From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Western Avenue is the longest continuous street within the city of Chicago at 23.5 miles (37.8 km) in length. Some sources claim that Western is the longest street in the world [1].
[edit] Location
From north to south, the road begins as Asbury Avenue in Evanston. Continuing as Western Avenue south of Howard Street, the road passes Rosehill Cemetery and later Lane Tech High School. It crosses the North Branch and then the South Branch of the Chicago River. Leaving the city it runs through Blue Island, crosses the Calumet River and veering slightly to the east becomes Dixie Highway. It resumes at 149th Street and runs discontinuously through the southern suburbs past Interstate 80, and ends at County Line Road, which divides Will and Kankakee counties. However, it often is considered to start at Howard and end at 119th Street (its boundaries within Chicago). It is located 3 miles (2400) west of State Street, Chicago's east-west dividing line.
[edit] History
From 1851 to 1869, Western Avenue delineated the western edge of the city of Chicago.[1] Being at the edge of town, it became a picnic spot, and Riverview Park was built at the intersection of Western and Belmont Avenues. The amusement park remained open from 1904 until 1967. The park's property is now home to the Riverview Plaza shopping center, the Belmont District Police Station, and DeVry Institute of Technology.
[edit] Transit
Western Avenue is serviced by many Chicago Transit Authority buses and trains. The street is crossed by the Brown Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, and three times by the Blue Line, on the O'Hare, Douglas, and Forest Park branches. The Western Avenue Buses (#49, 49A, 49B, and x49) run along Western Avenue, from Howard Street in the north to 135th Street in Blue Island. The street is also served by the #349 Pace bus in the southern suburbs, and by a Metra stop on the north side.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
ForgottenChicago.com's Excellent article on an Art Deco Era Streetscape on S. Western Ave.
