Lincoln Square, Chicago Explained

Lincoln Square
Official Name:	Community Area 04 - Lincoln Square
Image Map1:	US-IL-Chicago-CA04.svg
Mapsize1:	250px
Map Caption1:	Location within the city of Chicago
Coordinates:	41.97°N -128.4°W
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	United States
Subdivision Type1:	State
Subdivision Type2:	County
Subdivision Type3:	City
Subdivision Type4:	Ward
Subdivision Name1:	Illinois
Subdivision Name2:	Cook
Subdivision Name3:	Chicago
Subdivision Name4:	40th Ward47th Ward
Parts Type:	Neighborhoods
Parts Style:	list
P1:	Lincoln Square
Unit Pref:	Imperial
Area Total Km2:	6.66
Population Total:	40,494^[1]
Population As Of:	2020
Population Density Km2:	auto
Demographics Type1:	Demographics 2019
Demographics1 Title1:	White
Demographics1 Info1:	64.5%
Demographics1 Title2:	Black
Demographics1 Info2:	3.5%
Demographics1 Title3:	Hispanic
Demographics1 Info3:	18.1%
Demographics1 Title4:	Asian
Demographics1 Info4:	9.1%
Demographics1 Title5:	Other
Demographics1 Info5:	4.8%
Demographics Type2:	Educational Attainment 2019
Demographics2 Title1:	High School Diploma or Higher
Demographics2 Info1:	93.3%
Demographics2 Title2:	Bachelor's Degree or Higher
Demographics2 Info2:	63.9%
Postal Code Type:	ZIP Codes
Postal Code:	parts of 60625, 60640
Footnotes:	Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services
P2:	Ravenswood
P3:	Ravenswood Gardens
P4:	Budlong Woods
P5:	Bowmanville
P6:	Rosehill Cemetery
Timezone:	CST
Utc Offset:	-6
Timezone Dst:	CDT
Utc Offset Dst:	-5
Blank Name:	Median household income 2019
Blank Info:	$81,149

Lincoln Square on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the city's 77 community areas. It encompasses the smaller neighborhoods of Ravenswood, Ravenswood Gardens, Bowmanville, Budlong Woods, as well as Lincoln Square itself.^[2]

Profile

In the 1840s, farming was begun in this area by newly arrived English and German Americans. Two brothers, Lyman and Joseph Budlong arrived in 1857 to start a commercial pickling operation near what is today Lincoln Avenue and Berwyn. They later opened a commercial green house and flower fields to provide flowers for the then new Rosehill Cemetery. In 1925, to honor Abraham Lincoln, the Chicago City Council named the area Lincoln Square, and a prominent statue of the namesake was erected in 1956.^{[3] [4]}

About 44,000 people live in the neighborhood along with over 1,000 small and medium-sized businesses. It is accessible through the Brown Line of the 'L'. The neighborhood is bounded by Bryn Mawr and Peterson Avenues on the north, Montrose Avenue on the south, Ravenswood Avenue on the east and the Chicago River on the west. Its housing stock consists of private residences and small apartment buildings.

The commercial heart of Lincoln Square is located at the intersection of Lawrence, Western and Lincoln Avenues. Lincoln Avenue southeast of this intersection is home to a wide variety of restaurants and shops. Lincoln Square is historically known as a heavily German influenced and populated neighborhood,^[5] but now one is just as likely to see shops catering to the Thai culture.^{[6] [7]} Still, the neighborhood is home to a number of German businesses, including Merz Apothecary and Lutz Café & Bakery, and is the home of the Chicago branches of DANK (the German American National Congress) and the Niedersachsen Club. The German-language weekly newspaper was born in Lincoln Square in 1972, though its original headquarters above the Brauhaus is now only a bureau.

