Edgewater, Chicago
Encyclopedia
Edgewater is a lakefront community area
in the North Side of the city of Chicago
, Illinois
seven miles north of the Loop
. As one of Chicago’s 77 official community areas, Edgewater is bounded by Foster Avenue
on the south, Devon Avenue
on the north, Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and Lake Michigan
on the east. Edgewater contains several beaches that residents enjoy in the late spring, summer, and early autumn. Chicago's largest park, Lincoln Park
, stretches south from Edgewater for seven miles along the waterfront, almost to downtown. Historically, Edgewater was the northeastern corner of Lake View Township, an independent suburb which was annexed by the city of Chicago
in 1889. Today, the Uptown
community is to Edgewater's south, Lincoln Square
to its west, West Ridge
to its northwest and Rogers Park
to its north.
Edgewater was first developed around the 1880s as a summer home for Chicago's elite. Today, it provides the northern terminus of both Lincoln Park
and Lake Shore Drive
. With the exception of pockets acknowledged as historic
districts (like the Bryn Mawr Historic District
), east-Edgewater (Edgewater Beach) boasts a skyline of high-rise apartment buildings, condominium
complexes, and mid-rise homes. To the west, Edgewater is characterized by commercial businesses; single family homes; and two, three, or four story flats.
in the Lake View Township (of which Edgewater was a part) in the 1880s to make way for future development. From 1870 to 1887 the population of the township, then north of the City of Chicago, grew from 2,000 citizens to 45,000. As a result, there was growing need of more public-service access, and Lake View was annexed to Chicago in 1889 as a way of meeting those demands.
In 1885, the northeastern section of Lake View was given the name Edgewater by prominent developer John Lewis Cochran. He built the first residential subdivision in the area. Many of his homes can still be found in the Lakewood Balmoral Historic District
. After a few years, Edgewater was celebrated as a wonder as it became "the only electric lighted suburb
adjacent to Chicago".
, which opened in 1916 at 5349 N. Sheridan. The famed "sunrise" yellow hotel
was demolished in 1968, though the remaining "sunset" pink Edgewater Beach Apartments building is still a landmark at the north tip of Lake Shore Drive. The Edgewater building boom peaked in 1926 and property values reached their height in 1928.
Around 1900, the burgeoning affluent population grew so much that developers expanded Edgewater and renamed a portion of the neighborhood community Uptown
(which still exists today). Uptown quickly became the commercial hub of the area, with storied nightlife, entertainment and tall commercial buildings. Thus, in the late 1920's, when Community Areas
were first designated, the Edgewater area was included as a section of Uptown.
to Hollywood Ave. in the 1950s, into the 1970s, highrise condominium developments along Edgewater's lakefront took off, and Andersonville was seeking to promote its unique heritage.
In 1980, the Chicago City Council
and local business owners orchestrated a revival for the Edgewater community. Edgewater was separated from Uptown and once again called itself its own community. New businesses came into the community, older buildings were refurbished, and homes touched up to harken back to Edgewater's past. Since 2000, there have been several new additions to the neighborhood, including The Clarovista, Edgewater Glen, and Catalpa Gardens condominium developments. This neighborhood of Chicago is also well known for its antique shops as the Edgewater Antique Mall, Broadway Antique Market, and Brownstone Antiques all call the Edgewater area their home.
. Once a sleepy little village made up primarily of Swedish immigrants, Andersonville is now one of Chicago's most popular north side neighborhoods. The community is particularly known for its diversity, including a continued Swedish cultural presence led by the Swedish American Museum
, the Swedish Bakery and other Swedish delicatessens. A significant number of Middle-Eastern businesses, a new influx of families with children, and a large lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender (LGBT
) population all make this a very diverse population. Andersonville is also known for its unique commercial district, made up almost entirely of a variety of independent locally owned specialty shops, restaurants, and service providers. Andersonville does, however, have a growing number of nationally known chains including a Starbucks Coffee, McDonald's, Hair Cuttery, The UPS Store, a Subway sandwich shop and a recently opened Potbelly Sandwich Shop.
The Andersonville Commercial Historic District
, which runs between 4900 and 5800 North Clark Street, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in March 2010. It joined the nearby residential Lakewood Balmoral Historic District
.
The approximate street boundaries of Andersonville, as defined by the City of Chicago, are Broadway Avenue to the east, Ravenswood Avenue to the west, Foster Avenue to the south, and Bryn Mawr Avenue to the north. The heart of the Andersonville commercial district is the corner of Clark Street and Berwyn Avenue (5300 N. Clark Street).
The main shopping street is North Clark Street, which runs roughly north-south. The stretch of Clark Street
south of Foster Avenue (where Andersonville has expanded across community boundaries into northern Uptown
) is sometimes called South Foster, or SoFo. Some maps show the entire stretch between Foster and Lawrence as Andersonville Terrace; although this name is seldom used by residents, realtors have recently started using it again for the area as far south as Argyle Street, in an attempt to capitalize on Andersonville's popularity. The stretch north of Bryn Mawr still retains a good number of Hispanic
-owned business as well as some restaurants and cafes serving Andersonville's more recent transplants.
