It’s not really a fair name for the huge part of the city spanning from the western portion of Englewood to Midway airport, but the area dubbed the Southwest Side has changed so much so quickly and in such different directions over the last century that the gloss is understandably common. Until the late 1880s, Chicago’s Southwest Side was little more than cow pasture sprinkled with farmsteads. The turn of the century, however, brought a slew of European immigrants including Poles, Lithuanians, and Bohemians with the advent of industrialization, as well as efficient public transportation and the establishment of the Union Stockyards.
Gage Park
Sandwiches of the South Side: In search of three local culinary creations
by Chloe Wilcox •
Inspired by a recent article in Dining Chicago on the city’s lesser-known signature sandwiches, I set out last week to find and consume three that are native to the South Side: the big baby, the Freddy and the mother-in-law. My…
Best of the South Side 2009: Southwest Side
by Chicago Weekly Staff •
The story of Chicago’s Southwest Side is a classically American one. Immigrants—Poles, Lithuanians, Italians, Germans, Czechs—flocked to the area in the early 20th century after the extension of streetcar lines made it an easy commute. Railroads and stockyards—including the famous…
The Unforgettable Firemen: Two new museums will commemorate the Chicago Fire Department’s past
by Harry Backlund •
“This is the city that burned down,” Bill Kugelman says bluntly when asked about the importance of a Chicago fire museum. The former president of the Chicago Firemen’s Union sees little official recognition of fire history in a city famous…
