Like many cities in Northern Illinois Skokie, was once inhabited by the Potawatomi Indians. It was first known as Niles Center after 1831, when the Europeans arrived and started farming the area. The name of the city was changed to Skokie in 1940. The name Skokie has two supposed origins. It is known that the name is of Native American origin however of which language is not clear. One suggested origin is from the Algonquian word meaning fire, hinting that the Indians burned the grasslands in the area to flush out game for hunting. The more accepted and more logical origin of the name Skokie is from the Potawatomi word meaning swamp. Due to the physical characteristics of the area, swamp is a more accurate description of the past conditions of this land.


Not unlike much of this area, though Native Americans originally inhabited it, there are no sites available to view this portion of its history. However, there are several sites of interest in Skokie, Illinois. This city was once primarily a Jewish community and there are places to view that represent this part of its past. Skokie, Illinois has a Holocaust Memorial Foundation. This foundation is dedicated to educating people about the events of The Holocaust. It is the intent of the society to preserve, remember and record those events. I am sure that they hope, as I do, that this may prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again.


Skokie, Illinois also has a very large park district. This park district contains several parks covering 240 acres, some of which provide certified preschool and childcare services. There are also summer camps available. For children in grade levels from kindergarten to 5th grade there are before school and after school services available to care for children. One of the smaller parks in Skokie, Illinois is the Emily Oaks Nature Center. This park covers 13-acres of nature preserves containing walking trails, multiple ponds and an education center dedicated to teaching about the importance of nature.


Another point of interest in Skokie, Illinois is the Skokie Sculpture Park. This park was established in 1988 and has a sculpture garden containing 60 large scale sculptures. The sculptures are not the only attraction to be found in this park. This park also includes two miles of walking, jogging and bike trails. Each May the Festival of Cultures is held here, lasting two days, to celebrate the diverse heritage of its residents. The flags of this festival’s members are displayed at the Skokie Sculpture Park. Just North of the sculpture garden is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the base of which is engraved with five of his most famous quotations. Another point of interest for the art enthusiast is the Refuge Art Gallery. This gallery features the work of artists who are either recovering from addiction or different forms of mental illness.


Skokie, Illinois also offers several shopping locations as well. Since 1975 Skokie, Illinois has hosted its famous Farmer’s Market. It is open every Sunday, starting the last Sunday in June and lasting until the last Sunday in October. The Farmer’s Market features vendors not only from Illinois, but also Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. Another great shopping location is Westfield Old Orchard. This shopping center is located in a beautifully landscaped outdoor atmosphere that is not enclosed. Along with this beautiful setting are174 stores and restaurants you can choose from and a parking garage for your convenience. You will also find the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts located there.