As reported in the Chicago Reader, in 2006 merchants along North Clark Street have seen significant increases in commercial property taxes, causing these independent shops to struggle. Though the residential property tax
es have risen in the area, they have not skyrocketed like the commercial district in downtown Andersonville. The heart of Edgewater's restaurant and retail remains to be the North Clark St. business district of Andersonville.
Andersonville's roots as a community extend well back into the 19th century, when immigrant Swedish farmers started moving north into what was then a distant suburb of Chicago. In the 1850s the area north of Foster and east of Clark was a large cherry orchard, and families had only begun to move into the fringes of what is now Andersonville. The neighborhood's first school, the Andersonville School, was built in 1854 at the corner of those two thoroughfares, and served as the area's primary school until 1908.
After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, wooden homes were outlawed in Chicago. Swedish immigrants, who could not afford to build homes of stone or brick, began to move outside of the city's northern limits. Swedish immigrants continued to arrive in Andersonville through the beginning of the 20th century, settling in the newly built homes surrounding Clark Street. Before long, the entire commercial strip was dominated by Swedish businesses, from delis to hardware stores, shoe stores to blacksmiths, and bakeries to realty companies. The local churches, such as Ebenezer Lutheran Church and First Evangelical Free Church were also built by Swedes, and reflected the religious diversity of the new arrivals.
Like most other European-American ethnic groups, Swedes began to move to the suburbs during the Depression and post-war periods, and the neighborhood began to decline. Concerned about the deteriorating commercial situation, the Uptown Clark Street Business Association renewed its commitment to its Swedish heritage by renaming itself the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce. On October 17, 1964 Andersonville was rededicated in a ceremony attended by Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley and Illinois Governor Otto Kerner. At about the same time, the annual Swedish tradition of celebrating the summer solstice blossomed into Midsommarfest, which has since grown into one of Chicago's largest and most popular street festivals.
While some of the Swedish-owned businesses gave way to stores and restaurants owned by Koreans, Lebanese, and Mexicans, many remained in Andersonville, serving the remaining second- and third-generation Swedes as well as the new arrivals to the neighborhood. In 1976, a Swedish American Museum that had been on the drawing boards for fifty years was opened to the public in a ceremony attended by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. He was also present when it later moved into larger quarters at 5211 N. Clark, where it remains today.
In the late 1980s, Andersonville began a period of revival as professionals rediscovered its lovely housing stock and proximity to downtown Chicago and the lakefront. A large lesbian and gay population developed, spurred by the opening of such businesses as Women & Children First, a bookstore focusing on feminist authors and topics. New gift shops and ethnic eateries opened up and gave Clark Street a new commercial vitality and diversity.
Today, in addition to being one of the most concentrated areas of Swedish culture in the United States, Andersonville is home to a diverse assortment of devoted residents and businesses, including one of Chicago's largest gay and lesbian communities, a large collection of Middle Eastern restaurants and bakeries, and a thriving Hispanic commercial area north of Catalpa Avenue.
Andersonville is one of Chicago's thriving neighborhoods. It also enjoys nationwide renown for its unique commercial district.
Broadway
(along with Andersonville's Clark Street, to the west) is the main commercial street running North and South through Edgewater. It separates the Edgewater Beach area (dominated by highrises and apartment buildings) to the east, from Andersonville and Edgewater Glen (dominated by single family homes) to the west. In the 1920's, Broadway became a center of the new autombile trade with elaborate stylized showroom buildings. While these businesses are now gone, the street maintains commercial trade and at least one of those car palaces remains. In addition, a wide array of dining is available including, Ethiopian, French, Japanese, Thai, and fine American, as well as, pubs, fast food, and pizza. In Edgewater Beach, the east-west run of the Bryn Mawr Historic District
, off Broadway to Sheridan Road, also serves the neighborhood's shopping, entertainment and dining needs. The CTA electric elevated rail Red line runs near Broadway in Edgewater Beach.
Sheridan Road
, which follows the lakefront in eastern-Edgewater is the main North-South thoroughfare for traffic to/from Lake Shore Drive
. Lake Shore Drive ends at Hollywood Avenue where all traffic is routed onto either Hollywood Ave or Sheridan Road. As it is the north end terminus of Chicago's scenic Lake Shore Drive, this part of the neighborhood is sometimes congested with traffic along 4 lane roadways such as Clark St., Broadway and Ridge Aves. The area around Sheridan Road, west to Broadway Avenue, is called Edgewater Beach. The neighborhood beaches are Foster Beach, and Osterman (Hollywood) Beach. This area includes the northern reaches of Lincoln Park
, Chicago's largest public park.
North of Ardmore Avenue (5800 N) to Devon Avenue (6400 N) there are 4 lakefront parks, Osterman (Hollywood) Beach, George Lane Park, Berger Park, and a newly unnamed park just south of Granville (6200 N) between the Tiara & El Lago condominiums. There is also a park on the South West corner of Thorndale and Sheridan.
