In the 19th Century, Chicago's "Gold Coast" was actually located in what is now called the South Loop, and was home to the city's ritziest residents. Following the expansion of nearby Hyde Park toward the end of the century, the South Loop gradually morphed into "Sin City." During the Prohibition era, the South Loop was rife with gangsters, corrupt politicos, prostitutes, and gamblers. Al Capone felt so comfortable here he set up shop in the Lexington Hotel.
Fast-forward several decades, and the South Loop is now seeing a resurgence as one of Chicago's fastest-growing neighborhoods. Its proximity to the Museum Campus (the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium), Columbia College, and the School of the Art Institute make the South Loop attractive to a diverse mix of residents. Printer's Row, which hosts a famous annual book fair, is notable for unique condos and lofts in converted former warehouses, and historic buildings abound throughout the area. The South Loop is also a great spot for Chicago blues clubs.
On the Lower West Side is Pilsen, at one time the largest Bohemian settlement in the United States – its name comes from Plzen, a city in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). The neighborhood has seen dramatic turnover in its demographics through the years, shifting from Bohemian to German, then to Polish and Irish. In the 1950s, Mexican immigrants began to settle in Pilsen, and now the area is the second-largest Mexican-American community in the U.S., second only to Los Angeles.
Colorful murals are seemingly everywhere (even the 18th Street el station), and a preponderance of authentic panerias, taquerias, and restaurantes such as Nuevo Leon make Pilsen a vibrant and energetic neighborhood. The Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum is located here, and Pilsen's Cinco de Mayo celebration is one of Chicago's liveliest festivals. Pilsen is also becoming known as a haven for artists and musicians.
Fun Facts
- In the late 1800s and early 1900s, part of the South Loop was known as "The Segregated District," where law enforcement "segregated" off vice. Brothels and gambling houses were frequently raided, though rarely shut down.
- In 1986, Geraldo Rivera hosted a live TV special inside the Lexington Hotel in which he hoped to open a "secret vault" supposed to have belonged to Al Capone. He famously found nothing but debris. The Lexington was ultimately demolished in 1995 after several failed restoration efforts.
- Pilsen became a National Historic Register District on February 1, 2006. Its Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration runs from September through November annually.
