in Will County's [[Plainfield Township, Will County, Illinois|Plainfield]] and [[Wheatland Township, Will County, Illinois|Wheatland]] townships, as well as [[Na-Au-Say Township, Kendall County, Illinois|Na-Au-Say]] and [[Oswego Township, Kendall County, Illinois|Oswego]] townships in Kendall County. With the growth in the [[Chicago]] suburbs in the 1990s and 2000s, the village has seen a population increase from 4,500 in 1990 to nearly 45,000 in 2020. It is midway between the cities of [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]] and [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]] in Chicago's [[collar counties]].

The village has established a community Preservation Commission and historic preservation ordinance. It is the home of the [[Lake Renwick Preserve]], a county forest preserve used for [[birdwatching]] and other activities. Located south of Village Hall is Settlers' Park, which includes a lake, war monument, open space, and more. The park presents outdoor concerts to the public in the summer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.plainfield-il.org/pages/settlerspark|title=Village of Plainfield, IL|website=www.plainfield-il.org|access-date=April 25, 2018}}</ref>

==History==
{{more citations needed|date=March 2023}}
[[File:Fort-beggs-monument-plainfield-illinois.jpg|thumb|The monument marking the location and date of Fort Beggs]]

The area was called "Walkers' Grove" until it was [[plat]]ted as "Plainfield" in 1841. It was originally settled by a large community of [[Potawatomi]] people, and the land was later bequeathed to the United States as part of the [[Treaty of St. Louis (1816)|Treaty of St. Louis (1816) with the Council of the Three Fires]]. Indian Boundary Road aligns with the western border of the tract of land originally ceded.

The earliest Europeans in the area were French fur traders. The first European-American settler in the area was James Walker, who with his father-in-law, [[Methodist]] minister Jessie Walker, traveled here in 1826 where he established a small mission for the Potawatomi people. James Walker, Jesse Walker's son-in-law, traveled with him and became the first European-American to claim land in the area in 1828.<ref>Le Baron, ''History of Will County'', page 478. W.M Le Baron, Jr. and Co. 1878</ref>

In 1828, James Walker, in the company of several men, erected a sawmill around which the settlement of Walkers' Grove developed.

Plainfield is identified as the oldest community in Will County because the earliest settlement of Walkers' Grove was established on the banks of the [[DuPage River]] by 1828. However, the actual village of Plainfield was platted immediately north of Walkers' Grove in 1834 by Chester Ingersoll. The separate community of East Plainfield was platted in June 1836 by James Mathers, who began selling lots in July 1836. He also constructed a [[gristmill]] and a mill race west of Water Street, which would later become Plainfield-Naperville Road. Ingersoll's "Planefield" which comprised lots in Section 16, along with Mather's East Plainfield lots in Section 10 and Levi Arnold's plat of Section 9, all became joined to create the present-day village after the death of Levi Arnolds in 1845.

Walkers' Grove flourished because of the DuPage River and established routes to [[Fort Dearborn]] in [[Chicago]], as well as to [[Ottawa, Illinois|Ottawa]] to the west. Reuben Flagg hauled lumber from Walker's mill to Chicago in order to erect the first two frame structures in the city (the P.F.W. Peck House and the George Dole Forwarding House). Chicago also depended upon the settlement for mail and supplies.

[[File:Flanders House (5978683004).jpg|alt=|left|thumb|The Flanders House in Plainfield]]

The community's early prosperity was stunted when the [[Illinois and Michigan Canal]] opened in 1848, because the village was not located along the canal. Located within the village are numerous [[Greek Revival]], [[Upright and Wing]] cottages,<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-11-01/news/ct-tl-1107-sw-plainfield-historic-designation-20131101_1_lockport-street-plainfield-downtown-michael-garrigan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105015230/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-11-01/news/ct-tl-1107-sw-plainfield-historic-designation-20131101_1_lockport-street-plainfield-downtown-michael-garrigan |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |title=Plainfield's historic downtown area along Lockport Street was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places |work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune |access-date=May 3, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>{{Clarify|date=May 2018}} a school built in 1847, and a number of early-19th-century homes. Plainfield currently has three buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places: [[Plainfield Halfway House]], [[Flanders House (Plainfield, Illinois)|Flanders House]], and a [[Standard Oil Gasoline Station (Plainfield, Illinois)|1928 Standard Oil gas station]].<ref name="nris">{{Cite web |url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/research/ |title=National Register of Historic Places Database and Research Page -- National Register of Historic Places Official Website--Part of the National Park Service |website=www.nps.gov |language=en |access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref>

