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It's being destroyed by DIVESTMENT in the state, and the entire Midwest region. When industry and jobs disappeared over the last 35 years, so did the majority of the economy and people. These places have become hollowed out ghost towns with no revenue. If you look at other small towns in Illinois south of the Chicago area, all the way down to the Missouri-Kentucky border, they are also dying off, It's just not being as sensationalized as the suburbs immediately south of Chicago. Follow the MONEY, Or LACK of it. Corruption and mismanagement is also a factor in the decline of these towns to be honest.
I live in Cal Park, from my Little League days at Troublemaker's Park to going to Dillinger's for a CBS; so I know the history of the last 30 years, and I can say for a fact, this isn't that entirely accurate. The Chinese restaurant in the thumbnail was hit by a car and caught fire; that was very recent. The site where the trailer park was, is actually under construction. It isn't crime that's plaguing CP, it's the overall pattern of disinvestment in Black communities, slower economic development, and overall population loss in the State of Illinois, leading to declining tax base. People in CP care about their homes, their children, the future of their community. They ask their leaders questions, they come to the meetings, and they take care of what they have. We're not perfect, not by a longshot and we're not where we'd ultimately like to be, but we're on the move and it's a far better portrait here than in other municipalities.
I was raised in Cal-Park from 1979-1998. So much has changed and actually still looks good. I remember Raceway Park in the summers nights as a kid. That Orange Chicken place used to be a fast food restaurant called Dells. I used to work at that Burger King when I was 17. Not sure if there were changes but in the 80’s Eisenhower was the high school, but when i attended high school in the 90’s, half of Cal-Park would attend Richards and the other half attended Shepard which is the school I was assigned to.
Grew up In Cal Park from 1977 to 1989. You actually drove right past the house i used to live in. When we moved there in 77, the town was predominantly white
And utterly destroyed them on TH-cam. That's just wonderful! Just focusing on negative things without going deep to see a village that is still thriving and surviving.
@@joyceshaw7990 Any channel can show the pretty, sugar coated stuff, but this channel exposes real life & what is going on there through the lens of his camera which does not lie... Unlike what democrat politicians do.
Expertly done and yes this area is riddled with problems. I recommend everyone to see the other nearby suburbs on the playlist. Chris in great visual and factual detail discusses the problems in each. The part in this video particularly sad is the failure to build the planned apartments adjacent to the Metra station. That idea is a win win for the residents and the village but when corruption and governance defects are present the result is painfully obvious. I highly recommend for a change of pace and venue Chris's video "The Windy City Downtown Chicago." It is spectacular and demonstrates how well he can cover a wide variety of places.
Chris, I have been watching your channel for a few years now. There seems to be two common threats for the blighted communities your cover: 1. Jobs leaving --- jobs being offshored --- change who you vote for. 2. Corruption by the city leaders --- "People, change who you vote for."
I think they do change who they vote for here in Illinois. Sometimes they vote for THIS democrat, sometimes they vote for THAT democrat, and once in a while they vote for another democrat all together. 😄
@@PeterGazis-iz9fe Vote for common sense, no matter if the name has a D or a R next to it. At to local level of government most of the leaders do have a D next to the name. I'm a livelong dem and will be hard pressed to vote for one again in the near future.
Is anyone really shocked about the amount of corruption in an Illinois city? Our state wrote the book on grifting and scamming. Another entertaining video. I can't wait to see the other cities you have next.
I grew up outside Chicago so have enjoyed seeing you document these places and why I left so I can show these to ignorant friends and randoms when they try and tell me it's heaven and the streets are paved with gold and my perception of Chicagoland is a conspiracy theory because I'm secretly hateful.
Work for the gas company and Cal Park is part of the area we cover and i end up in the area a lot. The majority of the people we deal with are decent folks and a lot have lived in the area most of their lives and are just tryin to hang on.
I'd say more than just a "couple" of towns are thriving like Oak Forest, Crestwood, Oak Lawn, Tinley Park, Orland, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, just to name a few are thriving.
The whole of western civilization is in rapid material decline and quality of life standards! Compare Gen Z to Boomers, Gen Z is 90% poorer than Boomers were at the same age, they have only 10% of the income and spending power that Boomers had in the mid 1960s through mid 1980s. This should be the biggest issue for the country, that young adults are so incredibly poor compared to how we were (I’m gen X), yet most people are weirdly quiet about it. That’s what the future is looking like. We see now what the desperate and sad living conditions are of the poorest few boomers who entering their 70s still can’t afford to retire, yet that’s what at least half of Gen Xers and most Millennials will be facing soon. Many full time working Gen Z people can’t even afford a used car. Our grandfathers supported a whole family on a single income without a college degree, owned a home and a car, something went very wrong, and it’s a similar story across countries; the US, Canada, Australia, the UK…
Glad to see a new video!!!! From the pics I don't see the blight as much as other places like Dolton or Harvey. With no real jobs in the village per SE, everyone travels to work and it seems that corruption and stealing money is the major employer in this village. Typical of south suburban cook county Illinois. Someday it may change, but hope for that seems to be a pipe dream.