Events such as festivals and live musical performances are frequently held in Lincoln Square. The Apple Fest is a longstanding tradition in Lincoln Square that brings the community together to celebrate the beginning of fall. Dozens of vendors participate in the event each year selling autumn-themed crafts and apple-themed treats, such as fresh baked apple pies, bushels of apples, hot apple cider and apple pizza.^[8] The Square Roots Festival, which is held every summer, celebrates Lincoln Square's history in music and German culture with live performances from local musicians and craft beer from local breweries.^[9]

Neighborhoods

• Bowmanville
• Bowmanville Woods
• Bowmanville Gardens
• Budlong
• Budlong Woods
• Budlong Gardens
• Lincoln Square
• Lincoln Square North
• Lincoln Square East
• Lincoln Square South
• Lincoln Square West
• Ravenswood
• Ravenswood Gardens

Politics

Lincoln Square is a stronghold for the Democratic Party in elections. In 2020, Joe Biden won 18,908 votes, or 85.8% compared to 2,699 for Donald Trump, or 12.2% In the 2016 presidential election, Lincoln Square cast 15,317 votes for Hillary Clinton (83.3%) and cast 1,981 votes Donald Trump (10.3%).^[10] In the 2012 presidential election, Lincoln Square cast 13,515 votes for Barack Obama and 2,435 votes for Mitt Romney.^[11] In the Illinois General Assembly, the entirety of Lincoln Square is located in the 7th Legislative District and the 13th House District. During the 101st General Assembly, the community area is represented by Senator Heather Steans and House Majority Leader Greg Harris.^{[12] [13]} The Lincoln Square neighborhood encompasses the 40th and 47th wards on the Chicago City Council. The aldermen are Andre Vasquez in the 40th Ward and Matt Martin in the 47th Ward. Both were first elected in the 2019 election.^[14]

Points of interest

• Conrad Sulzer Regional Library
• Cambodian Association of Illinois
• DANK Haus German American Cultural Center
• Old Town School of Folk Music
• Rosehill Cemetery

Hospitals

• Kindred Hospital Chicago North
• Swedish Hospital

Schools

Chicago Public Schools operates public schools.^[15] Many of these schools have benefited from GROW47,^[16] an initiative started by Alderman Ameya Pawar, which aims to improve funding for local public schools.

School	Grades	No. of students^[17]	School type^[18]
Budlong Elementary School^[19]	PK, K–8	778	Neighborhood
Chappell Elementary School^[20]	PK, K–8	569	World Language Magnet Cluster (Spanish)
Jamieson Elementary School^[21]	PK, K–8	820	Neighborhood
McPherson Elementary School^[22]	PK, K–8	760	International Baccalaureate (IB)
Waters Elementary School^[23]	K–8	669	Fine Arts Magnet Cluster
Amundsen High School	9–12	1,466	International Baccalaureate (IB)
Mather High School	9–12	1,673	Neighborhood

Amundsen High School is the designated CPS high school for most of the community area, while a small section is zoned to Mather High School.^[24]

Other private or parochial schools:

• Adler Schools
• Lycée Français de Chicago/The French International School
• North Park Elementary School
• North Shore Junior Academy
• Pilgrim Lutheran
• Queen of Angels Elementary School
• St. Hilary's Elementary School
• St. Mathias School
• Waldorf School

Parks

Lincoln Square contains several parks, which are maintained by the Chicago Park District.

