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Skokie (/ ˈ s k oʊ k i /; formerly Niles Center) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. According to the 2020 census, its population was 67,824. Skokie lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Chicago's downtown Loop. The name Skokie comes from a Potawatomi word for "marsh".
What was its original name? Skokie was originally called Niles Centre (Niles Center), as it was in the center of Niles Township. The residents of Skokie voted to change the name of the village to Skokie in 1940, and the name officially changed on November 15, 1940.
Skokie, IL. Cook County, 12 miles NW of the Loop. Called Niles Center until 1940, Skokie emerged in the mid-1850s at the confluence of two Indian trails, one going north to Gross Point (Gross Point Road), and the other veering westward to what is now Morton Grove (Lin- coln Avenue). Most of this area was wooded, with a marshy prairie extending ...
- Skokie, IL
But a much earlier name change was only vaguely noticed. The official name of the village when it was incorporated in 1888 was Niles Centre. But three years later, the October 1, 1891 edition of the Chicago telephone directory changed the spelling to the Americanized Niles Center.
Oct 17, 2012 · Oct. 17, 2012. Skokie's initial growth spurt came after Chicago & North Western Railroad established a line through town in 1903, according to the village. The population grew so quickly that Skokie was once called "The World's Largest Village." It now sports a population of 65,000. Take a look at some classic photos from the Chicago Tribune ...
Skokie's history is rich with influences of the American Indian, French and British explorers, and the emigration of European settlers. Founding father Henry Harms was a Prussian immigrant who became Skokie's first merchant, first postmaster, and founder of three Niles Township school districts.
The name Skokie was suggested during the latter stages of the talks. “It was just batted out during one of our informal discussions,” George Blameuser recalled. Strongly backed by King, Galitz, and others, the name Skokie prevailed, receiving 15 of the 24 votes cast by members of the committee.