Have you seen the Republican run states of: West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana Arkansas and Missouri? Most places in those states make Calumet Park look like a paradise.
I'm surprised you didn't mention Raceway Park and the failed shopping center that replaced it. Raceway Park was built in the 1940s and continued until I believe it was 2000. The property was worth big money so they tore it down and put up a wall which is largely failed now
A police officer or a sergeants salary isn't just dictated by a state average or town size for that matter. It's contractual for the most part and doesn't include such things as overtime or special details that may be worked. A wealthy small town may pay its employees more than a larger suburb would. Now, OT or extra duty details can be abused to get extra money, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.
The best time back in the day there was the white rose lounge and smitteys lounge in Phoenix , IL in the Seventies 😊if this guy have mentioned Phoenix suburbs it’s still hold it’s ground I would definitely like to take a look 👀 on a trip back that way hopefully one day in the near future in a hurry 😂
That was a Chinese restaurant that you have for a thumbnail... a car crashed into it not too long ago... that's what happened to that building NOT economic decline.
At least it's not Ford Heights or the near-east side of Rockford between Kishwaukee to the west, E.State St to the north, 7th. Street to the east & Broadway to the south!😮
The high crime reported in Cal Park is a bit extreme. Crime is not on the scale touted in this video. Most people here are decent and law abiding citizens. I know my neighbors of over 30 years are!
At 10:25 mark you barely passed by one of my family members house they on Paulina just south of 127th St near I-57. Any videos of Crete or Steger soon?
I’m from Calumet Park and before I dispatch this incomplete and shoddy work, I’ll concede you two things: I’d say about 30% of what you posit is true and that we do have tremendous economic challenges here in the Village, but they aren’t insurmountable. I’m from CP, Old Troublemaker’s Park, Kissel’s, Styx in the Rec Center, Friday Night Skate, Raceway Park, and the Ashland Carnival; I’m from here. 1. Population Decline: The entire State of Illinois is in a decline, and has lost so many people due to property taxes, higher cost of living, lack of purchasing power, and virtually little housing affordability. Crime is a factor, but those items I just mentioned are the main factors. In fact, Illinois lost so many people, we were deducted an Electoral College vote! 2. The site where the trailer park stood did have a groundbreaking in summer 2022, and demolition of the site has begun in earnest. From what I understand, the holdup was due to advanced planning to ensure nothing essential underground was destroyed BEFORE they build on it. The site was originally established in the late 1890s to exile “undesirable gypsies” for the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893. The demo and install of new infrastructure is supposed to be done by November of this year. 3. Crime is not out of control, you failed to mention that CP is on the border of Chicago, and the VAST majority of shootings, carjackings, and other major crimes in our town, are due specifically to this proximity. Those WHO LIVE in CP know that crime finds its way into the Village, and with so many points of egress/ingress; the perpetrators flee back to the City side and on and on it goes. Yet, here me when I say, there is NO rampant crime in CP. People bike, walk, hang out at the parks. It’s not a dangerous place. 4. Economics. We have been hit hard, true. However, the Village announced that there is a buyer for the grocery store, and it should come online by next fall, after they begin renovating the former store. Yes, our main thoroughfares don’t exactly reflect a robust economic corridor, but they are sturdy and hardworking shop owners, clerks, small business entrepreneurs and stakeholders of our community. Our vacancy rate for storefronts and businesses are actually low. 5. We have THREE, not two elementary/grammar schools in CP and HS kids aren’t zoned for Eisenhower, they’re bused to Shepard & Richards HS. Have been since the late 80s, due to racial tensions decades ago AT EISENHOWER. Young man, when you do these reports, let go of your bias. For example, even the first business you showed on the corner of Ashland & Vermont, was destroyed recently by a speeding car and it set the place ablaze. It’s essential you come down from your ivory tower and do thorough reporting talk to the people, the leaders, the parents, the educators and everyone else you anonymously lambast. You do a disservice to yourself and discredit your “work” when you only speak in assumptions and opinions. Again, you’re spot on in certain points, I grant you that. However, and I can say from history, Calumet Park is one of the RARE examples in which White Flight occurs and the community survives and is generally stable. Since the current demographics took root, we added an actual bank, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Grocery Store, 911 Call Center, and many inline stores and opportunities. Do better, Chris.
