Riverdale, Chicago
Encyclopedia
Riverdale, one of the 77 official community areas
of Chicago, Illinois, is located
on the city's far south side.
The town of Riverdale is at the far south end of Chicago
extending beyond the Chicago boundary of 138th Street to 144th Street. The town hall is at 157 West 144th Street. The University of Chicago sociology study designates Riverdale as one of the 77 Chicago communities and Wiki has two sites: one for the Cook County community
and this site for the all inclusive town of Riverdale. According to the University of Chicago map, Riverdale extends from 115th Street to the city boundary of 138th street and on the east, the Bishop Ford Freeway
west to the Illinois Central Railroad
tracks.
in an area referred to as Wildwood. This land was later acquired by Colonel James H. Bowen who was instrumental in construction of the Cal-Sag canal connecting the Calumet River to the Illinois River
. After he lost his home in the Chicago Fire
, Bowen moved to Wildwood and made this a palatial summer home where Chicago's elite gathered in the 1870s. Another early resident, George Dolton, settled near the Calumet River by the Chicago-Thornton Road (today's Indiana Avenue). He operated a chain ferry across the river. Levi Osterhoudt operated a tavern/road house at 133rd and Thornton Road from 1840 and the area became known as the Riverdale Crossing. In 1842, Dolton and Osterhoudt replaced the ferry with a toll bridge and called it the "Dolton Bridge.
In 1849, the Dolton family leased 50 acres of farmland on the north bank of the Calumet River to John Ton
, a Dutch
immigrant who was one of the founding fathers of the new settlement of Roseland
to the north. Ton was an abolitionist
who operated a station on the Underground Railroad
from this site until the Civil War
.
The north end of Riverdale is more closely aligned with Roseland both historically and culturally. In 1852, the Illinois Central Railroad
opened a station at 115th Street
where the Michigan Central Railroad
joined the ICRR tracks calling it the Calumet Station, later renamed, "Kensington" after the palace and gardens in London.
In 1880, George Pullman
began constructing his model city just north of 115th Street. At Kensington, a small settlement of stores, boarding houses and saloons sprang up to serve the construction crews and immigrant tradesmen who came to work at the Pullman shops
. The notorious saloons prompted the modest Dutchmen of nearby Roseland to nickname Kensington, "Bumtown." Riverdale was annexed into Chicago in 1889.
In the aftermath of the Pullman Strike
in 1894, hiring practices in the area opened up bringing many new industries to the area. Italian American
s flourished working not only at Pullman but Illinois Terra Cotta and other nearby industries. The Pullman Land Association operated the Pullman Farm on the west bank of Lake Calumet. The farm was fertilized by sewage waste from the town of Pullman. The Calumet Paint Company started operations in an abandoned church between Pullman and the lake. It was later acquired by the Sherwin-Williams Company and grew to one of the largest paint factories in America. Other employers in the area included the Swift and Knickerbocker Ice Plants, Chicago Drop Forge, Acme Steel, Riverdale Distillery and various construction material companies providing bricks and lumber to the area.
By the 1940s, more people worked in Riverdale than lived there but that was about to change. South of 138th Street, the subdivisions of Ivanhoe and Highlawn, started construction in the '30's, saw rapid growth after the War. In 1945, the Chicago Housing Authority
began the massive effort to build low cost housing for veterans returning from the War. Altgeld Gardens
, the Philip Murray Homes and the Pacesetter section west of the Calumet River provided low rent and Section 8 housing
. Riverdale's population grew to over 15,000 by 1970. Services were over taxed or completely lacking with city water and sewer service finally connected in 1980. Carver High School
at 131st and Doty Road transitioned into a military school, and efforts to shift the school population to nearby Roseland have led to sporadic gang violence.
In 1953, Illinois established the Chicago Regional Port District
to coordinate with the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway
to deep water ships. The Port of Chicago
was moved from Navy Pier
to Lake Calumet. The lake was converted to a deep water turning basin linked to huge grain elevators, petroleum storage tanks, and public and rail terminals. The port opened to great fanfare in 1958 but never fully realized its expected potential.
In the 1960s and '70's, the area's industries began to close and the population became dominated by African Americans. The Pullman shops, once the employment center of the area, produced its last car in 1981. Acme Steel employed almost 1,200 workers in 1929 has been shuttered several times. The Sherwin Williams paint factory closed in 1980 and was torn down. In Kensington, Saint Salomea Church, a vestige of European immigrants, now houses the Salem Baptist congregation
. In 1998, several precincts in Kensington voted to ban the sale of alcohol making the once famous "Bumtown" dry.
sewage treatment facility north of 130th Street.