As Illinois was dominated by [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionists]] and was a free state, Plainfield abolitionists offered food and shelter to runaway slaves following the [[Underground Railroad]] and was vital for slaves to escape .<ref>Curry, J. Seymour,''Chicago:  Its History and Its Builders'', page 414, S. J Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, 1918</ref>

[[North Central College]] was founded in the village in 1861 as Plainfield College.

The [[Plainfield Public Library District]] was founded in the village in 1925 as the Nimmons Village of Plainfield Free Public Library.

Plainfield is the birthplace of Eddie Gardner, one of the pilots credited with establishing the transcontinental air mail routes for the [[United States Postal Service]]. The earliest architects associated with buildings in Plainfield are J.E. Minott of Aurora; G. Julian Barnes & [[John H. Barnes]] of Joliet; and [[Herbert Cowell]] of Joliet and Plainfield.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/illinois/plainfield/lambert-herbert-cowell-plainfield-s-prolific-architect|title = Lambert: Herbert Cowell, Plainfield's Prolific Architect|date = May 30, 2012}}</ref>

Certain older parts of Plainfield once suffered from extreme traffic congestion. Before [[Interstate 55]] was built just east of the village in the late 1950s, [[U.S. Route 30]] (the [[Lincoln Highway]]) and [[U.S. Route 66]] (sometimes referred to as "The Mother Road") merged into one street for three blocks in the center of town on what is now [[Illinois Route 59]]. The merge was between Plainfield/Joliet Road on the south to Lockport Street on the north but continues to be an area of heavy traffic congestion even outside heavy commuting periods.{{Original research inline|date=November 2009}} At one time, the two longest paved highways in the world ([[Lincoln Highway]] and [[U.S. Route 66]]) crossed within Plainfield. The highways only crossed each other twice and both locations are in Will County. The other location is in neighboring [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]].

===1990 Tornado===
On August 28, 1990, [[1990 Plainfield tornado|an F5 tornado ran its course]] through Plainfield. The "Plainfield Tornado" killed 29 people, 24 of whom were killed instantly and 5 that died later from injuries; 350 were injured. More than 1,100 homes were damaged and destroyed. The tornado made it across more than {{convert|16|mi}} in only 8 minutes. It destroyed the only Plainfield high school at the time, now called Plainfield Central High School.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Plainfield 1990 tornado was unique in its formation, destruction, rebuilding |language=en |work=Shaw Local News Network |url=https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/archive/2015/08/27/plainfield-1990-tornado-was-unique-in-its-formation-destruction-rebuilding/ |access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref> A population boom started to take place at the end of the 20th century after the tornado, with a large number of new home subdivisions. Before this, Plainfield was primarily an agricultural town.

==Geography==
Plainfield is located in northwestern Will County. The village limits extend west into the eastern part of Kendall County. Plainfield is bordered to the north by the city of [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]], to the northeast by the village of [[Bolingbrook, Illinois|Bolingbrook]], to the east by the village of [[Romeoville, Illinois|Romeoville]], and to the south by the city of [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]]. Farmland in Kendall County is to the west.

[[Interstate 55]] runs along the eastern edge of the village, with access from two exits. I-55 leads northeast {{convert|34|mi}} to the center of [[Chicago]] and southwest {{convert|100|mi|-1}} to [[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington]]. [[U.S. Route 30]] passes through the center of Plainfield, leading northwest {{convert|13|mi}} to [[Montgomery, Illinois|Montgomery]] and southeast {{convert|9|mi|0}} to [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]]. [[Illinois Route 126]] crosses US-30 in the center of Plainfield, leading northeast {{convert|2.5|mi}} to I-55 and west {{convert|14|mi}} to [[Yorkville, Illinois|Yorkville]]. [[Illinois Route 59]] runs through the center of Plainfield with US-30 but leads north {{convert|9|mi|0}} to the west side of [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]] and south {{convert|6|mi|0}} to [[Shorewood, Illinois|Shorewood]].

