city, Cook county, northeastern Illinois, U.S. A suburb of Chicago, it lies on the Des Plaines River, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of downtown. The area was first inhabited by Potawatomi Indians and used by French explorers as a portage. The site was settled in the early 1830s. In 1853 George Penny founded a brickyard there, and the community became known as Pennyville; five years later the name was changed to Brickton. The arrival of the railroad stimulated growth, and in 1873 the community was renamed Park Ridge. Originally, the city's economy was based largely on agriculture. Park Ridge is now primarily residential. Its most notable attraction is the Art Deco style Pickwick Theatre, built in 1928. American first lady and U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was raised in Park Ridge. O'Hare International Airport is nearby. Inc. village, 1873; city, 1910. Pop. (1990) 36,175; (2000) 37,775.
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