Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the late 19th century, with Prairie
Avenue (now a historic district) as
its most exclusive address. But in
the wake of the 1893 World's
Columbian Exposition in Hyde
Park, and continuing through the
Prohibition era of the 1920s, the
area was infamous for its Levee vice
district, home to gambling and
prostitution, some of the most cor-
rupt politicians in Chicago history,
and Al Capone's headquarters at the
old Lexington Hotel. However, in
recent years, its prospects have
turned around. The South Loop—
stretching from Harrison Street's
historic Printers Row south to Cer-
mak Road (where Chinatown
begins), and from Lake Shore Drive
west to the south branch of the
Chicago River—is one of the fast-
growing residential neighborhoods
in the city.
Pilsen
Originally home to the
nation's largest settlement of
Bohemian-Americans, Pilsen (which
derives its name from a city in
Bohemia) was for decades the princi-
pal entry point in Chicago for
immigrants of every ethnic stripe.
Centered at Halsted and 18th streets
just southwest of the Loop, it is now
the second-largest Mexican-Ameri-
can community in the United States.
One of the city's most vibrant and
colorful neighborhoods, Pilsen has
been happily invaded by the outdoor
mural movement launched years
earlier in Mexico, and it boasts a
profusion of authentic taquerias and
bakeries. The neighborhood's annual
Day of the Dead celebration, which
begins in September, is an elaborate
festival that runs for 8 weeks. The
artistic spirit that permeates the
community isn't confined to Latin
American art. In recent years artists
of every stripe, drawn partly by the
availability of loft space in Pilsen,
have nurtured a small but thriving
artists' colony.
Bridgeport & Canaryville
Bridge-
port, whose main intersection is
35th and Halsted streets, has been
the neighborhood of two Mayor
Daleys, father and son (the son
moved not too long ago to the new
Central Station development in the
South Loop area). After the old
Comiskey Park was torn down, the
Chicago White Sox stayed in
Bridgeport, inaugurating their new
stadium there. Nearby Canaryville,
just south and west, is typical of the
“back of the yard,” blue-collar
neighborhoods that once sur-
rounded the Chicago Stockyards.
Neither area offers much to the typ-
ical visitor; in fact, “outsiders” aren't
all that welcome.
Hyde Park
Hyde Park's main
attraction for families is the world-
famous Museum of Science and
Industry. Hyde Park is like an inde-
pendent village within the confines
of Chicago, right off Lake Michi-
gan and roughly a 30-minute train
ride from the Loop. The main drag
is 57th Street, and the University of
Chicago—with all its attendant
shops and restaurants—is the
neighborhood's principal tenant.
The most successful racially inte-
grated community in the city, Hyde
Park is an oasis of furious intellec-
tual activity and liberalism that,
ironically, is hemmed in on all sides
by neighborhoods suffering some of
the highest crime rates in Chicago.
2 Getting Around
The best way to tour Chicago is by walking its streets. Fortunately, it's also one
of the easiest ways to get around with kids. But when walking is not practical—
such as when moving between distant neighborhoods or getting around on cold
