1. Old Town
By: Becca, Patti, Neha,
Shannon, and Huda
2. History of Old Town
❖ Settled in 1850s by German immigrants from
southern Germany.
❖ There was a fire in 1870 that destroyed most
of the houses and the church that the town
was centered around (St. Michael’s Church).
❖ The first Second City show premiered in 1959
and moved locations in 1967.
3. Demographics & Median Income
● Population: 36,550
-Males: 16,591
-Females: 19,960
● Median age: 34.50
● Total households: 22,995
● Median income (ages 22-44):
$75,814
● Median household income:
$66,012
● Average people per household:
1.54
● White collar: 13,901
● Blue collar: 7,147
Education Statistics
Marital Status
4. Attractions and Activities!
- Second City Comedy Club
- Improv and sketch comedy venue. Must see in Old Town. It has been around for over 50
years. Home to Steve Carrel, Chuck Norris, Tina Fey and many more!
- Chicago History Museum
- Museum that is centered around chicago’s history and past.
- The Fudge Pot
- Popular chocolate/candy shop in Old Town. Founded in 1963. Make candy on location
and in the front window for pedestrians to watch.
- Zanie’s Comedy Club
- Chicago’s original spot for stand up comedy. Home of Jerry seinfeld, Jay Leno, Chelsea
Handler and many more!
- Pubs and Winery’s on every corner
- Old Town Triangle Historic District
- It has been around since 1850. A lot of history: houses were burnt down in chicago fire,
rebuilt then teared down during prohibition to be built again.
5. FuN fAcTs
1. The Society for Human Rights was founded in
Old Town.
2. joined the National Register of Historic Places
on November 8, 1984
3. home to 4 comedy theatres: Zanies, The
Second City, Up Comedy Club, The Comedy
Bar
4. Valentines Day is a huge celebration
5. Restaurant Week (every August)- dine for a
discount at local restaurants
6. many stores are part of Local First Chicago
6. How do you get there?
1. Take the L towards 95th/Dan Ryan
2. Get off at the Belmont stop and transfer to the brown line
3. Take the brown line towards Kimball
4. Get off at Sedgwick
5. You’re there!
9. Becca’s
Reflection
Originally when I saw that we were going to Old Town I was expecting to get there and see a
rustic and old town, but it is quite the opposite. There are some older buildings but most of it is
pretty modern. Since it was modern it sparked a curiosity to want to see more. Wells Street is
where most of the attractions and shops are so we went there and I really liked it. It was cute and
everything is on one street so it is not scattered. Everything meaning restaurants, little shops,
comedy clubs, farmers markets and apartments. This experience has made me realize how much
there is to explore outside of the immediate downtown area. I am always going to Michigan avenue
or other places downtown and I have not really gone to any of the smaller neighborhoods. This trip
has made me want to go out and explore the city more! I think this was an authentic chicago
experience because in Old Town there are many places that were started there so there is a lot of
chicago history within it. For example, the Fudge Shop, Second City and Zanie’s. Going to Old Town
and doing this project has made me realize how little I have actually seen of chicago and now I am
curious to go adventure to other smaller neighborhoods in the city.
10. Shannon’s Reflection
When we decided to go to Old town for our connections to
community I was really excited because I had never been to that part of the
city before.This area seemed extremely family friendly with the schools
nearby. All the little shops and restaurants on Wells Street was a really nice
area and I enjoyed going into the shops and walking around. I appreciated
how it was considered the city but Old Town had a different feel than
downtown Chicago. The gates on Wells street were really cute and showed
how this was the main strip of Old Town While we were there we went into
Pinkberry which i had never tried until then and needless to say i have a new
obsession with their frozen yogurt. I will definitely be going back to Old Town
for some more!
11. Neha’s Reflection
Before I had even reached Old Town, I expected it to be very rustic and not modern at all.
However, once we got there, I saw that it was so much more than that. For one, the
buildings were very tiny and cute, and they were quite modern. I expected to see many
randomly named places but there were also generic places like Pinkberry and Starbucks. The
town was organized into tightly packed shops along the streets, and flowers or plants
adorned the sidewalks. Plus, there were also many trees so the overall atmosphere was very
homely and welcoming. Furthermore, there was surprisingly a lot of cultural diversity. On
one street alone, there was an Irish, Chinese, and Mexican restaurant side by side. Another
thing I noticed was that there were many schools. This would make sense because the
neighborhood seemed like a good place to raise kids. There were many fields, parks, and
recreational activities to do. Overall, Old Town seems like a well developed neighborhood,
and it seems like a good place for raising a family. It’s a quiet, diverse place that has much
to offer to its residents, and it is definitely a great town to take a stroll in and have some
fun.
12. Patti’s Reflection
Chicago is always associated with ‘Big City’, but taking a trip to Old
Town showed me that there is so much more to a big city than large
retail stores and busy streets. A few weeks ago my brother came to
visit and asked where Old Town was because he wanted to visit a
friend there, but I had to tell him I had never heard of it. It was
awesome to discover a new place and learn about the city that is
now my home. I have seen the picture of the gates to Old Town many
times but that was the extent of my knowledge on Old Town. There
was a lot of life in Old Town when we visited. There were kids
coming home from school, a lot of people walking on the sidewalk
and kids playing in the park. One of my favorite parts was the
architecture and detail in the buildings. Apartments were squished
between local business, each with their own facade making for a
unique look. There was also a lot of diversity in the food choices.
There was a polish restaurant right between an Irish bar and a
chinese restaurant. This was definitely an authentic experience
because Old Town is full of originality and local business contribution
to the history of Chicago. It was a great city to explore with a group
of friends even in the pouring rain.
13. Huda’s Reflection
Although I’ve lived in the Chicago area my whole life, I hadn’t even heard of
old town until this assignment, so naturally I was very excited to get to know
a new part of my city. Old Town was nothing like I expected it to be, I
thought it would give off a more historic vibe with old buildings and stuff but
to my surprise, it was very hip but still gave a homey town type of feel. There
were a lot of cool shops and places to eat. I appreciated the diversity in
restaurants, they had everything from sushi to italian to Pinkberry. Old Town
was filled with depth and culture, it is a great place to have a good time but
is still family friendly because of the elementary school nearby. What I really
liked about it was that its not as overwhelming as being in the city but theres
still so much to do. Its the perfect place to go on a chill sunday afternoon. I
had a great time and will definitely go back again with friends.
