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Humboldt Park, Chicago
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Community Area 23 - Humboldt Park Location within the city of Chicago |
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| ZIP Code | parts of 60622, 60624, 60639, 60647, 60651 | |
| Area | 9.38 km² (3.62 mi²) | |
| Population (2000) Density |
65,836 (down 4.51% from 1990) 7,021.9 /km² |
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| Demographics | White Black Hispanic Asian Other |
3.32% 47.7% 48.0% 0.36% 0.91% |
| Median income | $28,728 | |
| Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services | ||
Humboldt Park located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. The name may be used to describe the area as a community or the actual 207 acre (0.8 km²) park itself. The neighborhood is bordered by Western Avenue to the east, Pulaski Road to the west, Armitage Avenue to the North and Chicago Avenue to the south. It is a diverse neighborhood, home to a high concentration of Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and African-Americans.
The park was named for Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist famed for his five-volume work, "Cosmos: Draft of a Physical Description of The World". Interestingly enough, his single visit to the United States did not include Chicago. The creation of Humboldt and several other west side parks provided beauty, linked together via Chicago's historic boulevard system. The park is flanked by large graystone homes.
Most of the neighborhood was annexed into the city in 1869, the year the park was laid out. The fact that this area stood just beyond the city's fire code jurisdiction as set out after the 1871 fire made inexpensively built housing possible.
As soon as the 1950s, Puerto Ricans settled the area. The infamous Division Street Riots resulted in the start of organizations for Puerto Rican rights in 1966. The Our Lady of the Angels School Fire occurred at the Our Lady of Angels School on December 1, 1958 in the Humboldt Park area. The school, which was operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, lost 92 students and three nuns in five classrooms on the second floor.
The 1970s saw troubled times for Humboldt Park. Gang activity, crime, and violence predominated the area. The neighborhood continues to be economically depressed, with housing values below the city-wide average. Overcrowding remains a serious problem. However, the neighborhood's Puerto Rican population, in the face of gentrification, remains insistent on keeping and expanding a community through many housing, political, social, and economic initiatives like the Paseo Boricua business corridor on Division St between Western and California avenues where two 59 foot steel gateway-like Puerto Rican flags are planted.
In the meantime, gentrification continues apace. It is especially evident in the four blocks closest to Western Avenue, particularly between Armitage and North avenues, and North and Chicago avenues. Many new single-family homes have replaced the dilapidated multi-dwelling units there. Even so, major retailers — including the dominant grocery chains Dominick's and Jewel, and other widespread chains such as Starbucks — continue to avoid placing locations in the area pending developments there.
Chicago Public Schools serves the area.
Orr High School and Roberto Clemente High School serve predominantly Hispanic and African-American student bodies.
- Official City of Chicago Humboldt Park Community Map
- Chicago Park District
- Humboldt Park Arts, Culture, Gentrification, Immigration
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