Harvard, Illinois

Harvard is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,996 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 9,104 as of 2005.

Geography

Harvard is located at 42.423444, -88.618036.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.8 km² (5.3 square mile), all land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,996 people, 2,610 households, and 1,853 families residing in the city. The population density was 578.1/km² (1,498.2/mi²). There were 2,723 housing units at an average density of 196.9/km² (510.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.25% White, 0.85% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 18.76% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.81% of the population.

There were 2,610 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.56.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,363, and the median income for a family was $48,087. Males had a median income of $30,578 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,253. About 6.9% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

In 1855 the Chicago & Northwestern Railway built toward Janesville, Wisconsin, from Cary. Projecting where trains from Chicago, Illinois would have to stop for servicing in the days of wood fuel, Elbridge Gerry Ayer and two other North Western stockholders platted a community in southeastern Chemung Township on land that they had purchased without mentioning their railroad affiliation. In April 1856, the railroad accepted Ayer's town plat as a station named Harvard. When the North Western's Kenosha-Rockford line entered Harvard in 1859, the railroad built engine-handling facilities there.

As railroad employment expanded, Harvard's population ballooned. In 1868 voters incorporated the community, and elected Ayer as president.

In 1942, Harvard instituted an annual celebration called Harvard Milk Days. A lavish parade down whitewashed streets presided over by a large fiberglass Holstein cow named (since 1970) Harmilda attracted thousands.

Dairy farming declined as farmers found it easier and equally profitable to supply metropolitan Chicago's supermarkets with produce. Many Mexicans who came to work as temporary pickers and processors remained in Harvard as landscape laborers, significantly changing the community's demographic.

In 2006, Harvard held a year long Sesquicentennial Celebration.

The Greater Harvard Area Historical Society is located on Hart Street. The ongoing mission of the society is the plaquing of historical sites in the area, and obtaining histories of Harvard families, businesses and farms which have been in operation for more than 100 years.

Education

Harvard is served by Harvard School District #50. District #50 operates five schools within Harvard, Harvard High School, grades 9-12, Harvard Junior High School, grades 5-8, Jefferson School, grades 1, 3 and 4, Washington School, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, and Central School, grade 2.Harvard has a very good education program with highly recommended staff.

Fire Protection

Harvard's Fire Protection District consists of 47 trained firefighters, of which 22 are EMTs and 14 are paramedics. The district traces its history to 1865 when 5 men got together to purchase a fire engine for the village of Harvard. In 1871 the engine was sent to Chicago, Illinois via the railroad to assist in the Great Chicago Fire. In 1892 it was again placed on a train to assist with a fire in the community of Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 1899 the first constitution and by-laws were drawn up for the Harvard Fire Department. The Harvard Rescue Squad was founded in 1956 with a $7000 donation from the Harvard Jaycees. In 1971 the City and Rural Fire Department merged to form the Harvard Fire Protection District.

Currently the Harvard Fire Protection District is governed by a 3 member board of trustees appointed by the McHenry County Board. While the Fire District works very closely with the city of Harvard, it is a separate government agency. The district provides fire and emergency medical service for 108 sq mi (279.7 km²) , and is funded by ambulance user fees and property taxes. It is part of the Rock River Region EMS System, which is affiliated with Rockford Memorial Hospital, a Level I trauma hospital.

Law Enforcement

The Harvard Police Department is located in the lower level of City Hall. It consists of 18 full time police officers, 4 full time emergency dispatchers, 3 part time emergency dispatchers and 2 full time police assistants. The department has two bicycles for officers to patrol the city streets, parks, and downtown area. It also has a canine unit.

Post Office

The U.S. Post Office is located on Harvard's Eastman Street.

Library

Harvard Diggins Library came into being when in 1908 Delos F. Diggins, a former Harvardite, died in Michigan and in his will, bequeathed to Harvard the sum of $40,000 to buy a site and build a library so that Harvard became the first town in the county to have a library building. Mr. Diggins appointed, in the will, the first library board with instructions as to how the members should be replaced when individuals died or moved from the town. The building, erected by W. H. Ward and Son, was dedicated in May 1909, and opened to the public for use in August of that year.

When the library moved to its new facilities in 2001, the name was changed to Harvard Diggins Library. The library is a municipal library and receives its financial support from city taxes and endowment funds. It is governed by a nine member City Library Board appointed by the mayor. The original Diggins Trustee Board assists with special funding. As an online member of the Prairie Area Library System's automation project, the library shares a database with other libraries in the system and patrons may access these materials as well as local materials. Patrons are also able to use their card at the PALS libraries.

Transportation

• U.S. Route 14 runs directly through Harvard. It connects with Illinois Route 23 near the city's southern edge, and with Illinois Route 173 at the city's center.

• The Regional Transportation Authority connects Harvard with Woodstock, Illinois, and Crystal Lake, Illinois via Pace Suburban Bus Route 808.

• Harvard's Metra station is currently the terminal of Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest Line, with daily passenger service to Ogilvie Transportation Center (Northwestern Station) in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Harvard is the most remote point on the Metra system.

People

• Edward E. Ayer (1841-1927) born in Kenosha, WI, Edward helped found the Field Museum of Natural History and the Newberry Library to which he donated 17,000 items.
• Elbridge Ayer Burbank (1858-1949) portrait painter of Native Americans, especially known for Geronimo
• Paul Galvin (1895-1959) founder of Motorola Corporation
• Dorothy Ayer Gardner Ford, the mother of President Gerald Ford was born in the city in 1892.

See also

• List of mayors of Harvard, Illinois