The community was first settled in the 1830s. It started with John Kinzie Clark, as well as Elijah Wentworth, who had an inn and a tavern near what is today the Jefferson Park Metra Station. It was an independent township until incorporated into Chicago in 1889.
There is a strong influence of Eastern Europe, dating back to the 19th century. The area placed used to have a substantial concentration of Volga Germans from Russian, so that among the one-time landmarks was “the Russian Hotel.”
The tree-lined neighborhood includes bungalows and single-family wood-frame houses. There’s plenty of new construction available including condominiums and townhomes. Although home prices have steadily been on the rise in recent years, the area remains quite affordable.
There is a strong influence of Eastern Europe, dating back to the 19th century. The area had a substantial community of Volga Germans from Russian, so that among the one-time landmarks was “the Russian Hotel.”
At present, this is provided by the strong Polish presence, reflected in several restaurants, as well as the historic Copernicus Civic and Cultural Center which housed the historic Gateway Theater movie palace.
