Park Ridge, Illinois

Park Ridge is a suburb of Chicago located in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 37,775. It is about 27 km northwest of downtown Chicago.

Related Topics:
Suburb - Chicago - Cook County, Illinois - 2000

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Park Ridge is the hometown of Hillary Clinton (then Hillary Rodham), though she has not lived there for decades. When she visited Park Ridge on the occasion of her 50th birthday in 1997, the city renamed southeast corner of the intersection of Elm and Wisner Streets, next to her girlhood home, "Rodham Corner." Park Ridge was also actor Harrison Ford's childhood home.

Related Topics:
Hillary Clinton - Harrison Ford

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Park Ridge lies on the highest ridge in Cook County, hence the name "Park Ridge." The soil is abundant with clay deposits, which made it a brick-making center for the developing city of Chicago. Park Ridge was originally called Pennyville due to the copper-red color of its clay. Later it was named Brickton. The Des Plaines River divides Park Ridge from neighboring Des Plaines, Illinois.

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Scenes from the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers" were filmed in Park Ridge including the scene where Jake and Elwood go through the red light that starts the police chase.

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