Neighborhoods of Chicago

The neighborhoods of Chicago are less well-defined than Chicago's 77 Community Areas. The community area designations are not governmental, but are based on the names given by the Social Science Research Committee at the University of Chicago in the 1920s for purposes of a long-term population study. The ever-changing nature of a city means that a few of the designations given in the 1920s may not still be in common use. There are around 228 named neighborhoods in the city today.cite web|url= http://egov.cityofchicago.org/webportal/COCWebPortal/COC_EDITORIAL/City_Neighborhoods_8_5x11.pdf |title=Chicago Neighborhoods|date=2006-08-14|publisher=City of Chicago|accessdate=2007-10-25]

Chicago's neighborhoods change as a result of gentrification and immigration; it contains some of the most culturally rich communities in the United States. Each neighborhood maintains a strong identity and because of this, two different neighborhoods could seem like different parts of the world. Due to Chicago's high density rate, one neighborhood might have multi-million dollar condominiums with a yuppie population, and another bordering neighborhood could have an impoverished immigrant ethnic contingency with street side fruit and vegetable marketplaces.

Residents and realtors tend to assign new names as neighorhoods evolve. Often, two residents of the same neighborhood, will describe different neighborhood boundaries, which may be based on zip codes, ethnic groupings, or simply personal opinion.

Chicago is partitioned into four main sections: Downtown (which contains the Loop), the North Side, the South Side, and the West Side. In the late 1920s sociologists at the University of Chicago subdivided the city into 77 distinct community areas. The boundaries of these areas are more clearly defined than those of the over 210 neighborhoods throughout the city, allowing for better year-by-year comparisons.

Downtown and The Loop

The downtown area about 3 SQ miles, lying somewhat roughly between Chicago Avenue(800N) on the north, Lake Michigan on the east, Roosevelt Road(1200S) on the south and DesPlaines(650W) Avenue on the west, serves as the city's commercial hub. The area known as "The Loop", is a portion of downtown named for it once having been located within a circuit of cable cars. Today the name reflects the elevated train Loop. Many of downtown's commercial, cultural, and financial institutions are located in the Loop.The current CTA Elevated Loop follows Wells St on the West, Van Buren St on the South, Wabash St on the East, and Lake St on the North.

North Side

The city's North Side (extending north of downtown along the lakefront) is the most densely populated residential section of the city. It contains public parkland and beaches stretching for miles along Lake Michigan to the city's northern border. Much of the North Side has benefited from an economic boom which began in the 1990s. For example, the River North area, located just north of the Chicago River and the Loop, has undergone a transition from a warehouse district to an active commercial, residential, and entertainment hub, featuring the nation's largest concentration of contemporary art galleries outside of Manhattan. Just north of River North's galleries and bistros, demolition of the CHA's Cabrini-Green housing project began in 2003, being replaced by upscale townhomes. [cite news
url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/11/60II/main532704.shtml
title=Tearing Down Cabrini-Green
publisher=CBS News
date=July 23 2003]

outh Side

The South Side (extending south of downtown along Lake Michigan) is the largest section of the city, encompassing roughly 60% of the city's land area. The section along the lake is marked with public parkland and beaches. The South Side has a higher ratio of single-family homes and also contains most of the city's industry.

Along with being the largest section of the city in terms of geography, the South Side is also home to two of the city's largest parades: the annual Bud Billiken Day parade, which is held during the second weekend of August and celebrates children returning to school, and the South Side Irish Parade, which is always held the Sunday prior to Saint Patrick's Day, unless the holiday falls on a Sunday in which case the parade is held that day.

The South Side has two of Chicago's largest public parks. Jackson Park, which hosted the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, is currently the site of the Museum of Science and Industry. The park stretches along the lakefront, linking the neighborhoods of Hyde Park and South Shore. Washington Park, which is connected to Jackson Park by the Midway Plaisance, is currently being considered as the primary site of the Olympic Stadium for the 2016 Summer Olympics if Chicago wins the bid.

West Side

The West Side (extending west of downtown) is made up of neighborhoods such as Austin, Lawndale, Garfield Park, West Town, and Humboldt Park among others. Some neighborhoods, particularly Garfield Park and Lawndale, have socio-economic problems including urban decay and crime. Other West Side neighborhoods, especially those closer to downtown, have been undergoing gentrification.

Major parks on the West Side include Douglas Park, Garfield Park, and Humboldt Park. Garfield Park Conservatory houses one of the largest collections of tropical plants of any U.S. city. Cultural attractions on the West Side include Humboldt Park's Puerto Rican Day festival, and the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen.

Far North side

Rogers Park (01)

Lincoln Square (04)

Forest Glen (12)

O'Hare (76)

Lakeview (06)

Logan Square (22)

Dunning (17)

Hermosa (20)

Near South Side (33)

Austin (25)

Near West Side (28)

Southwest side

Garfield Ridge (56)

McKinley Park (59)

*McKinley Park

New City (61)

West Lawn (65)

Englewood (68)

Oakland (36)

Kenwood (39)

Woodlawn (42)

Greater Grand Crossing (69)

Beverly (72)

Morgan Park (75)

South Chicago (46)

Roseland (49)

East Side (52)

Hegewisch (55)

Communities

ee also

Black Belt (region of Chicago)

References

External links

* [http://www.dreamtown.com/maps/index.jsp Chicago Neighborhoods Map]
* [http://egov.cityofchicago.org/webportal/COCWebPortal/COC_EDITORIAL/City_Neighborhoods_8_5x11.pdf City of Chicago neighborhoods map]
* [http://neighborhoods.chicago.il.us neighborhoods.chicago.il.us]
* [http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/home.do City of Chicago Website]
* [http://chicagomap.zolk.com Chicago Neighborhoods Google Map]