Accompanied by uniformly tall, grand old locust trees lining the Road, Edgewater's portion of Sheridan (North of Foster Ave., south of Devon Ave.) is a dense section of high-rise residential buildings on both sides of the Sheridan Rd. corridor. These include, Hollywood Towers, Horizon House Condominium, 6030 N Sheridan, The Malibu, Malibu East, East Point Tower, The Tiara, El Lago, Granville Beach, Granville Tower, Shoreline Towers
, Sheridan Shores CondominiumsSheridan Point. Many of these towers were built in the late 1950s to early 1970s. TV's fictional characters, Bob and Emily Hartley, of The Bob Newhart Show
called this area home, residing in the Thorndale Beach North Condominiums, 5901 N. Sheridan Road.
There are a handful of mansions still remaining on Sheridan Road, remnants of the 1880s to 1920s. Many of the original lakefront mansions that once lined Sheridan were razed with landfill added along the shoreline to make way for the high-rise buildings that exist there today. A few notable exceptions are Colvin House
, at Thorndale Avenue, Berger Park and Sacred Heart School
at Granville Avenue, as well as two belonging to nearby Loyola University Chicago
. To the South, at Sheridan, near Foster, there also remains a private tennis, pool and three par golf club, from the days when this area was dominated by mansions and the Edgewater Beach Hotel.
At the time of the 2000 United States Census
the proportion of single-sex couples in Edgewater was 6.6% in the 60660 zip code and 8.0% in the 60640 zip code. This compares with the US national average of 1.1%. Edgewater is home to the Gerber/Hart Library
, the largest gay and lesbian library and archives in the Midwestern United States. Kathy (Osterman) Beach (named after a former alderman
but historically referred to as Hollywood Beach, referencing Hollywood Ave. where it is situated) is a hugely popular hangout for a diverse community of beachgoers during the summer months. Chicago's oldest LGBT synagogue
, Congregation Or Chadash
, is situated in Edgewater.
The high-rise condominiums that line Sheridan Rd. and the Lake were known to have large numbers of retired and elderly persons, many living on fixed incomes. The prices have been more affordable than Lake Shore Drive addresses farther south. Meanwhile, Kenmore and Winthrop streets a couple blocks west suffered in mixed conditions of poverty and crime that were a far cry from their prior prestige.
Recognizing the proximity to Chicago's Lakefront and access to the Red Line elevated train, an influx of new residents have relocated here over the past 20 years. Many of Edgewater's new residents are from Africa and the former Yugoslavia. The area has a great density of Bosnian, Serb and Croat residents. These people, troubled by civil war and tough conditions in their homeland, have been encouraged to settle in the area. The city is known for accepting new, thriving enclaves of ethnicities in centuries past. This new settlement of Europeans is a modern revival of that tradition. Of recent, many new residents have come from the neighboring Lakeview and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, due to the affordable housing and Edgewater's proximity to the city's rapid transit (CTA) system which allows for an easy commute into the city's downtown.
Edgewater has a large African community. Ethnic Ethiopians, newly independent Eritreans, Somalians, and Nigerians live and socialize in Edgewater. Amid the streets of Edgewater one will mix with women in traditional African dress and grandmothers strolling with their grandchildren while the middle generation is out making a living in the new world of Chicago.
The ethnic makeup of Edgewater is diverse with Native Americans, former Yugoslavians, Africans of every part, young hipsters, new parents, first-time homeowners, college students, and many others making their home in here.
Devon Avenue
marks the northern boundary of Edgewater. Devon reflects the ethnic diversity of the Rogers Park
community.
, as well as private schools. The local public high school is Nicholas Senn High School
, established in 1913. There are several Catholic and other religiously affiliated schools also in the neighborhood.
Loyola University of Chicago's
campus borders northeastern Edgewater. The college established itself on the lake at the north end of Sheridan Road, where it crosses into Rogers Park, in 1906.
, which provides resident and visitor access to the Red Line
services of the Chicago Elevated
railway rapid transit
. The Red Line runs north to the city limits and south to Wrigley Field
, the downtown Chicago Loop
, Comiskey Park
and ends on the South Side at 95th Street. Edgewater's elevated Red Line tracks run just off Broadway Avenue, and its four stations are the Berwyn Station
, Bryn Mawr Station
, Thorndale Station
, and the Granville Station
.
Along the western border of Edgewater are the commuter rail tracks of Metra
's North Line
, with stations in the nearby surrounding community areas at Ravenswood and Rogers Park, providing transit to downtown or to Chicago's North Shore Suburbs.
The Chicago Transit Authority also operates numerous bus routes in Edgewater, with several running along North Lake Shore Drive with express services to downtown Chicago, including the Loop
, via North Michigan Avenue
and its Magnificent Mile
.
Private entities also offer many transportation services. I-GO
and Zipcar
have locations. Taxi
and limousine
services are plentiful in the area. Bicycle
s and rickshaws
can be found in the summer for rent near Foster Beach. Bike paths
are also available on some major streets. Manicured walking and running paths are found throughout the parkland near the lake, including the Chicago Lakefront Trail, which is also popular with bicycle commuters.
