Washington Park, Illinois

Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Washington Park is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,592 as of the 2020 census, down from 4,196 in 2010.

History

Template:AnchorWashington Park filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection in July 2009, citing assets of less than $50,000 and debt of more than $1 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Pamela Pepper threw out the filing in December 2010 after finding there was no state law enabling a municipality to declare bankruptcy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Washington Park filed for bankruptcy in 2004 as well, claiming a $1.6 million debt, but that filing was dismissed when the village briefly emerged from insolvency.<ref name="JimSuhrAP">Suhr, Jim. "|htmlws-main-w|dl1|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fcrime%2Farticle%2Fwashington-park-illinois-mayor-john-thornton-shot-dead%2F19423581 Mayor of Troubled Illinois Town Is Slain." Associated Press. April 1, 2010. Retrieved on April 2, 2010. Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

In 2010, the mayor of Washington Park, John Thornton, was found to have been fatally shot; he was discovered in his car injured on the morning of April 1, and died at a hospital at 6 AM.<ref name="JimSuhrAP"/><ref>Spriggs, Afton. "Mayor of Washington Park found shot to death, 1 person in custody Template:Webarchive." KMOV. April 1, 2010. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.</ref>

On July 25, 2012, the chief of police called for the disbanding of the police force.

Geography

Washington Park is located at Template:Coord (38.629750, −90.094606).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the 2010 census, Washington Park has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.<ref name="census-g001">Template:Cite web</ref>

The city is served by Washington Park station on the St. Louis MetroLink light rail system.

Demographics

2020 census

Washington Park village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	427	413	10.18%	15.93%
Black or African American alone (NH)	3,599	2,017	85.77%	77.82%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	7	4	0.17%	0.15%
Asian alone (NH)	5	1	0.12%	0.04%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	2	10	0.05%	0.39%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	41	48	0.98%	1.85%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	115	99	2.74%	3.82%
Total	4,196	2,592	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 5,345 people, 1,692 households, and 1,218 families residing in the village. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,007 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the village was 6.06% White, 91.94% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.75% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.89% of the population.

There were 1,692 households, out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.0% were married couples living together, 38.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.77.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 37.0% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.1 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 78.7 men.

The median income for a household in the village was $21,132, and the median income for a family was $23,266. Males had a median income of $30,924 versus $20,463 for females. The per capita income for the village was $8,495. About 42.6% of families and 44.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 54.9% of those under age 18 and 33.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Washington Park is a part of the East St. Louis School District. Avant Elementary School is located in Washington Park.<ref>"Avant Elementary School." East St. Louis School District. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.</ref><ref name="WashParkmap">"Washington Park village, Illinois Template:Webarchive." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.</ref>

Manners Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson Elementary School were formerly located in Washington Park.<ref name="WashParkmap"/><ref>"Schools." East St. Louis School District. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.</ref> Wilson opened in 1927.<ref>"About Us." Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.</ref> In July 2004 the district CEO, Stan Mims, toured Wilson and then determined that the school needed to be closed; the school closed in fall 2004 and students were transferred to three other elementary schools in the area, including Hawthorne, Nelson Mandela, and Manners.<ref>"WILSON STUDENTS TO BE MOVED TO OTHER AREAS." Belleville News-Democrat. August 4, 2004. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.</ref>

References

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