Wicker Park Real Estate

History of Wicker Park

Wicker Park has been a neighborhood in the city of Chicago since its incorporation in 1837. The Wicker Park area was largely uninhabited until 1857, when the Rolling Mill Steel Works factory opened. This factory provided employment for a large Irish population that settled in the Wicker Park area.

In 1870, Charles and Joel Wicker purchased 80 acres of land along Milwaukee Avenue and developed a subdivision surrounding a four acre park. They imagined a neighborhood where people of all economic backgrounds could afford to live and work. Different from other developments in Chicago, they designed the neighborhood with varying lot sizes. This neighborhood contained a range of homes, from large mansions with coach houses on the property, to mid sized homes and cozy cottages.

Wicker Park, the park for which the neighborhood was named for, was designed specifically by the Wicker brothers. With an artificial lake surrounded by lawn and trees, the four-ace triangular site was fenced in to keep the cows out. The subdivision soon developed into a trendy middle and upper class neighborhood. In the late 1800’s, the park’s lake was filled in and replaced with a lawn and a fountain, and the fountain later turned into a children’s wading pool.

After Chicago's Great Fire of 1871, Wicker Park real estate boomed as Chicagoans fled from the downtown area. Northern European immigrants attempted to rebuild the city, building most of the homes from brick and stone, rather than the wood construction that was destroyed in the fire. By the 1890’s, Wicker Park was known for its unique architectural style, with many large mansions in Victorian Gothic and Italianate style circling the park.

A large number of brewery owners built their homes on Hoyne, and this street became known as “Beer Baron Row”. These early inhabitants were German, Scandinavian and a large population of Polish immigrants, which led to the nickname, “Polish Gold Coast”.

Wicker Park also had a large working class, and many African Americans and Eastern Europeans resided in the area. Factories and stores began to open in Wicker Park, including clothing, furniture, musical instruments, cigar manufacturers and breweries.

A second wave of immigration occurred in Wicker Park after World War II, as many Puerto Rican immigrants chose Wicker Park real estate. Wicker Park’s working class began to grow, and many of the large mansions were divided into multi-family units.

Wicker Park Today

Wicker Park is in the West Town community area of Chicago, Illinois. Located northwest of Chicago’s downtown district, the boundaries of Wicker Park are not as distinctive as other Chicago neighborhoods. It is generally accepted that Wicker Park is within the boundaries of the Bloomingdale line to the north, Ashland to the east, Division to the south and Western Avenue to the west.

Wicker Park became known as an artists haven in the 1970’s and 1980’s, as many artists invested in Wicker Park’s charming real estate. With easy access to the loop, rehabbing began to take place in Wicker Park, and construction of affordable housing and trendy loft spaces began. Young professionals and families moved to the area and restored many of the older homes to single family residences. Wicker Park’s charming real estate combined with increased commercial development has developed Wicker Park into one of the most desirable real estate markets in Chicago.

Though small in size, Wicker Park offers homeowners big city amenities, such as nearby hospitals, an excellent public library, and a wide selection of shopping and dining locations.