Between 130th Street and the Calumet River is the Altgeld-Murray housing complex. East of the housing project to the Bishop Ford Expressway is the Beaubien Forest Preserve. South of the Calumet River is mixed residential and commercial area.
In 1990 an approximated 63% of residents in Riverdale lived in poverty.
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
of Chicago, Illinois, is located
on the city's far south side.
The town of Riverdale is at the far south end of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
extending beyond the Chicago boundary of 138th Street to 144th Street. The town hall is at 157 West 144th Street. The University of Chicago sociology study designates Riverdale as one of the 77 Chicago communities and Wiki has two sites: one for the Cook County community
Riverdale, Illinois
Riverdale is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,055 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Riverdale is located at ....
and this site for the all inclusive town of Riverdale. According to the University of Chicago map, Riverdale extends from 115th Street to the city boundary of 138th street and on the east, the Bishop Ford Freeway
Bishop Ford Freeway
The Bishop Ford Freeway, formerly known as the Calumet Expressway, is a portion of Interstate 94 in northeastern Illinois, south of downtown Chicago. It runs from Interstate 57 south to the intersection with Interstate 80, Interstate 294 and Illinois Route 394...
west to the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
tracks.
History
The first non-native settler in the area was David Perriam who, in 1837, claimed land north of the horseshoe bend in the Calumet RiverCalumet River
The Calumet River refers to a system of heavily industrialized rivers and canals in the region between the neighborhood of South Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, and the city of Gary, Indiana.-Background:...
in an area referred to as Wildwood. This land was later acquired by Colonel James H. Bowen who was instrumental in construction of the Cal-Sag canal connecting the Calumet River to the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
. After he lost his home in the Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
, Bowen moved to Wildwood and made this a palatial summer home where Chicago's elite gathered in the 1870s. Another early resident, George Dolton, settled near the Calumet River by the Chicago-Thornton Road (today's Indiana Avenue). He operated a chain ferry across the river. Levi Osterhoudt operated a tavern/road house at 133rd and Thornton Road from 1840 and the area became known as the Riverdale Crossing. In 1842, Dolton and Osterhoudt replaced the ferry with a toll bridge and called it the "Dolton Bridge.
In 1849, the Dolton family leased 50 acres of farmland on the north bank of the Calumet River to John Ton
John Ton
John Ton was a Dutch-born American abolitionist active in the underground railroad in Illinois.-Early life:...
, a Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
immigrant who was one of the founding fathers of the new settlement of Roseland
Roseland, Chicago
Roseland, located on the far south side of the city, is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Fernwood, Princeton Park, Lilydale, West Chesterfield, Rosemoor, Sheldon Heights and West Roseland...
to the north. Ton was an abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
who operated a station on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
from this site until the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
The north end of Riverdale is more closely aligned with Roseland both historically and culturally. In 1852, the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
opened a station at 115th Street
Kensington/115th Street (Metra)
The Kensington Station is a commuter rail station on the South Side section of the City of Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park and Blue Island; and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana...
where the Michigan Central Railroad
Michigan Central Railroad
The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada...
joined the ICRR tracks calling it the Calumet Station, later renamed, "Kensington" after the palace and gardens in London.
In 1880, George Pullman
George Pullman
George Mortimer Pullman was an American inventor and industrialist. He is known as the inventor of the Pullman sleeping car, and for violently suppressing striking workers in the company town he created, Pullman .-Background:Born in Brocton, New York, his family moved to Albion,...
began constructing his model city just north of 115th Street. At Kensington, a small settlement of stores, boarding houses and saloons sprang up to serve the construction crews and immigrant tradesmen who came to work at the Pullman shops
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
. The notorious saloons prompted the modest Dutchmen of nearby Roseland to nickname Kensington, "Bumtown." Riverdale was annexed into Chicago in 1889.
