| West Lawn, one
of Chicago's 77 official community areas, is located
on the southwest side of the city. It is a quite friendly
community, and is considered to be a "melting pot"
of sorts, due to its constant change of races moving
in and out of the area, as well as the diversity that
exists there. It has a small town atmosphere in the
big city. People are kind and are established as long-term
residents. West Lawn is home to many Polish-Americans,
Irish-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and other people
of Latin American and Eastern European origin.
Chicago Lawn, to the east, was
settled while the marshy land of West Lawn remained
unsettled. Little housing was built during the 1920s,
but it still remained swampy land. Houses were build
during the 1930s which then reported German-Americans,
Irish-Americans, Polish-Americans, Czech-Americans and
Italian-Americans living in the area. The area had been
growing until the Great Depression, when the economy
declined. After World War II, growth continued and new
houses and streets were built. The Airport Homes Race
Riots of 60th & Karlov in 1946 were intended to
keep black people out of the area. After the 1970s,
more Mexican-Americans, Arab-Americans, Irish-Americans,
and Polish immigrants started settling the area.
|
