Jefferson Park
refers to one of Chicago's 77 well-defined community
areas as well as a neighborhood located on the city's
Northwest Side. The territorial discrepancy between
the two stems from the fact that the neighborhood of
Jefferson Park occupies a larger swath of territory
than the community area by including with in it land
of adjacent community areas.
Jefferson Park is bordered by
the community areas of Norwood Park to the northwest,
Forest Glen to the northeast, Portage Park and the suburb
of Harwood Heights to the south. Although the official
community area map draws the boundary between Jefferson
Park and Portage Park at Lawrence, many residents consider
the boundary between the two neighborhoods to be at
Montrose to the south, reflected in most 'Chicago Neighborhood
Maps'.
Settlement in the vicinity of
Jefferson Park began in the 1830s with John Kinzie Clark
and Elijah Wentworth, whose claim was near what is now
the Jefferson Park Metra Station, where he operated
a tavern and inn. The tiny settlement of traders, hunters,
and farmers consisted of simple one and two room log
cabins until Abram Gale, for whom Gale Street is named,
built the first frame house in Jefferson. |