As a resident of blue island and having a family member work for the village everything you said about calumet park is true. Crime isn’t bad, businesses have been coming in more than coming out, recently one of the city of Chicago biggest landscape contract holders moved in, all the house that are boarded up are desperately being asked for from investors, overall this village is being slowly turned around
I was born in 1958 in Calumet Park and lived there until 1980. It was always nice until the mid to late 70's. Got really bad and happy I moved to the Northwest suburbs never looking back
I live here in calumet park property owner for 20yrs I had my share of small trouble with people that don't live here this, true that I raised my kids and others but a lot of there friends went to the city and lost there lives but it can happen anywhere in the Midwest sadly to say.
@ChrisHarden Awesome, there's so much content in this area. There's a lot of people here, that get really excited to see their hometown get mentioned since this region is largely forgotten. Thanks for the effort and research you put into these videos, it doesn't go unnoticed.
@@ChrisHarden Hope you can hit up some towns in NW Indiana as well. There's a lot of history here and a big variety of living/economic conditions just in Lake and Porter Counties alone, as well as a National Park that shares the lakeshore with steel mills and a refinery.
@.50, that abandoned building you to be packed they real good food. And a little bit south of there was a go cart track. It cost a $1 for 8 laps around.
Chris, just thinking here..... How about a Then & Now video covering the "Famous" John Huges film locations around the Chicago area. Ferris Bueller's Day Off & The Breakfast Club just to name a couple. Thanks for helping to keep history "even if its bad" alive and kicking...............
Your video is very informative, but your rating of this small village has NO real value because your short video does NOT depict the heart of the people that live and thrive in Calumet Park. In spite of corruption, lack of resources, and, in my opinion, the misappropriation of property tax funding, we are still a nurturing community with lots of potential! The educational system in Illinois is mainly funded by property taxes, so this hurts small villages because around 60% of people's property taxes are allocated towards funding education, and the remaining funds are divided up and do not support the cost of supportive services thriving communities seem to possess. This cute village definitely has potential! Our children are successful, and we're very proud of them. Last year, one of our former students was the first African American female student to graduate as the valedictorian at Richard's high school. Another one of our students is the first African American female "Hot Shot" future fire fighter. A lot of alums of Calumet Public School District 132 go to college, study a trade, join the military, or get jobs... They make moves, and we're very proud!
It appears that the people take care of their properties. The lawns are manicured.. it looks beautiful, we all know the freaks come out at night. Lets see in my part of the city, we lost a major market, our 7 11 closed, because someones thought it needed to be robbed every night, and our neighborhood bakery .mind you I have lived here over 20 years in this neighborhood. Never mind those businesses were staples in the community, our illustrious city council decided we needed a sugar tax on top of the tax we already were paying. GOD bless the people!
Most of us do take care of our properties. It is very disheartening to hear our village lambasted like this on the world stage. I've lived here for over 30 years and have seen many improvements.
Once the white residents move away, the businesses do the same, and then the black residents are expected to support the towns economy mostly from property taxes, which are some of the highest in the entire state. Thats the reason alot of families have moved out
The city of Calumet park, Illinois is in the south suburbs of Illinois, In the south suburbs of Illinois environment , The south suburbs of Illinois people, Ride regular paddle bicycles, you have "strip clubs", skating rinks , the people in the south suburbs of Illinois drive, Ford focus similar cars and have Driving school bus jobs. Its impossible to go broke in the south suburbs of Illinois. Their are "money street clicks" in the city of Calumet Park Illinois, That are about money, No rules or structure. The violence in the south suburbs of Illinois doesn't go over Fist fights . It's impossible to go broke on the south suburbs of Illinois for anyone doesn't matter who you are or where your from.
Hold up pal. Most of what you are saying about Cal. Park is true. I live in the area. However, that trailer is under development recently and construction is proceeding.
The corruption is outrageous. Illinois and the Chicago suburbs are taxed comparatively to New Jersey. New Jersey is corrupt, but I see New Jersey transit vs Metra for example, NJ is still miles better despite being very imperfect
In Calumet Park the village payroll makes up nearly 49% of the tax burden in this community. The only reason there is no outrage about this has to be tax payers being completely unaware. The village payroll has ballooned to over 500k per year. This completely outrageous and unethical. Nothing happening in this town justifies this kind of budget.
What was going that was so bad? I moved here in 1986 and have had no issues to speak of. I've seen economic improvement in terms of retailers moving in and replacing old stores or building new ones.
@joyceshaw7990 Crime rate and like this video it reflects very low development as far as economic growth in that area. Also many of the village officials were known as crooks unfortunately.
Chris harden best professional video personality in America 🇺🇸 bro 😎 great performance As always bro . In other words keep up the great work as always Chris harden 😊
They will. The criminal may be their wholesome appearing neighbor. Never know what is going on behind closed doors and shut windows, they could have a murder dungeon. I see a lot of scary stuff on the crime shows featuring the small towns of America.
