The O'Hare neighborhood is a jagged piece of land that includes airport property, a 185-foot strip of land along Foster Avenue and another strip of land bordered by Peterson, Belmont, and Cumberland Avenues and the Des Plaines River. These "strips" of land house most of the 11,000 residents of the community, 93% of which are white and 21% of which are foreign-born.

The neighborhood dates to 1949 when construction of O'Hare airport began, including the building of a depot on a donated orchard. The Douglas Aircraft Company plant acquired the orchard. Its flying field became known as Chicago Orchard Airport, which is why the navigational abbreviation for O'Hare remains ORD to this day.

Today, the neighborhood is scattered with moderately priced homes from $200,000 to $300,000 as well as busy shopping centers, the Schiller Woods Forest Preserve, and the Indian Boundary golf course. Residents seem to enjoy the neighborhood tremendously.

Ward information:

36th Ward Alderman: William J.P. Banks, 121 N LaSalle St. Room 304 Chicago, IL 60602. (773)-622-3232

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