O'Hare

      Prayer Points

• There is a large Polish Community with a rich heritage. Pray that the evangelistic church will be sensitive to their culture when addressing this community.

• The Des Plaines River cuts through O'Hare, and often incurs detrimental flooding in the area. Pray for the protection over the homes of residents.

• Pray for the safety of community residents, as O'Hare is home to one of the busiest airports in the nation. Pray that the chapel services held at the airport will lead to the salvation of many travelers.

• Chicago is a hub for human trafficking due to the international flights. Pray for laws to be passed to protect victims and prosecute perpetrators and for the release of slaves.

      Ethnic Breakdown

• Asian (6.9%)
• Black or African American (0.9%)
• Hispanic or Latino (16.2%)
• White (75.4%)

Neighborhood Background

O'Hare remained largely undeveloped prior to World War ll. During the early 1840's, few families and immigrants from Germany settled in what would eventually become Higgins Road. In 1887, a depot along the Wisconsin Central Railroad opened in Orchard Place, an unincorporated area in the northeastern section of O'Hare.

Despite the railroad, very few people settled in Orchard Place, and residential subdivisions that were built in the 1930's all but vanished after World War ll. In 1942, Douglas Aircraft took over Orchard Place for the production of cargo planes during World War ll.

The facility then became a commercial airport. In 1947, the Chicago City Council picked Orchard Place as the location. Facilities in the area were removed. To establish control over the airports area, Chicago annexed O'Hare in March 1956. The accelerated success of the airport precipitated the increase in neighboring land values.