What's the History of Maywood? (Chicago, Aurora: crime, house, neighborhoods)

[Lookout Kid]

I've had reason to be in Maywood quite a bit in the last few weeks to help a friend, and I am always shocked to see what a dump this town has become. It has to be one of the worst suburbs in Chicagoland. I know it's been a bit rough for quite some time, but when did it turn the corner to become a city-like slum? I used to visit family members in Oak Park and Brookfield quite a bit in the 70s and 80s, and don't remember Maywood being a place that needed to be avoided.

[oakparkdude]

The major employer, the American Can company went out of business in the late 1970s. Things pretty much went downhill after that.

Maywood, IL

[gardener34]

Yeah - they have had a number of shootings in the last couple years there. Not a good rep unfortunately. I hope they can turn it around.

[suburbs_gal]

I grew up (birth to seven) in Broadview, which is near Maywood. My parents moved out in '85 because the knew things were going downhill over there. Of course, there's bad stuff in every suburb, in my opinion at least.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by gardener34

Yeah - they have had a number of shootings in the last couple years there. Not a good rep unfortunately. I hope they can turn it around.

I am told it is rapidly depopulating right now. Since communities don't become bad by act of God, maybe this is just what Maywood needs.

[Drover]

Maywood has been a pit for as long as I can remember, going back to 1980 or so. To say there's been "a few shootings" is an understatement of the first order. Maywood has averaged about 10 murders a year for a decade now, which is astonishing for a city of 25,000. For some perspective... That's about the same number of murders per year as Aurora (pop. 150,000) and Joliet (pop. 140,000), two cities generally regarded as not-optimal places to live.

Maybe depopulation isn't such a bad thing; perhaps after that, Mexican immigrants can move in and get the place a little bit of life.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Drover

Maywood has been a pit for as long as I can remember, going back to 1980 or so. To say there's been "a few shootings" is an understatement of the first order. Maywood has averaged about 10 murders a year for a decade now, which is astonishing for a city of 25,000. For some perspective... That's about the same number of murders per year as Aurora (pop. 150,000) and Joliet (pop. 140,000), two cities generally regarded as not-optimal places to live.

Maybe depopulation isn't such a bad thing; perhaps after that, Mexican immigrants can move in and get the place a little bit of life.

Does that necessarily mean that Maywood is worse than the rough areas of Aurora/Joliet? Those population numbers are buoyed by all the subdivision growth and annexation of the past 15-20 years. As Maywood is surrounded on all sides by other inner ring burbs, there is no sprawl growth to dilute the murder rate in the older areas.

Basically, I'm not arguing that Maywood is in great shape, but it's in no worse shape than the parts of Aurora/Joliet where most of the murders/crime take place.

[Drover]

I can't speak for Joliet, but with regard to Aurora, I have to disagree. Maywood is in far worse shape than even the bad parts of Aurora. There is no neighborhood of Aurora that is SO awful that you look around and wonder how people live like this. Can't say the same for Maywood.

[optimistic resisdent]

Well I don't know the complete history of Maywood, but from what I've been told it was once a very nice well to do suburb. There was an airport, racetrack and some industry. I just moved there and am in the process of rehabbing an incredible mansion. I understand that the area is a bit rough, but I am an optimist. Where else can you buy a 4 bed, 5 bath, 2 kitchen brick home with a coach house for under 200k. I say, let's take this place over. There are alot of beautiful homes in the area, some people just don't know what they have. Property values are way below what they would normally be in other areas, and since the market is down you can get a great deal. There are some risk takers willing to take a gamble and wait it out moving in, and I am one of them. Linclon park was not always as pretty as it is now, it once was a slum. It just takes some vision for changes to be made.

[prairiestate]

Maywood actually has a lot of gorgeous old homes. If you go down, say, 1st Ave. and just look at the architecture, you could be in Oak Park. Then you look at how decrepit all those homes are, the vacant lots, barred windows, liquor stores and pawn shops, the illusion disappears quickly. If you love cities, it truly is sad. After the white flight that has occurred, perhaps the best thing that could happen is black flight. If the massive Hispanic population growth that's occurring in all the surrounding towns spills over into Maywood, that may lead to a revitalization. As bad a rep as Cicero has, there are some positives. Homes in most neighborhoods are well maintained, and business districts throughout the town are fairly vibrant, and filled with a wide variety of shops and restaurants.