According to the 2010 census, Plainfield has a total area of {{convert|24.199|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|23.22|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 95.95%) is land and {{convert|0.979|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 4.05%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1760287  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1  |access-date=December 25, 2015  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213061056/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1760287  |archive-date=February 13, 2020  |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The [[DuPage River]] flows through the village center, running south towards the [[Des Plaines River]] in the [[Illinois River]] watershed.

Like its namesake, Plainfield's topography is generally flat. Thousands of years ago, land in greater Plainfield used to be part of the bed of proglacial Lake Wauponsee. However, the lake did not hold up long, and eventually drained into the Illinois River valley.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/midewin/geology03.html|title = Online Resources &#124; Illinois State Museum}}</ref> The lake left behind a very flat landscape. Much of downtown Plainfield has an elevation of around {{convert|600|-|625|ft|sp=us}} above sea level, with some areas in the western and northwestern portions of the village's outskirts exceeding {{convert|700|ft|sp=us}}. This rise in elevation was created by [[terminal moraine]]s that were formed during the [[Wisconsin Episode]] of the last ice age's last glacial period that has been recorded.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 723
|1880= 686
|1890= 852
|1900= 920
|1910= 1019
|1920= 1147
|1930= 1428
|1940= 1485
|1950= 1764
|1960= 2183
|1970= 2928
|1980= 3777
|1990= 4557
|2000= 13038
|2010= 39581
|2020= 44762
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Plainfield village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Plainfield village, Illinois |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US1760287&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Plainfield village, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1760287&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Plainfield village, Illinois  |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1760287&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|12,444
|29,415
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30,435
|93.14%
|74.32%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |67.99%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|109
|2,155
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,048
|0.84%
|5.44%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.81%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|7
|46
|style='background: #ffffe6; |51
|0.05%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.11%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|163
|2,993
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,299
|1.25%
|7.56%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9.60%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|1
|12
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10
|0.01%
|0.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|16
|62
|style='background: #ffffe6; |140
|0.12%
|0.16%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.31%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|94
|651
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,668
|0.72%
|1.64%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.73%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|504
|4,247
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,111
|3.87%
|10.73%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.42%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''13,038'''
|'''39,581'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''44,762'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US1760287|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=October 7, 2017|title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213093745/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US1760287|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> of 2010, there were 39,581 people, 11,920 households, and 10,155 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|1,621.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 12,532 housing units at an average density of {{convert|513.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 81.72% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.56% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.22% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 7.62% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.6% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.22% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 10.73% of the population.

There were 11,920 households, out of which 55.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.8% were non-families. 11.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.31 and the average family size was 3.62.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 35.2% under the age of 18, 6% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95 males.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/QTP1/1600000US1760287|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=October 7, 2017|title=Age Groups and Sex: 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213093058/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/QTP1/1600000US1760287|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

According to a 2023 estimate, the median income for a household in the village was $142,265, and the median income for a family was $156,883.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2023.S1901?g=160XX00US1760287 |title=Plainfield, IL – Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)
|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref> About 1.0% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Plainfield, Illinois - 6981843708.jpg|thumb|Masonic Block Building, Downtown Plainfield]]

In the mid-1800s, the business district of Plainfield consisted of wood-framed buildings of all shapes and sizes, yet between 1-2 stories high, and commonly had projecting awnings of wood and metal, along with either false fronted, horizontal wood cornices or large display windows.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Lambert |first=Michael A. |title=Village of Plainfield Illinois Design Manual for the Lockport Street Business Corridor |last2=Flynn |first2=Thomas H. |publisher=ARRIS Architects and Planners |year=2000 |location=Plainfield, Illinois}}</ref> There were wood plank sidewalks that were elevated 2&nbsp;ft above the dirt roads on a limestone foundation.<ref name=":0" /> The last wood-framed building constructed on Lockport St. was in 1869, and the first masonry buildings constructed along Lockport St. were in 1865, and the post 1870 masonry buildings introduced a new commercial look where common design themes began to integrate the buildings together; including: identical floor and roof lines, cast iron storefronts with larger windows, operable canvas awnings, stamped metal cornices, etc.<ref name=":0" />