• Winnemac Park^[25] covers more than 40 acres at the corner of Damen and Foster. The park contains the campuses of Amundsen High School, Chappell Elementary, and the Jorndt Field athletic complex. The park features natural prairie plants, multiple baseball fields, a soccer field, and a playground. The high school also includes a swimming pool, run by the Chicago Park District, that is open to the public during limited times.
• Welles Park^[26] covers 15 acres and sits at the corner of Lincoln and Montrose Avenues, across from the Conrad Sulzer Regional Library. It contains a community center, including a pool, gym, and fitness center. A gazebo stands at the center of the park where concerts are held during the summer. The playground in the northwest corner has swings, climbing equipment and a small splash-pad. There are also several baseball fields, tennis courts and courts to play horseshoes. The park recently won a grant to install a nature area in the southwest corner of the park.
• Jacob Park^[27] is a small playlot located at Virginia and Leland Avenues, right next to the Chicago River. It features a large sandbox, which neighbors have stocked with trucks and toys. The Chicago "L" runs along the southern edge of the park, to the delight of children and adults.
• River Park^[28] is located along the Chicago River, south of Foster Ave. and west of Francisco Ave. The park includes a community center, an outdoor pool, and a popular splash pad. The park is also the start of the North Shore Channel Trail,^[29] which continues 6.7 miles through the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park^[30] and up to Evanston's Ladd Arboretum.
• Vogle Playlot^[31] is tucked in the corner of Lawrence and Hoyne Avenues. It contains a newly renovated playground and swing-set.
• Gross Park^[32] is a small park located at the corner of Lawrence and Washtenaw, near the HarvesTime grocery store. It contains several basketball courts, a small soccer field, and an ADA-accessible soft-surface playground.
• Sunken Gardens Park^[33] is a small park that sits along the Chicago River at the corner of Virginia and Sunnyside Avenues. It contains a small grassy space and a few benches.

Public art

• The Chicago Lincoln statue (Corner of Western, Lawrence and Lincoln), 1956
• Lombard Lamp (Giddings Square), 1979
• The Lincoln Square Mural (Lincoln Square Athletic Club), 1991
• Lincoln/Sunnyside Mural, 1997
• Giddings Square Fountain, 1999
• The Maypole (Leland and Lincoln), 1999
• Greater Rockwell Mural (Beans and Bagels), 2005
• Lincoln/Leland Mural (Lincoln Quality Meat Market), 2007
• Berlin Wall Monument (Western Avenue Brown Line Station), 2008

Events

The following events occur within the neighborhood on an annual basis.

• Ravenswood Run 5K
• May Fest
• Lincoln Square Summer Concert Series
• Square Roots
• Lincoln Square Poetry Fest
• German-American Fest
• Lincoln Square Fall Apple Fest
• Friends of the Craft Beer Festival^[34]
• Friends of the Grape Wine Festival
• Christmas Tree Lighting in the Square

Notable people

• Russell A. Berg (1917–2002), brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He resided at 4624 North Winchester Avenue for a time in the 1940s.^[35]
• James P. Loukas, member of the Illinois General Assembly. He resided at 2612 West Farragut Avenue.^[36]
• George Papadopoulos (born 1987), former advisor to the 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump. He was living in Lincoln Square at the time of his arrest.^[37]
• Mike Simmons (born 1983), member of the Illinois Senate since 2019. He personally believes his family was one of the first Black families to integrate Lincoln Square after the United States Supreme Court mandated that public housing be built on the city’s North Side.^[38]
• Nicholas Zagone (1931–2020), member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1959 to 1965. He was raised in Lincoln Square.^[39]

Bordering community areas

• Uptown
• Edgewater
• North Park
• Albany Park
• North Center
• West Ridge

External links

• Official City of Chicago Lincoln Square Community Map
• Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce

