Best Web Design in Calumet City, IL (2026)

Web Design for Calumet City, Illinois

Calumet City is a blue-collar Cook County suburb pressed against the Indiana state line, instantly recognizable from I-94 by its pair of giant water towers painted as 1970s 'Have a Nice Day' smiley faces. Founded in 1893 as West Hammond, it earned a lasting reputation as the original American 'Sin City' during Prohibition, when Al Capone-era bootleggers, gambling houses, and a red-light 'Strip' on State Street made it a playground for Chicago's underworld.

AppWT works with Calumet City, IL businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Calumet City

Also known as. Sin City.

History. Founded in 1893 by the merger of the villages of Schrumville and Sobieski Park under the name West Hammond, because it sits just west of Hammond, Indiana. First settled in the 1860s by German immigrant Hans Johann Schrum, who farmed maple syrup and potatoes and ran a pickle works, and later drew German and Polish immigrants. The town's main early industry, the G.H. Hammond meatpacking plant, was destroyed by fire in 1901. During Prohibition it became notorious for illegal alcohol, gambling, and prostitution, with bootleggers including Al Capone exploiting Indiana's dry laws. Residents voted in 1923 to rename the town Calumet City to shed the 'Sin City' image; 'Calumet' refers to the Native American peace pipe and the local Calumet waterways. Chicago Outfit figure Frank LaPorte was most responsible for building and running the State Street 'Sin Strip'; a 1959 police raid produced 98 arrests, and the city began demolishing the Strip's bars in 1995. The 2020 census counted 36,033 residents.

Local economy. Now largely residential with some light manufacturing after its meatpacking industry vanished. River Oaks Center is a major retail anchor near the smiley-face water tower on Ring Road. Median household income was about $50,640 as of 2020, with roughly 18.4% of residents below the poverty line.

Culture and community. The fictional Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood, were said to hail from Calumet City, and the 1980 film tied locations such as the orphanage to the area. The smiley-face water towers have appeared in the film Natural Born Killers, The Black Crowes' 1990 'Hard to Handle' music video, and Dead Kennedys album artwork. Notable natives include jazz drumming pioneer Gene Krupa, NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XX champion Mike Tomczak, and rapper Calboy.

What makes Calumet City distinct. Calumet City claims it erected one of the earliest 'Have a Nice Day' smiley-face water towers in the country, in 1973. It was dubbed the original American 'Sin City' and drew comparisons for its wide-open vice district. The beloved Blues Brothers characters were written as Calumet City natives. The city rebranded itself from West Hammond to Calumet City in 1923 specifically to escape its lawless reputation.

A south suburban Chicago city in the Calumet region with a majority-Black population, anchored by the River Oaks shopping district and its landmark smiley-face water towers.

Calumet City Landmarks and Local Life

• Smiley face water towers - Two "Have a Nice Day" smiley-face water towers near River Oaks Mall and State Street, a local point of pride
• River Oaks Center - Regional shopping mall near the Bishop Ford Freeway
• Green Lake Family Aquatic Center - Forest Preserve District of Cook County aquatic center at Green Lake Woods with a zero-depth pool and lazy river
• Calumet Memorial Park District - Flagship park with playground, splash pad, miniature golf, ball fields, and sports courts

Calumet City at a Glance

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023.

• Median household income: About $53,991
• Adults with a bachelor degree or higher: About 20.5%
• Housing: About 55.9% of housing units are owner-occupied
• Housing: About 52.9% of housing is single-family homes