Lincoln Square, Chicago


Lincoln Square is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago in Illinois, United States, located on the North Side of Chicago. It encompasses the smaller neighborhoods of Ravenswood, Ravenswood Gardens, Bowmanville, Budlong Woods, as well as Lincoln Square itself.

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.
About 41,000 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, but now one is just as likely to see shops catering to the Thai culture. 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 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. 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.

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 and cast 1,981 votes Donald Trump. In the 2012 presidential election, Lincoln Square cast 13,515 votes for Barack Obama and 2,435 votes for Mitt Romney. 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. 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.

Points of interest

operates public schools. Many of these schools have benefited from GROW47, an initiative started by Alderman Ameya Pawar, which aims to improve funding for local public schools.
SchoolGradesNo. of studentsSchool type
Budlong Elementary SchoolPK, K–8778Neighborhood
Chappell Elementary SchoolPK, K–8569World Language Magnet Cluster
Jamieson Elementary SchoolPK, K–8820Neighborhood
McPherson Elementary SchoolPK, K–8760International Baccalaureate
Waters Elementary SchoolK–8669Fine Arts Magnet Cluster
Amundsen High School9–121,466International Baccalaureate
Mather High School9–121,673Neighborhood

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.
Other private or parochial schools:
Lincoln Square contains several parks, which are maintained by the Chicago Park District.
  • Winnemac Park 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 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 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 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, which continues 6.7 miles through the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park and up to Evanston's Ladd Arboretum.
  • Vogle Playlot is tucked in the corner of Lawrence and Hoyne Avenues. It contains a newly renovated playground and swing-set.
  • Gross Park 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 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, 1956
  • Lombard Lamp, 1979
  • The Lincoln Square Mural, 1991
  • Lincoln/Sunnyside Mural, 1997
  • Giddings Square Fountain, 1999
  • The Maypole, 1999
  • Greater Rockwell Mural, 2005
  • Lincoln/Leland Mural, 2007
  • Berlin Wall Monument, 2008

    Events

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