The Jefferson Park Neighborhood, Chicago Undergoes Resurgence

The Jefferson Park Neighborhood in Chicago is located in the Northwest section of the city. The neighborhood is made up mostly of middle class working people. This has long been a section of the city that is populated by various city workers and police officers. The neighborhood is named, appropriately enough, after historic Jefferson Park which is located within the district.

The seven acre park is used year round by residents of the neighborhood and entire city. There are two baseball fields, a football or soccer field, three tennis courts, a playground, a wading pool for children, and a full sized swimming pool with locker room facilities. There are also miles of walkways for joggers or residents just interested in a stroll through the park.

The park also has a field house which is home to several clubs and classes. The teen club and senior center both hold meeting there as do music classes for learners of all ages. There are also several levels of tumbling and gymnastics teams that use the field house. The field house is truly the center of the Jefferson Park neighborhood.

The park is named after the nation's third President; Thomas Jefferson. The park commission began acquiring land in 1920 and by 1929 the park was nearly done. The following year the field house was erected and the park still looks very similar to the original version despite the need for occasional updates. One of the most noticeable updates was the addition of three murals painted on the field house over the years. There is a painting of Columbus sighting land, a Viking ship, and of course a portrait of Thomas Jefferson.

The homes that surround the park are sold for $500,000 and more; in some cases much more. There are a few million dollar homes sprinkling the neighborhood. This has caused the neighborhood to undergo a change from its working class roots. The neighborhood has stayed affordable to the working class mostly through the efforts of developers.

Real estate developers have been buying homes in the neighborhood and tearing them down. After the larger home has been demolished two smaller homes were put on the lot that previously contained one house. According to the Jefferson Park Free Press zoning regulations need to be enforced, or changed to stop this practice because it is leading to overcrowding of the neighborhood. (http://www.jeffersonparkfreepress.com/)

The Jefferson Park, neighborhood in Chicago offers the best of city of living combined with a sense of pride in the community and will remain a sought after section of the city to live in.