The roads in northern Michigan.. are pretty bad. But we have a lot of government and that's where the money goes. It's like paying somebody to take away your rights... It's going to take a civil war to fix it..😮
Funny you didn't mention any of the predominantly white or hispanic villages/cities (Blue Island, Posen, Midlothian, Crestwood. What are their population declines?!!!!
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All the Chicagoland southern suburbs are being destroyed by never ending property tax hikes.
Definitely a big part of it
That's what you get when you vote Democrat.
And other things also
It's being destroyed by DIVESTMENT in the state, and the entire Midwest region. When industry and jobs disappeared over the last 35 years, so did the majority of the economy and people. These places have become hollowed out ghost towns with no revenue. If you look at other small towns in Illinois south of the Chicago area, all the way down to the Missouri-Kentucky border, they are also dying off, It's just not being as sensationalized as the suburbs immediately south of Chicago. Follow the MONEY, Or LACK of it. Corruption and mismanagement is also a factor in the decline of these towns to be honest.
But somehow all these illegals are able to afford it
The "abandoned building" in the beginning was Mr. Orange Chicken and that fire is very recent.
The car wash at 11:00 has been demolished.
I live in Cal Park, from my Little League days at Troublemaker's Park to going to Dillinger's for a CBS; so I know the history of the last 30 years, and I can say for a fact, this isn't that entirely accurate. The Chinese restaurant in the thumbnail was hit by a car and caught fire; that was very recent. The site where the trailer park was, is actually under construction. It isn't crime that's plaguing CP, it's the overall pattern of disinvestment in Black communities, slower economic development, and overall population loss in the State of Illinois, leading to declining tax base. People in CP care about their homes, their children, the future of their community. They ask their leaders questions, they come to the meetings, and they take care of what they have.
We're not perfect, not by a longshot and we're not where we'd ultimately like to be, but we're on the move and it's a far better portrait here than in other municipalities.
Great video. I used to live there in the 1970's. Pretty good town then
It still is.
I was raised in Cal-Park from 1979-1998. So much has changed and actually still looks good. I remember Raceway Park in the summers nights as a kid. That Orange Chicken place used to be a fast food restaurant called Dells. I used to work at that Burger King when I was 17. Not sure if there were changes but in the 80’s Eisenhower was the high school, but when i attended high school in the 90’s, half of Cal-Park would attend Richards and the other half attended Shepard which is the school I was assigned to.
Thanks! Great job!
Thank you!
Back in the 60s, people considered Calumet Park a little bit nicer than Harvey. Some things never change.
You wouldn't know a RINO if it gored you, MAGAT.
Grew up In Cal Park from 1977 to 1989. You actually drove right past the house i used to live in. When we moved there in 77, the town was predominantly white
wonder what happened to it now after white flight....
@@ericthered1140 Most residents keep their properties up. My neighbors and I actually have enhanced our homes from the previous owners.
Being right near West Pullman no wonder it got so bad.
Students from calumet park also go to Richards and Shepard too.
yeah he missed this
@@mikeytambourine8149he missed a ton tbh
I think it's cool that you go to these small places in the midwest that many people haven't heard of.
And utterly destroyed them on TH-cam. That's just wonderful! Just focusing on negative things without going deep to see a village that is still thriving and surviving.
@@joyceshaw7990 Any channel can show the pretty, sugar coated stuff, but this channel exposes real life & what is going on there through the lens of his camera which does not lie... Unlike what democrat politicians do.
Another great videso Chris, It seems like a nice enough place to live by all the well kept homes. Too bad about the crime. I miss your videos.
I live here, crime is not out of control!
The yellow building on the corner was the Orange Chicken Chinese Restaurant!
A car ran into it and demolished it.
Expertly done and yes this area is riddled with problems. I recommend everyone to see the other nearby suburbs on the playlist. Chris in great visual and factual detail discusses the problems in each. The part in this video particularly sad is the failure to build the planned apartments adjacent to the Metra station. That idea is a win win for the residents and the village but when corruption and governance defects are present the result is painfully obvious. I highly recommend for a change of pace and venue Chris's video "The Windy City Downtown Chicago." It is spectacular and demonstrates how well he can cover a wide variety of places.
Thanks, Craig! I’ll have a new video eventually going through downtown Chicago that should be much better than the one I made 4 years ago
Would love to see one on Lake Station, IN! Always enjoy the vids Chris :)
Chris, I have been watching your channel for a few years now. There seems to be two common threats for the blighted communities your cover:
1. Jobs leaving --- jobs being offshored --- change who you vote for.
2. Corruption by the city leaders --- "People, change who you vote for."
I think they do change who they vote for here in Illinois.
Sometimes they vote for THIS democrat, sometimes they vote for THAT democrat, and once in a while they vote for another democrat all together.
