West Lawn, Chicago

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.

History

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.

Notability

One small business in the neighborhood, the Capitol Cigar Store at 63rd and Pulaski, features a tall Native American statue as the landmark of West Lawn. The statue is most notable for being seen in the movie "Wayne's World". West Lawn is also the home of the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture along Pulaski. It was founded by Lithuanian-American businessman Stanley Balzekas, Jr. and is the only museum in the US devoted to the subjects of Lithuania, the Lithuanian language, history, culture and politics, and to the Lithuanian-American experience.

Notable residents include:
*Dennis Lick
*Michael Madigan
*Frank Olivo

ee also

*South Side Irish

Neighborhoods

Ford City

Ford City is a neighborhood on the southwest side of Chicago which immediately surrounds the Ford City Mall, in turn named for the Ford Aircraft plant which previously occupied the site. In the future, the Orange Line of the Chicago 'L' may be extended here.

External links

* [http://egov.cityofchicago.org/webportal/COCWebPortal/COC_ATTACH/Community_Areas_WEST_LAWN.pdf Official City of Chicago West Lawn Community Map]
* [http://www.shopfordcity.com Ford City Mall]
* [http://www.westlawnchamber.org West Lawn Chamber Of Commerce]
* [http://www.lithaz.org/museums/balzekas/ Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture]
*Chicago Park District
** [http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/06BE7401-8DA4-4B0A-8E6F-1B3827952319.cfm/ West Lawn Park]

Geographic Location 2
Center = West Lawn, Chicago
North = West Elsdon, Chicago
Northeast = Gage Park, Chicago
East = Chicago Lawn, Chicago
Southeast = Ashburn, Chicago
Southwest = Burbank, Illinois
West = Bedford Park, Illinois
WNW = Clearing, Chicago
Northwest = Garfield Ridge, Chicago