West Ridge, Chicago
West Ridge | |
|---|---|
| Community Area 02 – West Ridge | |
.jpg) Aerial view of West Ridge | |
 Streetmap | |
 Location within the city of Chicago | |
| Coordinates: 42°00′N 87°41.4′W / 42.000°N 87.6900°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Cook |
| City | Chicago |
| Neighborhoods | |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.53 sq mi (9.1 km2) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 79,265 |
| • Density | 22,000/sq mi (8,700/km2) |
| Demographics 2022 [1] | |
| • White | 39.7% |
| • Black | 11.5% |
| • Hispanic | 22.1% |
| • Asian | 20.9% |
| • Other | 5.7% |
| Educational Attainment 2022[1] | |
| • High School Diploma or Higher | 83.8% |
| • Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41%% |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 60645 and parts of 60659 |
| Median Household income 2022[1] | $68,091 |
| Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services | |
West Ridge is one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is a middle-class neighborhood located on the far North Side of the City of Chicago. It is located in the 50th ward and the 40th ward.
Today West Ridge is one of Chicago's better off communities, filled with multi-ethnic culture lining Devon Avenue, historic mansions lining Ridge and Lunt avenues, cultural institutions such as St. Scholastica Academy and one of the highest per capita incomes on the North Side of Chicago.
It is home to the Midwest's largest Hasidic community, as well as other Jewish, Irish American, German-American, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Assyrian, Russian, Korean and Rohingya[2] immigrant communities.
History
[edit]Historically called "North Town", and frequently referred to as "West Rogers Park", it is bordered on the north by Howard Street, on the east by Ridge Boulevard, Western Avenue, and Ravenswood Avenue, the south by Bryn Mawr Avenue and Peterson Avenue, and on the west by Kedzie Avenue and the North Shore channel of the Chicago River. At one time joined with neighboring Rogers Park, it seceded to become its own village in 1890 over a conflict concerning park districts (known as the Cabbage War).[3] West Ridge was annexed to Chicago on April 4, 1893, along with Rogers Park.[4]
The area's Jewish community began to boom in the 1930s as new arrivals left behind older and more crowded Jewish neighbourhoods, such as North Lawndale.[5][6] The area's first synaogue, Ner Tamid, a Conservative congregation, was built in 1938, followed by Congregation B'nai Jacob, also Conservative, in 1942.[5] The community peaked in the early-1960s with 47,000 Jewish residents, making up nearly 75% of the neighourhood.[6][5] The main throughfare, Devon Avenue was home to many Jewish businesses and stores.[6] The remaining Jewish stores are mostly on what is known honorarily as Golda Meir Boulevard, a section of Devon Avenue.[6] In 1960 a Jewish Community Center opened and the area was home to twelve synagogues from denominations such as Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Judaism became active.[6][5]
Geography
[edit]Neighborhoods and sub-areas
[edit]Golden Ghetto
[edit]The Golden Ghetto is bounded on the north by Warren Park and Pratt Avenue and on the south by Peterson Avenue. It acquired its name from the thriving Jewish community there from about 1930 to the mid-1970s. The Jewish community peaked at over 47,000 in the 1960s.[6]That community began to drift into the suburbs in the 1960s, and the neighborhood began to be home to South Asians and Russian Jews from about that time.
The heyday of the area is the topic of Adam Langer's Crossing California,[7] told from the perspective of the second-generation residents during their middle school and teenage years. There has been a recent resurgence in Jewish residents, up from a nadir of 20,000 to around 25,000 in the late 2010s, due to increased Orthodox residents.[6][8]
Rogers Park Manor Bungalow Historic District
[edit]The Rogers Park Manor Bungalow Historic District is a residential historic district in West Ridge. The district includes 329 buildings, 247 of which are Chicago bungalows built in the 1920s. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 2005.[9]
Talman West Ridge Bungalow Historic District
[edit]The Talman West Ridge Bungalow Historic District is a residential historic district in West Ridge. Of the district's 272 buildings, 181 are either brick Chicago bungalows or older stucco bungalows built from 1919 to 1930.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 39,759 | — | |
| 1940 | 43,553 | 9.5% | |
| 1950 | 47,930 | 10.0% | |
| 1960 | 63,884 | 33.3% | |
| 1970 | 65,477 | 2.5% | |
| 1980 | 61,129 | −6.6% | |
| 1990 | 65,374 | 6.9% | |
| 2000 | 73,199 | 12.0% | |
| 2010 | 71,942 | −1.7% | |
| 2020 | 77,122 | 7.2% | |
| Sources:[10][1] | |||
Government
[edit]
West Ridge has supported the Democratic Party in the past three presidential elections, though relative support declined slightly from 2016 to 2020. In the 2020 presidential election, West Ridge cast 17,222 votes for Joe Biden (69.8%) and 7,281 votes for Donald Trump (28.9%).[11] In the 2016 presidential election, the neighborhood cast 16,712 votes for Hillary Clinton (73.5%) and 4,772 votes for Donald Trump (21.5%).[12] In the 2012 presidential election, West Ridge cast 14,446 votes for Barack Obama (71.8%) and 5,345 votes for Mitt Romney (26.6%).[13]
It was represented on the Chicago City Council by Alderman Bernard Stone from 1973 until May 2011. On April 5, 2011, Debra Silverstein defeated Stone in a runoff election[14] and now represents the 50th Ward, which encompasses West Ridge.
