Getting off the Brown Line stop on Sedgwick Street, one can smell the evergreens that are for sale on every corner. The area is no longer in the Chicago grid. There is no logical organization of the cobbled stone roads. The neighborhood has a European feel; however, one is not across the pond, but rather, just northwest of the loop in a neighborhood called Old Town.
Old Town borders Ogden Avenue to the Northwest, Clybourn Avenue to the Southwest, Larrabee Street to the West, Division Street to the South, and Clark Street to the East and Northeast.
Before Chicago was even the city, the land that is now called Old Town was settled by the Native Americans, specifically the Potawatomi Tribe.
The strong Native American heritage of the neighborhood can be seen throughout the area. Just two blocks north of Wells Street, one of the major streets in the area, are two streets called Menomonee and Wisconsin St; both names having robust lineage to the Potawatomi Tribe.
The Native American history is dominant through out the area. Amanda Anderson, a twenty-three year old graduate from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI who recently moved to Old Town said, “Some of the street names are the same in Milwaukee. It made me feel back at home when I first moved here.”
The Potawatomi Tribe moved north to Wisconsin after the Treaty of Chicago in 1833. After this agreement, German-Catholics settled the land and began to develop what it is today.
A historic landmark sighting number 11 on Wells street said, “As farmers and laborers, the settlers converted marshland into meadows and gardens, growing cabbage, celery and potatoes. The area became known as Cabbage Patch.”
Down Wells Street, one can see the significance of the German settlers with the number of bars and restaurants that are odes to German heritage.
The area was hit by the infamous Great Chicago Fire. Old Town has one of the only buildings that survived the fire, St Michael’s Church. It was one of seven buildings to surpass the fire.
After the fire, the neighborhood began to rebuild to what is today known as Old Town. The German neighborhood transformed into a safe-way for artists.
The Historical landmark sighting number 13 said, “In the 1920s, Old Town began attracting artists looking for housing and studio space. Today the Victorian town homes within Burton Place reflect the influence of such artists.”
Through time, the artist population began to grow throughout Old Town, as well as the Latino population.
In the 1950s, Old Town became the first location for Puerto Rican immigrants to inhabit. The area was given the nickname of “La Clark” until the late 1960s.
Along with the growth of the Puerto Rican demographic, gays and lesbians began residing in the neighborhood as well.
Well Street was full of gay and lesbian bars until the demographic was pushed north into Lakeview.
Desean Clark, who has lived in Chicago for his whole life, said, “That’s a pattern in Chicago.”
Clark compared what happened in Old Town to the same thing that’s happening in Lincoln Park. “The neighborhoods are cheap, but rough. The area is not safe, but there’s potential. Immigrants and other groups that aren’t ‘acceptable’ for society live there because it’s cheap. Fix it up. And then a bunch of yuppies take over,” he said.
Currently on Wells Street, there is no longer any form of gay and lesbian pride symbols or historical importance like with the Native America and German heritage that can be seen through out the neighborhood.
On December 16, 1959, The Second City opened its doors. The Second City is an improve group. The troupe had their first show at 1842 North Wells Street; however, they moved to their present location, 1616 North Wells in 1967.
Second City is still at the 1616 Wells location today, delivering laughter for thousands of Chicagoans and tourists.
The alums of the group are apart of an elite group that include Dan Aykroyd, Mike Meyers, Stephen Colbert, and Tina Fey. Aykroyd, Fey, and Meyers have joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL), while Colbert was once a co-host of “The Daily Show” with John Stuart, and now has his own show on Comedy Central called “The Colbert Report”.
The theater has a special place in every Chicagoan heart. Brianna Biggers, a twenty-four year old Chicago resident, said, “Second City is one of my favorite places in the whole city. It’s always a good laugh… and you can’t really beat it.”
Biggers continued to state that there is some excitement with seeing a show at Second City because of the celebrity status that some performers gain. “You never know who these people will become and how much it’s going to cost to see them later on. I mean, you’ve gotta take some risks sometimes,” she said.
Wells Street is the heart and soul of Old Town. The street contains many mom and pop shops but there is also a mix of big chains such as McDonalds and Chase Bank.
The street is iconic for the area and it highlights the true meaning and significance of Old Town.
Wells Street has the feel of Chicago but also maintains a European infusion that is transparent through out the neighborhood.
The street is lined with shops with a random gated apartment, townhouse, or condominium complex in the middle of the block.
The neighborhood is a welcoming environment, but yet, has a cold and distant aura for a stranger to the area.
Ben Mich, an Old Town resident, said, “I’ve noticed a race issue, but that is a theme throughout Chicago.”
The 2000 the US Census Bureau found that North Chicago, the major region that Old Town is located in, is approximately 47.7% white and 36.3% black, which is compared to an Illinois state percentage of 73.5% white and 15.1% black.
Mich continued, “Old Town is a great place, but it shows the same conflict between the races as the rest of the city. I’m not sure what to think about that. But you know what, Old Town is a direct reflection of Chicago, past, future, and present,” he said.
Old Town is located in the 43rd ward of Chicago. The current alderman is Vi Daley, who has no relation to the Daley family that has occupied the Mayor’s office for the past four decades.
Old Town is a classic glimpse and mix of both European and Chicagoan making it a crucial neighborhood for the city. Anderson believes the same thing. “I haven’t been here long. But it already feels like home.”
Old Town is a historic and representative neighborhood of the city of Chicago and a must see for every tourist and Chicago resident.
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