Maywood, Illinois (Chicago, Aurora, Oak Park: for rent, buyer, bankrupt)

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

...This is a web site dedicated to "city data"...

It is not my job to update,organize, and ensure the accuracy of the sections of this site that actually contain "city data." Who is in charge of this information anyway? I sure as hell have no part in it.

The part of the site we are talking on is a discussion forum. It is not under the same requirements of other portions of the site.

...and yeah I do not recall you ever asking me to post stats...

The thing is stats do not always tell you the real and total truth.
Stats are a tricky thing probably 50% of the time. In other instances the stats do not lie.

I think bungalowdweller posted a very good post that addresses what I am trying to express.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

It is not my job to update,organize, and ensure the accuracy of the sections of this site that actually contain "city data." Who is in charge of this information anyway? I sure as hell have no part in it.

The part of the site we are talking on is a discussion forum. It is not under the same requirements of other portions of the site.

...and yeah I do not recall you ever asking me to post stats...

The thing is stats do not always tell you the real and total truth.
Stats are a tricky thing probably 50% of the time. In other instances the stats do not lie.

I think bungalowdweller posted a very good post that addresses what I am trying to express.

And people's perceptions about a place are often biased by their own opinions and prejudices. I think it's good to have personal anecdotes AND stats if you want a clearer picture about a place. Sure, stats aren't 100% correct all of the time, but they do give a pretty good snap shot of crime trends in a given area.

[thePR]

I've read over this and it seems like people don't know much about Park Ridge.

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I don't know about that. You're making Park Ridge sound hostile to different races, and to me it seems to be almost as tolerant as Oak Park. It's actually become a very liberal community. Why do fewer black people live there? Two reasons: (1) Lack of cheap rental housing, and (2) it's not surrounded by black neighborhoods--and never has been.

Park Ridge does have very few blacks and there are hardly any apartments.

Originally Posted by promis1

When someone of color steps into Park Ridge, they are noticed much more. And people will be alert to not be a victim of crime. Thats my point, in Oak Park, Austin trash blends in just fine, making residents of Oak park less aware of being a victim to crime.

Well it's true that since there is a small minority population in Park Ridge that they will stick out, it doesn't mean that we think that we are scared, I can't believe you would post something like that.

Originally Posted by Mister Mappy

Oak Park, hands down. Park Ridge has some great homes in it, and a nice downtown, but it's a relatively boring area, and its neighboring areas (Edison Park in Chicago, and Niles) are pretty much the same. It would also take a lot longer from Park Ridge than Oak Park to get downtown. Plus Oak Park has 24 public transportation, whereas Park Ridge does not. I've heard many good things about Oak Park-River Forest HS, so I'm sure the schools are relatively similar education wise. I don't think I want to live in a place like Park Ridge, where you're looked at suspiciously for not being white.

Park Ridge is a great place to raise kids, being a kid in Park Ridge can be boring, not much you can do about that.

As Stated before, Park Ridge has two high schools: Maine East and Maine South. Everyone from Park Ridge can go to Maine South but only kids in a certain area can go to Maine East. Maine South is the better school and is one of the best in the state (not saying Maine East is bad).

Going back to the above. People here don't mind you.

Originally Posted by ajolotl

This is a very different story. I appreciate that Oak Park has a little bit of a vibe on the street. Frankly, I'm going crazy in Beverly -- a little too peaceful for me. Park Ridge sounds nice but might bore someone who wants a little bit of an urban/suburban experience.

Park Ridge is completely suburban, you can experience that any time 365 days a year.