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
in the North Side of the city of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
seven miles north of the Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
. As one of Chicago’s 77 official community areas, Edgewater is bounded by Foster Avenue
Foster Avenue (Chicago)
Foster Avenue is a major east-west street on the North Side of Chicago as well as the northwestern suburbs. Foster Avenue separates the Chicago lakefront neighborhoods of Edgewater to the north and Uptown to the south....
on the south, Devon Avenue
Devon Avenue (Chicago)
Devon Avenue is a major east-west thoroughfare in the Chicago metropolitan area. It begins at Chicago's Sheridan Road, which borders Lake Michigan, and it runs west until merging with Higgins Road near O'Hare International Airport. Devon continues on the opposite side of the airport and runs...
on the north, Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
on the east. Edgewater contains several beaches that residents enjoy in the late spring, summer, and early autumn. Chicago's largest park, Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is an urban park in Chicago, which gave its name to the Lincoln Park, Chicago community area.Lincoln Park may also refer to:-Urban parks:*Lincoln Park , California*Lincoln Park, San Francisco, California...
, stretches south from Edgewater for seven miles along the waterfront, almost to downtown. Historically, Edgewater was the northeastern corner of Lake View Township, an independent suburb which was annexed by the city of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1889. Today, the Uptown
Uptown, Chicago
Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan...
community is to Edgewater's south, Lincoln Square
Lincoln Square, Chicago
Lincoln Square, located on the North Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas. Greater Lincoln Square encompasses the smaller neighborhoods of Ravenswood Manor, Ravenswood Gardens, Ravenswood, Bowmanville, Budlong Woods and Lincoln Square...
to its west, West Ridge
West Ridge, Chicago
West Ridge is one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is a middle class neighborhood located on the far North Side of the City of Chicago. It is located in the 50th Ward...
to its northwest and Rogers Park
Rogers Park, Chicago
Rogers Park is one of the 77 Chicago community areas on the far north side of Chicago, Illinois, and is also the name of the Chicago neighborhood that constitutes most of the community area...
to its north.
Edgewater was first developed around the 1880s as a summer home for Chicago's elite. Today, it provides the northern terminus of both Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is an urban park in Chicago, which gave its name to the Lincoln Park, Chicago community area.Lincoln Park may also refer to:-Urban parks:*Lincoln Park , California*Lincoln Park, San Francisco, California...
and Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive is a mostly freeway-standard expressway running parallel with and alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan through Chicago, Illinois, USA. Except for the portion north of Foster Avenue , Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S...
. With the exception of pockets acknowledged as historic
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
districts (like the Bryn Mawr Historic District
Bryn Mawr Historic District
The Bryn Mawr Historic District is on the lakefront of the Edgewater neighborhood of far-north Chicago in Illinois, USA. It extends along Bryn Mawr Avenue between Broadway Avenue and Sheridan Road...
), east-Edgewater (Edgewater Beach) boasts a skyline of high-rise apartment buildings, condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
complexes, and mid-rise homes. To the west, Edgewater is characterized by commercial businesses; single family homes; and two, three, or four story flats.
Early development
Developers began buying up orchards and truck farms, and cutting down the dense woodsForest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
in the Lake View Township (of which Edgewater was a part) in the 1880s to make way for future development. From 1870 to 1887 the population of the township, then north of the City of Chicago, grew from 2,000 citizens to 45,000. As a result, there was growing need of more public-service access, and Lake View was annexed to Chicago in 1889 as a way of meeting those demands.
In 1885, the northeastern section of Lake View was given the name Edgewater by prominent developer John Lewis Cochran. He built the first residential subdivision in the area. Many of his homes can still be found in the Lakewood Balmoral Historic District
Lakewood Balmoral Historic District
The Lakewood Balmoral Historic District is a historic district in the Edgewater community area of Chicago, Illinois. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 1999...
. After a few years, Edgewater was celebrated as a wonder as it became "the only electric lighted suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
adjacent to Chicago".
The turn of the century
By the early 1900s, Edgewater was regarded as one of Chicago's most prestigious communities. Mansions dominated the lakefront, while large single-family homes spread inland to the former farming village of Andersonville (then also called Somerdale). A prominent symbol of Edgewater's affluence and desirable location on the lake was the Edgewater Beach HotelEdgewater Beach Hotel
The Edgewater Beach Hotel was a hotel in the far-north neighborhood community of Edgewater in Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1916 and owned by John Tobin Connery and James Patrick Connery, it was located between Sheridan Road and Lake Michigan at Berwyn Avenue. The complex had a private beach and...
, which opened in 1916 at 5349 N. Sheridan. The famed "sunrise" yellow hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
was demolished in 1968, though the remaining "sunset" pink Edgewater Beach Apartments building is still a landmark at the north tip of Lake Shore Drive. The Edgewater building boom peaked in 1926 and property values reached their height in 1928.
Around 1900, the burgeoning affluent population grew so much that developers expanded Edgewater and renamed a portion of the neighborhood community Uptown
Uptown, Chicago
Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan...
