On my quest to learn more about South Side communities, I ran across the following statement in Images of America: Chicago’s South Shore by Charles Celander. “Few saw potential of the swampy land south of the city limits at 35th Street.”

If I am reading correctly, the city of Chicago actually ended at 35th Street in the 1800s!  Entrepreneurs Mayor (Long) John Wentworth, Senator Stephen A. Douglas, and Paul Cornell saw things differently.  That was then.

The same holds true today but for different reasons.  I won’t share my opinion about that at this time.  I will say that it appears that areas south of 35h Street have always been looked at differently.  But, like in the 1800s, revival is still possible, and things will change.

Just wanted to share the historical information I discovered.  Do you have more to share about this topic?