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Will Another Former Chicagoan Be Moving Into The White House Soon?

By Linze Rice | December 30, 2015 8:21am | Updated on July 27, 2016 9:15am
 Hillary Clinton is seen in this family photo, marked Chicago, 1954. She is seen sitting next to her mother, Dorothy.
Hillary Clinton is seen in this family photo, marked Chicago, 1954. She is seen sitting next to her mother, Dorothy.
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hillaryclinton.com

EDGEWATER — National media describe Hillary Clinton as being from suburban Park Ridge.

Well, kinda.

Clinton, who will speak Thursday night as the Democratic nominee for president, was born on October 26, 1947, at the now-shuttered Edgewater Hospital on the city's Far North Side at 5700 N. Ashland Ave. The hospital closed in the late 1990s.

At the time, her parents, Dorothy and Hugh, were living in a small apartment building at 5722 N. Winthrop Ave. Later the building would be torn down, rebuilt, and appropriately named "The Rodham," according to the Edgewater Historical Society.

In the years since, the building has been torn down and a new structure erected in its place.

The year Clinton was born, her father, Hugh Rodham, a textile business owner, ran for 49th Ward alderman, but only gained a measly 1.5 percent of the vote.

When Clinton was 3, the Rodham family packed up their Winthrop Avenue apartment for bigger and better digs in Park Ridge.

In her autobiography "Living History," Clinton recalled how her father had a small drapery fabric business, Rodrik Fabrics, with an office in the Merchandise Mart overlooking the Chicago River.

"I can remember going there when I was only three or four," Clinton wrote. "To keep me away from the windows, which he left open for the fresh air, he told me a big, bad wolf lived down below and would eat me up if I fell out."

Later, her father had a printing plant on the North Side, she said. Clinton said when she was older, she, her mother and two brothers would help with the printing at the plant.

The family moved to Park Ridge where "my parents felt comfortable among all the other veterans who chose it for its excellent public schools, parks, tree-lined streets, wide sidewalks and comfortable family homes," Clinton wrote. 

Lori Lynch, a member of the Edgewater Historical Society, had the opportunity to meet Clinton during a book-signing at Women and Children First bookstore in 2003 while promoting her book, "Living History."

Lynch said  when it was her turn to have her book signed, she told Clinton she was a historical society member and that the organization was "very proud" the politician was born in the local hospital.

"She became very excited and thrilled about our knowing this," Lynch said.

She said Clinton leaned over to childhood friend Betsy Ebeling, who'd accompanied her to the event, to excitedly talk about her Edgewater roots.

"Unfortunately, there were many people waiting, but I do feel Hillary would have loved to discuss it more," Lynch said.

 

 
 
 

From Park Ridge to New York City.

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton (@hillaryclinton) on

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