😄
Except 4 out of our last 7 governors have been Republican
@@PeterGazis-iz9fe Vote for common sense, no matter if the name has a D or a R next to it. At to local level of government most of the leaders do have a D next to the name. I'm a livelong dem and will be hard pressed to vote for one again in the near future.
3.....AA People
@@SquidzitAce Voting MAGA will make your life better...... From a lifelong democrat now a Republican.
Fridays are better with Chris harden
Is anyone really shocked about the amount of corruption in an Illinois city? Our state wrote the book on grifting and scamming. Another entertaining video. I can't wait to see the other cities you have next.
Paul Powell taught us how much cash can fit in a shoebox. And how to turn a $30,000 a year job into millions.
I grew up outside Chicago so have enjoyed seeing you document these places and why I left so I can show these to ignorant friends and randoms when they try and tell me it's heaven and the streets are paved with gold and my perception of Chicagoland is a conspiracy theory because I'm secretly hateful.
Work for the gas company and Cal Park is part of the area we cover and i end up in the area a lot. The majority of the people we deal with are decent folks and a lot have lived in the area most of their lives and are just tryin to hang on.
The whole state of Illinois, except for a couple of cities, is in decline.
Exactly, what's the difference from the whole damn state?
Don't mistake population lost with decline they are not always the same thing
Not true. North side and western suburbs are thriving
I'd say more than just a "couple" of towns are thriving like Oak Forest, Crestwood, Oak Lawn, Tinley Park, Orland, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, just to name a few are thriving.
The whole of western civilization is in rapid material decline and quality of life standards! Compare Gen Z to Boomers, Gen Z is 90% poorer than Boomers were at the same age, they have only 10% of the income and spending power that Boomers had in the mid 1960s through mid 1980s. This should be the biggest issue for the country, that young adults are so incredibly poor compared to how we were (I’m gen X), yet most people are weirdly quiet about it.
That’s what the future is looking like. We see now what the desperate and sad living conditions are of the poorest few boomers who entering their 70s still can’t afford to retire, yet that’s what at least half of Gen Xers and most Millennials will be facing soon. Many full time working Gen Z people can’t even afford a used car.
Our grandfathers supported a whole family on a single income without a college degree, owned a home and a car, something went very wrong, and it’s a similar story across countries; the US, Canada, Australia, the UK…
That 1st building(restaurant)you pointed out wasn't abandoned. A car ran through the building and it caught on fire.
Glad to see a new video!!!! From the pics I don't see the blight as much as other places like Dolton or Harvey. With no real jobs in the village per SE, everyone travels to work and it seems that corruption and stealing money is the major employer in this village. Typical of south suburban cook county Illinois. Someday it may change, but hope for that seems to be a pipe dream.
There are no crime consequences in illinois..Illinois democrats love the criminals more..
Have you seen the Republican run states of: West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana Arkansas and Missouri? Most places in those states make Calumet Park look like a paradise.
@@PeterGazis-iz9fe illinois has no bail..they don't!!!..most criminals are released before trial.
Illinois has no bail. Those accused of committing major crimes are kept in Jail until there’s a trial.
It’s not illegal if the former president does it
@@PeterGazis-iz9fe without immunity they could arrest Obama for killing Osama Bin Laden..should that happen?
i have never been to Calumet Park, we avoid a lot of the south suburbs.
Good idea.
As you spoke of Al Capone. You passed a restaurant on 127th St named Dillingers after John Dillingers
Calumet Park has been like this since I was a kid, born in 82
For real , went to the middle school in Cal Park born in 83
Naw it was decent then, started to change in the early nineties. The best part is west of I57
Exactly! It's been boring and empty
@@WAY2RIL You're right, in the 90's it got worse. My family would tell me it used to be nice.
@@WAY2RIL Have you driven through both sides of I-57? Most residents keep up their homes.
White flight happened 40+ years ago and the area never recovered. Now the political corruption is causing more harm.
These last few areas you've covered in Cook County, people tell me to stay away from.😢❤
Listen to them.
@@gregoryhainsworth2663 I do. I stay far away! Some of these neighborhoods are just too dangerous.
Great series! Do you think you would be able to do south holland as you’ve done all surrounding suburbs, I would love to see your thoughts
Thanks, and yes one day I will
Whatever problems they are having, Calumet Park still looks really nice.
How come you don't go down on Bishop Street that's where my grandma used to live.
I do remember hearing that there used to be a racetrack in Calumet park, I think it was on Ashland Street.
Raceway Park
@@gregoryhainsworth2663 Yes. Thank you. It closed in the 50s or 60s maybe.
@jordanacperry8797 It was still open in the 80's because I went there a couple of times. I think they closed in the 2000's.
@@gregoryhainsworth2663 2000 to be exact.
Definitely. I used to live on 123rd right off of troop. And u could hear the cars racing from that far away
Would love a video on Glenwood, IL. Also, Thornton, IL.