===Churches===
The early church buildings of Plainfield were wood-framed and imposed Greek Revival and Gothic Revival edifices along the dirt roads.<ref name=":0" /> In the 1850s, four different congregations built churches along Lockport street, including the Methodists, Congregationalists, the Baptists, and the Evangelicals.<ref name=":0" />

In 1836 the Methodists built a wood-framed church (located on present-day Lockport street), and in 1868 they built another church much larger and of limestone (located on present-day Illinois street in downtown Plainfield).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Smtih |first=TIm and Michelle |title=Images of America; Plainfield |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-7385-9438-5 |edition=1st |location=Charleston, South Carolina}}</ref> The original church built in 1836 was later converted into a business on the first floor and a social hall on the second floor.<ref name=":0" />

In 1850 the Congregational Church (located at present-day Lockport and Illinois streets) was built and cost $2,200.<ref name=":1" /> The east wing of the church was added in 1907.<ref name=":1" />

In 1836 the Baptist church erected their first church, sized at 26&nbsp;ft by 36&nbsp;ft, and cost of $2,500.<ref name=":1" /> This church was later turned into a blacksmith shop in 1857 following the construction of a new church that costed $4,500-$5,000, and burned down in 1914, then rebuilt on the same site again (located at present-day Division and Lockport streets).<ref name=":1" />

==Education==
[[File:Plainfield High School Central Campus.JPG|200px|thumb|right|[[Plainfield Central High School]]]]

[[Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202]] serves portions of Plainfield, [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]], [[Crest Hill, Illinois|Crest Hill]], [[Bolingbrook, Illinois|Bolingbrook]], [[Romeoville, Illinois|Romeoville]], and [[Plainfield Township, Will County, Illinois|Plainfield Township]] in unincorporated parts of Will County.

Peak enrollment in the district took place in 2010–2011 at 29,254 students. The enrollment has been steadily declining since that time, and is currently declining at several hundred students per year. Current enrollment is 24,737 for the 2022–2023 school year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=enrollment&Districtid=56099202022|title=Enrollment|website=Illinois Report Card}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+<big>Plainfield Area High Schools</big><br /><br />
![[High school (North America)|High School]]
!Established
![[school district|School District]]
!Location
![[U.S. county|County]]
|-
|[[Plainfield Central High School]]
|align=center|1959
|[[Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202]][http://www.psd202.org]
|24120 Fort Beggs Dr, Plainfield, IL 60544
|[[Will County, Illinois|Will]]
|-
|[[Plainfield South High School]]
|align=center|2001
|[[Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202]][http://www.psd202.org]
|7800 Caton Farm Rd, Plainfield, IL 60586
|[[Kendall County, Illinois|Kendall]]
|-
|[[Plainfield North High School]]
|align=center|2005
|[[Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202]][http://www.psd202.org]
|12005 S 248th Ave, Plainfield, IL 60585
|[[Will County, Illinois|Will]]
|-
|[[Plainfield East High School]]
|align=center|2008
|[[Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202]][http://www.psd202.org]
|12001 S Naperville Rd, Plainfield, IL 60585
|[[Will County, Illinois|Will]]
|-
|}