(which still exists today). Uptown quickly became the commercial hub of the area, with storied nightlife, entertainment and tall commercial buildings. Thus, in the late 1920's, when Community Areas
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
were first designated, the Edgewater area was included as a section of Uptown.
Revival
Uptown's affluence declined in the 1950s as Chicago's suburbs were developed and opened, absorbing some of Uptown's families, both middle and upper class. With the flight of some residents came disrepair and crime for what once was one of the most affluent districts of the city. At the same time, with the extension of Lake Shore DriveLake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive is a mostly freeway-standard expressway running parallel with and alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan through Chicago, Illinois, USA. Except for the portion north of Foster Avenue , Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S...
to Hollywood Ave. in the 1950s, into the 1970s, highrise condominium developments along Edgewater's lakefront took off, and Andersonville was seeking to promote its unique heritage.
In 1980, the Chicago City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
and local business owners orchestrated a revival for the Edgewater community. Edgewater was separated from Uptown and once again called itself its own community. New businesses came into the community, older buildings were refurbished, and homes touched up to harken back to Edgewater's past. Since 2000, there have been several new additions to the neighborhood, including The Clarovista, Edgewater Glen, and Catalpa Gardens condominium developments. This neighborhood of Chicago is also well known for its antique shops as the Edgewater Antique Mall, Broadway Antique Market, and Brownstone Antiques all call the Edgewater area their home.
Neighborhoods
Given its name, it is not surprising that the neighborhoods of Edgewater are knit together by their enjoyment of the lake; the beaches and the waterfront parks. Also, on the west side of Edgewater, in a dynamic neighborhood with a rich cultural history, is Andersonville. From there, walking north and east toward the lake is Edgewater Glen and Edgewater Beach.Andersonville
Andersonville is a neighborhood (located in western Edgewater) on the North Side of ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Once a sleepy little village made up primarily of Swedish immigrants, Andersonville is now one of Chicago's most popular north side neighborhoods. The community is particularly known for its diversity, including a continued Swedish cultural presence led by the Swedish American Museum
Swedish American Museum
Swedish American Museum is located in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago.The Swedish American Museum in Chicago was founded by Kurt Mathisson in 1976. It moved to its current location on 5211 North Clark Street in 1987. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden was present at the museum's founding and...
, the Swedish Bakery and other Swedish delicatessens. A significant number of Middle-Eastern businesses, a new influx of families with children, and a large lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender (LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) population all make this a very diverse population. Andersonville is also known for its unique commercial district, made up almost entirely of a variety of independent locally owned specialty shops, restaurants, and service providers. Andersonville does, however, have a growing number of nationally known chains including a Starbucks Coffee, McDonald's, Hair Cuttery, The UPS Store, a Subway sandwich shop and a recently opened Potbelly Sandwich Shop.
The Andersonville Commercial Historic District
Andersonville Commercial Historic District
The Andersonville Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Chicago, Illinois. It runs from 4800 North Clark Street to 5800 North Clark Street in the city's Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods...
, which runs between 4900 and 5800 North Clark Street, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in March 2010. It joined the nearby residential Lakewood Balmoral Historic District
Lakewood Balmoral Historic District
The Lakewood Balmoral Historic District is a historic district in the Edgewater community area of Chicago, Illinois. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 1999...
.
The approximate street boundaries of Andersonville, as defined by the City of Chicago, are Broadway Avenue to the east, Ravenswood Avenue to the west, Foster Avenue to the south, and Bryn Mawr Avenue to the north. The heart of the Andersonville commercial district is the corner of Clark Street and Berwyn Avenue (5300 N. Clark Street).
The main shopping street is North Clark Street, which runs roughly north-south. The stretch of Clark Street
Clark Street (Chicago)
Clark Street is a north-south street in Chicago, Illinois that runs close to the shore of Lake Michigan from the northern city boundary with Evanston, to 2200 South in the city street numbering system...
south of Foster Avenue (where Andersonville has expanded across community boundaries into northern Uptown
Uptown, Chicago
Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan...
) is sometimes called South Foster, or SoFo. Some maps show the entire stretch between Foster and Lawrence as Andersonville Terrace; although this name is seldom used by residents, realtors have recently started using it again for the area as far south as Argyle Street, in an attempt to capitalize on Andersonville's popularity. The stretch north of Bryn Mawr still retains a good number of Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
-owned business as well as some restaurants and cafes serving Andersonville's more recent transplants.
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es have risen in the area, they have not skyrocketed like the commercial district in downtown Andersonville. The heart of Edgewater's restaurant and retail remains to be the North Clark St. business district of Andersonville.
Andersonville's roots as a community extend well back into the 19th century, when immigrant Swedish farmers started moving north into what was then a distant suburb of Chicago. In the 1850s the area north of Foster and east of Clark was a large cherry orchard, and families had only begun to move into the fringes of what is now Andersonville. The neighborhood's first school, the Andersonville School, was built in 1854 at the corner of those two thoroughfares, and served as the area's primary school until 1908.