[Max Stout]

I was born in 1949 in Oak Park. We lived in Forest Park at the time and later moved to Maywood in 1953. I went to Irving school at first, but in the fall of 1957 (possibly '58), I, along with other kids, had to switch to a Broadview school. I never really fully acclimated to Roosevelt, but I managed to graduate with likely the lowest grades in the class. Could be they just wanted me to go.
Maywood was a good town for me in those days. There was alot of industry in and near the village and even the Indiana Harbor belt switchers would come right down from the hill beyond 25th Avenue by our alleyways to pick up from Canada Dry! Often as a boy I would run down my own alley and the brakemen and switchmen would set a penny out for me on the rail. My grandmother would also place 3 shots of old rotgut on the scroll fence frame for the Van Der Molen garbagemen to enjoy...and did they ever! We didn't use plastic bags then and many was the time that you would hear those metal cans tossed about, but not ours! The boys always placed them back neatly for Grams! Imagine seeing that today! A driver and two sidebusters on each truck!
Everyone who wanted to work, did. There was the old Aurora-Elgin that ran just a couple blocks away. It was always a sight for a young boy like me who walked to Irving from my first day there in the fall of '54. I've been back to Maywood from time to time. I left for good In December of 1966 and joined the Marines. During the time I was in Vietnam, Dr.King was murdered. I was told that times were bad all over, and Maywood was no exception. Perhaps it really never recovered from those days. I did a 4 year hitch and stayed in California for a couple years until my father died in 1972. I moved my mother out to Des Plaines and rarely looked back. Our old wood frame in Maywood was tired and my brother and some of his co-workers from Com-Ed tore it down. It was no larger than a two-car garage, but it was home. The two lots remained empty for over 25 years until just a few years ago, two lovely brick houses were constructed on them. If you're ever in the area, the address that we had was 1241 So. 21st Avenue. One of the bricks has that address today.
I could talk for hours about Maywood and the way I remember it. I'm a 60 year old now, but I still like to goof around alot and when I really get annoying, I remember those great days when the neighborhoods were still tough, but the only sidearms were the arms at your sides (you know...the ones with the fists dangling from them!)

Thanks for reading. You can email me if you want and we'll write about it all.

See ya for now friends,

Max Stout

[bungalowdweller]

Originally Posted by Max Stout

I was born in 1949 in Oak Park. We lived in Forest Park at the time and later moved to Maywood in 1953. I went to Irving school at first, but in the fall of 1957 (possibly '58), I, along with other kids, had to switch to a Broadview school. I never really fully acclimated to Roosevelt, but I managed to graduate with likely the lowest grades in the class. Could be they just wanted me to go.
Maywood was a good town for me in those days. There was alot of industry in and near the village and even the Indiana Harbor belt switchers would come right down from the hill beyond 25th Avenue by our alleyways to pick up from Canada Dry! Often as a boy I would run down my own alley and the brakemen and switchmen would set a penny out for me on the rail. My grandmother would also place 3 shots of old rotgut on the scroll fence frame for the Van Der Molen garbagemen to enjoy...and did they ever! We didn't use plastic bags then and many was the time that you would hear those metal cans tossed about, but not ours! The boys always placed them back neatly for Grams! Imagine seeing that today! A driver and two sidebusters on each truck!
Everyone who wanted to work, did. There was the old Aurora-Elgin that ran just a couple blocks away. It was always a sight for a young boy like me who walked to Irving from my first day there in the fall of '54. I've been back to Maywood from time to time. I left for good In December of 1966 and joined the Marines. During the time I was in Vietnam, Dr.King was murdered. I was told that times were bad all over, and Maywood was no exception. Perhaps it really never recovered from those days. I did a 4 year hitch and stayed in California for a couple years until my father died in 1972. I moved my mother out to Des Plaines and rarely looked back. Our old wood frame in Maywood was tired and my brother and some of his co-workers from Com-Ed tore it down. It was no larger than a two-car garage, but it was home. The two lots remained empty for over 25 years until just a few years ago, two lovely brick houses were constructed on them. If you're ever in the area, the address that we had was 1241 So. 21st Avenue. One of the bricks has that address today.
I could talk for hours about Maywood and the way I remember it. I'm a 60 year old now, but I still like to goof around alot and when I really get annoying, I remember those great days when the neighborhoods were still tough, but the only sidearms were the arms at your sides (you know...the ones with the fists dangling from them!)

Thanks for reading. You can email me if you want and we'll write about it all.

See ya for now friends,

Max Stout

Lovely post. Thank you for sharing GOOD memories of Maywood!

