Chicago Neighborhood Story

<h3><strong>The History of Chicago’s 77 Community Areas</strong></h3> Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character, history, and impact on the city’s development. In this series, we explore the stories behind all 77 of Chicago’s official community areas—uncovering their origins, key moments, and how they’ve evolved over time. From the industrial roots of Pullman to the cultural vibrancy of Pilsen, each post delves into what makes these neighborhoods unique. Whether you’re a history buff, an investor, or simply curious about the city’s past and future, these stories offer insight into the forces that have shaped Chicago’s landscape. Check back regularly as we journey through Chicago, one neighborhood at a time.

Social Links Widget

Click here to edit the Social Media Links settings. This text will not be visible on the front end.

Chicago Neighborhood Story Pullman: Chicago’s First National Park When the city of Chicago was first established it was muddy! Originally everything was built at about the same level as the lake. Due to the flat grade there was no drainage so when it rained the streets would turn to mud and many would even become impassable. Basements would flood everytime and the stagnate […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story Humbolt Park: Including the First State Designated Puerto Rican Cultural District Annexed in 1869 the community area of Humbolt Park has historically been a center for a variety of ethnic groups. Originally settled by Scandinavians and Germans the neighborhood saw growth from European Jews, Italians, and Polish. It peaked in population in 1930. Gentrification pushed the Puerto Rican population west from West Town into Humbolt Park […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story Fuller Park: One of the Smallest Community Areas Just east of New City is one of the smallest community areas in the city, Fuller Park. Located near the stockyards and the railroads the first residents of the area found work nearby. The neighborhood grew following the Great Chicago Fire since it was still part of Lake Township at that time and did not […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story Calumet Heights Although Chicago’s history goes back to the 1830s it wasn’t until 1881 when settlement began in Calumet Heights after a rail line was constructed on the west edge of the area. A quarry encouraged more growth, but even decades after the area was annexed to Chicago residential growth remained slow. In the 1920s the area […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story Armour Square: Baseball History and a Growing Chinatown Framed by Chinatown to the north and Guaranteed Rate field to the south Armour Square is a pocket of vast history in Chicago. The majority of Armour Square is a stretch of residences between Chinatown and Sox Park, about one mile long and half a mile wide. Even in that small area there is a […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story West Garfield Park: The First Neighborhood with a Report Card West Garfield Park started as a village called Central Park, for the large park to the east, and was renamed West Garfield Park in 1881 following the assassination of President James A. Garfield. It was a residential community with most recreation taking place in the park. The park offered a variety of activities. The conservatory […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story South Deering: The Largest and Perhaps the Most Industrial Area Originally referred to as Irondale, South Deering is the largest community area in Chicago. Like many of the south areas industry was the driving factor to bring this community together. In 1875 the Joseph H. Brown Iron and Steel Company located here. They were purchased by International Harvester in 1902, who later merged with Wisconsin […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story The Remarkably Rich Black American History of the Riverdale Community in Chicago If you take a drive through Riverdale the area may seem like the city’s castaway. It’s a true food desert, there is very little transportation, no dining options, no hotels, some streets are falling apart even though they are already practically too narrow for one car, and some aren’t paved at all. Each section of […]
Don't Miss Our Next Post
Subscribe Now
Chicago Neighborhood Story How WWII Led to the Creation of O’Hare The other day WBEZ sent me an email with a headline estimating 290,000 people in Illinois would fly for the holidays this year. Apparently it’s a record number. It’s also very fitting for my subject area today, O’Hare. Of Chicago’s official 77 community areas O’Hare is number 76. It was the most recent community area […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story The Influence of New City’s History Chicago BY CARL SANDBURG Hog Butcher for the World, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler; Stormy, husky, brawling, City of the Big Shoulders: They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys. And […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story From Steel Mills to Nature Preserves: The Neighborhood of Hegewisch The furthest southeast neighborhood in the city is Hegewisch. If you don’t know the area you might even think you are already in the suburbs when driving through. According to Wikipedia Hegewisch has more undeveloped land than the other neighborhoods in Chicago. Chicago Cityscape even reports that in 2018 about 17.7% of the area is […]
Chicago Neighborhood Story How the Train System Has Affected Englewood The rail system has been a big part of the Englewood area since the 1850s, when it was known as Junction Grove. The August 1869 edition of The Land Owner described the benefits of the railway, “In point of accessibility to the city, this point is all that could be desired. It is only twenty minutes by […]

Coldwell Banker - Oak Lawn

© 2025 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC

Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy

Accessibility Statement | Fair Housing Notice

© Coldwell Banker 2023 – 2024. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logo are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.