Calumet Park was originally a farming and bedroom community.
I'm surprised you didn't mention Raceway Park and the failed shopping center that replaced it. Raceway Park was built in the 1940s and continued until I believe it was 2000. The property was worth big money so they tore it down and put up a wall which is largely failed now
A police officer or a sergeants salary isn't just dictated by a state average or town size for that matter. It's contractual for the most part and doesn't include such things as overtime or special details that may be worked. A wealthy small town may pay its employees more than a larger suburb would. Now, OT or extra duty details can be abused to get extra money, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.
Great video! I want the truth to get out.
Phoenix, IL please!!
The best time back in the day there was the white rose lounge and smitteys lounge in Phoenix , IL in the Seventies 😊if this guy have mentioned Phoenix suburbs it’s still hold it’s ground I would definitely like to take a look 👀 on a trip back that way hopefully one day in the near future in a hurry 😂
That was a Chinese restaurant that you have for a thumbnail... a car crashed into it not too long ago... that's what happened to that building NOT economic decline.
White guy don't know what he's talking about
Elect Kamala Harris and see this place vanish completely
The Tiffany Henerd of national politics
Trump 2024
All of America will vanish completely if she becomes president.
@@jetsons101FDT
Like what she did to the bay area in California.
Can you do Phoenix, IL
At least it's not Ford Heights or the near-east side of Rockford between Kishwaukee to the west, E.State St to the north, 7th. Street to the east & Broadway to the south!😮
Doesn't look as bad as some of the other southside suburbs you've shown. The high crime is probably because there is still something left to steal.
Truth.
The high crime reported in Cal Park is a bit extreme. Crime is not on the scale touted in this video. Most people here are decent and law abiding citizens. I know my neighbors of over 30 years are!
So Glad I left South Burbs /NW Indiana 20+ Years ago ~ Shite Hole Blue State problems
Indiana is a red state, although Lake County IN is blue
If your state is so great. Why are you building a second branch of the South Shore line. Taking Indiana residents to downtown Chicago?
Love the car at 15:30 backing out of his driveway and just kept backing up even though u were driving by.
Medical emergency.
"ECONOMIC DECLINE is Causing This Suburbs Population to Drop FAST" there fixed it for you.
Remember going to the South part of chicago. Didn't do that a second time
At 10:25 mark you barely passed by one of my family members house they on Paulina just south of 127th St near I-57. Any videos of Crete or Steger soon?
No vids on Crete or Steger soon sorry
I’m from Calumet Park and before I dispatch this incomplete and shoddy work, I’ll concede you two things: I’d say about 30% of what you posit is true and that we do have tremendous economic challenges here in the Village, but they aren’t insurmountable.
I’m from CP, Old Troublemaker’s Park, Kissel’s, Styx in the Rec Center, Friday Night Skate, Raceway Park, and the Ashland Carnival; I’m from here.
1. Population Decline: The entire State of Illinois is in a decline, and has lost so many people due to property taxes, higher cost of living, lack of purchasing power, and virtually little housing affordability. Crime is a factor, but those items I just mentioned are the main factors. In fact, Illinois lost so many people, we were deducted an Electoral College vote!
2. The site where the trailer park stood did have a groundbreaking in summer 2022, and demolition of the site has begun in earnest. From what I understand, the holdup was due to advanced planning to ensure nothing essential underground was destroyed BEFORE they build on it.
The site was originally established in the late 1890s to exile “undesirable gypsies” for the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893. The demo and install of new infrastructure is supposed to be done by November of this year.
3. Crime is not out of control, you failed to mention that CP is on the border of Chicago, and the VAST majority of shootings, carjackings, and other major crimes in our town, are due specifically to this proximity. Those WHO LIVE in CP know that crime finds its way into the Village, and with so many points of egress/ingress; the perpetrators flee back to the City side and on and on it goes. Yet, here me when I say, there is NO rampant crime in CP. People bike, walk, hang out at the parks. It’s not a dangerous place.
4. Economics. We have been hit hard, true. However, the Village announced that there is a buyer for the grocery store, and it should come online by next fall, after they begin renovating the former store. Yes, our main thoroughfares don’t exactly reflect a robust economic corridor, but they are sturdy and hardworking shop owners, clerks, small business entrepreneurs and stakeholders of our community. Our vacancy rate for storefronts and businesses are actually low.
5. We have THREE, not two elementary/grammar schools in CP and HS kids aren’t zoned for Eisenhower, they’re bused to Shepard & Richards HS. Have been since the late 80s, due to racial tensions decades ago AT EISENHOWER.
Young man, when you do these reports, let go of your bias. For example, even the first business you showed on the corner of Ashland & Vermont, was destroyed recently by a speeding car and it set the place ablaze.
