Riverside, village in northeastern Illinois, in west central Cook County, on the Des Plaines River. Riverside is about 14 km (about 9 mi) west of Chicago. The village was planned in 1869 by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who had gained fame for his design, with Calvert Vaux, of Central Park in New York City. Riverside's curved, tree-lined streets follow the winding course of the river. Its single-family houses, shielded by dense trees and centered on a village park, were designed to foster a sense of community, yet maintain domesticity and privacy. With one-third of its area in parks, the community has retained an exclusively residential character. Riverside contains many architecturally significant buildings, including the Coonley House (1908), designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright; most of the village is a national historic district. Riverside was incorporated in 1875. Population 9,236 (1980); 8,774 (1990); 8,895 (2000).
