Blue Island, Illinois is a suburb of Chicago that’s located about 30 minutes southwest from Downtown. What was evident to me immediately was how much love the cities residents have for their own community. You can’t say that about everywhere, so it’s nice to see it when it’s there to be seen. Blue Island is one of the oldest cities in all of Cook County, which says a lot. In this video I talk about what makes Blue Island a nice community. I also talk about some of the historical aspects of the city.
0:00 – 1:18 Intro
1:18 – 10:13 Downtown / Uptown / Western Avenue
10:13 – 12:00 Lyric Theater / Beggars Pizza / More Western Avenue
12:00 – 19:22 Olde Western Avenue District
19:22 Chris Campagna
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Blue island is now a ghetto suburb because chris harden did a livability score of blue island. It seems whenever this guy does a livability score, then that means that place that he did a livability score for is officially a ghetto.
1st Dammit
Thanks for the video, its a boring sunday
Check out Brian Edwards channel here for some future documentaries: https://www.youtube.com/@brianedwardsvideo9526
See more of what Blue Island looks like here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbXUmCbAaJ4
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Used to hang out there years ago. Know the area well. They are trying but unfortunately they are surrounded by some high crime areas.
Got cool spots to watch trains.
I luv that area tho its in the Wild 100's😢😢
Chris, You're not flying your "Invader Drone" in New Jersey are you. LOL
Now back to the video…………
I used to rehad the old Victorian homes in Blue Island when I was in college at Moraine Valley. About 35 years ago. The housing was really run down back then, but the white folks didn't leave, so it's still a decent place to live. If it ever hits that tipping point, it's all over like the rest of the south suburbs.
Super talent Chris!
I have been hoping you were doing BI. Great watch, thank you!
At 6:32 at the top right of the image are "Necco Wafers" candies. They're almost as old (well maybe not almost) as Blue Island, Necco's came out in 1847. To help keep the downtown/uptown alive and vibrant, keep out Walmart, pawn shops and pot shops.
Again; keep the Walmart's as far away as possible.
You're spot on about the taxes in Illinois, Chris. They are onerous and necessary to fund the layer upon layer upon layer of government in Illinois. I'll bet 20% of the population has employment directly tied to the public sector.
When my son graduates St. Charles North in 3 1/2 years, we are leaving Illinois to live in our lake house in Indiana. Our property taxes will be cut by 2/3 and we will live on a lake, on a bigger lot, and in a bigger house. I can't wait!!!
Sounds like people are hanging in there. Lets hope they can keep making it work.
Blue Island was actually a prehistoric Island it was million some years ago. That why the town have so many hills …
Santa Barbaran here. I lived in Chicago for four years in the eighties. I have such good memories of times spent with friends in Blue Island. It's changed so much. Looks really nice. Thank you.
I like to see the way you have started to include the local people, their opinions, and a little bit of the personal history of the town. That’s very good thank you.
There is a lot to like about Blue Island. You're not too far from Emmett Till's grave. Look him up sometime.
Another great video, commenting to boost the algorithm.
Great video 👍
🫂sharing🫂thankYOU
Has become a ghetto
I know several of the people who have put a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears into BI over the past several decades. It really is a gem.
For anyone who is working in the area and looking for a lunch spot to grab some Mex. El Ranchito on S.B Western Ave just So. of 127th is the best to-go spot in the area. Yes, it's a grocery store, but with a little carniceria in the front. De-lish.
Great downtown. Looks like the town of Mayberry. It has not deteriorated. Great railroad town.
Blue Island was always a nice little town. Nice downtown, good restaurants and shops.
You should review Crestwood, IL not far from Blue Island. Much more vibrant.
Blue Island has a lot happening, but if you have ranked it as tops in Cook County, you have a LOT of other places to visit. Unfortunately, the South suburbs overall are not as vibrant as the Western, NW or Northern suburbs, which have many dozens of nice suburban communities, ranging from very densely populated blue collar places to very wealthy communities. Cook County has a population larger than most of the US states.
Best pair of videos on your channel. Very well done! Yes, I agree that this town has always been nice…but, between the 70s and 00s…it did decline (not as much as its neighbors). People made the difference, and fought to keep this town alive. I love the sound of the new projects. I have a feeling changes will be for the better. Can't say that for its neighbors. Any word on what used to St. Francis Hospital?
Is the circle track still there?
Blue island, is the only Chicago suburb with a total of 7 Metra train stops, perfect for people to get to down town for work or college
Been here 50 yrs. I like your vids but this is just as much fluff as I can stomach. You have no idea how many empty buildings you passed while driving down Western Ave, and then back up Gregory. We had a complete medical district, gone now. We had hardware stores, gone now.We had banks, now just 1. We had multiple car dealerships, all gone.We had multiple manufacturing businesses such as Libby's, all long gone. There's a whole lot more negative things going on here than meets the eye. The taxes are horrendous, and there is a constant fight with BI on TIF districts as well as the fight against eminent domain in which the city can reclaim property from an owner for their purposes. The town has enough ordinances and rules to give Chicago a run for its $. There's a heck of a lot more, no you can't vs yes you can, in BI. On a positive note, Chris is a talented painter, hands down, and Joe really does make a great Santa Claus. And finally, thx for driving past my house at approx 26:50 😉 You actually drove through some of the oldest parts of BI by doing so. When this town was founded, my house would've been under water in swampland, hence the natural pitch of our hills. That's why we still call portions of the city, 'up town'. There's a plaque by 1st Lutheran Church, on Grove and Ann streets, that tell about the 1st settlements.
Great job getting those resident's takes on their city and some insight into the past and future of their community Chris. One of the things about Illinois i'm most proud of is its architecture whether it is Chicago skyscrapers or private homes. They are just so unique and the styles are unmatched.
People do not realize the hidden liens on Illinois property. There is a debt load for pension obligations that makes Illinois property nearly worthless. Public employees can 'early retire' at age 58 with pensions exceeding salaries of working nurses, after working 10-20 years of 8-month working day obligations, at half the hours….then go back to work at the same job. Nurses are starting to be made aware that they shouldn't be nurses! Be public employees like teachers!
OPEBs are a huge local property tax obligation rarely mentioned, and TIFs are barely understood even by those public officials advantaging their own personal positions by ramming them into naive, ignorant communities.
What a jewel from the opening drone shots of the city with downtown Chicago as backdrop to a human interest story, everything that Chris has mentioned about livability is beautifully illustrated and discussed. Nobody shows the how and why of a place better.
In Chicago a common saying back in the day when I went on vacation was I'm going to the islands. In Chicago it was Blue Island goose Island and Stony island. They don't say that much anymore but that was a common saying back in the days. Say like 3040 even 50 years ago.
That seems like a good clean honest suburb of Chicago, I can see its appeal as it is like Chicago in some neighborhoods architecturally, but it’s not Chicago. It definitely seems like it’s in awesome shape for an inner ring suburb.
I don't see the north end of Blue Island, though. The Island starts at 119th on the north @Vincennes. Why is it not shown? Is it featured in another video?