After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, wooden homes were outlawed in Chicago. Swedish immigrants, who could not afford to build homes of stone or brick, began to move outside of the city's northern limits. Swedish immigrants continued to arrive in Andersonville through the beginning of the 20th century, settling in the newly built homes surrounding Clark Street. Before long, the entire commercial strip was dominated by Swedish businesses, from delis to hardware stores, shoe stores to blacksmiths, and bakeries to realty companies. The local churches, such as Ebenezer Lutheran Church and First Evangelical Free Church were also built by Swedes, and reflected the religious diversity of the new arrivals.
Like most other European-American ethnic groups, Swedes began to move to the suburbs during the Depression and post-war periods, and the neighborhood began to decline. Concerned about the deteriorating commercial situation, the Uptown Clark Street Business Association renewed its commitment to its Swedish heritage by renaming itself the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce. On October 17, 1964 Andersonville was rededicated in a ceremony attended by Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley and Illinois Governor Otto Kerner. At about the same time, the annual Swedish tradition of celebrating the summer solstice blossomed into Midsommarfest, which has since grown into one of Chicago's largest and most popular street festivals.
In the late 1980s, Andersonville began a period of revival as professionals rediscovered its lovely housing stock and proximity to downtown Chicago and the lakefront. A large lesbian and gay population developed, spurred by the opening of such businesses as Women & Children First, a bookstore focusing on feminist authors and topics. New gift shops and ethnic eateries opened up and gave Clark Street a new commercial vitality and diversity.
Today, in addition to being one of the most concentrated areas of Swedish culture in the United States, Andersonville is home to a diverse assortment of devoted residents and businesses, including one of Chicago's largest gay and lesbian communities, a large collection of Middle Eastern restaurants and bakeries, and a thriving Hispanic commercial area north of Catalpa Avenue.
Andersonville is one of Chicago's thriving neighborhoods. It also enjoys nationwide renown for its unique commercial district.
Edgewater Glen
Edgewater Glen is located just north of the Andersonville neighborhood. Its namesake comes from the lovely tree-lined Glenwood Ave. which is a beautiful residential north-south street within the heart of Edgewater. Exact boundaries are somewhat unclear but, according to one source, include Devon Ave. to the north, Broadway Ave. to the east, Hollywood/Ridge Ave. to the south, and Clark/Ashland St. to the west. A local community organization called Edgewater Glen Home Owners Association, which is recognized by the Edgewater Community Council, has boundaries of Granville (north), Broadway (east), Norwood (south), and Clark/Ashland (west).Broadway
Broadway Street (Chicago)
Broadway is a major street in Chicago's Lakeview, Uptown, and Edgewater community areas on the city's North Side, running from Diversey Parkway to Devon Avenue . Originally called Evanston Avenue, the name of the street was changed to Broadway on August 15, 1913 as part of 467 road name changes...
(along with Andersonville's Clark Street, to the west) is the main commercial street running North and South through Edgewater. It separates the Edgewater Beach area (dominated by highrises and apartment buildings) to the east, from Andersonville and Edgewater Glen (dominated by single family homes) to the west. In the 1920's, Broadway became a center of the new autombile trade with elaborate stylized showroom buildings. While these businesses are now gone, the street maintains commercial trade and at least one of those car palaces remains. In addition, a wide array of dining is available including, Ethiopian, French, Japanese, Thai, and fine American, as well as, pubs, fast food, and pizza. In Edgewater Beach, the east-west run of the Bryn Mawr Historic District
Bryn Mawr Historic District
The Bryn Mawr Historic District is on the lakefront of the Edgewater neighborhood of far-north Chicago in Illinois, USA. It extends along Bryn Mawr Avenue between Broadway Avenue and Sheridan Road...
, off Broadway to Sheridan Road, also serves the neighborhood's shopping, entertainment and dining needs. The CTA electric elevated rail Red line runs near Broadway in Edgewater Beach.
Sheridan Road and Edgewater Beach
Sheridan Road
Sheridan Road is a major north-south thoroughfare that leads from Diversey Parkway in Chicago, Illinois, north to the Illinois-Wisconsin border and beyond to Racine. Throughout most of its run, it is the easternmost north-south through street, closest to Lake Michigan...
, which follows the lakefront in eastern-Edgewater is the main North-South thoroughfare for traffic to/from Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive is a mostly freeway-standard expressway running parallel with and alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan through Chicago, Illinois, USA. Except for the portion north of Foster Avenue , Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S...
. Lake Shore Drive ends at Hollywood Avenue where all traffic is routed onto either Hollywood Ave or Sheridan Road. As it is the north end terminus of Chicago's scenic Lake Shore Drive, this part of the neighborhood is sometimes congested with traffic along 4 lane roadways such as Clark St., Broadway and Ridge Aves. The area around Sheridan Road, west to Broadway Avenue, is called Edgewater Beach. The neighborhood beaches are Foster Beach, and Osterman (Hollywood) Beach. This area includes the northern reaches of Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is an urban park in Chicago, which gave its name to the Lincoln Park, Chicago community area.Lincoln Park may also refer to:-Urban parks:*Lincoln Park , California*Lincoln Park, San Francisco, California...
, Chicago's largest public park.