It’s essential you come down from your ivory tower and do thorough reporting talk to the people, the leaders, the parents, the educators and everyone else you anonymously lambast.
You do a disservice to yourself and discredit your “work” when you only speak in assumptions and opinions. Again, you’re spot on in certain points, I grant you that.
However, and I can say from history, Calumet Park is one of the RARE examples in which White Flight occurs and the community survives and is generally stable. Since the current demographics took root, we added an actual bank, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Grocery Store, 911 Call Center, and many inline stores and opportunities.
Do better, Chris.
As a resident of blue island and having a family member work for the village everything you said about calumet park is true. Crime isn’t bad, businesses have been coming in more than coming out, recently one of the city of Chicago biggest landscape contract holders moved in, all the house that are boarded up are desperately being asked for from investors, overall this village is being slowly turned around
@@giovanni27772Thank You!
I was born in 1958 in Calumet Park and lived there until 1980. It was always nice until the mid to late 70's. Got really bad and happy I moved to the Northwest suburbs never looking back
I love your rant on the redditor user. It made me giggle. I love you.
Love you empressvogt! Nothing but love. You’re the best!
Chris, the CRI&P was one railroad. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific. Re: the one building.
Thats crazy, I used to pass that Chinese restaurant in the beginning everyday to get to school
I live here in calumet park property owner for 20yrs I had my share of small trouble with people that don't live here this, true that I raised my kids and others but a lot of there friends went to the city and lost there lives but it can happen anywhere in the Midwest sadly to say.
New ranking catagory: local drivers skills.
calumet park look a lot safer and cleaner than most south suburbs i ssen on you tube
The redolent smell of rubber from Raceway Park ... Wow, what the hell happened?
The Riverdale Post Office delivers mail for Calumet Park as well.
Might as well do the entire Calumet region/south suburbs at this point. I guess that means you'll have to come back here tho...
I’ll be making countless trips to Chicagoland for the foreseeable future
@ChrisHarden Awesome, there's so much content in this area. There's a lot of people here, that get really excited to see their hometown get mentioned since this region is largely forgotten. Thanks for the effort and research you put into these videos, it doesn't go unnoticed.
@@ChrisHarden Hope you can hit up some towns in NW Indiana as well. There's a lot of history here and a big variety of living/economic conditions just in Lake and Porter Counties alone, as well as a National Park that shares the lakeshore with steel mills and a refinery.
Calumet City is horrible also
Not even close
@.50, that abandoned building you to be packed they real good food. And a little bit south of there was a go cart track. It cost a $1 for 8 laps around.
Chris, just thinking here..... How about a Then & Now video covering the "Famous" John Huges film locations around the Chicago area. Ferris Bueller's Day Off & The Breakfast Club just to name a couple. Thanks for helping to keep history "even if its bad" alive and kicking...............
Not a bad idea about Ferris Bueller. Would be a different type of video than what I usually make but interesting.
@@ChrisHarden You could do a "Chris Livability Score" for each film location. LOL
OOP's Back to work.
Do a story on Bellwood IL
i grew up in Stone Park back when it was nice, i remember going to Cock Robin in Bellwood on Mannheim Road, i went to Proviso West.
@@laurafoote214 what year at west? I went to the Bellwood Melrose Park River Grove Cock robins
i graduated in 1976, i went to the one in Melrose Park and the one next to Gene's and Jude's, lol small world :)
@@laurafoote214 class of 88 I grew up in Bellwood then hillside & Melrose park,
Man I lived not too far from Calumet Park till around '06.
Sgt pay is normal with some OT, I made 100k what's 3 years in as a patrol officer.
My old neck of the woods 2010-2016 right off stateline boader line on the Hammond, IN side
Chicago's new Geoffrey Baer but flipped and screwed like purple soda over ice.
Roy’s barbershop in cal park for over 30s a community stable
Sadly, I lived here in the early 80's and it was a nice place to live. Seeing what it's become is just miserable.
How about showing NW, W and North Cook?
Your video is very informative, but your rating of this small village has NO real value because your short video does NOT depict the heart of the people that live and thrive in Calumet Park. In spite of corruption, lack of resources, and, in my opinion, the misappropriation of property tax funding, we are still a nurturing community with lots of potential! The educational system in Illinois is mainly funded by property taxes, so this hurts small villages because around 60% of people's property taxes are allocated towards funding education, and the remaining funds are divided up and do not support the cost of supportive services thriving communities seem to possess. This cute village definitely has potential! Our children are successful, and we're very proud of them. Last year, one of our former students was the first African American female student to graduate as the valedictorian at Richard's high school. Another one of our students is the first African American female "Hot Shot" future fire fighter. A lot of alums of Calumet Public School District 132 go to college, study a trade, join the military, or get jobs... They make moves, and we're very proud!
