Niles is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located in the townships of Maine and Niles, near Chicago's far northwest area. According to the 2020 census, the population was 30,912. The mayor of Niles today is George Alpogianis.

History

Joseph Curtis moved to what became Niles in 1827, and John Dewes arrived in 1831. The settlement was first called "Dutchman's Point," a name that honored German immigrants who later lived there. These included John Plank of Hesse-Darmstadt, who sold whiskey to travelers and Native Americans, and the Ebinger brothers from Stuttgart, as well as John Schadiger, Julius Perren, John-Jackson Ruland (who died in 1880), and Revolutionary War soldier John Ketchum.

Many Native Americans lived in the area. Chief Blackhawk was said to have shared peace pipes with Christian Ebinger. Article 4 of the Second Treaty of Prairie du Chien, signed on July 29, 1829, between the United States and leaders of the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatamie tribes, set aside land for people of mixed Native American ancestry. These individuals included Billy Caldwell, Victoria Pothier, and Jane Miranda. Their land eventually became part of Niles’ borders. During the 1832 Black Hawk War, some Native Americans may have reached Billy Caldwell’s property in an attempt to reclaim land lost to the United States. Fighting ended in 1833, and most Native Americans left, moving west of the Mississippi River.

The Ebingers settled near Milwaukee and Touhy Avenues in the early 1830s. John Ebinger had worked as the head gardener for King William in Württemberg, Germany, but moved to the United States (starting in Ann Arbor, Michigan) when he was 62. His eldest son, Frederick, traveled to Chicago and worked on the pier or harbor by 1832. Soon after, his brother John Jr. and their families, including John Plank, joined him. John Ebinger and his youngest son, Christian (who married Barbara Reuhle of Stuttgart in 1834; both walked to help their elders ride), traveled to join them but found Chicago too swampy to farm. After their horse died from stepping on a rattlesnake near the North Branch of the Chicago River, the Ebingers built a cabin at Milwaukee and Harlem Avenues and claimed 80 acres of land. The older Ebinger brothers and the Planks soon joined them. John Plank later sold his house to Mr. Phillips, who opened a store and became the area’s first postmaster. Christian Ebinger or his son (born in 1835 and the first white child born in the area, who died in 1879) became the first minister in their German Evangelical Association. He also served as Village Collector, Township Assessor, Overseer of the Poor (from 1852 to 1865), and Highway Commissioner. He left seven surviving children.

The origin of the name "Niles" is unclear. A 1929 article in the Chicago Tribune suggested it might refer to the Niles Weekly Register, a newspaper published in the 1820s and 1830s by Quaker Hezekiah Niles, who supported abolition and nationalism. His son, William Ogden Niles, later published the paper from Washington, D.C., until it closed in 1849. The Ogden family had long ties to Chicago. Another theory is that the name honored Niles Construction, which built much of the city during its founding. Soldiers from Niles, Michigan, may have reinforced Fort Dearborn during the Black Hawk War and later shared news about rich farmland in the area. Three early families from Niles, Michigan, arrived with troops or had relatives at Fort Dearborn. An early history of Cook County, Illinois, noted that a half-Native American person traveled to Niles, Michigan, every two weeks for mail. By 1834, a twice-weekly stagecoach connected Chicago and Niles. The North Branch Hotel was built in 1837, and the White House tavern in 1847. By 1839, a traveling German preacher visited Dutchman’s Point every two to three weeks.

Niles Township was organized during a meeting at the North Branch Hotel on April 2, 1850, a year after John Odell donated land at Milwaukee and Harlem Avenues to build a second school (constructed by John Ketchem, who was active in the Methodist church) and four years after Joseph Curtis returned to England. Blacksmith Benjamin Lupton returned to England to marry, then came back to Dutchman’s Point in 1840 and worked as the settlement’s blacksmith for two decades. Residents later said the township name was chosen before the public meeting. The following year, the township passed a rule to control livestock running loose. By 1858, Henry Harms had a store on Harms Avenue in Niles Center, the township’s other population center, which was later renamed Skokie. By 1890, that area had six saloons, two blacksmith shops, and three churches.

Niles is partly within Niles Township, from which it takes its name. The other part of Niles is in Maine Township. The village of Niles was officially incorporated by Illinois on August 24, 1899, with a population of 500 people. Like Skokie, Park Ridge, and Glenview, Niles grew significantly after World War II and Korean War veterans returned to the Chicago area and started families in the streetcar suburbs. In 1950, Niles had 3,500 people, but its population tripled in five years and nearly doubled again, reaching 18,863 by 1962. Unlike Skokie, Park Ridge, and Glenview, Niles did not have its own commuter rail stop. Residents without cars could take buses to Chicago Transit Authority stops at Jefferson Park or the Skokie Swift, or connect to the Chicago and Northwestern Commuter rail line (now part of Metra) in Park Ridge, Glenview, or nearby stops like Norwood Park and Edison Park (once part of Niles Township before being annexed by Chicago). Niles became the first community in Illinois—and one of the first in the United States—to establish free ambulance service in 1946. Later, it introduced a free bus service to help residents reach local shops, government offices, and transit options.

In 1964, under mayor Nicholas B. Blase, Niles was named an "All America City." Niles grew by annexing nearby areas of Cook County, with the Golf Mill Shopping Center being a key addition for tax revenue. Its population peaked in 1970 at 31,432 people. Blase, the son of Greek immigrants raised in Chicago’s Bridgeport

Geography

Niles is located at 42°1′40″N 87°48′36″W / 42.02778°N 87.81000°W / 42.02778; -87.81000 (42.0277127, -87.8100990). According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Niles has a total area of 5.85 square miles (15.15 km²), all land.