Education
[edit]Public schools
[edit]Chicago Public Schools operates public schools.
- Clinton Elementary School
- Jamieson Elementary School
- Daniel Boone Elementary School
- Stephen Decatur Classical School
- George Armstrong Elementary School
- Philip Rogers Elementary School
- Stone Scholastic Academy
- West Ridge Elementary School
- Stephen Tyng Mather High School
Private schools
[edit]Infrastructure
[edit]Bus service is operated by Chicago Transit Authority and Pace. Metra rail is accessible at Peterson/Ridge station.
Notable people
[edit]- Joe Aiello (1890–1930), organized crime leader. He resided at 2553 West Lunt Avenue.[17]
- Sidney Blumenthal (born 1948), journalist, political operative, and Senior Advisor to President Bill Clinton. He resided at West Birchwood Avenue in West Rogers Park as a child.[18]
- Howard W. Carroll (1942–2021), member of the Illinois Senate from 1973 to 1999. He resided at 6014 North Francisco Avenue during his political career.[19]
- Philip H. Corboy (1924–2012), trial lawyer. He was a childhood resident of West Rogers Park, living at 2836 West Lunt Street.[20][21]
- Leo Lerner (1907–1965), newspaper publisher. According to the 1940 United States Census, he resided at 2120 West Lunt Avenue.[22]
- Louis A. Lerner (1935–1984), United States Ambassador to Norway during the Carter administration. According to the 1940 United States Census, he resided at 2120 West Lunt Avenue.[22]
- John H. Leims (1921–1985), Captain in the United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Medal of Honor.[23] He resided in West Ridge at 5837 North Talman Avenue.[24][25]
- "Big Tim" Murphy (1885–1928), labor racketeer. He resided at 2525 West Morse Avenue until his murder outside the residence.[17]
- Harry Spanjer (1873–1958), lightweight and welterweight boxer. He resided at 2501 West Lunt Avenue.[26]
- Louis Trinca-Pasat (born 1991), American football player, raised in West Rogers Park[27]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Community Data Snapshot West Ridge" (PDF). Retrieved March 31, 2025.
- ^ Ramos, Manny (January 30, 2022). "Refugees drive West Ridge's growing Asian population". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ "Rogers Park? West Ridge? East Rogers Park? 'Hood Border Confusion Continues – Rogers Park – DNAinfo Chicago". Archived from the original on March 30, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
- ^ "Chicago Images". chicagology.com.
- ^ a b c d (2017). Driving West Rogers Park Chicago's Once and Future Jewish Neighborhood JNDC Chicago. Retrieved on 20 July 2025
- ^ a b c d e f g Sales, Ben (19 December 2019). The rise, fall and rise again of a historically Jewish Chicago neighborhood Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved on 20 July 2025
- ^ Langer, Adam (2004). Crossing California. Riverhead Books. ISBN 9781573222747.
- ^ Siegel, Beverly (19 November 2022). The history of West Rogers Park inspires me today Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on 20 July 2025
- ^ Martin, Beth; Ramsey, Emily (May 16, 2005). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Rogers Park Manor Bungalow Historic District". Illinois Historic Preservation Division. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ Paral, Rob. "Chicago Community Areas Historical Data". Retrieved August 29, 2012.
- ^ "Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago". chicagoelections.gov. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ Ali, Tanveer (November 9, 2016). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2016 Presidential Election". DNAInfo. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ Ali, Tanveer (November 9, 2012). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2012 Presidential Election". DNAInfo. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ "Election results Stone v. Silverstein". Retrieved May 18, 2011.
- ^ Banas, Casey. "School May Reopen to Ease Crowding." Chicago Tribune. July 17, 1985. Chicagoland 4. Retrieved on February 5, 2011. "Neumann School, a private school for emotionally disturbed children,[...]"
- ^ "General Information." Tzemach Tzedek Elementary School. Retrieved on February 5, 2011.
- ^ a b Martin, Beth; Ramsey, Emily (May 16, 2005). "Nomination: Rogers Park Manor Bungalow Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved September 4, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Street Smarts; A Future White House Advisor Gets His Political Education, Chicago-Style". Chicago Tribune. May 25, 2003.
- ^ Illinois Blue Book 1973–1974. p. 84. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
- ^ Year: 1930; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 1916; FHL microfilm: 2340230. Via Heritage Quest Online.
- ^ Star, Jack (April 3, 1977). "The milliondollar attorney for the maimed". Chicago Tribune. p. H24.
- ^ a b "Louis Lerner in the 1940 United States Federal Census". April 2, 1940. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ "Medal of Honor — 2ndLt John H. Leims (Medal of Honor citation)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved April 6, 2006.
- ^ Staff Report (August 8, 1948). "20 Streets in New City To Be Named for Men in War II". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "With America's Fighters". Chicago Daily Tribune. June 11, 1944. p. N1.
- ^ Freund, Sara (April 8, 2020). "Built in 1926, West Rogers Park 'bungalow mansion' asks $685K". Curbed. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ "Iowa Football Star with Chicago Roots Has NFL Aspirations – West Rogers Park – Chicago – DNAinfo". Archived from the original on September 25, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
External links
[edit]
Places adjacent to West Ridge, Chicago | |
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