North of Ardmore Avenue (5800 N) to Devon Avenue (6400 N) there are 4 lakefront parks, Osterman (Hollywood) Beach, George Lane Park, Berger Park, and a newly unnamed park just south of Granville (6200 N) between the Tiara & El Lago condominiums. There is also a park on the South West corner of Thorndale and Sheridan.
Accompanied by uniformly tall, grand old locust trees lining the Road, Edgewater's portion of Sheridan (North of Foster Ave., south of Devon Ave.) is a dense section of high-rise residential buildings on both sides of the Sheridan Rd. corridor. These include, Hollywood Towers, Horizon House Condominium, 6030 N Sheridan, The Malibu, Malibu East, East Point Tower, The Tiara, El Lago, Granville Beach, Granville Tower, Shoreline Towers
Shoreline Towers
Shoreline Towers is residential high-rise building in Chicago, United States. It is 25 stories , with 378 units. The building is located at 6301 North Sheridan Road, at the intersection of Rosemont Avenue ....
, Sheridan Shores CondominiumsSheridan Point. Many of these towers were built in the late 1950s to early 1970s. TV's fictional characters, Bob and Emily Hartley, of The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, , to April 1, . Comedian Bob Newhart portrayed a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers...
called this area home, residing in the Thorndale Beach North Condominiums, 5901 N. Sheridan Road.
There are a handful of mansions still remaining on Sheridan Road, remnants of the 1880s to 1920s. Many of the original lakefront mansions that once lined Sheridan were razed with landfill added along the shoreline to make way for the high-rise buildings that exist there today. A few notable exceptions are Colvin House
Colvin House
The Colvin House is a house at 5901 North Sheridan Road in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The house was built in 1909 by George W. Maher. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on October 5, 1994. This residence was built for Edwin M. Colvin, his wife Clara and their four children...
, at Thorndale Avenue, Berger Park and Sacred Heart School
Sacred Heart Schools (Chicago, Illinois)
The Academy of the Sacred Heart for Girls, founded in 1876, and Hardey Preparatory for Boys, founded in 1935, serve children in Kindergarten through Eighth Grade.Sacred Heart is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools...
at Granville Avenue, as well as two belonging to nearby Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
. To the South, at Sheridan, near Foster, there also remains a private tennis, pool and three par golf club, from the days when this area was dominated by mansions and the Edgewater Beach Hotel.
Gay and lesbian community
At the time of the 2000 United States Census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
the proportion of single-sex couples in Edgewater was 6.6% in the 60660 zip code and 8.0% in the 60640 zip code. This compares with the US national average of 1.1%. Edgewater is home to the Gerber/Hart Library
Gerber/Hart Library
The Gerber/Hart Library , founded in 1981, is the largest circulating library of gay and lesbian titles in the Midwestern United States...
, the largest gay and lesbian library and archives in the Midwestern United States. Kathy (Osterman) Beach (named after a former alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
but historically referred to as Hollywood Beach, referencing Hollywood Ave. where it is situated) is a hugely popular hangout for a diverse community of beachgoers during the summer months. Chicago's oldest LGBT synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, Congregation Or Chadash
Congregation Or Chadash
-References:*Brody, Jennifer. , j., September 5, 1997.*Byrne, John; Hinkel, Dan. , Chicago Tribune, October 30, 2010.*, Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame website. Accessed November 7, 2010....
, is situated in Edgewater.
International community
Recognizing the proximity to Chicago's Lakefront and access to the Red Line elevated train, an influx of new residents have relocated here over the past 20 years. Many of Edgewater's new residents are from Africa and the former Yugoslavia. The area has a great density of Bosnian, Serb and Croat residents. These people, troubled by civil war and tough conditions in their homeland, have been encouraged to settle in the area. The city is known for accepting new, thriving enclaves of ethnicities in centuries past. This new settlement of Europeans is a modern revival of that tradition. Of recent, many new residents have come from the neighboring Lakeview and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, due to the affordable housing and Edgewater's proximity to the city's rapid transit (CTA) system which allows for an easy commute into the city's downtown.
Edgewater has a large African community. Ethnic Ethiopians, newly independent Eritreans, Somalians, and Nigerians live and socialize in Edgewater. Amid the streets of Edgewater one will mix with women in traditional African dress and grandmothers strolling with their grandchildren while the middle generation is out making a living in the new world of Chicago.
The ethnic makeup of Edgewater is diverse with Native Americans, former Yugoslavians, Africans of every part, young hipsters, new parents, first-time homeowners, college students, and many others making their home in here.
Devon Avenue
Devon Avenue (Chicago)
Devon Avenue is a major east-west thoroughfare in the Chicago metropolitan area. It begins at Chicago's Sheridan Road, which borders Lake Michigan, and it runs west until merging with Higgins Road near O'Hare International Airport. Devon continues on the opposite side of the airport and runs...
marks the northern boundary of Edgewater. Devon reflects the ethnic diversity of the Rogers Park
Rogers Park, Chicago
Rogers Park is one of the 77 Chicago community areas on the far north side of Chicago, Illinois, and is also the name of the Chicago neighborhood that constitutes most of the community area...
community.