Hey race fans, Raceway Park in Blue Island was technically in Cal park.
Knights inn literally on the same street as the abandoned building in the thumbnail. Next door to the Walgreens
It appears that the people take care of their properties. The lawns are manicured.. it looks beautiful, we all know the freaks come out at night. Lets see in my part of the city, we lost a major market, our 7 11 closed, because someones thought it needed to be robbed every night, and our neighborhood bakery .mind you I have lived here over 20 years in this neighborhood. Never mind those businesses were staples in the community, our illustrious city council decided we needed a sugar tax on top of the tax we already were paying. GOD bless the people!
Most of us do take care of our properties. It is very disheartening to hear our village lambasted like this on the world stage. I've lived here for over 30 years and have seen many improvements.
Try reviewing the opposite: Flossmoor, IL.
Flossmor isn't what it used to be.
@@gregoryhainsworth2663and compared to Calumet Park?
Flossmoor is going down. Taxes toooo high
@@natalietank Taxes too high. Isn't that the People's Republic Of Illinois in general?
Once the white residents move away, the businesses do the same, and then the black residents are expected to support the towns economy mostly from property taxes, which are some of the highest in the entire state. Thats the reason alot of families have moved out
The city of Calumet park, Illinois is in the south suburbs of Illinois, In the south suburbs of Illinois environment , The south suburbs of Illinois people, Ride regular paddle bicycles, you have "strip clubs", skating rinks , the people in the south suburbs of Illinois drive, Ford focus similar cars and have Driving school bus jobs. Its impossible to go broke in the south suburbs of Illinois. Their are "money street clicks" in the city of Calumet Park Illinois, That are about money, No rules or structure. The violence in the south suburbs of Illinois doesn't go over Fist fights . It's impossible to go broke on the south suburbs of Illinois for anyone doesn't matter who you are or where your from.
Hold up pal. Most of what you are saying about Cal. Park is true. I live in the area. However, that trailer is under development recently and construction is proceeding.
The corruption is outrageous. Illinois and the Chicago suburbs are taxed comparatively to New Jersey. New Jersey is corrupt, but I see New Jersey transit vs Metra for example, NJ is still miles better despite being very imperfect
In Calumet Park the village payroll makes up nearly 49% of the tax burden in this community. The only reason there is no outrage about this has to be tax payers being completely unaware. The village payroll has ballooned to over 500k per year. This completely outrageous and unethical. Nothing happening in this town justifies this kind of budget.
No surprise there. I grew up there and left in 1980. Was very bad then too. Glad I left.
What was going that was so bad? I moved here in 1986 and have had no issues to speak of. I've seen economic improvement in terms of retailers moving in and replacing old stores or building new ones.
@joyceshaw7990
Crime rate and like this video it reflects very low development as far as economic growth in that area. Also many of the village officials were known as crooks unfortunately.
Crime and Corruption leading to decline. The common denominator in all these cases? Three guesses.
Chris harden best professional video personality in America 🇺🇸 bro 😎 great performance As always bro . In other words keep up the great work as always Chris harden 😊
Chris should get all the facts before he does these spotlight videos.
The resteraunt is down because a car ran into it smh get the history right
Are the criminals following people who moved
They will. The criminal may be their wholesome appearing neighbor. Never know what is going on behind closed doors and shut windows, they could have a murder dungeon. I see a lot of scary stuff on the crime shows featuring the small towns of America.
The roads in northern Michigan.. are pretty bad. But we have a lot of government and that's where the money goes. It's like paying somebody to take away your rights... It's going to take a civil war to fix it..😮
Ummm... Yu know ill give this city credit...the streets are pretty clean.. seems like its theres no leadership and everyone is waiting on superman
Waiting on superman to do what?
I had one elder black man grabbed my right arm in Aldi grocery store in calumet park 😢 too many violent people live there
Is the tent cheap now
He ain’t lying about not a thang! From the corrupt police to that nasty trifling knights inn bogus asl
There coming to nwi Indiana making our cst of living rise
Hey Chris , Will Illinois ever learn … 2025, hopefully a change as always enjoying your content, stay well.
We learned ( Bruce Rauner) He taught us NEVER vote for a Republican.
Their are good places in Illinois, but I suspect covering thriving cities in the south suburbs won't get as many clicks as the down trodden towns.
Can we have a serious demographic discussion here?? I didn't think so.
Put that on your pipe and smoke 💨 it😂inhale exhale 😮💨
Funny you didn't mention any of the predominantly white or hispanic villages/cities (Blue Island, Posen, Midlothian, Crestwood. What are their population declines?!!!!
Coming to a neighborhood near you
I would like to see you do a video about the area in which you live okay you people? now start filming.
Exactly! It must be a utopia.
3:04 - Top Dog Law
It should be called Tallywacker Park.