==Transportation==

===Highways===
Major highways in Plainfield include:
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break|width=20%}}
'''Interstate Highways'''<br />
[[File:I-55.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 55 in Illinois|Interstate 55]]<br />
{{col-break|width=15%}}
'''US Highways'''<br />
[[File:US 30.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 30 in Illinois|US 30]]<br />
[[File:US 66 (historic).svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 66 in Illinois|US 66]]<br />
{{col-break|width=65%}}
'''Illinois Highways'''<br />
[[File:Illinois 59.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 59|Route 59]]<br />
[[File:Illinois 126.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 126|Route 126]]<br />
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===Buses===
The [[Pace (transit)|Pace]] bus system expanded two routes (755 and 855) to Plainfield beginning May 6, 2013. Both routes are "bi-directional, weekday rush hour service"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pacebus.com/sub/schedules/route_detail.asp?RouteNo=755 |title=Pace Bus - Route 755 - Plainfield - IMD Express |website=www.pacebus.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209111803/http://www.pacebus.com/sub/schedules/route_detail.asp?RouteNo=755 |archive-date=December 9, 2009}}</ref> from the Plainfield Village Center to [[Downtown Chicago]]. One route terminates in the [[Illinois Medical District]] and the other in Chicago's [[Chicago Loop|East Loop]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://plainfield.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/pace-expands-plainfield-chicago-service-thanks-to-bus1fddb25104|title=Pace Expands Plainfield-Chicago Service Thanks to Bus-on-Shoulder Success|date=May 2013}}</ref>

==Notable people==
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· The article must mention how they are associated with Plainfield, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
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* [[Kapri Bibbs]], NFL running back; raised in Plainfield and played for Plainfield North High School's varsity football team; won [[Super Bowl 50]] with [[Denver Broncos]]
* [[Joel Kim Booster]], comedian, actor, and writer. Born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Plainfield
* [[Lisa Chesson]], Olympic defenseman with [[United States women's national ice hockey team|U.S. women's ice hockey team]]; born in Plainfield and played on Plainfield Central High School's varsity hockey team
* [[Shea Couleé]], a drag queen known for competing on ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race (season 9)]]''; RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 5 winner; raised in Plainfield<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/chicagos-shea-coulee-finally-gets-her-chance-to-race/|title=Chicago's Shea Coulee finally gets her chance to 'Race'|work=Chicago Sun-Times|access-date=June 7, 2018|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Nate Fox]], power forward and center with several European teams
* [[John Henebry]], US Air Force general; born in Plainfield
* [[Maurizio Iacono]], Canadian-born recording artist and singer for heavy metal band Kataklysm
* [[Eric Johnson (defensive tackle)|Eric Johnson]], NFL defensive tackle; raised in Plainfield and attended [[Plainfield South High School]]; drafted by the [[Indianapolis Colts]]
* [[Melissa McCarthy]], actress; born in Plainfield
* [[Kahmari Montgomery]], Professional track athlete for Nike.
* [[Kristopher Prather]], professional [[Ten-pin bowling|ten-pin bowler]] and winner of the 2019 [[PBA Tour Playoffs]]; resides in Plainfield<ref>{{cite web |title=Kristopher Prather PBA Profile |access-date=June 10, 2019 |url=https://www.pba.com/bowlers/bowler/36649|website=pba.com|date=November 13, 2014 }}</ref>
* [[Alexander Ratiu]], Romanian political prisoner; priest at St. Mary Immaculate Church (1975–1982)
* [[Warren L. Wood]], Illinois politician; lived in Plainfield
* [[Dylan Gardner]], singer-songwriter, producer, and musician; lead singer of the band Communicant; raised in Plainfield

==See also==
* {{Portal-inline|Chicago}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.plainfield-il.org/}}
* [http://www.landmarks.org/ Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Plainfield
 | North = [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]]
 | Northeast = [[Bolingbrook, Illinois|Bolingbrook]]
 | East = [[Romeoville, Illinois|Romeoville]]
 | Southeast = [[Crest Hill, Illinois|Crest Hill]]
 | South = [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]]
 | Southwest = [[Plattville, Illinois|Plattville]]
 | West = [[Yorkville, Illinois|Yorkville]]
 | Northwest = [[Oswego, Illinois|Oswego]]
}}
{{Plainfield, Illinois}}
{{Will County, Illinois}}
{{Kendall County, Illinois}}
{{Chicago metropolitan area}}
{{Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Plainfield, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:1841 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1841]]
[[Category:Villages in Kendall County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Villages in Will County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Villages in Illinois]]