Niles is bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the east, Morton Grove to the northeast, Glenview to the north, and Park Ridge and unincorporated Cook County (and parts of Chicago) to the west. The town is centered along Milwaukee Avenue, which runs diagonally through the town from northwest to southeast.

The North Branch of the Chicago River flows through the eastern part of the town in a north-to-south direction.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the village had 30,912 people, 11,065 households, and 7,180 families. The population density was 5,285.91 people per square mile (2,040.90 per square kilometer). There were 12,590 housing units, with an average density of 2,152.87 units per square mile (831.23 per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the village included 67.23% White, 1.70% African American, 0.38% Native American, 19.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.00% from other races, and 6.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 11.15% of the population.

Out of the 11,065 households, 26.6% had children under 18 living with them. Of these, 51.56% were married couples, 9.59% had a female head of household without a husband, and 35.11% were non-families. Twenty-nine point eight one percent of all households included only one person, and 20.14% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 3.23 people, and the average family size was 2.52 people.

The village’s age distribution showed 16.4% under 18, 7.0% aged 18 to 24, 23.7% aged 25 to 44, 27.6% aged 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 47.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household was $63,490, and the median income for a family was $85,270. Men earned a median income of $43,231, while women earned $35,299. The per capita income for the village was $33,692. Approximately 6.9% of families and 9.2% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 9.8% of those under 18 and 11.8% of those aged 65 or older.

Niles has a large Assyrian population. According to the 2023 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the Assyrian American population was 1,113.

Economy

Companies located in Niles include Shure, Bradford Exchange, Hammacher Schlemmer, and MFRI.

According to the Village's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Culture

A well-known landmark and source of pride for residents of Niles is the Leaning Tower of Niles, a small copy of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This landmark appears in the opening scene of the film Wayne's World that shows the Chicago area. The Leaning Tower of Niles has also been shown in many national magazines, including O Magazine in 2014. It is located next to the local YMCA, which is named the "Leaning Tower YMCA." Concerts with different types of music are held there during the summer.

Another important landmark is the Tam O'Shanter Golf Course, which is owned by the Niles Park District. From 1941 to 1957, the course was the location of the All American Open on the PGA Tour. In 1964 and 1965, the course was the site of the Western Open.

St. Adalbert Cemetery is the largest in the Archdiocese of Chicago when considering the number of burials. It is the resting place of German immigrant Fredrak Fraske (1872–1973), who was the last surviving veteran of the "Indian Wars." St. Adalbert's also has the Halas Family mausoleum, where George Halas, a former head coach of the Chicago Bears, is buried. St. John Brebeuf Catholic Church was the first Catholic church in Niles.

The Golf Mill Shopping Center opened in 1960. The headquarters of the Bradford Group, a major collectibles company, is located on Milwaukee Avenue.

Government

The Mayor of Niles is George D. Alpogianis, who was elected in 2021 after working as a trustee from 2013 to 2021. The current trustees of the Village are Morgan Dubiel, John C. Jekot, Danette O'Donovan Matyas, Craig Niedermaier, Dean Strzelecki, and Marryann Warda.

The Village of Niles operates several human services departments. These include Niles Family Services, which offers counseling and social services; the Niles Senior Center; the Niles Teen Center; and the Niles Family Fitness Center.

The Niles Police Department provides 24-hour service and protection to residents of the village.

The Niles Fire Department began providing service on February 19, 1912. In 1946, the Village started offering free ambulance services, making it the first community in Illinois to do so. Fire Station 2 houses the historic "Blue Boy," which was the first fire wagon in Niles. It was used as a hand-drawn unit from 1899 to 1909 and later converted to horse-drawn service in 1910.

Education

Elementary school districts:
• East Maine School District 63
• Park Ridge-Niles School District 64
• Golf School District 67
• Niles Elementary School District 71
• Fairview School District 72
• The Niles Township District for Special Education 807 serves some students in these districts.

High school districts:
• Maine Township High School District 207
• Niles Township Community High School District 219

Community College district:
• Oakton Community College

Catholic schools: (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago)
• St. John Brebeuf School is a Catholic parish school serving students from preschool through 8th grade.
• Northridge Preparatory School is a Catholic independent private high school.
• Notre Dame College Prep is a Catholic high school sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross.
• Logos Christian Academy is a Romania-Baptist school.

Before 1998, the Chicago Futabakai Japanese School was located in Niles. In 1998, it moved to Arlington Heights.

Transportation

The Niles Free Bus is a free bus service that operates in the Village of Niles without charging riders. The Free Bus runs continuously from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends. The buses stop at all major shopping centers, public buildings, and near every home in the village.

Pace provides bus service on several routes in Niles, connecting the village to other areas in the region. Both the Pace Pulse Milwaukee Line and Pulse Dempster Line operate in the village.

Major highways in Niles include:
Illinois Highways Route 21, Route 43, and Route 58.

Notable people

• Paul Cienniwa, plays the harpsichord and organ, and leads a choir
• Rev. Juan Čobrda, serves as a bishop in the Lutheran Church
• Jill Erickson, was a bank robber
• Art Frantz, works as an umpire in Major League Baseball
• Jim Les, played in the National Basketball Association and coached college basketball
• Pete Sykaras, competed in Olympic baseball
• Agnes Zawadzki, is a figure skater who has won two World Junior medals
• Michael Janis, is a glass artist who has won awards

Sister cities

In 2008, Niles had four sister cities:

• Pisa, Italy (became sister cities in 1991)
• Nafplion, Greece (became sister cities in 1994)
• Leixlip, Ireland (became sister cities in 2000)
• Limanowa, Poland (became sister cities in 2005)