Notes and References

1. Web site: Community Data Snapshot - Lincoln Square. cmap.illinois.gov. MetroPulse. August 2, 2021.
2. Web site: Lincoln Square. www.encyclopedia.ChicagoHistory.org. June 22, 2017.
3. Book: Zangs, Mary . The Chicago 77 . History Press . Charleston, SC . 2014 . 26. 9781626196124.
4. Web site: The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago . 2005 . April 21, 2024.
5. Web site: McKeough. Kevin. A Guide to Lincoln Square. Chicago Magazine. July 16, 2013.
6. Web site: May. Jeffy. The 11 Best Thai Spots in Chicago. January 16, 2015 . Thrillist. April 1, 2019.
7. Web site: Fisher. Amber. New Thai Restaurant Opens in Lincoln Square. June 11, 2018 . Patch.com. April 1, 2019.
8. Web site: Apple Fest - Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, IL. www.LincolnSquare.org. November 1, 2017.
9. Web site: Square Roots Festival - Lincoln Square, Chicago - About Square Roots. SquareRoots.org. November 1, 2017.
10. News: How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2016 Presidential Election. Ali. Tanveer. DNAInfo. November 9, 2016. October 4, 2019. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190924090904/https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/numbers/president-vice-president-every-neighborhood-map-election-results-voting-general-primary-illinois/. September 24, 2019.
11. News: How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2012 Presidential Election. Ali. Tanveer. DNAInfo. November 9, 2012. October 4, 2019. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190203045330/https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/numbers/obama-romney-president-vice-president-every-neighborhood-map-2012-election-results-voting-general-primary-illinois/. February 3, 2019.
12. Web site: State Legislative District Reference Map: State House District 13 (Illinois). May 18, 2013. Economics and Statistics Administration. October 4, 2019.
13. Book: White. Jesse. Legislators' Portraits and Biographies. 66. Illinois Blue Book 2019-2020. Springfield, Illinois. Illinois Secretary of State. 2019. October 4, 2019.
14. Web site: Chicago election results: Here's a breakdown of how the city and suburbs voted. April 2, 2019. Chicago Tribune. https://web.archive.org/web/20190403010423/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-viz-chicago-mayor-runoff-election-results-htmlstory.html. April 3, 2019. live. mdy-all.
15. "Lincoln Square" (map). City of Chicago. Retrieved on December 24, 2016.
16. Web site: GROW47 School Initiative -. Chicago47.org. November 1, 2017.
17. Web site: About Our Schools. Chicago Public Schools. en. June 29, 2017.
18. Web site: Elementary School Types. Chicago Public Schools. en. June 29, 2017.
19. Web site: BudlongElementarySchool. BudlongElementarySchool. November 1, 2017.
20. Web site: School Details Page | Chicago Public Schools .
21. Web site: School Details Page | Chicago Public Schools .
22. Web site: School Details Page | Chicago Public Schools .
23. Web site: Waters Elementary. Waters Elementary. November 1, 2017.
24. "HS North/Near North". Chicago Public Schools. 2013. Retrieved on September 30, 2016.
25. Web site: Winnemac Park - Chicago Park District. Chicago Park. District. www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com. November 1, 2017.
26. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Welles-Park/ Welles Park
27. Web site: Jacob Park - Chicago Park District. Chicago Park. District. www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com. November 1, 2017.
28. Web site: River Park - Chicago Park District. Chicago Park. District. www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com. November 1, 2017.
29. Web site: North Shore Channel Trail - Illinois Trails - TrailLink.com. www.TrailLink.com. November 1, 2017.
30. Web site: Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park. Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park. November 1, 2017.
31. Web site: Vogle Playlot Park - Chicago Park District. Chicago Park. District. www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com. November 1, 2017.
32. Web site: Gross Park - Chicago Park District. Chicago Park. District. www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com. November 1, 2017.
33. Web site: Sunken Gardens Park - Chicago Park District. Chicago Park. District. www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com. November 1, 2017.
34. Web site: Friends of the Craft. www.LincolnSquare.org. November 1, 2017.
35. News: 44 Chicagoland Men in the 9th Air Force Honored. Chicago Tribune.
36. Book: Illinois Blue Book 1965-1966. 248. January 5, 2024.
37. News: Sweet. Lynn. George Papadopoulos gets 14 days in Mueller probe: 'I made a terrible mistake'. Chicago Sun Times. September 24, 2018. May 6, 2020.
38. News: Hinton. Rachel. New state Sen. Mike Simmons to focus on North Siders who are 'never seen'. February 21, 2021. Chicago Sun-Times. May 19, 2021.
39. News: Judge Nicholas Zagone, 89. October 3, 2020. Roseau Times-Region. November 24, 2021.