After the New York, Chicago & St. Louis railroad constructed rail yards in 1881 and a quarry was opened, settlement began in Calumet Heights. It became a part of the Village of Hyde Park shortly thereafter in 1889, then soon annexed by the City of Chicago.
The annexation of the area to Chicago in 1889 and subdivision of a portion of the neighborhood induced further settlement. This accelerated in the first decades of the 20th century, with more migrant settlers.
The period after World War II saw the opening of a shopping area and the construction of new homes. During the Chicago Freedom Movement, Calumet Heights was one of the few areas in which Martin Luther King Jr. received a positive reception in which he was hosted by a Calumet Heights business owner.
The area is partially split on its eastern edge by the I-90 expressway.
