Park Ridge

Town in Cook County, northeastern Illinois, USA, on the Des Plaines River, adjoining Chicago, 21 km/13 mi northwest of the Loop (downtown area); population (1990) 36,200. Principally a residential community, its proximity to O'Hare International Airport has also attracted many corporate business headquarters. Settled in the 1850s, it was originally named Pennyville, and then Brickton.

The arrival of the Chicago and North Western railway spurred economic growth, and suburbanization began before the close of the 19th century.