Chicago Heights, IL

Chicago Heights is a south suburban city in Cook County, long shaped by industry, immigration, and its position near the edge of Chicago's urban region. The first recorded non-Native settlement dates to the 1830s, but the city grew much larger with factories such as Thrall Car Manufacturing and other industrial employers. Bloom High School is one of its major local institutions. Chicago Heights has faced the same economic pressures as many older industrial suburbs, but it remains a substantial city with deep working-class roots.