[Venom]

Wow, that's awesome.
Seemed like one of those T.V. show neighborhoods

[Avengerfire]

The state of Proviso East High School in Maywood

3 girls charged in school beating - 3/11/09 - Chicago News - abc7chicago.com

[mzpretty8]

Maywood,IL
Maybe back then the town had some great qualities, but now, thats all down the drain. The community is very corrupted with the amount of drug trade, shootings, gangbanging, fighting, mainly crimes from young adults. 5th ave - 17th ave, madison and st.charles are all terrible. The town is somewhat raggity. The only escape is maybe Washington or over the bridge. Crimes seem to increase when the weather gets warm or when the holiday halloween comes. People just dont know how to act. As for proviso east. So terrible. If i could i wish that i didnt have to attend any of the Proviso's. Everyone uses West to get away from East and they use Central to get the highest education and best treatment. As for east, they have no money. They dont have paper, the teachers supply it. They ran out of soap before. The atmosphere is terrible. The news dubbed it Proviso Zoo. The text books are outdated so far thats spaces are running out to insert a new name. The security guards barely do their jobs. The secretaries arnt proffesional when they answer the phone if they even do. The student body is the absolute worst. Noone has respect at all. The females definetly dont respect one another and dont even have enough class to not be out hollering & fighting like boys. The boys have no respect and definetly pride but no integrity. Noone gets along. Everyday there's at least a few fights. Everyone drinks and smokes to have a good time and these days young boys just cant bare to go out unless there 'high' or 'drunk' and they cant bare a relationship without having sex. Maywood is terrible and i wouldnt recommend anyone raising their kids here. dont put them through it. Instead of having unessary classes like gym, proviso east needs uniform and etiquette/character classes. The young adults here are so terrible and noone is trying to help and this is mainly due to Maywood beings so messed up. Its a shame this town is dubbed the Austin of the suburbs, but yet there is a church on every other block how ironic.

[promis1]

Originally Posted by mzpretty8

Maywood,IL
Maybe back then the town had some great qualities, but now, thats all down the drain. The community is very corrupted with the amount of drug trade, shootings, gangbanging, fighting, mainly crimes from young adults. 5th ave - 17th ave, madison and st.charles are all terrible. The town is somewhat raggity. The only escape is maybe Washington or over the bridge. Crimes seem to increase when the weather gets warm or when the holiday halloween comes. People just dont know how to act. As for proviso east. So terrible. If i could i wish that i didnt have to attend any of the Proviso's. Everyone uses West to get away from East and they use Central to get the highest education and best treatment. As for east, they have no money. They dont have paper, the teachers supply it. They ran out of soap before. The atmosphere is terrible. The news dubbed it Proviso Zoo. The text books are outdated so far thats spaces are running out to insert a new name. The security guards barely do their jobs. The secretaries arnt proffesional when they answer the phone if they even do. The student body is the absolute worst. Noone has respect at all. The females definetly dont respect one another and dont even have enough class to not be out hollering & fighting like boys. The boys have no respect and definetly pride but no integrity. Noone gets along. Everyday there's at least a few fights. Everyone drinks and smokes to have a good time and these days young boys just cant bare to go out unless there 'high' or 'drunk' and they cant bare a relationship without having sex. Maywood is terrible and i wouldnt recommend anyone raising their kids here. dont put them through it. Instead of having unessary classes like gym, proviso east needs uniform and etiquette/character classes. The young adults here are so terrible and noone is trying to help and this is mainly due to Maywood beings so messed up. Its a shame this town is dubbed the Austin of the suburbs, but yet there is a church on every other block how ironic.

Pure definition of ghetto- as explained in depth above- all true. Never was like that when the town was filled with whites, mainly Italians, over 50 years ago My, how things have changed for the worse.

[brainiac138]

Originally Posted by bungalowdweller

As for Uptown, I knew Buena Park before it got its name. I worked at Wilson and Beacon for many years. There were always kids in Uptown and I'm glad to hear that there are many today.

Actually Buena Park predates all of Uptown and is one of the oldest communities in Chicago. It did not recently "get its name."