West Lawn, Chicago

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**West Lawn (Chicago, Illinois)**
Community Area 65 - West Lawn Location within the city of Chicago
Latitude Longitude	41°46.2′N, 87°43.2′W
Neighborhoods	Ford City West Lawn
ZIP Code	part of 60629
Area	7.72 km² (2.98 mi²)
Population (2000)	29,235 (up 24.9% from 1990)
Demographics	White Black Hispanic Asian Other	42.9% 2.60% 51.9% 0.93% 1.66%
Median income	$47,017
Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services

West Lawn, one of Chicago's 77 official community areas, is located on the southwest side of the city. It is a quite friendly community, and is considered to be a "melting pot" of sorts, due to its constant change of races moving in and out of the area, as well as the diversity that exists there. It has a small town atmosphere in the big city. People are kind and are established as long-term residents. West Lawn is home to many Polish-Americans, Irish-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and other people of Latin American and Eastern European origin. One small business in the neighborhood, the Capitol Cigar Store at 63rd and Pulaski, features a tall Native American statue as the landmark of West Lawn. The statue is most notable for being seen in the movie Wayne's World.

Notable residents include:

1 Neighborhoods
- 1.1 Ford City
2 History
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Neighborhoods

[edit] Ford City

Ford City is a neighborhood on the southwest side of Chicago which immediately surrounds the Ford City Mall, in turn named for the Ford Aircraft plant which previously occupied the site. In the future, the Orange Line of the Chicago 'L' may be extended here.

[edit] History

Chicago Lawn, to the east, was settled while the marshy land of West Lawn remained unsettled. Little housing was built during the 1920s, but it still remained swampy land. Houses were build during the 1930s which then reported German-Americans, Irish-Americans, Polish-Americans, Czech-Americans and Italian-Americans living in the area. The area had been growing until the Great Depression, when the economy declined. After World War II, growth continued and new houses and streets were built. The Airport Homes Race Riots of 60th & Karlov in 1946 were intended to keep black people out of the area. After the 1970s, more Mexican-Americans, Arab-Americans, Irish-Americans, and Polish immigrants started settling the area.

[edit] See also

South Side Irish

[edit] External links

Official City of Chicago West Lawn Community Map
Ford City Mall
West Lawn Chamber Of Commerce
Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture
Chicago Park District
- West Lawn Park

v • d • e City of Chicago

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:See also: Chicago metropolitan area

v • d • e Community areas of Chicago

Far North side	Rogers Park • West Ridge • Uptown • Lincoln Square • Edison Park • Norwood Park • Jefferson Park • Forest Glen • North Park • Albany Park • O'Hare • Edgewater

North side	North Center • Lakeview • Lincoln Park • Avondale • Logan Square

Northwest side	Portage Park • Irving Park • Dunning • Montclare • Belmont Cragin • Hermosa

Central, Near North, and Near South side	Near North Side • The Loop • Near South Side

West and Near West side	Humboldt Park • West Town • Austin • West Garfield Park • East Garfield Park • Near West Side • North Lawndale • South Lawndale • Lower West Side

Southwest side	Garfield Ridge • Archer Heights • Brighton Park • McKinley Park • New City • West Elsdon • Gage Park • Clearing • West Lawn • Chicago Lawn • West Englewood • Englewood

South side	Armour Square • Douglas • Oakland • Fuller Park • Grand Boulevard • Kenwood • Washington Park • Hyde Park • Woodlawn • South Shore • Bridgeport • Greater Grand Crossing

Far Southwest side	Ashburn • Auburn Gresham • Beverly • Washington Heights • Mount Greenwood • Morgan Park

Far Southeast side	Chatham • Avalon Park • South Chicago • Burnside • Calumet Heights • Roseland • Pullman • South Deering • East Side • West Pullman • Riverdale • Hegewisch