In the aftermath of the Pullman Strike
Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike was a nationwide conflict between labor unions and railroads that occurred in the United States in 1894. The conflict began in the town of Pullman, Illinois on May 11 when approximately 3,000 employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company began a wildcat strike in response to recent...
in 1894, hiring practices in the area opened up bringing many new industries to the area. Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
s flourished working not only at Pullman but Illinois Terra Cotta and other nearby industries. The Pullman Land Association operated the Pullman Farm on the west bank of Lake Calumet. The farm was fertilized by sewage waste from the town of Pullman. The Calumet Paint Company started operations in an abandoned church between Pullman and the lake. It was later acquired by the Sherwin-Williams Company and grew to one of the largest paint factories in America. Other employers in the area included the Swift and Knickerbocker Ice Plants, Chicago Drop Forge, Acme Steel, Riverdale Distillery and various construction material companies providing bricks and lumber to the area.
By the 1940s, more people worked in Riverdale than lived there but that was about to change. South of 138th Street, the subdivisions of Ivanhoe and Highlawn, started construction in the '30's, saw rapid growth after the War. In 1945, the Chicago Housing Authority
Chicago Housing Authority
The Chicago Housing Authority is a municipal corporation established by the State of Illinois in 1937 with jurisdiction for the administrative oversight of public housing within the City of Chicago...
began the massive effort to build low cost housing for veterans returning from the War. Altgeld Gardens
Altgeld Gardens, Chicago
Altgeld Gardens is a housing project located in the Riverdale Community Area of Chicago, Illinois, USA. The residents are 97% African American according to the 2000 US Census. Built in 1945 with 1,498 units, the development consists primarily of two-story row houses spread over...
, the Philip Murray Homes and the Pacesetter section west of the Calumet River provided low rent and Section 8 housing
Section 8 (housing)
Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 , as repeatedly amended, authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of approximately 3.1 million low-income households...
. Riverdale's population grew to over 15,000 by 1970. Services were over taxed or completely lacking with city water and sewer service finally connected in 1980. Carver High School
Carver Military Academy
George Washington Carver Military Academy High School, formely known as George Washington Carver Area High School, is a public high school in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1947 as a mainstream high school, and began the transition into becoming a military academy in 2000...
at 131st and Doty Road transitioned into a military school, and efforts to shift the school population to nearby Roseland have led to sporadic gang violence.
In 1953, Illinois established the Chicago Regional Port District
Port of Chicago
The Port of Chicago consists of several major port facilities within the city of Chicago, Illinois operated by the Illinois International Port District . The central element of the Port District, Calumet Harbor, is maintained by the U.S...
to coordinate with the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway
Saint Lawrence Seaway
The Saint Lawrence Seaway , , is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal...
to deep water ships. The Port of Chicago
Port of Chicago
The Port of Chicago consists of several major port facilities within the city of Chicago, Illinois operated by the Illinois International Port District . The central element of the Port District, Calumet Harbor, is maintained by the U.S...
was moved from Navy Pier
Navy Pier
Navy Pier is a long pier on the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. It is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of the Near North Side community area. The pier was built in 1916 at a cost of $4.5 million, equivalent to $ today. It was a part of the Plan of Chicago developed by architect and...
to Lake Calumet. The lake was converted to a deep water turning basin linked to huge grain elevators, petroleum storage tanks, and public and rail terminals. The port opened to great fanfare in 1958 but never fully realized its expected potential.
In the 1960s and '70's, the area's industries began to close and the population became dominated by African Americans. The Pullman shops, once the employment center of the area, produced its last car in 1981. Acme Steel employed almost 1,200 workers in 1929 has been shuttered several times. The Sherwin Williams paint factory closed in 1980 and was torn down. In Kensington, Saint Salomea Church, a vestige of European immigrants, now houses the Salem Baptist congregation
James Meeks
James T. Meeks is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 15th district since 2003. He is also an active Baptist minister in Chicago and chairs the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus...
. In 1998, several precincts in Kensington voted to ban the sale of alcohol making the once famous "Bumtown" dry.
Today
A look at today's landscape shows over half of Riverdale's area is made up of the water reclamation plant, rail yards, land fills and industrial sites. South of Kensington is the massive Metropolitan Sanitary District'sMetropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago , originally known as the Sanitary District of Chicago is a special-purpose district, chartered to operate in northern Illinois since 1889...
sewage treatment facility north of 130th Street.
Between 130th Street and the Calumet River is the Altgeld-Murray housing complex. East of the housing project to the Bishop Ford Expressway is the Beaubien Forest Preserve. South of the Calumet River is mixed residential and commercial area.
In 1990 an approximated 63% of residents in Riverdale lived in poverty.
External links
- Official City of Chicago Riverdale Community Map
- Riverdale Library Community History Page
- Encyclopaedia Chicago: Riverdale