Englewood
Located 8 Miles South of The Loop.
Neighborhoods include: Englewood, Gresham
Zip Codes Include: 60621, 60620
Englewood, at its peak population, over 97,000 people lived in its approximately 3 square miles, but the neighborhood’s population has since dropped dramatically. In 2000, it had a population of approximately 40,000 inhabitants, and the 2010 census indicated that its population has further declined to approximately 30,000. Englewood is bordered by 55th Street to the north, 75th Street to the south, Racine Ave to the west, and State St to the east. It is located on the southwest side of the city.
The original inhabitants of what is now Englewood were the Mascouten people. The land was swampy. In 1840, the United States Government Land Office in Chicago officially documented Englewood as habitable land. In the 1850s and 1860s, as Chicago was becoming a city of railroad tracks and economic prosperity, Englewood was just another supporting neighborhood. But in 1871, when the Great Chicago Fire destroyed a large portion of Chicago, residents moved to the outskirts. Englewood’s railroad connections to downtown Chicago made it a convenient location, and the neighborhood’s population grew rapidly. Englewood Station once served many railroad passengers; in 1889, over 1,000 trains would pass through Englewood every day.
Englewood was the home of Dr. H. H. Holmes, one of the first publicized serial murderers in America. His hotel at Wallace and 63rd streets was the scene of most of his crimes and earned it the sobriquet “Murder Castle”. His story is chronicled in The Torture Doctor by David Franke (1975), Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America’s First Serial Killer by Harold Schechter (1994), The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson (2003), and chapter VI, The Monster of Sixty-Third Street”, of Gem of the Prairie: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld by Herbert Asbury (1940, republished 1986).
Ogden Park
Ogden Park totals 60.54 acres and features a gymnasium, fitness center, boxing gym, dance studio, and a multi-purpose room. Green features of the park include a Nature Garden. Outside, the park offers three playgrounds, a carousel, walking track, swimming pool, baseball diamonds, basketball/tennis courts. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our gymnasium, fields, and multi-purpose clubroom.
Park-goers can participate in the Park Kids after school program, seasonal sports, Junior Bears Football, dance, boxing, wrestling, track & field. During the summer, youth can participate in the Park District’s popular six-week day camp.
In addition to programs, Ogden Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the entire family including our Englewood Back to School Parade and other holiday-themed events.
Hamilton Park
Hamilton Park & Cultural Center totals 29.95 acres and features two gymnasiums, an auditorium, dance studio, archery range and a multi-purpose room. Outside, the park offers a swimming pool, baseball/softball diamonds, basketball, handball, and tennis courts, playground. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our gymnasium, auditorium, fields, dance studio and multi-purpose room.
Transportation
Both the Red Line (Chicago Transit Authority) and Green Line (Chicago Transit Authority) run through Englewood, as does the Dan Ryan Expressway.
The railroad junction at Englewood, where Metra (the former Rock Island) crosses Norfolk Southern (the former Pennsylvania) has long been a cause of delay. In March 2010 a $133 million reconstruction project was announced which will improve operations by replacing the diamond crossing between Metra and NS with an overpass for Metra. The project is expected to be completed in 2014.[5]
Demographics
Population (2010)
• Total 30,654
• Density 9,900/sq mi (3,800/km2)
Demographics (2010)
• White 0.34%
• Black 97.37%
• Hispanic 1.06%
• Asian 0.11%
• Other 1.12%
Neighborhood Links
• 3rd Ward & Alderman
• 6th Ward & Alderman
• 16th Ward & Alderman
• 17th Ward & Alderman
• 20th Ward & Alderman
