South Chicago, Chicago
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Community Area 46 - South Chicago Location within the city of Chicago |
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| ZIP Code | parts of 60617 | |
| Area | 8.65 km² (3.23 mi²) | |
| Population (2000) Density |
38,596 (down 5.35% from 1990) 4,461.7 /km² |
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| Demographics | White Black Hispanic Asian Other |
3.94% 68.0% 26.4% 0.13% 1.54% |
| Median income | $34,279 | |
| Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services | ||
South Chicago, formerly known as Ainsworth, is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois.
This chevron-shaped community is one of Chicago's 16 lakefront neighborhoods near the southern rim of Lake Michigan 10 miles south of downtown. A working-class neighborhood, it is bordered by East 79th Street on the north, South Chicago Avenue (the Chicago Skyway) on the southwest, a small stretch of East 95th Street straight south, and Lake Michigan on the east. With the Calumet River on the community's southeast side, South Chicago is the gateway to the Calumet Region.
Once a separate community, South Chicago began as a series of scattered settlements before becoming a village. The community was formed out of wetland prairie to provide a local labor force for the Joseph H. Brown Mill, founded in 1875. None of the original topography remains as is the case with most of urban Chicago. The community is totally developed.
South Chicago was incorporated in 1883, and started bustling with immigrants with the popularity of the World Columbian Exposition of 1893. The steel mill became U.S. Steel Southworks in 1901, continuing to attract immigrants from Ireland, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Italy. At its zenith, South Chicago made the city of Chicago the leading producer of steel products in the nation. The Sears Tower and the Hancock Building were built from South Chicago steel.
While South Chicago has a sizable African American population, existing ethnic groups continue to have strong community ties in the area. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the oldest parish founded by Mexicans in the City of Chicago. Immaculate Conception, St. Michael the Archangel, and later Saint Bronislava have served South Chicago's Polish residents for over 80 years and now have significant Latino populations as well. The first Catholic parish established in South Chicago was St. Patrick, which was founded by Irish Catholics.
Much of the business and shopping is done along Commercial Avenue. Several privately owned businesses such as clothing stores, furniture and retail, and beauty salons, can be found along Commercial Avenue. Restaurants from Nigerian to Italian cuisine are found in South Chicago. Despite the slow economy, more "Mom and Pop" stores florish throughout South Chicago's residential areas, than in any other neighborhood. East 83th Street, East 87rd Street and south along the revitalized Commercial Avenue to East 95th Street have attracted corporations, businesses and new banks into the community. Commercial Avenue is also home to many non-profit organizations including Healthy South Chicago, the Alianza Leadership Institute, Centro Comunitario Juan Diego, and SEDCOM.
On South Chicago Avenue is the historic Bessemer Park, named after English scientist Henry Bessemer, who revolutionized the steelmaking process. The park was designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the famous landscape architects of New York's Central Park, as well as Chicago landmarks Washington Park and Jackson Park, during the World Columbian Exposition. Their work on the park started in early 1904 and finished late in 1905. The Fieldhouse, only modestly upgraded, retains much of its original charm. Bessemer Park and Russell Square Park on the corner of Bond Avenue and E 83rd St. (*the Bush), are among their last commissions, Bessemer Park being one of the largest parks on the Southeast Side.
Since the de-industrialization of South Chicago's once inaccessible shoreline in the late 1970s, East 87th Street has been extended to Lake Michigan with the look and feel of a landscaped boulevard. The former Southworks site Brownfield, an area larger than the Loop, is a cleared and remediated table of slag and concrete, currently being transformed into Chicago's newest lakefront park with prospects from notable developers, which have put South Chicago at the center of the city's largest lakefront redevelopment effort in the 21st Century. Mixed residential, retail and recreation are quietly planned. The new park will also effectively complete the last link, finally closing the century old gap between Chicago's world-class chain of parks, and fulfilling the dreams of noted Chicago planner and architect, Daniel Burnham and business mogal and philanthropist Montgomery Ward, for a free and clear lakefront.
Located as far as 3300 east of the CTA Red Line in some areas, the neighborhood contains 4 newly built Metra Electric District South Chicago Branch Stations: Cheltenham E. 79th St., E. 83rd St., E. 87th St., and South Chicago E. 93rd St., which terminates in the heart of the neighborhood's business district along South Baltimore Avenue, and is the community's most accessible commuter rail service to downtown Chicago. Mainly a suburban service, the South Chicago Branch once coined "Private row" is the only line terminus within the city limits.
During the 1950s many residents called the northeast section of South Chicago *"The Bush" and worked in the local massive steel mill, US Steel. Others worked in neighboring steel mills such as Youngstown Steel, Republic Steel, Bethleham Steel, and LaSalle Steel. The excess steel, (in reality it was graphite) from the smokestacks would cause the cars and sidewalks to sparkle. Softball and bowling were popular pastimes. Large Polish weddings on Saturdays were also quite common. South Chicago's Mexican Patriotic Club's Mexican Independence Day (Sept. 16th) Parade was the first such parade in the City.
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