The earliest settlers in Woodlawn were Dutch farmers, who came in the 1850s. They marketed their produce in Chicago through the railroad, which opened a station nearby. In 1889, the neigborhood became part of Chicago.
When Jackson Park became the site of the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, many settlers and businesses moved to the neighborhood. Commercial centers, and the University of Chicago, which is partly located in the neighborhood, attracted more settlers.
Woodlawn lately, has been getting a lot of attention, due to its prime location near the lake, museums, the University of Chicago and President Barack Obama’s presidential library site. As of late, there has been a lot of redevelopment with several major projects in the area due to the availability of land, abandoned buildings, couple with its location.
Woodlawn is surrounded by beautiful parks including Washington Park with a Tiger Woods redesigned golf course; and Jackson Park, site of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and home to the largest and oldest beach house in the city.
Jackson Park, which is partly located in Hyde Park, and borders on South Shore, includes the Jackson Park Golf Course, Wooded Isle and Jackson Park Harbor. It was the site of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
The area is access through the CTA’s Green Line as well as Metra.
