History

The East Side, until recently, was socially and economically dominated by the Calumet River and the jobs it supported. The community got its name from the river because it was located on its east bank. The river formed the once-thriving industrial Port of Chicago. A cluster of riverside docks and slips allowed materials of all sorts to be loaded and unloaded onto adjacent railroad lines, and the river itself was lined with steel mills. Republic Steel began operations here in 1901. The Republic mill was the site of frequent union unrest, culminating in the Memorial Day Massacre of 1937 and the successful drive by the United Steelworkers to organize the Chicago mills.

Many of the neighborhood's residents during this period were families of Croatian and Serbian heritage, who had emigrated from Europe to work in the steel mills and take related jobs. Especially after unionization, the neighborhood became a stronghold of the Chicago Democratic Party machine of Mayor Richard J. Daley. The neighborhood's longtime alderman, Edward Vrdolyak, became a noted Chicago "power broker" after the senior Daley's death. Today, the area still remains largely Hispanic, Serbian, Croatian, and Polish.

In the 1950s, the East Side was divided in two by the Chicago Skyway. The riverside steel mills and heavy industries went into serious decline in 1970-2000, and are no longer the mainstay of the neighborhood.^[1]

Growing Suburban Qualities

Many of the older houses are in the unique-to-Chicago bungalow style, though some parts of the East Side are notable for their newer grandiose like houses and suburban feel. Today, the East Side is steadily redeveloping with new homes being built, grocery chains such as Aldi entering the community, and the redevelopment of Lake Pointe Plaza. Currently, there are proposed plans to complete the East Side neighborhood's lakefront shoreline with the development of 140 acres of new parkland which will include an expansion of the existing Calument Park and Beach and extension of the existing lakefront bicycle and running path to the proposed new lakefront parklands in the adjacent South Chicago neighborhood to its north. The future completion of Chicago's southern Lakefront will result in the connection of Calumet Park to Rainbow Beach, South Shore Cultural Center, and Jackson Park with its 18 Hole Golf Course which is part of the Chicago Park District. It will also unify the residents of these neighborhoods both geographically, recreationally, and socially.

Boundaries

East Side is bounded by Calumet River to the North and West, State Line Road (4100 E) to the East, and 126th street (12600 S) to the South.

Schools

East Side is served by both Catholic and Chicago Public Schools. Taylor Elementary, Gallistel Elementary, Jane Addams Elementary and Washington Elementary are among the public elemantary schools. George Washington High School is the neighborhood public high school. Annunciata Grammar School is the neighborhood's Catholic, private school and St. Francis De Sales is the neighborhood's Catholic, private high school. Many students of the East Side are enrolled in schools outside of the neighborhood. These may include Bishop Noll Institute in nearby Hammond, Indiana, Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois, Mount Carmel High School and Mother McAuley High School.

Public transportation

East Side is Metra territory, as the nearest Chicago Transit Authority train station is the 95th/Dan Ryan station on the Red Line, 7 miles northwest of the neighborhood. Residents utilize the Metra Electric station at 93rd street (9300 S, 3300 E) (in South Chicago), and the South Shore Line at Hegewisch/136th street. The Chicago Skyway has been refurbished and privatized. At night it's beautifully lighted outline gives the feel of bridge expanse and, in fact, it does span the Calumet River. The area's edges have been outfitted with landscaped terraces and "pocket parks" have been installed at the intersection of Ewing Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard - one right under the Skyway, complete with decorative benches and ornamental lamp lighting (it serves as a rest stop for cyclers) and the other across the boulevard with a working ornamental fountain. The Burnham Greenway Trail travels along this section under the Skyway, traverses the boulevard and runs along briefly impeded stretches of greenspace right into the south suburban communities of Burnham and Calumet City.

East Side is also served by three CTA bus routes:

• 26 - South Shore Express
• 30 - South Chicago
• 100 - Jeffery Manor

EasyGo Lake Transit Red and Green regional bus routes stop near 106th Street/Ewing Avenue intersection Monday-Saturday, allowing riders to travel to Hammond, Munster and Dyer and Whitting, East Chicago, Hammond, Highland and Schererville, respectively.

Trivia

At the northeastern corner of the neighborhood, close to lake Michigan, stands a stone obelisk Illinois-Indiana State Line Boundary Marker to mark the northern end of the surveyed boundary line that separates Illinois and Indiana. Most of the streets going north and south are named after the alphabet, with Avenue B closest to the Indiana state line and Avenue O closer to the Calumet River. The neighborhood is sometimes often called "Alphabet Town," like Manhattan's Alphabet City.^{[citation needed]}

The road which should have been called "Avenue A" is named State Line Road.

