Norwood Park, Chicago
Encyclopedia
Norwood Park is one of 77 well-defined Chicago, Illinois community areas
. It encompasses the smaller neighborhoods
of Big Oaks, Norwood Park East, Norwood Park West, Old Norwood Park, Oriole Park, and Union Ridge.
Originally organized in 1872 from adjacent townships (Jefferson, Leyden and Niles) as a village, and named after Henry Ward Beecher
's novel Norwood, or Village Life in New England (1868), Norwood Park was annexed to the City of Chicago in 1893.
The community is now home to many of the city's firefighters
, police
officers, and other blue collar workers. Norwood Park is known especially for its abundance of green: lawns, parks, churchyards, and trees are its visual hallmarks.
Every Memorial Day there is a parade that runs through Norwood Park. The parade has been a local tradition for almost 90 years, starting in 1922. The community area also boasts the oldest extant building in Chicago, the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House
, and Taft High School
.
At one time, the area was dominated by a large golf course called Big Oaks Golf Course. In the early 1950s, the golf course was demolished and hundreds of homes replaced it.
The neighborhood contains two schools: Daniel Carter Beard School, located on West Strong Avenue, and St. Monica Catholic School, located on North Mont Clare Avenue.
The area is home to Oriole Park, which is located in the center of the neighborhood south of Bryn Mawr Avenue. The park covers over 18 acres (7.3 ha) of land. The park is a Chicago Park District
facility.
The Oriole Park Library is located on Balmoral Avenue next to Oriole Park School. It operates under the Chicago Public Library
.
Oriole Park Elementary School is located on Oketo and Balmoral Avenues and is the only school in the area. The school operates under Chicago Public Schools
.
by American Theater Company in Chicago revisited Norwood Park's influence on the production. Creator Jim Jacobs
attended Taft High School, which was used as the backdrop to Grease. Much of what is in the play is based on his experience growing up in Norwood Park during the 1950s and 1960s. He has stated that the characters of Grease were based on actual people he attended school with. During the reproduction, many Chicago references were put in, including references to the characters living on "Chicago's Northwest side" as middle class first-generation Americans with parents who worked in local factories. Also mentioned were local favorites, including Superdawg
.
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...
. It encompasses the smaller neighborhoods
Neighborhoods in Chicago
Cartographers distinguish between over 200 neighborhoods and 77 community areas in the City of Chicago . A semi-official by the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development was created in the 1970s by researchers who went from door-to-door in Chicago, asking "What neighborhood is this?"...
of Big Oaks, Norwood Park East, Norwood Park West, Old Norwood Park, Oriole Park, and Union Ridge.
Originally organized in 1872 from adjacent townships (Jefferson, Leyden and Niles) as a village, and named after Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher was a prominent Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker in the mid to late 19th century...
's novel Norwood, or Village Life in New England (1868), Norwood Park was annexed to the City of Chicago in 1893.
The community is now home to many of the city's firefighters
Chicago Fire Department
The Chicago Fire Department, also known as the CFD, is the principal fire suppression, prevention, and rescue agency of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the mayor of Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department is the second largest fire department in the United States after the New York City...
, police
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
officers, and other blue collar workers. Norwood Park is known especially for its abundance of green: lawns, parks, churchyards, and trees are its visual hallmarks.
Every Memorial Day there is a parade that runs through Norwood Park. The parade has been a local tradition for almost 90 years, starting in 1922. The community area also boasts the oldest extant building in Chicago, the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House
Noble-Seymour-Crippen House
The Noble-Seymour-Crippen House, also known as the Norwood Park Historical Society Museum, is a mansion located at 5624 North Newark Avenue in Chicago's Norwood Park community area...
, and Taft High School
William Howard Taft High School (Chicago)
William Howard Taft High School is a high school located at 6530 West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, in the Norwood Park neighborhood. It is run by the Chicago Public Schools . It is perhaps most famous as being the high school attended by Jim Jacobs, the writer of Grease. Jacobs used Taft...
.
Big Oaks
Big Oaks is bounded by Foster Avenue to the north, Nagle Avenue to the east, Gunnison Street to the south, and Harlem Avenue to the west. Opposite of the neighborhood's southern border at Gunnison Street are the suburb Harwood Heights, and an unincorporated area housing Ridgemoor Country Club. Many of the city's police officers live in Big Oaks, and in recent years the area has seen an increase in the number of Polish immigrants.At one time, the area was dominated by a large golf course called Big Oaks Golf Course. In the early 1950s, the golf course was demolished and hundreds of homes replaced it.
The neighborhood contains two schools: Daniel Carter Beard School, located on West Strong Avenue, and St. Monica Catholic School, located on North Mont Clare Avenue.
Union Ridge
Union Ridge is bounded by Bryn Mawr, Foster, Nagle, and Harlem Avenues. Union Ridge contains one school, John W. Garvy Elementary School, located on Foster and Rutherford Avenues. Union Ridge Cemetery is located on Higgins and Talcott Avenues.Oriole Park
Oriole Park is bordered by the I-90 to the north, Foster Ave to the south, Harlem Avenue to the east, and Canfield Avenue to the west.The area is home to Oriole Park, which is located in the center of the neighborhood south of Bryn Mawr Avenue. The park covers over 18 acres (7.3 ha) of land. The park is a Chicago Park District
Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
facility.
The Oriole Park Library is located on Balmoral Avenue next to Oriole Park School. It operates under the Chicago Public Library
Chicago Public Library
The Chicago Public Library is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 79 branches, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the city....
.
Oriole Park Elementary School is located on Oketo and Balmoral Avenues and is the only school in the area. The school operates under Chicago Public Schools
Chicago 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...
.
Relation to Grease Musical
A 2011 reproduction of the original Grease (musical)Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
by American Theater Company in Chicago revisited Norwood Park's influence on the production. Creator Jim Jacobs
Jim Jacobs
Jim Jacobs is an American composer, lyricist, and writer for the theatre. He is known for writing the book, lyrics and music, with Warren Casey, for the stage and film musical Grease.-Career:...
attended Taft High School, which was used as the backdrop to Grease. Much of what is in the play is based on his experience growing up in Norwood Park during the 1950s and 1960s. He has stated that the characters of Grease were based on actual people he attended school with. During the reproduction, many Chicago references were put in, including references to the characters living on "Chicago's Northwest side" as middle class first-generation Americans with parents who worked in local factories. Also mentioned were local favorites, including Superdawg
Superdawg
Superdawg is a drive-in hot dog stand with carhop service located at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue, Devon Avenue, and Nagle Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Superdawg has the distinction of being one of the few original drive-in restaurants left in the United...
.
External links
- Grease gets its grit back, Chicago Times Article
- Official City of Chicago Norwood Park Community Map
- Chicago landmarks
- Chicago Park District