West Ridge, Chicago

History

Historically called "North Town", and frequently referred to as "West Rogers Park", it is bordered on the north by Howard Street, on the east by Ridge Boulevard, Western Avenue, and Ravenswood Avenue, the south by Bryn Mawr Avenue and Peterson Avenue, and on the west by Kedzie Avenue and the North Shore channel of the Chicago River. At one time joined with neighboring Rogers Park, it seceded to become its own village in 1890 over a conflict concerning park districts (known as the Cabbage War). West Ridge was annexed to Chicago on April 4, 1893, along with Rogers Park.

The area's Jewish community began to boom in the 1930s as new arrivals left behind older and more crowded Jewish neighbourhoods, such as North Lawndale. The area's first synaogue, Ner Tamid, a Conservative congregation, was built in 1938, followed by Congregation B'nai Jacob, also Conservative, in 1942. The community peaked in the early-1960s with 47,000 Jewish residents, making up nearly 75% of the neighourhood. The main throughfare, Devon Avenue was home to many Jewish businesses and stores, as well as the iconic Bnei Ruven synagogue, which remains. The remaining Jewish stores are mostly on what is known honorarily as Golda Meir Boulevard, a section of Devon Avenue. In 1960 a Jewish Community Center opened and the area was home to twelve synagogues from denominations such as Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Judaism became active.

Geography

Neighborhoods and sub-areas

Golden Ghetto

The Golden Ghetto is bounded on the north by Warren Park and Pratt Avenue and on the south by Peterson Avenue. It acquired its name from the thriving Jewish community there from about 1930 to the mid-1970s. The Jewish community peaked at over 47,000 in the 1960s.That community began to drift into the suburbs in the 1960s, and the neighborhood began to be home to South Asians and Russian Jews from about that time.

The heyday of the area is the topic of Adam Langer's Crossing California, told from the perspective of the second-generation residents during their middle school and teenage years. There has been a recent resurgence in Jewish residents, up from a nadir of 20,000 to around 25,000 in the late 2010s, due to increased Orthodox residents.

Rogers Park Manor Bungalow Historic District

The Rogers Park Manor Bungalow Historic District is a residential historic district in West Ridge. The district includes 329 buildings, 247 of which are Chicago bungalows built in the 1920s. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 2005.

Talman West Ridge Bungalow Historic District

The Talman West Ridge Bungalow Historic District is a residential historic district in West Ridge. Of the district's 272 buildings, 181 are either brick Chicago bungalows or older stucco bungalows built from 1919 to 1930.

Demographics

Government

West Ridge has supported the Democratic Party in the past three presidential elections, though relative support declined slightly from 2016 to 2020. In the 2020 presidential election, West Ridge cast 17,222 votes for Joe Biden (69.8%) and 7,281 votes for Donald Trump (28.9%). In the 2016 presidential election, the neighborhood cast 16,712 votes for Hillary Clinton (73.5%) and 4,772 votes for Donald Trump (21.5%). In the 2012 presidential election, West Ridge cast 14,446 votes for Barack Obama (71.8%) and 5,345 votes for Mitt Romney (26.6%).

It was represented on the Chicago City Council by Alderman Bernard Stone from 1973 until May 2011. On April 5, 2011, Debra Silverstein defeated Stone in a runoff election and now represents the 50th Ward, which encompasses West Ridge.

Education

Public schools

Chicago Public Schools operates public schools.

• Clinton Elementary School
• Jamieson Elementary School
• Daniel Boone Elementary School
• Stephen Decatur Classical School
• George Armstrong Elementary School
• Philip Rogers Elementary School
• Stone Scholastic Academy
• West Ridge Elementary School
• Stephen Tyng Mather High School

Private schools

• Victor C. Neumann School
• Tzemach Tzedek Elementary School

Infrastructure

Hoyne Field

Completed in 1996, it is the home for NCAA Men’s and Women’s Loyola Soccer teams. In addition to the university softball team. A FieldTurf synthetic field was installed in 2005. The field lends its name to Thomas Hoyne, a prominent lawyer and businessman who was elected as Mayor of Chicago in 1876, despite never taking office.

