Burbank, city in Cook County, Illinois, United States
Burbank is a city on the southwest edge of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. It stretches across about four square miles of flat land packed with homes, small shops, and schools all sitting close together.
The area was farmland in the 1800s with scattered settlements. In the 1950s, water and sewer systems were built to reduce flooding and enable faster growth, after which the population jumped from about 20,000 in 1960 to nearly 30,000 by 1976.
The name comes from a local elementary school named after the famous gardener Luther Burbank. Today the city has a significant Hispanic population, and many residents speak different languages at home, making the community diverse.
The city is run by a mayor and city council, and information about local services can be found on the city website. Most residents drive cars, but the Pace bus system connects the city to other parts of Chicago and nearby suburbs for those who prefer public transportation.
A planned massive railroad transfer station in the 1880s failed due to the 1893 economic crash, but the city's name came later from a local elementary school rather than a businessman. This shows how local community became more important than grand business plans in shaping this place.
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