Education
Edgewater is home to several Chicago Public SchoolsChicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools, commonly abbreviated as CPS by local residents and politicians and officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, is a large school district that manages over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago, Illinois...
, as well as private schools. The local public high school is Nicholas Senn High School
Senn High School
Nicholas Senn High School is located on the North Side of Chicago in the Edgewater community. Senn High School was inaugurated in 1913.-Education:...
, established in 1913. There are several Catholic and other religiously affiliated schools also in the neighborhood.
Loyola University of Chicago's
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
campus borders northeastern Edgewater. The college established itself on the lake at the north end of Sheridan Road, where it crosses into Rogers Park, in 1906.
Transportation
A majority of Edgewater's public transportation needs are met by the Chicago Transit AuthorityChicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
, which provides resident and visitor access to the Red Line
Red Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The northern terminus of the Red Line is Howard Street in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago , on the City Limits farthest north. The Red Line extends southeasterly on an elevated embankment structure about a half-mile west of the lakefront to Touhy Avenue then turns south along Glenwood...
services of the Chicago Elevated
Chicago 'L'
The L is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority...
railway rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
. The Red Line runs north to the city limits and south to Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, the downtown Chicago Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
, Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
and ends on the South Side at 95th Street. Edgewater's elevated Red Line tracks run just off Broadway Avenue, and its four stations are the Berwyn Station
Berwyn (CTA)
Berwyn is an 'L' station on the CTA's Red Line. It is located at 1121 West Berwyn Avenue in the southern part of the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The adjacent stations are Bryn Mawr, located about three eighths of a mile to the north, and Argyle, about one third of a mile to the...
, Bryn Mawr Station
Bryn Mawr (CTA)
Bryn Mawr is an 'L' station on the CTA's Red Line. It is an elevated station located at 1119 West Bryn Mawr Avenue in the Bryn Mawr Historic District of the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The adjacent stations are Thorndale, located about one half mile to the north, and Berwyn, about...
, Thorndale Station
Thorndale (CTA)
Thorndale is an 'L' station on the CTA's Red Line. It is an elevated station located at 1118 West Thorndale Avenue in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The adjacent stations are Granville, located about one quarter mile to the north, and Bryn Mawr, about one half mile to the south...
, and the Granville Station
Granville (CTA)
Granville is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line, part of the Chicago 'L' metro system. It is located at 1119 West Granville Avenue in Chicago, Illinois . It is in the Edgewater neighborhood, close to the Rogers Park border...
.
Along the western border of Edgewater are the commuter rail tracks of Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
's North Line
Union Pacific/North Line
The Union Pacific/North is a commuter rail line in the Chicago metropolitan area that runs between Chicago and Waukegan, Illinois, with some trains continuing to Kenosha, Wisconsin. It is part of the Metra system, but it is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad...
, with stations in the nearby surrounding community areas at Ravenswood and Rogers Park, providing transit to downtown or to Chicago's North Shore Suburbs.
The Chicago Transit Authority also operates numerous bus routes in Edgewater, with several running along North Lake Shore Drive with express services to downtown Chicago, including the Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
, via North Michigan Avenue
Michigan Avenue (Chicago)
Michigan Avenue is a major north-south street in Chicago which runs at 100 east south of the Chicago River and at 132 East north of the river from 12628 south to 950 north in the Chicago street address system...
and its Magnificent Mile
Magnificent Mile
The Magnificent Mile, sometimes referred to as The Mag Mile, is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, that runs along a portion of Michigan Avenue extending from the Chicago River to Oak Street in the Near North Side community area. The district is located adjacent to downtown; it is also one block...
.
Private entities also offer many transportation services. I-GO
I-GO
I-GO is a Chicago-based not-for-profit car sharing organization.- Overview :I-GO is an independent 501 established in 2002 by the Center for Neighborhood Technology, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and implementing new strategies that make urban communities more livable and...
and Zipcar
Zipcar
Zipcar is an American membership-based car sharing company providing automobile reservations to its members, billable by the hour or day. Zipcar was founded in 2000 by Cambridge, Massachusetts residents Antje Danielson and Robin Chase, and is now led by Scott Griffith, Chairman and Chief Executive...
have locations. Taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
and limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
services are plentiful in the area. Bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s and rickshaws
Cycle rickshaw
The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, becak, trisikad, or trishaw or, simply, rickshaw which also refers to auto rickshaws, and the, now uncommon, rickshaws pulled by a person on foot...
can be found in the summer for rent near Foster Beach. Bike paths
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
are also available on some major streets. Manicured walking and running paths are found throughout the parkland near the lake, including the Chicago Lakefront Trail, which is also popular with bicycle commuters.
External links
- Andersonville Chamber of Commerce
- Andersonville neighborhood guide & map on ExploreChicago.org
- Edgewater neighborhood guide & map on ExploreChicago.org
- Edgewater Branch, Chicago Public Library
- Edgewater Chamber of Commerce
- Edgewater Historical Society
- Edgewater Community Council
- Edgewater Development Corporation
- In Chicago, Village Life in a Big City - slideshow by The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...