The northern portion of East Side between the Calumet River and Lake Michigan gave the community the nickname of "The Island".^{[citation needed]}

The bubble-gum pop song The Night Chicago Died refers to the East Side of Chicago, confusing even native Chicagoans who have never heard of the East Side. It is likely the band (Paper Lace), being from Nottingham, England, had no knowledge of Chicago geography and simply used "East Side" out of ignorance.^{[citation needed]}

East Side is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the far south side of the city, between the Calumet River and the Illinois-Indiana state line, approximately 13 miles south of Downtown Chicago. The neighborhood has its own park on Lake Michigan, Calumet Park, and its own forest preserve, Eggers Grove Forest Preserve, which neighborhood residents usually call Eggers Woods. It is served by U.S. Highway 12, U.S. Highway 20, and U.S. Highway 41, which are multiplexed in this neighborhood.

History

The East Side, until recently, was socially and economically dominated by the Calumet River and the jobs it supported. The community got its name from the river because it was located on its east bank. The river formed the once-thriving industrial Port of Chicago. A cluster of riverside docks and slips allowed materials of all sorts to be loaded and unloaded onto adjacent railroad lines, and the river itself was lined with steel mills. Republic Steel began operations here in 1901. The Republic mill was the site of frequent union unrest, culminating in the Memorial Day Massacre of 1937 and the successful drive by the United Steelworkers to organize the Chicago mills.

Many of the neighborhood's residents during this period were families of Croatian and Serbian heritage, who had emigrated from Europe to work in the steel mills and take related jobs. Especially after unionization, the neighborhood became a stronghold of the Chicago Democratic Party machine of Mayor Richard J. Daley. The neighborhood's longtime alderman, Edward Vrdolyak, became a noted Chicago "power broker" after the senior Daley's death. Today, the area still remains largely Hispanic, Serbian, Croatian, and Polish.

In the 1950s, the East Side was divided in two by the Chicago Skyway. The riverside steel mills and heavy industries went into serious decline in 1970-2000, and are no longer the mainstay of the neighborhood.^[1]

Growing Suburban Qualities

Many of the older houses are in the unique-to-Chicago bungalow style, though some parts of the East Side are notable for their newer grandiose like houses and suburban feel. Today, the East Side is steadily redeveloping with new homes being built, grocery chains such as Aldi entering the community, and the redevelopment of Lake Pointe Plaza. Currently, there are proposed plans to complete the East Side neighborhood's lakefront shoreline with the development of 140 acres of new parkland which will include an expansion of the existing Calument Park and Beach and extension of the existing lakefront bicycle and running path to the proposed new lakefront parklands in the adjacent South Chicago neighborhood to its north. The future completion of Chicago's southern Lakefront will result in the connection of Calumet Park to Rainbow Beach, South Shore Cultural Center, and Jackson Park with its 18 Hole Golf Course which is part of the Chicago Park District. It will also unify the residents of these neighborhoods both geographically, recreationally, and socially.

Boundaries

East Side is bounded by Calumet River to the North and West, State Line Road (4100 E) to the East, and 126th street (12600 S) to the South.

Schools

East Side is served by both Catholic and Chicago Public Schools. Taylor Elementary, Gallistel Elementary, Jane Addams Elementary and Washington Elementary are among the public elemantary schools. George Washington High School is the neighborhood public high school. Annunciata Grammar School is the neighborhood's Catholic, private school and St. Francis De Sales is the neighborhood's Catholic, private high school. Many students of the East Side are enrolled in schools outside of the neighborhood. These may include Bishop Noll Institute in nearby Hammond, Indiana, Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois, Mount Carmel High School and Mother McAuley High School.

Public transportation

East Side is Metra territory, as the nearest Chicago Transit Authority train station is the 95th/Dan Ryan station on the Red Line, 7 miles northwest of the neighborhood. Residents utilize the Metra Electric station at 93rd street (9300 S, 3300 E) (in South Chicago), and the South Shore Line at Hegewisch/136th street. The Chicago Skyway has been refurbished and privatized. At night it's beautifully lighted outline gives the feel of bridge expanse and, in fact, it does span the Calumet River. The area's edges have been outfitted with landscaped terraces and "pocket parks" have been installed at the intersection of Ewing Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard - one right under the Skyway, complete with decorative benches and ornamental lamp lighting (it serves as a rest stop for cyclers) and the other across the boulevard with a working ornamental fountain. The Burnham Greenway Trail travels along this section under the Skyway, traverses the boulevard and runs along briefly impeded stretches of greenspace right into the south suburban communities of Burnham and Calumet City.

East Side is also served by three CTA bus routes:

• 26 - South Shore Express
• 30 - South Chicago
• 100 - Jeffery Manor