Austin, Chicago - Definition and Overview

Austin, located on the Far West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the largest (by population) of the city's 77 officially defined community areas (neighborhoods). Its boundaries are from Cicero Avenue to Austin Boulevard (east - west), and North Avenue to Roosevelt Road. (north - south), near suburban areas of Berwyn, Illinois, Cicero, Illinois and Oak Park, Illinois.

In 1865, businessman and real estate speculator Henry W. Austin created a lovely 280 acre (1.1 km²) subdivision in Cicero Township. In 1898, Austinites, having a majority on Cicero's town council, used political influence to allow the extension of the Lake Street elevated line (now part of the Green Line) into their community. This infuriated residents of other areas within Cicero Township, such as Oak Park and Berwyn, who retaliated the following year by holding a joint election to force Austin's annexation to the City of Chicago. Much to the dismay of local residents, this effort succeeded and Austin became part of Chicago in 1899.

External links

• Chicago Landmarks
  • Four Houses by Architect Frederick Schock (http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/F/FourHousesSchock.html)
  • Hitchcock House (http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/H/HitchcockHouse.html)
  • Laramie State Bank Building (http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/L/LaramieStBank.html)
  • Walser House (http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/W/WalserHouse.html)
• Chicago Park District
  • Columbus Park (http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/FD6A5E2C-B08B-44DF-B0E4-4FDA8389D638.cfm/)