Welcome to the Village of Hodgkins

The Village of Hodgkins is located in Southwest Cook County and is bounded on the north by historic Route 66; on the south by the centerline of the old Tran Con track of the Santa Fe Railroad; on the west by Willow Springs Road and on the East by the DesPlaines River . According to the 1990 Census, Hodgkins had a population of 1963 people. Though small in numbers, the village residents take pride in the fact that Hodgkins had achieved an atmosphere conducive to family life, while at the same time nurturing a healthy relationship with the many businesses located within it's boundaries.

The first visitors to the area, Father Marquette and Louis Joliet, paddled down the scenic DesPlaines River in 1673. Settlement in the area, however, was somewhat stagnant until the early 1800's. It was at this time, around 1836, that Irish and Italian immigrants came to the area to work on the Illinois-Michigan Canal . The construction and eventual operation of the canal was responsible for the formation of many villages presently located along on its banks. The I&M Canal is still in existence, located about one mile south of Hodgkins. The canal and its adjacent land, now known as the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, was designated a national park by Congress. The I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor is rich in historic sites, nature preserves and wildlife, and stretches from Chicago to LaSalle-Peru , Illinois .

The Village of Hodgkins was originally known as Gary , a name derived from Garibaldi, in honor of the great number of Italian laborers working in an area grain mill. After several name changes, the Village of Hodgkins was incorporated in 1896. Jefferson Hodgkins, the president of the Kimball and Cobb Stone Company, which was also the first business to locate in the Village, was the man for whom the Village was named. Modesto Lenzi, the somewhat dubious “King of Gary”, became the Village's first President.

In the 1950's and 1960's, the Village began to attract motor freight terminals. The Village's location relative to expressways and the availability of high, flat and dry land made it a natural distribution and transfer point between Chicago and the rest of the nation. In the mid-1960's, the Santa Fe Railroad made available 275 acres of land for development. The Village quickly made good use of the land. Located in the Santa Fe Improvement Park are continental Baking Company, Certified Grocers of Illinois, Inc., along with many other smaller businesses. During the decades of the 1970's and 1980's the motor freight industry began to decline. Many of the companies located in the Village were forced to close. The Village, however, took steps to ensure their continued economic viability. In 1985 Hodgkins joined with the Village of McCook to create the McCook-Hodgkins Enterprise Zone. In 1986 the Village created a Tax Increment Finance District. Both of these tools allowed the Village to offer incentives to new businesses desiring to locate in the Village. As a result of these programs, commercial business began to replace motor freight as Hodgkins' claim to fame. Slowly, the image of Hodgkins began to change from that of a town of truck terminals and taverns to one of stores and small businesses.

Celozzi-Ettleson Cadillac and The Quarry Shopping Center were constructed on the sites formerly occupied by trucking terminals. Major anchor stores include Sam's Club Warehouse, Wal-Mart, Kohl's, Office Max and Target. It wasn't long before other businesses, such as Applebee's and Lowe's Cinemas were opening in “the Quarry.” At the west end of the Village, on property annexed to Hodgkins in 1991, United Parcel Service opened the largest package sorting facility in the world. In addition, the Santa Fe Industrial Park is expanding with the construction of a new Santa Fe Railroad Intermodal facility. By 1995, it is estimated that 5,300 new jobs were created in Hodgkins, and the Village is still growing.

The Village of Hodgkins offers outstanding services to its residents. The Village administration and Clerk's office stress efficiency, courtesy and convenience to the residents. The Village has its own Police Department, which works closely with the community. Hodgkins has a Public Works Department and a Water Department, which purchases Lake Michigan water from the Village of McCook . The Village is part of School District 105. The Hodgkins Park District offers a large community center and schedules a myriad of activities all year long. The Hodgkins Library is a full-service facility in the Suburban Library System. In 1988, the Village dedicated a new Veteran's Memorial and in 1990, added a new public works building. The Village employs 25 full and part-time employees.