Public transit

Bus service is operated by Chicago Transit Authority and Pace. Metra rail is accessible at Peterson/Ridge station.

Notable people

• Joe Aiello (1890–1930), organized crime leader. He resided at 2553 West Lunt Avenue.
• Sidney Blumenthal (born 1948), journalist, political operative, and Senior Advisor to President Bill Clinton. He resided at West Birchwood Avenue in West Rogers Park as a child.
• Howard W. Carroll (1942–2021), member of the Illinois Senate from 1973 to 1999. He resided at 6014 North Francisco Avenue during his political career.
• Philip H. Corboy (1924–2012), trial lawyer. He was a childhood resident of West Rogers Park, living at 2836 West Lunt Street.
• Leo Lerner (1907–1965), newspaper publisher. According to the 1940 United States census, he resided at 2120 West Lunt Avenue.
• Louis A. Lerner (1935–1984), United States Ambassador to Norway during the Carter administration. According to the 1940 United States census, he resided at 2120 West Lunt Avenue.
• John H. Leims (1921–1985), Captain in the United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Medal of Honor. He resided in West Ridge at 5837 North Talman Avenue.
• "Big Tim" Murphy (1885–1928), labor racketeer. He resided at 2525 West Morse Avenue until his murder outside the residence.
• Harry Spanjer (1873–1958), lightweight and welterweight boxer. He resided at 2501 West Lunt Avenue.
• Louis Trinca-Pasat (born 1991), American football player, raised in West Rogers Park
• Scott Turow (born 1949), writer and lawyer

References

References

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2. Ramos, Manny. (2022-01-30). "Refugees drive West Ridge's growing Asian population".
3. "Rogers Park? West Ridge? East Rogers Park? 'Hood Border Confusion Continues – Rogers Park – DNAinfo Chicago".
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5. Sales, Ben (19 December 2019). [https://www.jta.org/2019/12/19/united-states/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-a-historically-jewish-chicago-neighborhood The rise, fall and rise again of a historically Jewish Chicago neighborhood] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025
6. (2017). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDK6_zWQZQY Driving West Rogers Park Chicago's Once and Future Jewish Neighborhood] JNDC Chicago. Retrieved on 20 July 2025
7. Langer, Adam. (2004). "Crossing California". Riverhead Books.
8. Siegel, Beverly (19 November 2022). [https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/19/23466373/west-rogers-park-jews-immigrants-devon-avenue-community-stories-beverly-siegel The history of West Rogers Park inspires me today] ''Chicago Sun-Times''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025
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10. Paral, Rob. "Chicago Community Areas Historical Data".
11. "Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago".
12. Ali, Tanveer. (November 9, 2016). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2016 Presidential Election". [[DNAInfo]].
13. Ali, Tanveer. (November 9, 2012). "How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2012 Presidential Election". [[DNAInfo]].
14. "Election results Stone v. Silverstein".
15. Banas, Casey. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20121105124249/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/25030147.html?dids=25030147:25030147&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+17,+1985&author=Casey+Banas,+Education+writer&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=SCHOOL+MAY+REOPEN+TO+EASE+CROWDING&pqatl=google School May Reopen to Ease Crowding]." ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. July 17, 1985. Chicagoland 4. Retrieved on February 5, 2011. "Neumann School, a private school for emotionally disturbed children,[...]"
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17. "Hoyne Field". Loyola University Chicago.
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20. "Illinois Blue Book 1973–1974".
21. Year: 1930; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 1916; FHL microfilm: 2340230. Via Heritage Quest Online.
22. Star, Jack. (April 3, 1977). "The milliondollar attorney for the maimed". [[Chicago Tribune]].
23. (April 2, 1940). "Louis Lerner in the 1940 United States Federal Census".
24. "Medal of Honor — 2ndLt John H. Leims (Medal of Honor citation)". History Division, United States Marine Corps.
25. Staff Report, . (August 8, 1948). "20 Streets in New City To Be Named for Men in War II". [[Chicago Tribune]].
26. (June 11, 1944). "With America's Fighters". Chicago Daily Tribune.
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29. Charney, Noah. (October 23, 2013). "Scott Turow: How I Write". The Daily Beast.